Spirit of the Sea Witch
Keepers of the Stones
Book Two
Tara West
Genre: YA fantasy
Publisher: Shifting Sands Publishing
Date of Publication: 1.23.18
ISBN: TBA
ASIN:
Number of pages: Est 400.
Word Count: 100K
Cover Artist: Bob Kehl
Book Description:
Desperate to escape the wrath of the vengeful sky goddess Madhea, a group of brave young explorers flee to the sea in search of safe haven for their people while the apprentice witch Dianna steals away Madhea’s dragon to The Shifting Sands.
Though they are an ocean apart, the future of all humanity lies within their entwined fates.
Before they can defeat Madhea, they must stop the vindictive sea goddess Eris from destroying the world.
Sample Scene Two
The dwarf took a
swig of his fiery drink, then coughed while pounding his chest, his nose and
cheeks turning even redder. Alec wondered why Grim drank that poison if it made
him sick, but then he was reminded of his father, always with a tankard in
hand. Mother had said that his father drank to forget the past. Perhaps Grim
had memories he was trying to bury, too.
swig of his fiery drink, then coughed while pounding his chest, his nose and
cheeks turning even redder. Alec wondered why Grim drank that poison if it made
him sick, but then he was reminded of his father, always with a tankard in
hand. Mother had said that his father drank to forget the past. Perhaps Grim
had memories he was trying to bury, too.
Grim cleared his throat before
capping the flask and slipping it back inside his vest. “Aye, there is truth in
that, for then the sea witch will have all the power.”
capping the flask and slipping it back inside his vest. “Aye, there is truth in
that, for then the sea witch will have all the power.”
Gorpat snorted, then her other eye
flew open. Her brow drew down, the heavy folds nearly falling over her eyes.
“Don’t say ‘witch,’ Dada.”
flew open. Her brow drew down, the heavy folds nearly falling over her eyes.
“Don’t say ‘witch,’ Dada.”
The dwarf looked over his shoulder
at his giant daughter’s scrunched features. “Sorry, my pearl.” He turned back
to Alec, pulling a cloth out of his vest and wiping glistening drops of sweat
off his brow. “Her ma don’t like me speaking of the demon fish so.”
at his giant daughter’s scrunched features. “Sorry, my pearl.” He turned back
to Alec, pulling a cloth out of his vest and wiping glistening drops of sweat
off his brow. “Her ma don’t like me speaking of the demon fish so.”
“Demon fish?” Alec was confused. Was
he speaking of the ice goddess’s sea-dwelling sister?
he speaking of the ice goddess’s sea-dwelling sister?
Grim solemnly nodded. “The torso of
a beautiful maiden, the tail of a fish, but the heart of a serpent.”
a beautiful maiden, the tail of a fish, but the heart of a serpent.”
Alec rubbed his chin, sharing a
puzzled look with Des. “You are speaking of the sea goddess, Eris?”
puzzled look with Des. “You are speaking of the sea goddess, Eris?”
The dwarf frowned. “Aye, ’tis the
same bitch,” he mumbled, casting a wary glance over his shoulder.
same bitch,” he mumbled, casting a wary glance over his shoulder.
The giant’s eyes nearly crossed as
she frowned at her father.
she frowned at her father.
“I’d no idea she had a fish’s tail.
Is she a siren?” As far as Alec knew, the ice goddess Madhea had no tail,
though his brother had told him she had wings that buzzed angrily like demonic
little pixies. How strange her sister would be so different.
Is she a siren?” As far as Alec knew, the ice goddess Madhea had no tail,
though his brother had told him she had wings that buzzed angrily like demonic
little pixies. How strange her sister would be so different.
“Nay, she is no siren.” The dwarf
shook his head, snickering. “The sirens are angels in comparison.”
shook his head, snickering. “The sirens are angels in comparison.”
He snorted. “I find that hard to
believe.” Alec had heard too many tales of sirens luring ships to the rocks and
then baring rows of shark-like jagged teeth and feasting upon shipwrecked
sailors as they screamed for mercy.
believe.” Alec had heard too many tales of sirens luring ships to the rocks and
then baring rows of shark-like jagged teeth and feasting upon shipwrecked
sailors as they screamed for mercy.
The dwarf’s eyes hardened. “Then let
us hope you never meet Eris and find out for yerself.”
us hope you never meet Eris and find out for yerself.”
“Sing the song, Dada,” the giant
pleaded, nearly knocking Alec back with a wave of her hot breath.
pleaded, nearly knocking Alec back with a wave of her hot breath.
Grim looked over his shoulder at the
girl, shaking his head. “Nay, my pearl. ’Tis too sad.”
girl, shaking his head. “Nay, my pearl. ’Tis too sad.”
“Sing, Dada. Pur-lease.”
He flashed her one more doleful look
before heaving a resigned sigh. “Very well.” He cleared his throat,
straightened his shoulders, and began with a soft hum.
before heaving a resigned sigh. “Very well.” He cleared his throat,
straightened his shoulders, and began with a soft hum.
Alec had to strain to hear at first,
but then Grim’s voice grew so deep and strong, it filled Alec’s bones with the
reverberations of a snow bear’s roar.
but then Grim’s voice grew so deep and strong, it filled Alec’s bones with the
reverberations of a snow bear’s roar.
“Goddess of ash and sea.” The
dwarf’s tone was so rich and pure, Alec’s heart nearly broke from the beauty of
it. “Please return my child to me. Though ’tis four score since she wandered
this shore, my spirit doth cry Annalie…
Annalie… Annalie.”
dwarf’s tone was so rich and pure, Alec’s heart nearly broke from the beauty of
it. “Please return my child to me. Though ’tis four score since she wandered
this shore, my spirit doth cry Annalie…
Annalie… Annalie.”
Alec stared at the dwarf through the
campfire’s dancing flames, struck dumb for a long moment before he realized his
blurred vision was not from the smoke or fiery drink, but from his own sheen of
tears. He looked at Des, who was drying his eyes as well.
campfire’s dancing flames, struck dumb for a long moment before he realized his
blurred vision was not from the smoke or fiery drink, but from his own sheen of
tears. He looked at Des, who was drying his eyes as well.
Alec didn’t know if Grimley’s
beautiful voice or the song’s sad story had stirred these emotions, but sadness
soon turned to fear, an icy tendril coiling around his spine like a serpent
threatening to choke his last thread of sanity. Realization soured his gut.
“Eris steals children?”
beautiful voice or the song’s sad story had stirred these emotions, but sadness
soon turned to fear, an icy tendril coiling around his spine like a serpent
threatening to choke his last thread of sanity. Realization soured his gut.
“Eris steals children?”
Grim leveled Alec with a sinister
glare, the reflection of the fire dancing in his haunted expression. “Laddie,
the witch takes anything she damn well pleases.”
glare, the reflection of the fire dancing in his haunted expression. “Laddie,
the witch takes anything she damn well pleases.”
About the Author:
Tara West writes books about dragons, witches, and heroes while eating chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate. She's willing to share her dragons, witches, and heroes. Keep your hands off her chocolate. A former high school English teacher, Tara is now a full-time writer and graphic artist. She enjoys spending time with her family, interacting with her fans, and fishing the Texas coast.
@TaraWestauthor
