by Beth Ball
Cassandra leaned back against her amethyst throne, a wide smile stretching across her lips. The image of Emryc trudging up the endless stairs after Apollo faded. Emryc had indeed increased in wisdom over the years of his imprisonment, as she had promised Circe he might. He had learned more secure soil in which to plant his hope, though he could not yet perceive his own role in the tapestry of destiny. Because of his sacrifice, the surrender of his love and devotion, Persephonie had inherited a wealth of stories Circe had not had access to, including those of the first Chosen.
The true question, she mused, and perhaps one only the goddess of fate could see, was not whether Emryc’s heir could faithfully guide Persephonie.
No. Could Jez first learn the importance of choosing oneself, of wrapping one’s hands around the binding weave of fate, seizing the path as one’s own? Could Jez learn to trust Persephonie and not the curse Emryc and his lineage knew so well? Then, and only then, could his heir help Persephonie become the Chosen she was meant to be.
Cassandra twirled her fingers through curling locks of onyx hair. “We shall see,” the goddess whispered to herself. “We shall see.”
The story of how it all began…
Dorric Themear has experienced the giddy flutterings of new love before. But not like this. Behind the sapphire eyes of Lady Emelyee Amastacia lies a long-awaited destiny that neither of them can sense or stop.
However, forces darker than Emelyee’s husband are prepared to stand in their way.
Ridel, one of Lucien’s most trusted servants, is less than enthused about her assignment to watch the lovers. If only her master had been visionary enough to see that a child cannot result if the parents are dead. She’ll do her best to comply with his orders to watch and to wait—at least for now.
High in the Frostmaw Mountains, Yvayne has seen the signs of a turning of the age before. Perhaps this time, with the proper intervention, she and the druids can make a play for Azuria after all.
Visit bethballbooks.com/join to join our reading community, and you’ll receive a free copy of Aurora, the prequel novella for the Age of Azuria series. Find out where Iellieth’s story truly began!
The Adventure Continues
Clouds darken over Azuria. Persephonie and Rennear must flee Andel-ce Hevra and find shelter in the northern mountains. There, Emryc’s heir waits for her . . . and the wheel of fate continues to turn.
Coming to a bookshelf near you in 2021!
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About the Author
Beth Ball is an epic fantasy author telling stories in the world of Azuria. When she’s not writing fantasy fiction, Beth is a tabletop RPG designer and a literary scholar. Her academic work focuses on contemporary novels that encourage readers to find agency and empowerment in their approach to nature and their impact on the natural world, and her TTRPG adventures incorporate lots of druids.
You can find her and more stories set in Azuria at bethballbooks.com.
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Story Magic! If you enjoyed this novella, please take a moment to leave a review. That helps so much, and I appreciate your time in doing so!
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I’m sure you noticed connections to Hadvarian Heist across this novella, but I wanted to point out a few that were especially fun for me to work with. First, Persephonie calls upon the magic described in “The Legend of Enidia” in her battle against Aylin in Tempus Market. And second, “Legend of the Black Oak Forest” ties to the dryad Iellieth meets before venturing to Nocturne. We may even find elements of this story returning in Amber Queen . . .
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, my gratitude to my amazing editor, Kristen. Your encouragement around what this novella could be fertilized the seed of the novella is was and allowed it to grow into the interconnected web of stories that it is. Thank you.
To Anjanee, my cover designer: The picture of Persephonie on the front of this novella is so completely perfect and provided a beam of inspiration during the cloudy moments of creation.
To Jonathan, who explores this amazing world with me each week—none of these stories would exist without you.
To Kelly, thank you for your careful hand and precision.
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And finally, to you, dear reader: I hope you enjoyed the stories within these pages as much as I have loved sharing them with you. Thank you to those of you who have reached out to share your favorite moments and characters from Age of Azuria. That means more than I can say!
Also by Beth Ball
Age of Azuria
Aurora: An Age of Azuria Novella
Buried Heroes: Age of Azuria Book One
Song of Parting: An Age of Azuria Novella
Hadvarian Heist: Age of Azuria Book Two
Story Magic: An Age of Azuria Novella
Amber Queen: Age of Azuria Book Three (forthcoming, 2021)
Map of Azuria
For a closer look at the different regions in Azuria, visit bethballbooks.com/welcome.
Story Magic is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Copyright © 2021 by Beth Ball
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All rights reserved.
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Published by Grove Guardian Press
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Edited by The Blue Garret
Cover design by 17 Studio Book Design
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Ebook ISBN 978-1-952609-12-1
Paperback ISBN 978-1-952609-13-8
Hardback ISBN 978-1-952609-14-5
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groveguardianpress.com
To the stories that shape us and to their tellers
