by S A Archer
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Books by
S.A. Archer and S. Ravynheart
Scattered Magic
Remnants of Magic
Into Magic
Bastion of Magic
Knights of the Red Branch
Risk the Magic at…
http://www.sidhetouch.com
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~Enjoy a sample chapter of~
Bastion of Magic
Immediately, the magic of the new realm crashed over Malcolm. The pained outcry tore from his throat without him even calling it forth. The sounds of magic blared into him like concert speakers against his pointed Sidhe ears. Malcolm’s hands clasped over them as he dropped to his knees. Particles of magic, floating in the air like mist, fluttered against his flesh like tingles and stabs and burns. No one impact all that horrible, but the sudden collective of it like being bitten by a billion electrified, flaming midges at once. The brightness of the magic that permeated everything flared before his eyes like the contrast on a TV had been switched to maximum and the wattage kicked up to neon. Even sucking in air infiltrated him with a thousand fragrances and a million flavors. Malcolm shook his head, as if he could battle back the onslaught.
Kieran said something. Touched his shoulder.
“Shut up! Get away!” Malcolm swung his arm out wide to force him away. He had to focus. Had to fight through all the incoming sensations to find the one he needed.
Squinting, Malcolm swept his vision around him.
Kieran was there. Behind the hill, the swirling portal-thing. A hundred fey milled about the portal. Flicking in and out with zips and pops and bangs as they teleported. All of them spilling magic around them in a great river that crested over the rim of the crater and back down over Malcolm. Wincing, Malcolm fought to reclaim his footing, then spun slowly about.
Donovan wasn’t there.
Wasn’t like an invisible figure standing where he’d vanished, as Malcolm had somehow thought.
“But that’s not true!” He shouted against the noise.
“What?” He caught the hint of Kieran’s voice beyond the chaos, but ignored him.
“There’s something.” Malcolm made a digging gesture toward his head, as if he meant to claw open his skull so the understanding could find its way inside. “Something… Something…Something…”
“Malcolm!” Kieran grabbed up his silver ring and came at him with it.
He spun away. “No! No! I have to find him!”
“Stop it!” Kieran rushed him, but Malcolm cut aside.
He dropped to a knee, and punched up with the heel of his hand, slamming Kieran in the center of his chest and sending him flying back. When Kieran hit the ground, Malcolm spun about again. It was too loud here, so close to the portal. But there was something… “He’s not here… but I feel him…” It was so odd, a defused sensation like the air. “He’s here, but he’s not.”
Beyond the slope a mountain crested upward. All craggy and broken into cliffs. There… If Donovan would have gone anywhere, it was there.
“Malcolm, calm down!” Kieran rushed him again, but Malcolm jolted forward and teleported.
He appeared at a run on the mountain slope. A ridge circled up and Malcolm raced along the narrow track. Away from the portal, away from the fey, there was nothing but the magic of the realm to assault him. And it felt like Donovan.
Everything felt like Donovan.
He was everywhere. All around him. Surrounding him. Filling him with every breath.
But he wasn’t here!
“Donovan!” Malcolm shouted. Then louder, “Donovan!”
He ran, arms and legs pumping. Fast as he could. Higher and higher. He got no closer to Donovan, even though he was just beyond Malcolm’s reach.
He was here, but not. He was everywhere, but nowhere to be found.
The magic seemed to chase after Malcolm, threatening to consume him and drag him to his knees if he stopped. It pulled at him. Wrapped him up. Tangled his body and mind. “Donovan!” He pleaded. “Where are you?”
The ridge ended abruptly in a sharp cliff. It angled out over the drop.
Malcolm didn’t even slow down. Before him, out across the realm, everything was Donovan. Everything was his magic, mixed with the magic of so much more.
Without hesitation, Malcolm flung himself off the cliff. “Donovan!” His voice echoed in the steep valley below as he dropped toward the broken and jagged stones.
Malcolm fell… faster and faster…
Like a diver, he rotated in midair.
Plunging downward head first, toward the valley far, far below.
###
Continue the adventure!
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Bastion of Magic
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Glossary and Name Pronunciation Guide
Names and their pronunciations
Amon: Pronounced ‘Ah-mun’
Arianrhod: Pronounced ‘Ahree-ahnt-ood’
Bain Greim: Pronounced ‘Bane Grimm’
Cormac: Pronounces ‘Core-mack’
Danu: pronounced ‘Dan-oo’
Eircheard: Pronounced ‘ER-chart’
Kie: Pronounced ‘Key’ (nickname for Kieran)
Kieran: Pronounced ‘Kear-an’
King Mckenna: Pronounced King ‘Ma-ken-a’
Lugh: Pronounced ‘Loo’
Manannan: Pronounced ‘Ma-na-nan’
Rhiannon: Pronounced ‘Re-on-nan’
Seamus: Pronounced ‘Shae-mus’
Taliesin: Pronounced ‘Tail-see-in’
Tamara: Pronounced ‘Ta-mar-ah’
Tiernan: Pronounced ‘Tear-nan’
Glossary
All-Mother: A title given to Danu respectfully acknowledging her connection to all fey connected to the Mounds.
Aspect of magic: In addition to the Touch and the common magics (Glamour and teleportation), each Sidhe possesses a single aspect of magic, which dictated how their personal magic will manifest. For example, Lugh’s aspect of magic is ‘the sun’.
Banner: A type of fey highly skilled at using magic to perform construction very quickly, but only when unobserved.
Bloodhound: Refers to the Sidhe aspect of magic that can sense and manipulate the magic of others.
Brownies: A type of fey known for being secretive and shy, but very helpful domestically.
Captivated: Seelie term for humans addicted to the Touch.
Champion: A title given to respectfully acknowledging someone’s role as defender and ambassador for the their race with other races.
Changeling: A type of fey that can shape change and that has a reputation for being self-serving and vicious.
Collapse: Refers to the recent destruction of the Mounds.
Creatrix: Refers to Danu. The feminine form of the word ‘creator’.
Cursed: A term used to describe humans who have been Touched by a Sidhe.
Dark Elves: A type of fey who often lives underground like dwarves, and who tend to possess darker magic.
Druid/druidess: A human who loyally serves a Sidhe in exchange for the ‘blessing’ of the Touch.
Earthborns: The term for the Sidhe born on the earth surface in the past few decades who are generally untrained in magic and unprotected from predators.
Earth realm: Refers to the surface of the earth.
Elite: The assassins who worked for the Unseelie Queen.
Enchanted: Someone or something bespelled by magic. Also the Unseelie term for humans
addicted to the Touch.
Enchantment: A spell created by magicraft.
Exiles: Refers to the Unseelie who left the Mounds after the Seelie gained power.
Fade: A potentially deadly condition suffered by the fey when their magic is not replenished.
Fairy lights: Small balls of enchantment about the size of an egg that give of various colors of light.
Fey: A general term for any creature whose race descended from the first realm of fey.
First Realm of Fey: Refers to the realm where all fey races arose. It collapsed over 10,000 years ago.
Ghille Dhu: Pronounced ‘Gell Doo’. A type of shape changing fey.
Glamour: One of the types of magic all fey can perform and is used to disguise oneself or objects behind an illusion.
Glamour Club: Owned by Donovan, this fey-only club is a haven for earthborn Sidhe.
Great Veil: A magical barrier that prevents wizards and wizard-crafted magic from entering Ireland.
Heart of magic: The core of a fey’s magic, usually located in the chest.
Lesser fey: Refers to all fey who are not Sidhe.
Ley lines: The lines of energy that flow through the earth.
Magicraft: Refers to the skill of creating enchantments.
Mounds: The name of the second fey realm, which exists in a pocket of magic deep under ground.
Patron Sidhe: Refers to the Sidhe who takes responsibility for a druid.
Scribe: A type of fey who are usually shy and bookish historians.
Seelie: Pronounced ‘C-lee’. Refers to the Sidhe of the ‘light court’, who value culture, political intrigue, and beauty.
Selkie: Pronounced ‘sell-key’. A type of fey that can transform into a seal.
Sidhe: Pronounced ‘Shee’. Also known as the ‘noble elves’. They are the most magical race of fey and the only race that possesses the Touch.
Sluagh: Pronounced ‘slew-ah’. A deadly type of animal-like fey that serve the Sidhe with the darkest magic. Looks similar to devils, but are the size and shape of a spider monkey.
Tír na nÓg: Pronounced ‘Ter na nog’. Means ‘land of the young’ and refers to one of the regions inside the Mounds.
Touch: The sharing of magic by the Sidhe with others. A beautiful bonding experience among the fey, but is highly addictive to humans.
Unseelie: Pronounced ‘un-C-lee’. Refers to the Sidhe aligned with the ‘dark court’, who value freedom, directness, and honesty.
Wards: A type of enchantment that suppresses all other magic in its vicinity.
Wild Hunt: Refers to the Unseelie Sidhe whose magic is dark enough to command the sluagh.
Wizards: Humans who have learned to steal magic from the fey to use in their own enchantments.
Into Magic
Copyright 2013 by S. A. Archer
Cover Art Copyrighted 2013 by Ravynheart Publishing
Image Copyright: Serov, 2013 Used under license from Shutterstock.com
http://www.sidhetouch.com
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