Today I have an excerpt and a giveaway of Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking! This is the second in her new series - scroll towards the bottom for the giveaway!
Publishers: St. Martin's Press
Published: May 5th, 2015
Pages: 288
Bryn Aven has always longed to be a part of the Kanin world.
Though she has no social status because she’s a half-breed, she refuses to give up on her dream of serving the kingdom she loves. It’s a dream that brings her to a whole new realm . . . the glittering palace of the Skojare.
The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal rival who’s been threatening the Kanin, and, being half Skojare herself, it’s a chance for Bryn to learn more about her heritage. Her boss Ridley Dresden is overseeing her mission and wants to help. He’s always been her most trusted friend—but as their undeniable attraction heats up, he becomes a distraction she can’t afford.
Brynn is about to discover that the Skojare world is full of secrets, and as she’s drawn in deeper and deeper, she doesn’t know who to trust. As she gets closer to Ridley, she realizes she may not even be able to trust her own heart.
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Chapter 4 Excerpt
FOUR
compunction
My muscles already ached and my right wrist cracked loudly every
time I moved it, but I wasn’t sure I felt like I’d earned anything. The day
left me feeling more like a failure than I already had.
The wind
had calmed down some, so I left my jacket open, letting the air freeze the
sweat that still stuck to me. After we’d finished training for the day, Ember
had insisted that I join her for a treat at the bakery in the town square,
saying we’d earned it. Tilda had to finish up some paperwork, and then she
planned to meet us so we could talk more in depth about her wedding plans.
Several inches of snow had piled up while we’d been working.
Although there were still tracks from people and animals braving the weather,
the streets were mostly deserted. The Kanin could handle whatever the weather
threw at them, but that didn’t mean they were masochists. Most of us knew when
it was worth it to stay in by the fire.
But Ember didn’t seem to mind. She just pulled her hat down over
her ears and trudged through the snow banks.
“You were awfully quiet today,” Ember commented as we made our
way down to the bakery.
I
shrugged. “I was just training.”
“It’s more than that.” She paused before adding, “You know no
one blames you.”
“Some
people do.”
Ember scoffed. “Those people are stupid. Everyone who knows you
knows that you did everything you could to stop Viktor Dålig and Konstantin.”
We’d been outside long enough that the cold had started to get
to me, but I didn’t zip up my jacket. I just clenched my jaw, refusing to let
my teeth chatter.
An oversized white husky was digging through the garbage outside
the butcher shop. Large snowflakes clung to his thick fur. He looked at me as
we passed by, his bright blue eyes seeming to look straight through me, and a
chill ran down my spine. I quickly looked away.
“What
if I didn’t do everything I could?” I asked.
Ember was so startled that she halted. “What? What are you
talking about?”
“I mean, I did.” I turned back to face her, since I had walked a
few steps after she’d stopped, and behind her I saw the husky had returned to
rooting through the trash buried beneath the snow.
Ember narrowed her eyes. “Then
what are you saying?”
“I don’t know.” I let out a deep
breath, and it was shaky from the cold. I turned my head toward the sky,
blinking back the snowflakes that hit my lashes. “I did everything I could, but
it wasn’t good enough. So then . . . what does it matter?”
There was something more to it than that, though. Something I
couldn’t explain to Ember.
Viktor Dålig had beaten me, that was true. The sight of him had
been like encountering a ghost, and I’d been in shock, so he’d been able to get
the best of me. That didn’t mean I hadn’t wanted to stop him, but it had been
my fault for letting myself be caught off guard, even for a moment.
But Viktor had wanted to kill me. When he’d smashed my head into
the stone, he’d been trying to execute me—I knew that with absolute certainty.
But he hadn’t succeeded, and I had a feeling that I had Konstantin Black to
thank for being alive.
Run, white rabbit, as fast and far as
you can, he’d
whispered when I came upon him in the dungeon. Even though he’d been escaping,
he’d looked so defeated then—his gray eyes soft and mournful, his entire body
sagging, his olive skin going pale beneath the shadow of his beard. Konstantin
hadn’t wanted me to get hurt.
I’d been convinced that Konstantin had been working for someone,
that his attack on my father and his plots to go after changelings weren’t his
idea. In Storvatten, he’d even said as much to me, telling me that he’d done it
all for love. Whatever that meant.
“What
happened in Storvatten?” Ember stepped closer to me. “You never even told me
about Viktor Dålig. I’ve had to hear everything through other people,” she
added, trying not to sound hurt that I hadn’t confided in her more.
“What have you heard?” I tilted my head, curious to know what
people were saying.
“That he surprised you and overpowered you, and then he escaped
with Konstantin,” she explained with a weak shrug. “Is there anything more to
it than that? Did Viktor say anything to you?”
The butcher leaned out the back door of his shop and banged
loudly on a metal pan, scaring the husky. The dog gave one hungry glance in my
direction before running off and dis- appearing into the snow.
“No. He didn’t say anything.” I
shook my head. “But...”
“But what?”
The wind came up a bit, blowing my blond waves of hair in front
of my face, and I brushed them back absently. Ember pulled her jacket tighter
around her, but she kept her dark eyes locked on me.
“I can’t help but feel like if I’d found the Queen, I’d have
some answers,” I said finally, deciding that part of the truth was better than
admitting that I didn’t think Konstantin was as evil as I once had.
“The Skojare Queen?” Her brow pinched, not understanding. “I
thought she was dead.”
“That’s the theory,” I said. “I wanted to look for her more, but
the Skojare King called off the search, and Ridley said there wasn’t anything
left for us to do.”
“If the Skojare King doesn’t want you looking anymore, then
Ridley’s right,” Ember said.
“I know, but . . .” I chewed my
lip. “If I could find Linnea, I think I could find out what Konstantin is up
to.”
“If you find her, and that’s assuming she’s even alive,”
Ember pointed out. I lowered my eyes but didn’t say anything. “And you have
direct orders to stay here and prepare for war. You can’t go off on some kind
of wild-goose chase at a time like this.”
“I know.” I let out a reluctant sigh. “I just hate feeling so
useless.”
“Everything that’s happened lately has to have been rough on
you.” Ember looped her arm through mine and started leading me away, toward the
bakery. “But that doesn’t mean you’re useless. You’re strong and you’re smart.
You’re a great soldier, and that’s important too.”
We rounded the corner, and the sweet scent of pastries wafted
through the air. My stomach rumbled, and I realized I’d skipped lunch that day.
I’d been so focused on my training that I’d completely forgotten about it.
I began fantasizing about a delicious blackberry tart—a
wonderful combination of sweet and bitter, with an emphasis on the bitter. But my
momentary good mood immediately soured when the door to the bakery opened, and
Juni Sköld stepped out into the snow.
It wasn’t exactly the sight of her that made me freeze in my
tracks. Juni worked at the bakery, so I shouldn’t have been that surprised to
see her here. She had to be one of the nicest people in all of Doldastam, and her luminescent skin
literally radiated with happiness and kindness.
It was who she was with, and what she meant to him, that made me
stop cold. Following right behind her was Ridley Dresden. He still wore his
uniform, so he’d come here right from work to walk his girlfriend home.
“What’s wrong?” Ember asked. Since her arm was looped with mine,
she’d been forced to stop alongside me.
Juni was laughing at something Ridley had said, but then she
turned, and as soon as she spotted us her smile widened. Ridley, on the other
hand, looked stricken at the sight of me.
I’m certain that part of it was because he was still angry at
me. But another part was probably because he’d kissed me— twice—since he’d been dating Juni.
The first time was only a few short blocks from here, and it had been so
passionate and so intense that even thinking about it now made my pulse race
and my stomach swirl with butterflies.
“Bryn!” Juni exclaimed, walking over to me while Ridley trailed
several slow steps behind her. “It’s so good to see you! How are you holding
up?”
“I’m
. . .” I couldn’t even muster a fake smile.
Seeing her sheer delight and genuine concern for my well- being
made me recognize that I had to be one of the worst beings who ever lived. And
that was combined with the way Ridley was acting right then—shoving his hands
in his pockets, avoiding looking at me at all costs. When his eyes finally did
manage to land on me, his gaze was so harsh I felt about two inches tall.
“We’ve had a long day,” Ember supplied, since it seemed that I
would stand there forever without saying anything.
“I’m just cold,” I said suddenly. “I think I should get inside.”
“Well, you stay warm,” Juni said, but she looked puzzled. “And
take care.”
“Thanks, you too.” I ducked my head down and hurried toward the
bakery as fast as I could.
“Why didn’t you say anything to her?” I heard Juni ask Ridley as
I pulled open the door. “Are you two fighting?”
I practically ran inside the bakery so I wouldn’t have to hear
his answer.
Giveaway!
Today I am allowed to giveaway one (1) paperback copy of Ice Kissed. The publisher will be handling the shipping and because of this it is USA only. Also, please be comfortable with giving me your address and allowing me to forward it to the publisher. Thanks!
To enter just comment below letting me know what book you're most looking forward to in 2015!
Bio: AMANDA HOCKING is The New York Times bestselling author of the Trylle
trilogy and a lifelong Minnesotan. After selling over a million copies of her books,
primarily in eBook format, she became the exemplar of self-publishing success in
the digital age.
Website: http://smarturl.it/AHWebsite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_hocking
Tumblr: http://amandahocking.tumblr.com/
1 comment:
Actually, I'm looking forward to Laurel K Hamilton's Dead Ice. I've been a fan for almost two decades, so I'm a loyal follower of books that catch my interest :) I also love to get a hold of new ones and add them to my ever growing list.
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