#TheHowlingSands #BooksOnTour #BlogBlast #Day4
Enjoy a piece of the magic… Karen Hughes has generously provided us with an excerpt from The Howling Sands; an intense moment when Kai has been taken by the wind spirits.
Kai ate his bread and cheese, while the four wind spirits argued over what to do next. North wanted take him straight to Nagara to deal with Sofia. South said that was ridiculous, he’d need the four other children – the Emerald Child, the Apiki Flower, the Warrior, and the Monkey Boy – hadn’t North heard the prophecy?
‘Tosh,’ said North. ‘When have the tree spirits ever been right about anything? Kaosha is an old fool. He should have retired years ago.’
‘He’s been right so far,’ mumbled Kai, his mouth full of bread.
‘You’re a powerful Kalika sorcerer,’ said North. ‘You can call on the elements and defeat Sofia yourself. You’ve done it before.’
‘Indie was with me last time,’ said Kai. ‘And I didn’t defeat Sofia, I only scared Tenzel away. Indie had to save me.’
‘Well, you’re older now,’ said North. ‘You’ll be okay.’
‘Kaosha is not a fool,’ said South. ‘He’s always right! I don’t know why you doubt him. The five children must go together.’
Kai saw the fury in North’s eyes. It was black and cold, and it chilled him to the bone.
He swallowed. ‘Ama said we should find the Veladin first … ’
‘Ama!’ North stood, knocking over his chair. ‘You’re taking advice from a water spirit! Drippy and sentimental. Always trusting their feelings. Never listening to reason.’ He stomped off to the corner and threw himself into the large brown armchair, which had suddenly appeared there.
‘I’ll take you to the Veladin,’ said South.
‘You will not!’ roared North. ‘You are not going back to that girl. Remember what happened last time?’
South jumped to his feet. ‘I told you never to mention her.’
‘Well, why are you so keen to go back?’
South’s cheeks were flushed. His eyes were bright. He clutched the edge of his chair.
The door blew open, slamming into the wall and almost falling off its hinges. There was a howling sound outside. The south wind swept into the room, knocking the cup and plate from the table.
‘You don’t want to do this,’ said North, a threatening note in his voice.
‘I loved her,’ said South, through clenched teeth. ‘You know nothing about love.’
‘She is cursed,’ said North. ‘And she will never love you.’
South leaned back on his chair. ‘I don’t care,’ he said.
Another blast of warm wind blew through the doorway, buffeting Kai and almost knocking him over.
‘If you go back to that place, you can stay there,’ said North. ‘We won’t help you.’
‘I don’t need you,’ said South. ‘I have the sorcerer boy.’
Kai took a step back. He didn’t want to upset the wind spirit, but he couldn’t abandon his friends.
‘I said I’d take you to the Veladin,’ said South.
‘Not without the others,’ said Kai.
South glared at him. He stormed across the room.
Through the doorway, Kai could see a strange burst of cloud on the horizon. The cloud was thin and flat, and the wind was rolling it into a shape that looked exactly like the scroll in Kai’s hand. The air was filled with sparks; Kai could feel it tingling against his fingertips.
North sighed. ‘Why are you doing this?’ he asked his brother. He raised his hand, nodding to the other boys. East and West pushed back their chairs. They stood, slowly, looking at South with sad, pleading eyes.
‘Come on, bro,’ said East. ‘Not again.’
South rocked on his feet. His hair swung around his shoulders, responding to the electricity in the air. ‘I’m going back there,’ he said. ‘You can’t stop me.’
‘Not like this,’ said West. ‘You’re being crazy. We can’t help you – ’
‘I don’t need you,’ cried South. ‘Any of you! I don’t care if I never see you again.’
North stood and walked back to the table. The armchair dissolved into the sky. ‘You are acting like a child,’ he said.
There was a howling sound outside the door, and the strong north wind, laced with ice and snow, blew in from the mountains. South took the worst of the blast. He blinked and rubbed his hand across his face. ‘I’m not afraid of you,’ he said.
The Howling Sands Book Launch will be held on November 30th at 4pm at Organic Feast, NSW.
More details about the launch can be found here.
#fantasyfiction #adventure #magic #MiddleGrade
The Howling Sands Blog Tour Schedule
November 27 – December 1
PLUS!
Wednesday November 29
Susan Day – www.astrosadventuresbookclub.com
Friday December 1
Brydie Wright – www.brydiewright.com
WIN! IT’S A QUADRUPLE #BOOKGIVEAWAY!
Simply comment with who you would give this fabulous prize to for an entry into the mega #bookgiveaway! One (1) complete Kalika Magic series (Books 1 – 4) plus three (3) copies of Emerald Child are up for grabs!
Please click here for more information.
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