Earlier this year, fellow author TC Southwell and I published Doorway to Destiny, a 13-book bundle for only 99c. We put together this great deal for iBooks’ month-long promo, which ran from mid-September to mid-October. The promo was such a success that we decided to make Doorway to Destiny available until the end of February 2015.
With eight novels by TC Southwell and three novels and two anthologies by Vanessa Finaughty, this box set offers fantasy and sci-fi lovers escapism that will keep you up long past your bedtime. Dive into fantastic worlds and meet fascinating characters whose trials and tribulations will enchant and inspire. Discover how a vengeful assassin reshapes the fate of three kingdoms and share in a quest to discover the origins of mankind, then follow the tale of a young queen’s fight to be free with the aid of a combat cyborg. Two short story anthologies spice up the fare with dragons, sorcerers and magic galore, and a child of another god strives to save his world from mankind’s ravages. When a mortal dark god treads a tragic path as he rises to destroy the Overworld, a brave young girl risks her life to try to change his savage ways. Each hero and heroine takes a definitive step through a doorway to destiny as he or she seeks to right wrongs and save worlds.
During the course of the next few weeks, I will be sharing extracts from Doorway to Destiny for those of you who haven’t already read any of the books included. Today’s extract is from Sanctuary for the Devil, Book 1 in my Legends of Origin series. Enjoy!
Extract from Legends of Origin, Book 1: Sanctuary for the Devil
Arthean’s muscles went weak and he barely registered the surprise on Liam’s face when Nairel breathed fire as he battled to keep his hold on Noka – if he let go, his spine may snap in the turmoil. Hollowness ached in the pit of his stomach when the wind whipped Jolither’s shouted warning to him. “It’s a creature of magic!”
No wonder it couldn’t see the others. It probably hadn’t been created to attack them.
Who would want to kill a monk?
Noka dived again, then darted this way and that. The ryokin was agile and powerful. Arthean knew that Jolither could undo the magic, but it may not be in time to save him or Noka. His chest tight and breath coming in painful gasps, Arthean remembered Abbot Jergor’s dream… in which Arthean had died. I’ve evened the odds. If it comes to pass, you must fight. The dagger! Abbot Jergor had seen him die, but had given him a chance to change the future he’d dreamt of.
Arthean pulled the dagger from its belt sheath and grasped it in a clammy hand, grateful that the silver studs gave him grip. He brandished the blade and clutched Noka’s neck fur so tightly that his hand went white. The shadow creature slammed into them from behind and Noka was flung forwards. The shadow pounced, semi-solid in that moment. Arthean swept the dagger at it as it passed. It yelped in pain and launched itself away. Noka snarled. Jolither and Shalise chanted, but the wind swept the words away from Arthean.
An icy draught assaulted Arthean’s right leg and he looked down to see Noka’s skin flap beating in the wind. Blood wept from the wound the shadow creature had ripped in Noka’s flesh. Anger and fear built into an Arctic rage in Arthean’s chest, burning in a cold fire, then surging upwards.
Fuelled by outrage, Arthean waved the dagger and screamed, “You want me? You can’t have me!”
The shadow creature came in again, this time on their left. Noka flapped his mighty wings once and soared upwards on a current. The shadow shot up after them. As it came near, Arthean leant down and took a swipe at it. He missed, but it didn’t. Noka shrieked in pain and plummeted. Arthean’s right leg was thrown from its resting place and whipped over the ryokin’s back.
The shadow creature had torn him loose.
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About the authors
TC Southwell
T.C. Southwell was born in Sri Lanka and moved to the Seychelles when she was a baby. She spent her formative years exploring the islands – mostly alone. Naturally, her imagination flourished and she developed a keen love of other worlds. The family travelled through Europe and Africa and, after the death of her father, settled in South Africa.
T.C. Southwell has written over thirty fantasy and science fiction novels, as well as five screenplays. Her hobbies include motorcycling, horse riding and art, and she is now a full-time writer.
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Vanessa Finaughty
Vanessa Finaughty is an author of many genres who now focuses on fantasy and science fiction. She’s published 15 books, of which 6 are fantasy. Vanessa grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, and still lives there with her husband of fifteen years, her baby daughter and plenty of furry, four-legged ‘children’.
Vanessa has always been passionate about books, and knew from a young age that she wanted to write them one day. She loves animals, coffee and the smell of wet grass, and hates liars, sweltering weather and long queues. Her interests include reading, photography, the supernatural, mythology, aliens and outer space, ancient history, life’s mysteries and martial arts, of which she has five years’ experience.
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