Excerpt continued from 3/3/14...
"...She didn’t reply. They both knew that there
was no other time the Ministry called on Tom. They were embarrassed about how
one of their own had fallen so badly from grace, so only hunted Tom down when
they needed his expertise. And there was only one thing that he was an expert
on.
Leaning forward, he concentrated on the
several inches around Faith’s slightly hunched shoulders. He smelt of stale
cigar smoke and beer. Growing up in a pub meant she didn’t find it as repulsive
as many would have.
After a moment’s examination, he shot a
glance up. “That’s some Geas you have, Agent Louden. I didn’t see it before, so
I presume it’s only now causing you a problem…” Retrieving his bottle of beer
neatly tucked under the bench, he emptied the final dregs and waited for her to
explain.
Certainly there was no way Faith was going
to share her own foolishness with the old man. “I didn’t believe in it, but
after the fire it started to become more obvious.”
Tom nodded, but as quick as a hare he’d
changed tack on her. “How’s that Lane fellow doing? Still managing to get in
the way of those doing actual work?”
Tom had trained her captain, and for his
good work Tom was rewarded when Lane arrested him. Faith didn’t want to go down
the path this particular conversation would open up.
“I need your help, Tom.” A person more
practiced at deception and manipulation would have put her hand on his knee, or
plucked at his fatherly feelings for a young recruit. Faith was smart enough to
realise that such methods wouldn’t work; Tom was too wilily and she was ill
practiced. Truth, instead, would have to do. ..."
Never alone. Never apart.
They are the Awakened, a unique breed of people in a remote corner of the world. Faith is one of these gifted carriers of the Seraphim; and in return of her unconditional love, her Seraphim grants her powers of incredible potential.
But not all carriers embrace their blessing.
Jack loathes being an Awakened. He never asked for it, his Seraphim keeping him alive even in spite of his desire to die. Not even a great war could rid him of this curse.
Now a magician of incredible ability and a walking dead man must find a way to work together to save the Seraphim. Someone covets the power of the Awakened, and will not stop until that power belongs to him."
About the Author:
New Zealand born fantasy writer and podcaster Philippa (Pip) Ballantine is the author of the Books of the Order and the Shifted World series. She is also the co-author with her husband Tee Morris of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels. Her awards include an Airship, a Parsec, the Steampunk Chronicle Reader’s Choice, and a Sir Julius Vogel. She currently resides in Manassas, Virginia with her husband, daughter, and a furry clowder of cats
Twitter: @PhilippaJane
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pjballantine
Website: http://www.pjballantine.com/
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