ELISETTE is the second book in the CloudKingdoms series and is available from Desert Breeze Publishing. There
are four books in the series: Caishel is already available; Tazia
will be available on 21st February 2015 and Zaeyen on the
21st August 2015. All the books are set on the planet
Hejmen and concern women from the individual dukedoms, each with its
own Duke's castle flying in the sky.
Merchants and ordinary folk live
downside. There are also the Eos, the indigenous people of the planet
who have evolved to the point of spiritual beings, although their
young are solid until they reach adulthood.
Elisette, usually known as Lise, is the
stepdaughter of a northside farmer but when her stepbrothers begin to
take an interest in her, her mother sends her away to Lan to find a
job in one of the merchant's houses. Thanks to Capet Sard she gets
employment as a nursemaid to the Duke and Duchess's children in the
sky castle. Capet Sard and Lise fall in love, but when Sard is called
back to his home in Rak, Lise is left in Lan. Rumours abound
regarding Sard not returning and also an arranged marriage. Lise
leaves Lan and journeys to Rak but all sorts of unpleasantness cross
her path until she believes Sard and she will never be together.
Excerpt
With
a sigh Lise closed the door and trudged upward. After a few more
steps a white, wispy creature appeared on the stairs above her. The
feet of the creature didn't touch the floor as it floated gracefully
toward her. Her stepfather had scared her with tales of evil spirits
inhabiting the island offshore from Landon. Lise hadn't believed him,
but now her assuredness had been shaken and her body shrank back
against the bare stone wall.
The
spirit came abreast of her and stopped. Large limpid eyes turned in
her direction. Her breath caught in her throat. Could her
stepfather's tales be true? Would this being take her soul from her
leaving her an empty husk?
Hello.
The spirit's green eyes smiled at her, although its lips didn't move.
"Hello,"
Lise gasped in response.
The
spirit nodded and continued down the stairs. Lise sagged with relief
and hurriedly continued her climb before the full impact of what
she'd seen registered in her mind. The being's lips remained still
when the eyes smiled, and they had not moved when it spoke. The words
had come directly into her brain!
Lise
ran up the rest of the stairs and flung herself through the door on
the next landing. Relief flooded through her when she recognized the
nursery floor. Once through the nursery door she closed it behind her
and leaned against the plaswood panels, trying to catch her breath.
"Mercy
child, whatever's the matter?" Keva looked at her, concern
written all over her face.
"I
sa-saw," Lise stuttered, trying to pull her thoughts together.
"I saw a spirit on the stairs."
"A
spirit?" Keva's face cleared and she smiled. "You must have
seen one of the Eos. They regularly come to visit the Duchess."
"Eos?"
Lise had never heard of any Eos before.
"Wherever
do you come from, child? I thought everyone knew about the Eos. They
live on the island over the horizon from the harbor. They're the
people who were here before our ancestors arrived on Hejmen."
"You
said they were friends of the Duchess."
"Yes.
They became friends after the Duke inherited Lan. The Duchess got
lost and the Eos found her, but they needed help which the Duchess
provided. Ever since, they've been welcome in the castle and the Duke
protects their island. Nobody's allowed to land unless they're
specifically invited by the Eos."
Lise didn't know whether to trust
Keva's explanation or her stepfather's regarding the strange being on
the stairs. She wisely remained silent. On her first day as nursemaid
Keva didn't need to have any more doubts about her.
Author Website:
http://www.sueperkinsauthor.com
Author Blog:
http://sueperkinsauthor.blogspot.co.nz
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