Book Blitz: Shadow Fire by Kimberly Leigh Wheaton!

Shadow Fire (The Light Chronicles #1)

by Kimber Leigh Wheaton 

Release Date: 02/24/14

Astraea Press

310 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.
All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire - adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Excerpt

The village is quiet as we make our way down the main str

eet to the tavern. Brinda, Celeste and I

walk in utter silence. The chirps of the crickets seem

deafening in the unusual stillness. We plod

along, shoulders slumped, eyes downcast. To an outsider we

must appear more like a funeral

procession than a group of girls heading to a party. Parti

es are meant to celebrate something, a

birth, a marriage, completion of an apprenticeship. Who w

ould throw a party to send a maiden

off to her death? And why in the Goddess’ name did I agree

to attend this blatant absurdity?

As the tavern comes into view, I’m awed by the beauty.

Sconces full of candles flicker in the

darkness, adorning the eaves and surrounding the entry. Someo

ne took the time to make a banner

out of pink cloth. It hangs above the entrance, the

words scrawled out in black paint, ‘Good Luck

Ashlyn Silverthorne’.

I swallow around the lump forming in my throat as I sta

re at the banner. After three weeks of

sideways glances and whispers about my impending doom, the

four little words written on the

sign bring a bit of solace. Thank goodness it doesn’t read,

‘Try not to die, Ashlyn’ or even better,

‘May your death be quick and painless’. When I break out in

nervous titters from the morbid

thought, my sisters both stare at me, their faces pinc

hed with worry. I’d like to reassure them I

won’t have a breakdown tonight, but the way I’m feeling ri

ght now is far from cool and

collected. Cory made the situation worse with his assaul

t today. Dear Goddess, I hope he’s not

inside!

“ASHLYN!” a chorus of voices chant my name followed by

several minutes of cheering.

My fingers dig into the doorjamb, my nails scraping at th

e white paint. I contemplate whether

fleeing now is an option. With a furtive glance, I scan

the packed room, flushing when I locate

Zane at a small table in the corner. His sultry garne

t eyes meet mine. My breath catches in my

throat, and my heartbeat accelerates, threatening to ha

mmer right out of my chest. Before I can

find the presence of mind to move, my older brothers, Abel

and Jess, approach, each grabbing an

arm before dragging me to a chair at the head of a large

banquet table.

“There’ll be plenty of time for food and drink in a mo

ment,” Jess shouts to the boisterous crowd.

“Now it’s time for going away gifts.”

The cheer in the room is odd, making me feel as though I’m

moving to a new town rather than

leaving on a dangerous quest. When a wrapped gift is thrust into

my hands, I’m too stunned to do

anything other stare at the small box.

“This is from Jess and me,” Abel says, his lips curled i

nto a melancholy smile.

For some reason the sorrow in his dark brown eyes is s

oothing, a tiny push back into reality.

False cheer is understandable, but the festive atmosphere

in the tavern is downright creepy.

Pushing it to the back of my mind, I tear open the bright re

d wrapping and open the box. Nestled

inside is the most beautiful silver brooch I’ve ever seen

in my life. I know this piece of jewelry

quite well since I’ve been admiring it every weekend at

the merchant’s fair in the town square.

My fingers trace the head of the dragon following the sca

les down to the unfurled wings. The

eyes are twin sapphires which match the velvet cloak Brin

da and Celeste gave me.

“Thank you, I love it,” I breathe out in a whisper. Bri

nda takes the brooch from my shaking

hands and pins it to my velvet cloak. “I don’t know what to

say.”

“Just promise to take care out there,” Jess says, giving m

e a quick hug followed by a kiss on the

head.

“We’ll go with you, Ashlyn,” Abel whispers when he leans do

wn to kiss my cheek.

If only things were that easy. Jess has a wife and child,

Abel is taking over the carpentry shop

and is engaged. I could never ask them to risk their lives on

a foolhardy quest, not as happy as

both are. Besides, my parents shouldn’t lose three childr

en all at once. Such pain would be

unbearable.

“No, I’ll be fine on my own,” I whisper back through th

e lump forming in my throat. “You both

have people here who need you.” Sadness is reflected in

his soulful eyes along with worry, but

the most disturbing is relief. “Hey, at least those mar

tial arts lessons you and Jess have paid for

since I was thirteen may finally come in handy,” I say

with a fake laugh, trying to lighten the

mood.

“You’ve become a formidable woman,” Jess murmurs. “Be ca

reful out there and never let your guard down.

Buy Links:
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About the Author
Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a bestselling YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs, four cats, and lots of dragons. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, TX but has been somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different cities and states.

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