Fantasy

I don’t usually do this, but…

Hi Readers,

How’s everything going? This is Ran, Sarn’s son, just checking in.

I know. I don’t usually pop into your inbox more than once a week except during release week, but I’m tense and excited, and I don’t want Curse Breaker Revealed to end. But it must end because it needs to go to the editor next week.

I might be freaking out about that. This deadline is good for you because it means the sequel to Curse Breaker Trapped is coming soon, but for me it means the end of my page time! And I’m having trouble letting go.

Melinda, my scribe, says I’ll get more page time, and I will. I know it.

Thanks for being here. I feel better now that I got that off my chest. Since I dropped by for an unscheduled visit, I’ll end with more of Curse Breaker Trapped, which also features me, doing magical things and having my own adventure.

But I’m not doing that in this scene. In fact, I’m not in this scene, just Papa and Auntie Sovvan are in it. They finally get to catch up and have a spoiler-filled conversation. If you haven’t read His Angelic Keeper Tempted yet, stop here! Don’t scroll down.

If you have read it, by all means, proceed and enjoy this heart-warming, funny scene.

Curse Breaker Trapped

by Melinda Kucsera

for Sarn.

An Unexpected Visitor (part 2)

“We don’t have to catch up all at once. That might be overwhelming for us both. But I still want to know everything you’ve done for the last fourteen years, especially the things you don’t want to tell me, like where Ran’s mother is. Don’t worry.” Sovvan pressed a finger to his lips when he protested. “I didn’t ask Ran about her. I figured that was a sore subject.”

“Thanks. It is a sore subject.” But Sarn would have to talk about Ran’s mother eventually, even if he didn’t want to. That was one situation he’d handled badly. Hopefully, that wasn’t why Sovvan had returned. Sarn held her tight.

“I figured. I want to know all about her. But we need to talk about the seals first, and what they released. I have some information about that.” Sovvan let go and kneaded her skirt.

“What information?” Sarn didn’t want to talk about those seals either, but the Marksman thought they were end of the world bad and so did the Queen of All Trees. Sarn suppressed a sigh. “Tell me everything.”

“I’ve missed talking to you face to face.” Sovvan hugged him again.

“I missed you too. But I don’t mind when you talk to me through our bond. I just wish that connection worked all the time instead of just sometimes.” Sarn didn’t know why it didn’t work all the time either.

“Me too, but I know why it doesn’t always work.” Sovvan sat back on her heels again, but she didn’t let go.

“Why? Tell me. I’ve been trying to figure that out.” Was his magic interfering with their bond? It was possible since Sarn had a lot of magic. He hoped that wasn’t the reason because he couldn’t turn his magic off. Nor did he want to give it up again. Not after all the hell he’d gone through to get it back.

But Sovvan fell silent. “What is it?” Sarn held her at arm’s length. Was it something about her that blocked their bond sometimes? She had magic too. Did her magic and his clash with each other? Sarn hoped that wasn’t the case either because he wanted to share his magic with her. It was part of his life, and so was she.

Sovvan rolled her eyes. “It’s your guardian angel. Sometimes she blocks the bond. But don’t get mad at her because sometimes that’s a good thing. We don’t want to bombard each other with every thought we have. That would make it hard for us to get anything accomplished. We just need to work out a system so we don’t drive each other and your guardian angel crazy.” Sovvan smiled like that wasn’t an impossible task.

“I wouldn’t mind if you drove me crazy.” Sarn smiled because he didn’t think she could. They had different outlooks on life and different personalities, but at their core, they were the same.

“Trust me. You don’t want to hear every thought I have. Some aren’t charitable.” Sovvan winked, and there was a mischievous sparkle in her violet eyes.

“I bet they’re funny. You find humor in everything.” Sarn leaned forward until their foreheads touched.

Sovvan laughed because that was true. “Some thoughts probably are. I can’t help it if I find a lot of things funny. Speaking of humor, you need to lighten up, bro.” She poked him in the gut again.

“Yeah, I do, and I will lighten up with you around.” Sarn rubbed his stomach and leaned back.

“Then I’ll drop by as often as I can. I don’t know how long I have until those angels find me, and I have so much to tell you.” Sovvan glanced at the narrow window on the other side of the room.

Thing lounged near it on a bed of blankets, but he must still be asleep since he hadn’t commented on anything since Sovvan had arrived. That was a nice change, but it had come at a cost. I hope you didn’t damage your mind, you crazy owl. Sarn waited for a response, but he didn’t get one. Maybe Thing hadn’t heard that thought. That owl had missed a lot of them in the days following his dive into Metalara’s mind.

“Did you get my message about the Queen of All Trees and Queen Shayari?” Sarn glanced away from Thing. The OwlCat needed to rest and recuperate.

“No, what message?” Sovvan grasped his arm.

“The two queens needed help, but I guess that confrontation is over since it happened a week ago.” Sarn hoped their queens had prevailed. He could try calling them to find out, but he didn’t want to distract them if another Rider of the Apocalypse arrived.

“Well, if it’s not, they’ll soon have help because my friend went to see them after she dropped me off. She can teleport.”

“Oh. That’s a handy skill.” Especially if her friend ended up where she meant to, unlike a certain OwlCat. “I hope she can help the Queen of All Trees.” Sarn squeezed his twin.

“Oh, she can. She’s quite powerful.” Sovvan leaned into him.

“Who’s your friend?” Now Sarn was curious, but he didn’t have any friends who could help the two queens.

Sovvan shrugged. “She’s the ex-goddess of Fate, so she’s got some magic too.”

“Right, you told Ran and Miren about her and her family.” And they sounded like a fun group of people. Sarn wanted to meet them someday.

“And they told you. Good. I’d hoped they would, but I prefer to tell you things myself.”

“What did you want to tell me?” Sarn hoped it wasn’t all bad news as he released her, but that seemed to be all he got lately.

“A lot of things. There are four Riders of the Apocalypse. You don’t need to worry about one of them because she’s out to get me and Fay, but she can’t kill me. I’m an archangel now. So we’ll cross her off the list. She won’t bother anyone else as long as her sights are set on us.” Sovvan drew a line through her name in the air.

“Who is she? Tell me anyway, in case she shows up.” Sarn didn’t like that one Rider of the Apocalypse had targeted his sister, but what could he do about it?

***

Can’t wait to find out what happens next? Get Curse Breaker Trapped everywhere you buy books!


Deals, Giveaways & Other Cool Stuff


          

In Case You Missed It