Confession, I had no idea who this person was until
I got an email and an offer to add a gift. Which is awesome, and more than I
could ever hope, so we are going to be see this one together.
And then I look her up and realise I own the book :(
Unicorn Rescue is a standalone Fantasy romance, and
interesting looking enough for me to buy it, though I think it was the unicorns
that had me there. but like most things on my TBR pile, I forgot it was even
there, so sad.
But here’s a chance for us all to have another look,
yay!!
Excerpt
“So be it.” Selina, Eden’s Queen, rose from her dark
green velvet cushion in the corner of her private chamber. She held out her
hands to Samuel. “Bring our unicorns back and close the gate, Samuel.”
Samuel clasped Selina’s small hands in his.
“I wish I knew what to expect. I’m not keen on going to another world.” He
sighed. “But, of course, I will, since the unicorns were led away through one
of the gates I guard.”
Selina’s
delicate red eyebrows furrowed. She didn’t quite manage to perform a scowl, but
it was close. Despite the earnestness of the situation, Samuel had a hard time
suppressing a smile. Selina could do almost everything, but scowling? No.
She said,
“You’re a skilled gatekeeper. It could’ve happened to anyone.”
“Just my
luck that it happened to me.”
“Destiny
wouldn’t choose you to step into the world known as Earth if there wasn’t
something of personal importance to you.”
Samuel
barely suppressed a groan. Selina believed in destiny a great more deal than he
did. She squeezed his hands, her lips quirking into a knowing smile. Heat rose
in his cheeks.
“I didn’t
mean to insult you,” he murmured.
Selina let
go of his hands and tossed her long braid back over her shoulder. “But you
don’t believe me, either. It’s all right. Come with me.”
Samuel
trailed after her. They went through the wooden door which led from her chamber
to her private library. The air smelled of old books and parchments combined
with the scents of flowers. She guided him to a secluded alcove, where she
beckoned him to take a seat on a small wooden stool that had seen better days.
Carefully,
Samuel lowered himself onto the stool, wincing when it creaked under his
weight. Selina sat opposite him and, with a dramatic flourish, removed a blue
linen cloth that covered something on the table between them. Samuel’s eyes
widened when he recognized the object.
The
pulsating crystal ball drew his attention and caused his blood to rush in his
veins. Selina considered him with a playful smirk. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Samuel
tore his gaze away from the crystal ball with effort, even though the
flickering lights and shadows in it called to him. He gave a curt nod. “Very.
Why are you showing it to me?”
“I feel
there’s a strong reason for you to visit Earth. Maybe we can catch a glimpse of
what you can expect there. Give me your hands.”
Reluctantly, Samuel intertwined his hands with Selina’s. He’d seen
Selina and, before her, her mother, command the crystal ball. A chill had
always settled over the audience, as it was a battle of wills. The crystalline
object would only submit to an absolute but kind authority. Those who had tried
to steal the ball over the centuries had ended up dead, since they wanted to
use it without having the power for it. Samuel shuddered at the thought of
Selina losing the battle against the energy.
“Don’t
worry,” Selina said, as if reading his mind.
“My dear
Selina, I’m a gatekeeper. Worrying is part of the job description.”
Selina
laughed, a light, tinkling sound that reminded him of a young girl, completely
at ease with the world. Part of his concern slid away and he smiled at her. She
closed her eyes, pressed their interlaced hands against the crystal ball and
chanted the spell.
Sudden
coldness gripped Samuel’s fingers and crawled up his arms until it reached his
shoulders. A dreadful feeling accompanied his body’s sensation, then, as fast
as it had started, the chilliness receded.
“Look into
the ball,” Selina demanded. “What do you see?”