Feet
slid soundlessly across the mat. Thick atmosphere, taut with anticipation,
pressed in, carrying the heavy odor of sweat, cleaning bleach, and
plastic.
Adrenaline
crackled through my veins like a live wire, pulsing in time to the audience’s
hum of excitement.
She
neared, feinting a few strikes, but not close enough to do any damage.
Two
years ago, I’d won nationals in my age and weight category. Our constant moving
had prevented me from repeating it.
But
this time, I was so close I could taste it. Winning this
sparring match would secure the state championship. Next would be regionals,
followed by nationals.
If
you’re still here in two months.
The
thought unnerved me.
That
was all she needed.
I
caught the blur of her arm a millisecond too late. Her fist slammed into my
right ribcage, impact ricocheting up my torso.
Referee
stood. “Point. Blue!”
Damn
it. A careless mistake.
I
felt the weight of her eyes boring into my back, heard the disappointed
criticism repeated over the years.
Not
good enough, Kendra.
I
mentally shook myself. Two minutes left in the match and I was already behind.
Ref’s
arm dropped. “Fight!”
Everything
faded and the entirety of my focus zeroed onto the brunette in front of me.
I
had to win.
Sara
Ruggiero, reigning champion, had excellent form and a technique honed through
years of disciplined practice.
She
danced just out of reach, movements fluid and in control. Her hands, covered in
protective blue mitts, guarded her face. She was good, very good even, with an
aggressive style fueled by anger.
And
right now, she was pissed. The deciding round of her last championship in high
school was with a newcomer a year younger than her.
We
circled, darted forward and back. Attack and retreat. With each step, pain
radiated from my ribs.
She
smirked. Hurt?
I
let my eyes harden. Show me what you got.
Her
torso twisted, foot shifting back in preparation for a jodan kick.
Empath
sensed her vulnerability, the twinge of discomfort along her lower back from an
old injury.
Gotcha.
Leg
arced toward my face in a perfectly executed high kick. I whipped aside at the
last second.
Off-balance,
she tilted slightly toward the right, leaving her back open.
I
pivoted behind her and my right fist hammered her kidney. She stumbled forward,
a cry escaping her lips.
Book &
Author Details:
Ondine by Emma Raveling
(Ondine Quartet 0.5)
Publication date: December 19, 2013
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
(Ondine Quartet 0.5)
Publication date: December 19, 2013
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
“I shouldn’t get involved.”
Rebellious and headstrong, sixteen-year-old Kendra Irisavie doesn’t have much respect for authority. An ondine with the powerful gift of Virtue, she uses her tough attitude and Empath magic to navigate through high school and keep others away.
Because being an ondine also means keeping secrets.
Kendra and her mother are Rogue water elementals in the middle of an ancient war. They hide among humans, their survival constantly threatened by monstrous Aquidae demons. Along with a rigorous training regimen to mold Kendra into a lethal fighter, her mother has instituted four rules to keep her safe.
Trust no one. Relationships are weaknesses. Emotional attachments are dangerous. Be responsible only for yourself. But when Kendra witnesses a classmate in trouble, she intervenes and her decision to break the rules comes at a price.
Sometimes, humans could be more dangerous than demons.
Ondine is a short prequel novella for the young adult urban / paranormal fantasy series, the Ondine Quartet.
Rebellious and headstrong, sixteen-year-old Kendra Irisavie doesn’t have much respect for authority. An ondine with the powerful gift of Virtue, she uses her tough attitude and Empath magic to navigate through high school and keep others away.
Because being an ondine also means keeping secrets.
Kendra and her mother are Rogue water elementals in the middle of an ancient war. They hide among humans, their survival constantly threatened by monstrous Aquidae demons. Along with a rigorous training regimen to mold Kendra into a lethal fighter, her mother has instituted four rules to keep her safe.
Trust no one. Relationships are weaknesses. Emotional attachments are dangerous. Be responsible only for yourself. But when Kendra witnesses a classmate in trouble, she intervenes and her decision to break the rules comes at a price.
Sometimes, humans could be more dangerous than demons.
Ondine is a short prequel novella for the young adult urban / paranormal fantasy series, the Ondine Quartet.
Purchase:
Will be found here come release day:
AUTHOR BIO
I’m a fantasy writer who lives a slightly eccentric
life with my accommodating husband and our charming, neurotic dog. I'm
currently working on the Ondine Quartet, a young adult urban
fantasy/paranormal series featuring a kick-ass heroine, powerful magic,
and the complex world of water elementals.
I have a weird love of spreadsheets and organizational tools because they give me the illusion that I am somehow in control of the chaos that is my life. I adore beautiful art such as painting and sculpture, classical music, lyrical writing, and great graphic design. My all-time favorite books (as of this writing) are Immortality by Milan Kundera, 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.
I have a weird love of spreadsheets and organizational tools because they give me the illusion that I am somehow in control of the chaos that is my life. I adore beautiful art such as painting and sculpture, classical music, lyrical writing, and great graphic design. My all-time favorite books (as of this writing) are Immortality by Milan Kundera, 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.
Author Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your post will be published after administrator approval.