by
- Daughter of Mystery (Alpennia #1)
- The Mystic Marriage (Alpennia #2)
- Mother of Souls (Alpennia #3)
- Floodtide (Alpennia #4)
Pages: 338
Size: 5.00 x 8.00 in
Pages: 338
All her life, Serafina Talarico has searched in vain for a place where she and her mystical talents belong. She never found it in Rome—the city of her birth—where her family’s Ethiopian origins marked them as immigrants. After traveling halfway across Europe to study with Alpennia’s Royal Thaumaturgist, her hopes of finding a home among Margerit Sovitre’s circle of scholars are dashed, for Serafina can perceive, but not evoke, the mystical forces of the Mysteries of the Saints and even Margerit can’t awaken her talents.
When Serafina takes lodgings with Luzie Valorin, widowed music teacher and aspiring composer, both their lives are changed forever. Luzie’s music holds a power to rival the Mysteries, and Serafina alone has the vision to guide her talents. For sorcery threatens the fate of Alpennia—indeed of all of Europe—locking the mountains in a malevolent storm meant to change the course of history. Alpennia’s mystic protections are under attack and the key to survival may lie in the unlikeliest of places: Luzie’s ambition to write an opera on the life of the medieval philosopher Tanfrit.
Publisher: Bella Books
Genres:
Word Count: 151000
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Word Count: 151000
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
The stones of the chapel held the chill close, even late into the afternoon. Serafina pleaded through her shivers, “We could try again tomorrow. Surely there’s time.”
Summer had passed here at Saveze, there was no denying it. Summer had passed and she was no closer to touching the divine, to reaching the ears of the saints and having them hearken. She had spoken the right words, inscribed the right names, touched the relics and lit the candles, and except for the burning of the wick, the chapel had remained dark. Except for the rustling echo of her movements, it had remained silent. When Margerit Sovitre had spoken the same words, the space flared with the bright swirling fluctus and echoed with whispering power in answer to her prayer. And for her…nothing.
READ MOREMargerit reached out a hand to take hers and steady her as she rose from the embroidered kneeling cushion before the altar. “We’re leaving tomorrow. Time enough to try something different when we return to the city.”
Serafina stared at where their hands were clasped, Margerit’s pale fingers against her dark ones, like an echo of the presence and absence of the mystic light. She shook her head and drew back her hand. Rotenek would drive them apart.
She’d come to Alpennia nearly a year past in search of a teacher and had been plunged unexpectedly into a labyrinth of politics. She’d told herself it was no wonder that her studies made little progress over the winter. This summer should have been different. Here at Saveze, immersed in Margerit’s little community of scholars…if she could come no closer to learning how to turn her visions into truth here, what hope would there be back in the city?
“Let me try one more time,” she begged.
“Serafina, this is useless. We need to find a different approach.”
Useless. The word cut through her memories. Once again, Paolo’s voice rang in her ears. What did I marry you for? You’re useless! Your father promised me you could see visions and work mysteries. And what do I get? You can’t learn the simplest charm. Useless!
COLLAPSE
