Thursday, December 19, 2024

The Storm Descends by Valerie Storm #YAFantasy

 


The Storm Descends
Demon Storm 
Book Seven
Valerie Storm

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Date of Publication: 12/13/2024
ISBN: 978-1-956883-28-2 
ASIN: B0DMTF6L5Q 
Number of pages: 433
Word Count: 110731
Cover Artist: @Ginkahederling

Book Description:

The Catalyst is quiet.

Kari struggles with the damage she did when she lost control. Her loved ones suffered at her hands, leaving Ari scarred in ways she will never be able to ignore.

How he survived? Only the Seraph of Nalmi knows.

Then a request arrives, a simple task compared to everything else she has been through: travel as Freehaven's emissary and meet with Brianna, a now-ancient half demon who destroyed the first demon city across the sea - and who may have some information on defeating the Catalyst for good.  Kari, Ari, and Guine prepare to cross the Demon Sea...

But the shadows await them.


Bewitching Exclusive Excerpt

Using his free arm, Ari made sideways strokes. Kari watched him, studying the way he moved.

“It…doesn’t look so bad.”

“Ready to try on your own?”

Kari suppressed a shudder. “Maybe.”

Ari laughed. “It’s up to you. Just let go of me; I’ll be right here.”

Kari released a slow breath as she unwound herself from him. Keeping one hand on his bicep, she kicked her legs. It was easy to stay afloat, she realized. She gave a few tentative strokes with her free arm. Ari moved with her, his smile wide.

“See? No problem. You’re a natural, even. Now…” Ari trailed off, his gaze wandering someplace above her head. Then his eyes widened. “Guine, no!”

Before Kari could turn her head, water engulfed her. It was there then gone, and Ari was right there; she clung to him again, gasping. Her hair was plastered to her face, dripping water. Ari brushed it away from her eyes.

“It’s alright, Kari, you’re okay.”

A burst of laughter made her ears perk hard and fast. Kari twisted her head around to scowl at a shirtless Guine as he stepped into the lake.

“What’s that look for?” He sneered. “Afraid of a little water?”

She snarled. “If Ari weren’t here—”

“Yeah, I bet you’d love a good thunderbolt right now. But guess what? No-can-do in the water!”

Guine splayed his fingers over the lake’s unstable surface. “So, how’re you gonna win a water fight, Kari?”

Kari launched herself across the water. Any fool could see she couldn’t swim—her technique was horrible. But her splashing and kicking was enough to propel herself. Guine’s eyes widened and he stepped back. His magic glittered; was he forming ice?

I’m going to break his jaw!

The water around her waist crackled then hardened. Kari punched through it, heedless of the way her knuckles throbbed.

Then she was on the human, tackling him into the shallow depths. Water made volatile from their splashing seeped over his face and into his mouth.

“K-Kari!” Guine sputtered before she slammed her fist into his cheek.

“You…BASTARD!” she roared, raising her other fist.

Ari grabbed her from behind and hauled her off. Unbelievably, he was laughing.

Kari squirmed. “Let me go! He needs to be punished!”

“Now, Guine, you know that was very rude,” Ari said over her shoulder.

Guine sat up, his fingers raised to heal the beginning of a bruise on his face. “It was,” he admitted. “I am sorry, Kari.”

Kari’s struggles slowed. She narrowed her eyes. “Are you?”

“’Course not.” Guine raised a finger, releasing a shot of water into her face.

This time, Ari let her go. Kari ran at Guine; he dove into the water, laughter irritatingly confident as he swam away. She chased him, kicking her legs and swinging her arms, splashing water more than actually moving in her attempts to catch up to him. All the while, Ari lost himself to laughter.

 


About the Author:

Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.

She can be found online:









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