Fall
of Sky City
By S.M. Blooding
Book 1 in the
Devices of War Trilogy
Previously titled, The Hands of Tarot, this exciting NA steampunk fantasy, is being re-released with a brand new title and cover!
Cover design by Ravven
Gorgeous right?! Leave a comment and tell us what you think!
Below is the synopsis and a special excerpt, just for you!
Don't forget to keep scrolling for a very awesome GIVEAWAY :D
In a world governed
by the opposing forces of the mystical House of Tarot and the tribal Great
Families, Synn is caught in the crossfire. He witnesses the slaughter of
innocent people, and the devastating murder of his father. This act
awakens his Mark of power, a Mark greater than any the world has seen in a very
long time.
Queen Nix thought she
won a great prize when she destroyed Synn’s father, the leader of the strongest
Great Families. She had no idea she’d be doubly blessed by capturing his son.
However, before Synn can become her treasured weapon, before she can use him to
bring the rest of the world to its knees, she must break him and bind his soul
to hers.
She does her job with
brutal brilliance. Synn’s mind is broken and his soul is seared to hers in an
unbreakable bond.
That doesn’t stop him
from wanting to be free. She may have broken his mind and claimed his soul, but
he will find a way to destroy her.
Experience a world of
ships that sail the clouds and cites buried beneath the ocean, and survive the
fiery battle brought forth by those who control the forces of nature!
** SUPER JUICY EXCERPT BELOW **
I woke freezing, my teeth chattering.
I tried to sit up, but my head was
pounding so hard, it made me nauseous.
“Lay back,” a soft voice murmured,
gentle hands pressing down on my bare shoulders. “Be at ease. You are safe now,
Synn Primus.”
I shook my head, falling back onto
the soft pillows. My back felt like fire where the pillows touched it. “Not—”
It was so hard to speak. My tongue felt thick. “Not my name.”
“Yes it is, you goose.” Something was
draped over me.
I let out a startled yell and threw
it off. Everywhere it touched burned.
It was draped over me again. This
time the hands pressed it down on my shoulders, keeping it in place. “You have
been Marked by the House of Wands, so you now bear our name. You are a Primus,
Synn. Welcome.”
My whole world stopped as my mind
caught up.
I’d lost my father. He was—
I closed my eyes and fell back.
Dead.
I’d watched so many others burned to
death, their children made to look on as those they loved were lost.
And now? I’d lost my life to the
Hands?
No. I shook my head and rose. No.
“No. This can’t be.”
She pushed me back. “How else do you
explain it?” A warm thumb ran over my brow. “You survived the fire, Synn.” She
pulled the blanket away, a cool finger running over where I burned. “And how do
you explain this? This is your Mark, Synn, the thing you have been waiting for
your entire life.”
I remained quiet, concentrating on
breathing.
“What I witnessed was a Marking.
Aren’t you the least bit excited?”
My father’s strong, rigid face swam
before my eyes, so fierce and powerful as the fire rose to claim him, writhing
with the pain of it. A sob seeped from my chest. “Not like this.”
I was gathered in her arms. She held
me close as she rocked me. She crooned a song I’d never heard. I wasn’t paying
attention. I was overwhelmed with what I had lost; my family, my home, my self.
The pounding in my head lessened as
the woman held me close, easing my pain. Visuals started registering. The red
silk of the cover. The black leather of her bodice. Her long, dark hair.
“Nix.” My voice was a bare croak.
She pulled away slightly, staring
into my face. She’d removed the odd crown with the spinning birds.
I didn’t have the energy to fight
her. My eyes fell closed in a long blink. I opened them, even though I didn’t
want to, my gaze falling to the ruby spider resting on her chest.
“Do not fear, young Primus,” she
said, her full lips curved in a careful smile. “I am your family now. You will
want for nothing.”
I rocked where I sat, my legs
sprawled. “Why?” I barely had the energy to whisper. “Why?”
“Why what, Primus?”
“Why did you attack us?”
“You attacked first.”
“I went for a sword to save—” I
paused, breathing, blinking back the tears. “—innocent lives. You killed them
for no reason.”
“They would not submit.”
I stared at her in exhausted
incredulity. “Did you give them the chance?”
She cupped my face and peered at me
sincerely. “I do not want empty devotion. I want only to be loved and
cherished.”
“And so you scare children into
fearing you.”
“Fear can turn to love.” Her smile
was sweet. “You will see.”
“No.”
She flinched and pulled back. “Do you
want to see?” She didn’t give me a chance to say no or yes. She pulled away the
cover, her eyes dropping to my chest. “Your Mark, Primus.” She reached out with
her diamond claw.
I stared in wonder. Rivers of fire
coursed in a fine web of lines and runes under my skin. I twisted to see my
back, but failed.
“It’s the same there. Have you ever
seen so powerful a Mark as this?”
I shook my head. No. I hadn’t. I
touched the lines with a ginger hand. They were sensitive and hot to the touch,
leaving the rest of me chilled to the core.
Her fingertips joined mine, her long
nails gleaming red in the soft yellow light. “But what can one expect from the
house of El’Asim and Ino?”
I jerked, staring at her in surprise.
She threw her head back and laughed.
“But of course. Why didn’t I see this before? The two most power Families
allying themselves through marriage. Oh, yes.” Her eyes were filled with greed,
her teeth bared in a smile that was more of a sneer.
She looked ready to eat me.
“Do you have brothers? Sisters? Any
who are younger than you, unmarked?”
I stared at her in disgust and
wonder. “No.”
Her pink tongue ran along her teeth
as she dropped her chin and peered at me through her long, thick lashes. “It
doesn’t matter. You are mine.”
I straightened my back and stared at
her, gritting my teeth with all the will I had left. “Never.”
A smile slithered into place along
her lips. “We shall see.” She pulled away and gestured, sashaying to a door I
hadn’t noticed before.
Something heavy slammed against my
head.
I fought to remain conscious.
But lost.
** GIVEAWAY **
(A BIG THANK YOU to SM Blooding for hosting this giveaway!)
Enter using the Rafflecopter below!
ONE lucky winner will receive a $15 AMAZON GC!
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** About
the Author **
SM
Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, Ms. Bird, the
Chicken and SistaPITA. It's quite the zoo. She’s taken a break from the piano,
which Ms, Bird is quite happy about, and now knows more than one word in
Arabic. Basically, she can say hello, good-bye, give it to me, and hurry up!
She’s dated
vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins.
Yes. She has stories.
Find
out more about her at:
Twitter / Facebook / Website/blog / Goodreads
She’s also an investigator with a local Paranormal Group:
