thenumber1Kaia disappeared for five years. Now she’s back and her planet is on the brink of war.

The new “Numbers” program, created by the Tueors’ leader, tracks and isolates demigods. Kaia’s friend, Catrina, refuses to take part, and that makes her the most dangerous Number of all.

It’s Kaia’s duty to gather and protect the treasures of the gods. But neither the treasures nor Catrina are what they appear to be.

As the day a dire prophesy foresees draws near, will Kaia reverse the gears of fate, or will everything she’s ever loved be burned away by the flames of war?

 

 

 

 

profile2A neek at heart, Sheenah Freitas has a love for the whimsical and magical. She looks to animated Disney movies and Studio Ghibli films for inspiration because of the innovative twists on fairytales, strong story structures, and character studies. When not writing, you might find her in a forest where she’s yet to find any enchanted castles.

Website

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

 

“Reeze?” she breathed.

He was just as unreadable now as he was five years ago as he glanced at her. A moment of emotion — Relief? Joy? A mixture of both? — crossed his features for a fleeting second. He stayed rooted to his spot as both women made their way over to him. They stopped a few feet away.

“You found her,” Reeze said.

Catrina shook her head. “No, she found me.”

Kaia tensed. “What’s going on?”

“We’ve been looking for you nearly nonstop for five years. Reeze has been keeping an eye on the Tueors from the inside this entire time,” Catrina said gently.

“She’s not a little girl anymore, Catrina. She’s an adult now.” Reeze crossed the distance, towering over Kaia. “You left us for five years. Five years. Do you understand the consequences of your actions?”

Kaia held her ground under his penetrating stare. There was something that only she could hear in his voice — an urgency. They both kept perfectly still as she searched for an answer.

“The war, right? Because I was a child and couldn’t stand doing something that I didn’t choose. Am I right?”

“That’s what some are saying. You said it yourself, too. Did you really think that your little tale of a quest would stay within an orphanage for long?”

Kaia bit her lip and glanced away.

“More Tueors are planning to come into the city to look into the ‘Catrina’ at the bar. You two should leave as soon as possible. I’ll do what I can to stall them. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

The Chosen gave a curt nod. “More than ever.”

“Things are different now, very different,” Catrina whispered, looking behind her. She shivered as another gust of wind swept through the area.

“I know,” Kaia said softly, “I was in Cunevo.”

Catrina’s eyes widened. “Cunevo? That village was decimated when the Tueors went through!”

“I managed to escape before they arrived. A handful of us were smart enough to leave.”

Reeze studied her carefully for a moment before slowly walking backwards. “Just be careful. There are people looking everywhere for both of you, and Kaia?” She looked up to see him extract something from his pocket and toss it in her direction. “Say hi to Derek for me.” Kaia caught the object — it was her old charm bracelet that she had thought she lost. The charms actually contained the powers and essence of the gods. Owning a charm meant owning the life of a god in your hands. Only one of the charms on her bracelet was in fact a real, ordinary charm: an amber shooting star given to her by Shawn, another Tueor soldier she had befriended during her imprisonment in Orlioz.

Kaia looked up to thank him, but Reeze had disappeared. Catrina led her down the streets, keeping close to the shadows, as they made their way to the forest that skirted the city. The welcome sanctuary of the woods provided an instant relief to both of them.

“Where’s our first stop?” Kaia asked as tension dissipated from her body. She hadn’t realized how tense she had gotten from hiding behind another identity.

“Aquabella. We need to give a certain merman Reeze’s message, remember?”

The Chosen smiled and ran her hand over her bracelet. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed it being on her wrist. It had always felt bare there and she had worn a watch for a while, but it still didn’t feel right. Seeing and feeling the bracelet was right. She welcomed it. Kaia took a deep breath, inhaling the strong smell of early spring. This time she wasn’t going to run away.

 

 

The Giveaway:

2 winners will each receive ebook copies of The Chosen and The Number.

The giveaway will run from July 8th to July 15th

In order to be entered for this giveaway, you must leave a comment. You can say absolutely anything; questions for the authors, why you want to read this book, best book you’ve read this year, etc. When you enter, please leave your email address. I will randomly pick a winner.