by Aoife Marie Sheridan
Series: The Saskia Trilogy #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Published September 28th 2012 by Universal Publishing Group
Sarajane Anderson is your regular twenty one year old. With family, friends and a normal job. She also happens to be the only person who can save Saskia, a world parallel to earth.
When Sarajane is taken to Saskia, she could never have imagined the reality of the world she steps into, a world where magical abilities are in everyone's possession.
She must face a father she never knew, a world that is beyond her belief. A guardian who captures her heart, and a darkness that wants to take it.
On this journey Sarajane discovers her magical abilities and realizes they come with a price. Sarajane is truly tested, as her loved ones are put at risk. The question she must ask herself is, how do you choose who lives and who dies?
When Sarajane is taken to Saskia, she could never have imagined the reality of the world she steps into, a world where magical abilities are in everyone's possession.
She must face a father she never knew, a world that is beyond her belief. A guardian who captures her heart, and a darkness that wants to take it.
On this journey Sarajane discovers her magical abilities and realizes they come with a price. Sarajane is truly tested, as her loved ones are put at risk. The question she must ask herself is, how do you choose who lives and who dies?
EXCERPT
Excerpt from Chapter 2
Corrona and Dominic were blissfully in love. She sat in her armchair beside the fire, rubbing her very large belly, while Dominic rubbed her feet. I sat and watched them and wished I could be normal like that with Morrick and not always hiding our love. My stomach fluttered thinking of him. Even though we had been seeing each other nearly a year, I still felt nervous around him.
Corrona’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Marta, go get the maidens. I think my baby is coming.”
Dominic stood up, his eyes wide. “Now, right now?”
Corrona looked up at Dominic with a smile on her face and nodded. Then her attention turned to me. “Hurry.” She twinged with pain. I left and ran to the castle and placed my hand over my own stomach and smiled. Butterflies erupted in my belly.
I reached the castle and raced across the courtyard, but just before I knocked on the large wooden door, it opened. I was faced with Bellona. She arched an eyebrow. “Yes?”
I bowed. “Sorry, my lady, but Corrona needs maidens. She’s going into labour.”
“Very well.” The queen beckoned two maidens and headed for Corrona’s cottage. Taurus followed just behind her and me after them. I felt sick the whole way back. I didn’t think Bellona would come also.
When we entered, Dominic stood and looked at the queen in shock.
“My lady.”
“Please, do not rise.” She sat on the armchair that Corrona had vacated.
Corrona lay on her back, sweat running down her face. The two maidens placed damp cloths on her forehead and face. The small cottage now smelled of sweat. I knelt down and took Corrona’s hand. Dominic held her other hand while telling her he loved her. Corrona’s swollen belly started to ripple. She screamed between pushes.
“Shhh, child, there is no need for that. Be quiet,” the queen said, irritated. I looked at her and she smirked back at me, making me drop my gaze. Did she know about Morrick and me? No. I would be dead by now.
Corrona continued to push as the maidens directed her through her pain, and then the room was filled with the cries of a baby boy. The maidens handed the baby to Corrona. “Oh, my precious baby.” She placed a kiss on his head and cradled him to her chest. The room buzzed with a newfound happiness.
Dominic was looking at his wife and child with pure love, tears sparkling in his eyes.
“Marta, isn’t he perfect?” Corrona asked me while counting his toes.
I laughed through tears. “Yes, he is.”
Corrona looked up at Dominic. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her and then his son.
The queen stood over Corrona. “May I?” She reached out her hands for the baby. Corrona and Dominic both looked up, startled. They had forgotten about the queen, as had I. Corrona hesitantly handed her baby to her. Tears ran silently down her face. The queen usually visited in the first month of a boy’s arrival, not straight away after the birth.
Dominic rose; Taurus stood in front of him. We all watched as the queen placed a beautiful pendant with a purple stone in the centre of it over the baby’s head. Its little eyes followed the movements. I looked at Corrona. She was holding her breath.
“It’s good news,” the queen announced. We all let out a sigh of relief. Taurus moved away from Dominic. “He has an air affinity.” The words slipped so calmly from her mouth.
Corrona started screaming. She tried to get up to plead with the queen, but she was too weak to lift her own body.
Dominic’s face turned white. “Give me back my son.”
The queen looked at him with a scowl. “Taurus.” She turned to leave. Dominic pulled a small knife from his sleeve and ran at the queen. Corrona screamed when she realised what Dominic was going to do. Taurus swung the blunt end of his sword at the last minute, hitting Dominic in the side of his head. He fell to his knees, blood running down his face. I rushed to him.
Corrona was still screaming, her arms outstretched, pleading for her son.
The queen opened the cottage door to leave, but before she did, she turned to Dominic. “You are lucky I do not have you exiled for that.” She paused. “But I am a forgiving queen and since emotions are running high, I will let this pass.” Then her gaze fell on me, yet she was still talking to Dominic. “I will not be so lenient in the future.” And at that, she left the cottage with the maidens and Taurus.
Dominic pushed me away and crawled to his wife. He held her in his arms, whispering over and over again. “I am sorry. I am so sorry.” But Corrona was inconsolable. I sat on the floor and cried for them. I cried for my own faith. I knew I had to protect my baby. I had to leave.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aoife Marie Sheridan
Aoife Marie Sheridan has loved reading from a very young age, starting off with mills and boon's books, given to by her grandmother her love for romances grew, by the age of 14 she had read hundreds of them.
Aoife had a passion for writing poetry or in her eyes her journal entries. It was something she did throughout her teens and into her twenties. Aoife won first place for two of her poems and had them published at a young age of just nineteen. Realising she needed to get a real job (What writing isn't) she studied accountancy and qualified working in that field for many years, until her passion for reading returned and she found Maria V Snyder. Poison study one of her favourite books has been read and re-read countless times.
Aoife's first book Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy) came to be after a dream of a man and woman on a black horse jumping through a wall of fire and the idea of Saskia was born. Now with her first novel published and taking first place for Eden Forest with Writers Got Talent 2013, Aoife continues to write tales of fantasy and is currently working on her third book for the Saskia Trilogy amongst other new works. To find out more about Aoife Marie Sheridan you can visit her at www.aoifemariesheridan.com or email her at aoifesheridan101@gmail.com
Aoife had a passion for writing poetry or in her eyes her journal entries. It was something she did throughout her teens and into her twenties. Aoife won first place for two of her poems and had them published at a young age of just nineteen. Realising she needed to get a real job (What writing isn't) she studied accountancy and qualified working in that field for many years, until her passion for reading returned and she found Maria V Snyder. Poison study one of her favourite books has been read and re-read countless times.
Aoife's first book Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy) came to be after a dream of a man and woman on a black horse jumping through a wall of fire and the idea of Saskia was born. Now with her first novel published and taking first place for Eden Forest with Writers Got Talent 2013, Aoife continues to write tales of fantasy and is currently working on her third book for the Saskia Trilogy amongst other new works. To find out more about Aoife Marie Sheridan you can visit her at www.aoifemariesheridan.com or email her at aoifesheridan101@gmail.com
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