Wednesday Wonders: THE WATCHERS ~ HIDDEN FIRE

This week's Wednesday Wonders features The Watchers ~ Hidden Fire by Deirdra Eden.

About the Book:

     Auriella’s new life as a royal protector is in shambles. The new king ignores her warnings of a Shadow Legion invasion and he is determined to marry her off. Ghosts from her past, the discovery of other Watchers, and a handsome Scottish warrior throw her off guard and weaken her emotional defenses. Caught in a web of secrecy and betrayal, Auriella struggles to control and protect the devastating power of Starfire. A terrible truth and a fateful choice will lead her to her destiny as the fabled Lady of Neviah, or could shroud the entire world in eternal darkness.
     Filled with action, romance, drama, and comedy, Hidden Fire is an addicting read that you won’t want to put down.
     The Watchers Series has been described as Braveheart meets Supernatural. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Traditional Apocrypha, the Pearl of Great Price and the Kabbalah. The Watchers are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the Book of Enoch mentions, some of these Watchers go bad.
      Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden's The Watcher's Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl's discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions.

  Excerpt:

     My feet sank into the river. The shock of icy waves stung my skin. My long skirt soaked up the frigid water like a wick. I hurled myself into the rapids and plunged below the waves. The torrent battered me as I desperately clawed against the current to reach a breath of air. My head emerged from the river and I gasped. The remaining wolves raced along the bank.

     Bolts of lightning struck the earth. Wind whirled around me. The river rapids grew faster and whipped me through the maze of sharp rocks.

It seemed that even the river warred against me. The currents hurled me into a cluster of boulders. I clung to the jagged rocks protruding out of the water and flexed my toes, trying to keep the current from ripping the hastily tied boots off my feet.

     The river rushed passed me in icy waves. I took in quick breaths when the water momentarily broke from slamming against my face.

Mists of darkness swirled around the wolves pacing on the bank. “How long do you think you can hold on?” a wolf taunted.

     I coughed and sucked in more of the river. I had to pull myself out of the water and make it to the far bank. My injured shoulder and arm burned with agony. I could do this. I had to. I clawed at the rock until my fingers burned. Hot sparks from my fingernails showered off the stone each time I slid back. I tried to ignore the pain and focus on the bank. It was just over a meter away. I reached out with my leg, pointing my toes to try to balance myself onto the shore. I could almost reach it.

     I prepared to fight my way through the river to the other side. I pulled back for more momentum and heard something snap. A large tree branch rolled toward me. Like a massive enemy hand, it ripped me from the rock and held me under the river.

     Below the surface, I held my breath and struggled with the web of wood, breaking the limbs, trying to escape the grasp. My cold hands trembled, my lungs burned. I felt my engagement ring slip from my finger. I fumble in the water, trying to catch the ring Lucas had given me. I saw it glint as the current carried it away.

     I couldn’t do this anymore. My powers were null under the waves; I was injured, I had no strength left, and now I had lost my engagement ring. Panic took over.

     The water rushed around me. I snapped a few branches out of frustration, but couldn’t free myself. My lungs ached as I surrendered my last breath to the flood.

About the Author:

Deirdra Eden has spent the last decade captivating audiences of all ages with her novels and fairy tales. Her specialty is paranormal theology that delves into documented historical phenomenon and natural disasters of biblical proportions that entices indulgence of a fine line between fact and fantasy.

Deirdra enjoys jousting in arenas, sword fighting and archery, planning invasions, horseback riding through open meadows, swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, camping in cool shady woods, climbing trees barefoot, and going on adventures with her family.

Author Links:

Amazon Author Page  |  Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

Bonus Excerpt:
 

     My eyes sprang open, and blue flames shot from my hands into the sky. Air rushed in and out of my lungs like a whirlwind. The trees blew sideways as I exhaled.

     Lightning flashed overhead. The ground rumbled at my feet. Earth essences flooded through me, mixing with the wind and fire. Energy shattered across the treetops and raced over every leaf and branch like lightning bolts.

     “Keep control of the energy!” Azrael shouted above the sound of the electric wind.

    I had the power of fire, wind, earth, water, life, spirit, and even death racing through me. It was like trying to wield seven long whips that sparked when they clashed together. I had to unite them and gain control. I wrangled the seven elemental streams of energy together. The elements blew out of my hands in white waves. The leaves on the trees erupted in a celestial firestorm. Starfire illuminated my skin and ran through my body like the blood in my veins.

     Chaos surrounded me, then everything went still and silent as if time itself stopped.

   Gentle ethereal light curved and swirled around my body like a slow whirlpool. A gown of shimmering pearl silk cloaked the contours of my body.     The heavenly cloth sparkled at my slightest movement. Pink, blue, green, and gold aurora waves added to the creation pallet floating around me. I touched the energy orb surrounding me like a cocoon. It rippled in soft waves and let out a gentle soprano melody.

     “The energy is moving too fast,” Korban shouted. I could hear his words, but it was as if he was in a dream far away.

     “She’s consuming all the energy of Earth.” Orion’s urgent voice grew faint. “She’s becoming a weapon, Azrael. You have to stop her, or she will never be able to touch another mortal again.”

     The sound of ocean mist brushed past my ear like a whisper. Perfect round drops of water stood suspended in the air, reflecting the light of many stars and worlds. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Nothing on Earth could compare with the divine celestial colors and lights. I reached out and touched a droplet. A delicate indigo and gold flower blossomed from the tiny element. The creation process became so clear. I immediately understood how to form life with a single touch.

     I reached out and touched another sphere of water. The inhabitants of an unknown culture several galaxies away flashed through my mind. In a split second, I saw every life form on the planet and felt I knew each one individually.

     Azrael sounded closer when he said, “Her energy ‘tis too great. I can’t reach her.”

     “You can, Azrael, and you must,” Orion shouted. “Korban is dying.”

I pulled my hand back. What had I done? I didn’t know how to step out of the creation cocoon spiraling around me. “Azrael?” I whispered. My body tensed and the light whipped violently. I took in deep breaths, searching for Azrael in the tempest of energy.

     A hand shot through the waves of heat and grasped mine. Azrael stepped into the cocoon. His silver eyes reflected down on me like twin mirrors. He held my glowing hand to his lips, kissing each fingertip.

I was shocked at how different, but beautiful, my hand looked pressed to his lips. Shimmering iridescent light wrapped around our bodies.

    “‘Tis your true form. What you look like without your human body,” Azrael answered.

     “Did I destroy my human body?” I asked.

     Azrael shook his head. “No, but you need to come back now or you will not be able to stay here on Earth. We need you, and the longer you are in this form, the more your mortal body dies.”