*~SFR~* New Release from Aurora Springer!

Please welcome Aurora Springer and an exciting new SFR release!

GRAND MASTER’S PAWN

Blurb:

 A thousand years in the future, wars and portal failures disturb the fringes of the galaxy. On Terra, twenty-two year old Violet Hunter seems an ordinary student of the Space Academy, who dreams of exploring unknown planets. She applies to serve as the pawn of one of the twelve Grand Masters, although her hidden talent of empathy makes her ineligible. Violet has defied the prohibition against psychics for half her life. Why should she stop now?
Isolation is the penalty for a Grand Master’s great power because their touch is deadly to a normal person. The Grand Master with the griffin avatar selected the girl with the star-shaped birthmark in spite of her father’s dire prophesy. He is suspicious about his disobedient pawn, yet he cannot deny the success of her missions to strange planets where she finds more than he expected.
Violet seeks the truth about the mysterious Grand Masters. Who or what are they? Do they threaten or benefit civilization? While searching for answers, Violet does the unthinkable. She makes a bargain with her obnoxious Grand Master and challenges him to meet her face to face, risking her secret to discover his purpose. She plunges into an impossible love and a world of intrigues. Will she survive the vicious conflicts?



Excerpt:

Violet edged herself up into the crack and wedged her back against one side, while she carefully placed her toes. She pushed up, feeling overhead for the next handholds. Slowly, she climbed higher, falling into a rhythm. Place one foot in a secure spot, push up, reach her fingers into a crevice and pull up another step. Repeat and repeat again. She had no time to spare for fear during her laborious progress up the crack.
Just below, she heard the clunk of boot against stone as Taranis climbed. He watched her steps. Once, her foot slipped from a projection, and he gripped her ankle, guiding her to another foothold.

At length, she reached a rock ledge wide enough for her feet, and paused to catch her breath. Staring up, she saw the vertical chimney eased into a gentler angle. The rest of the climb to the top looked straightforward.

Taranis joined her on the ledge, his body pressed against hers. She closed her eyes and savored his solid presence and the tickle of power. He had touched her more often since last night. She didn’t know if it was for her protection or his pleasure. 

Violet tensed. A cruel, cunning mind wafted into her senses from an animal crouched out of sight at the top of the chimney. She whispered, “Taranis, a creature lurks in ambush at the top.”

He gazed up, and then glanced at her, saying, “I trust your senses. Give me the laser and I’ll deal with the beast.”

She handed the laser to him, and he slipped it into a pocket. “Wait here, Violet.” He climbed the last section, moving lithely from one flimsy support to the next, while she watched anxiously from her perch on the flat shelf.

When he vanished over the top she sensed a stir of alertness in the waiting beast. A short blast of psi power was followed by a high-pitched wail, and abruptly the power ceased. Violet was sure the Grand Master had exerted his power to kill the animal. She waited, listening intently, but heard no other sound or hint of power.
He had shielded again.

Violet climbed to where Taranis waited at the top. He dropped onto one knee and offered his hand to haul her up the final steps. The tickle of his power sang from his grasp. She scrambled erect, still clinging to his large hand, and stared around. An ugly black monster lay crumpled on the ground. Its legs still twitched with fading nerve pulses, although its head was severed from its body.

Taranis handed her the laser, and she casually thumbed the charge indicator. As she had suspected, no charge had been expended. He had applied his own killing power and not the laser to destroy the beast. She stared at Taranis, annoyed by his inscrutable expression. Still no chink in his mental shield. Why wouldn’t the Grand Master reveal himself?


Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM

Bio:
My career in science involves plenty of writing facts for research articles. But, I’ve imagined exciting adventures in weird worlds for as long as I can remember. For many years, life intervened. Now, I have achieved my life-long ambition to publish novels. My published works include science fiction and fantasy with romance and a sprinkle of humor. I was born in the UK and live in Atlanta with my husband, a dog and two cats to sit on my laptop. My hobbies, besides reading and writing, include outdoor activities like watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing.

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