Issaura's
Claws
The
Incarn Saga Book 1
by
Katharine E. Wibell
Genre:
YA Fantasy
“According
to legend, when the world was young, the goddess Issaura appeared
among men. Those who treated her with kindness received the gift of
the gods—the ability to transform into an animal form. This was a
great honor but one that separated this race from other humans.
Before Issaura departed the mortal realm, she promised to return if
her people were ever at the point of destruction.
“Now
a threat is rising from a land across the mists of the ocean, a
threat that will push this race to the brink of extinction.
Responding to the call to war, seventeen-year-old Lluava heads off to
find her destiny, one that will carve her name in history.”
The
Kingdom of Elysia consists of two races: the dominant race of humans
and the native race of Theriomorphs who can shift into animal form.
Although law dictates equal treatment, they neither like nor trust
each other. Now brutal and ruthless Raiders are approaching; there is
only one chance to defeat them. An army must be raised and trained.
An army where each human will be paired with a Theriomorph partner.
An army that must fight as one to defeat their common enemy.
Women
are not warriors. However, Lluava is not like other women – human
or Theriomorph. Her animal form is a magnificent beast whose power
and fury she must learn to control. Although Lluava endures intense
physical training and strives to overcome the doubts of the male
recruits, she faces an unexpected adversary in the commanding general
who seeks to break both her spirit and her body.
At
the paring ceremony, Lluava is humbled when presented with a unique
and ancient weapon. Yet she becomes distraught and angry when her
human partner is revealed. If they fail to trust each other, the
consequences will be devastating. Death and destruction are on the
horizon and time is running out.
The
Incarn Saga is a young adult fantasy series inspired by ancient
myths, filled with fast-paced action and adventure, and enriched by
an understanding of animal behavior that defines the shape-shifting
Theriomorphs.
‘…People shouted and screamed around her. Lluava heard nothing, saw nothing but the beast of a man before her. The great brute pushed his body close to hers. She smelled the stagnant breath that whistled through smokeweed-stained teeth. Bits of moldy bread were tangled in his amber beard. Spraying tainted saliva on her, the man stepped backward just far enough to slam the handle of his ax into her chest. She tumbled to the ground.
Coughing from the cloud of dust that rose around her, Lluava struggled to stand upright. She had only a moment’s warning; a glint of polished metal swung at her, and she dove to her left into the tall reeds, hoping the thick grass would shield her. The man used his razor-sharp weapon like a scythe, chopping a swath through the grass. Spotting her, he took aim and threw his ax. Once again Lluava caught the blade with the Claws but was knocked down by the force of his strike.
All she could do was stare at the man looming over her. His face was devoid of emotion as he raised his weapon to deliver the death blow. Suddenly, red liquid oozed from his lips, dripping onto his amber beard. He looked down, an amazed expression on his face, at the bloody tip of a sword protruding through his chest. The ax fell to the ground as the dead Raider slid off the iron blade.
Varren, his clothes peppered with red, stood behind the slain man’s body. Grabbing Lluava’s arm, he pulled her to her feet and rushed her back to the now fast-moving troops. In formation, the group headed toward Durog at speed. The attack had made it clear that there was no time to waste.
Despite its hectic pace, the march back to Durog gave Lluava a chance to reflect. For the first time in a long while, she doubted the choices she had made. War meant death and blood and carnage. Was she capable of inflicting such pain? Would she be able to take a life when she needed to? Could she live with herself if she did? Could she survive if she didn’t? Could she have killed the Raider who had attacked her? As these questions and more hurtled through her mind, the realization of what she was expected to do, of what she must do, appalled and sickened her…’
Ullr's
Fangs
The
Incarn Saga Book 2
"According
to legend, when the world was young, two gods of war — one male,
one female — were destined for each other. Yet Ullr, forever
unfaithful, lost the love of Issaura, his true match, and was
forsworn. His violent anger and bitter rage grew and intensified,
poisoning all creation and humanity.
Now
that the Raiders’ long ships have faded from sight, the kingdom of
Elysia is beginning to recover from the summer’s war with the
brutal invaders from across the sea. Yet darker forces have taken
root, forces that can alter the future of the land and its people in
unthinkable ways. Seventeen-year-old Lluava must discover the means
to prevent her world from collapsing. But in doing so, will she
succumb to that darkness?"
“We have found no sign of the band of Raiders since we left Tinder’s Keep. We have lost valued days, and I fear that, if we have not already failed at our reconnaissance mission, we soon will. Therefore, what say you to the idea of—” Varren stopped, summoning his will to finish the proposal, “— rehiring the huntsmen? If there is a chance to finish what we started, would you support that?”
Derrick was the first to speak. “Putting personal issues aside might be in the best interest of the greater good. If working with the huntsmen protects Elysia in any way, I say we should ask them to rejoin our efforts.”
Talos was not pleased. He kept silent for a long while; when he spoke, he chose to be logical. “How would we even find them? We left them at Tinder. Do you think they just stayed there? They are long gone—as should be this idea.”
Looking at his partner, Byron added, “I wish I were better at tracking. I will keep trying, but the trail went cold a long time ago.”
“We should return,” whispered Rosalyn, whose health had begun to deteriorate. “We made this journey based on several large assumptions. What if we were wrong, and we are wasting our strength and time on a fruitless mission?”
Rosalyn had a point. What if all this was for nothing? Had they squandered all their time chasing shadows in the woods while Elysia was doing battle with—and possibly losing to—a cruel and evil enemy? Perhaps they should turn around and go back. At least they would not have to worry about whether or not to work with the huntsmen. Lluava would never have to see Apex again. But what if there was a chance? Could they gain important information? Could they prevent a major attack? How many lives might be saved?
Lluava spoke. “Elysia’s future is at stake. We can’t afford to lose any chance to save our kingdom. Of all of us, I should be the one most opposed to working with the huntsmen, but I support this decision.”
Whether it was the truth of Lluava’s last statement or the points made by others, several heads nodded in agreement. Though Yamir and Rosalyn still opposed the idea, the consensus was to resume their contract with the huntsmen.
“How are we to find them?” questioned Yamir. He had been quiet for most of the conversation. “If we can’t find them, all this talk means nothing.”
Several questioning looks passed among them before Lluava reached inside her shirt and pulled out the cord with the whistle. “I know how to call them.”
After she explained how she had come into possession of the whistle, Varren gave her a nod. “Give it a try.”
Though still skeptical, Lluava took a big breath and blew into the tiny whistle. As soon as she did, she quickly reached up to her ears to block the piercing trill emitted by the tiny object. Even though she had stopped blowing, the ringing echo continued. Looking around her, the noise seemed to bother many of the friends, although Byron and Varren were unperturbed.
“Well?” asked Byron, who was clearly confused at his comrades’ odd reactions.
Next to him, Talos was shaking his head repeatedly, his tawny locks whipping around his features. “Did you not hear that?” he exclaimed, disgruntled.
“What?” Byron looked at Lluava. “You blew it?”
The young woman returned the whistle to her pocket, hoping she would not have to use it again anytime soon. “It wasn’t meant for your ears,” she said.
“How long will it take?” inquired Varren, who was less concerned about the phantom sound.
“I don’t know,” Lluava admitted. “I guess we just have to wait and see.”
At first, everyone stopped as if stuck to their spots, hoping for any sign of approaching figures. As time crept on, one by one they resumed their normal camp duties.
“Maybe you should blow it again,” suggested Byron.
Yamir quickly shook his head. “No, don’t do that. I can still hear it.”
Looking over at her partner, Lluava apologized. “I tried…”
“I know you did,” Varren acknowledged. “However, it seems that we are on our own.” He began to turn away, but then stopped. “Is that—?”
Lluava peered in the direction the prince was pointing. Apex stepped out of the gloom with his companions at his heels. Lluava felt her heart skip a beat. Had she made the wrong decision? There was no way she would let that monster see her fear. Standing up straight, Lluava watched as the huntsmen approached their campfire.
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Apex broke the silence. “Well? What have you to say?”
Varren approached the burly man. Lluava followed at her partner’s side. From this new angle, Lluava could see the yellow-green remains of the bruise Varren had left around Apex’s eye. She was glad to see that Varren had hit him so hard. Some of the bilious color overlapped her own claw marks that slanted across the brute’s cheek. He finally looked like the monster he really was, and she was glad he was marked for all to see. Still, Lluava found herself moving closer to Varren’s side. She would not let Apex see her tremble.
Stopping several feet away, Lluava could not help but sense the deep penetration of the lead huntsman’s stare. Maybe she had made the wrong decision. Maybe they all had. A sudden panic began to rise inside her. She wanted to escape from this man and his unwelcome presence.
Lluava felt Varren’s hand on her shoulder. Had he realized her inner discomfort? The simple gesture was comforting. She forced herself to meet the gaze of the tracker before her, although she wanted to turn away.
The prince began, “What happened in Tinder’s Keep was inexcusable.” Varren glanced at Lluava before continuing. “Yet the cold fact remains, we must track down the band of Raiders before it is too late.”
Apex seemed about to respond with a snide remark but thought better of it. He stood silently, which forced Varren to speak once more.
“My comrades and I have a mission to complete and, just as before, we need your aid in order to succeed. I will not let my emotions hinder this task. Will you rejoin our efforts?”
“Oh?” Apex raised an eyebrow and glanced in Lluava’s direction. She could feel her insides churn. Every bit of her wanted to bolt. Thank the gods Varren was near; she drew strength from him.
Turning his hard gaze on the prince, Apex responded. “In our original agreement, we were to track and you to fight. That deal was made to protect my fellows from risk of injury. That insurance of protection has been violated.”
Now Varren was the one holding back the angry retort. Lluava was unable to look away from Apex’s bruised eye. Would he really turn them down?
The huntsman answered Lluava’s unspoken question. “Before I will agree to rejoin your efforts, I demand compensation for the risk we are all taking in this endeavor.”
“What sort of compensation?” inquired Varren. He clearly disproved of the entire situation.
Apex looked at each of his own companions, then stated, “Double the pay.”
Varren looked at his partner. Lluava nodded so he would know she accepted the proposal. But did she have any right to make the choice? It wasn’t her money.
“That’s ridiculous,” Talos blurted out.
“Out of the question,” agreed the prince.
Tensions were rising as fast as Lluava’s discomfort. She looked at Derrick, imploring him to back her. He stared back but did not respond. He was right, wasn’t he? They did need these men, no matter the cost?
Lluava leaned toward her partner and whispered urgently into his ear, “We need them. They are angry with us, just as we are angry with them. Give them something, but not all.”
She knew her partner was struggling internally, and she gave his arm a quick squeeze. His body relaxed slightly. Varren’s eyes never left Apex’s face.
“I will raise you a third of your original price.”
“We want the money up front.”
Varren bit his tongue but said, “I will pay half now and half upon completion of our mission.”
Behind Apex, smiles crept onto the brothers’ faces. Even Mila seemed pleased. Yet Apex remained stoical. The trackers’ leader took his time to weigh Varren’s terms.
“Deal.”
Glancing at the other huntsmen, Lluava realized they were all grinning. Yamir’s next question indicated he realized it, too. “Do you think they planned this? To con more money out of Varren?”
Listening to Yamir’s wild conspiracy theories had always been a fun pastime. Yet somehow, this one rang true. Lluava wondered if he were right. Was this all part of Apex’s plan?
Crocotta's
Hackles
The
Incarn Saga Book 3
“According
to legend, when the world was young, Crocotta, Queen of the Gods,
discovered her mate’s faithlessness. She vowed to prevent future
threats to all matrimonial pacts henceforward, but for her it was too
late. The child born from the illicit coupling was a warrior
goddess—one whom Crocotta would seek to destroy throughout
eternity.
Now
that the Raiders’ elite army is threatening the kingdom of Elysia’s
northern borders, seventeen-year-old Lluava must leave the
familiarity and safety of her native land to venture into the
wilderness. Her mission is to discover others like her who will come
to Elysia’s aid; her hope is to unravel the secrets behind what it
means to be Incarn. But what she finds could destroy everything.”
Lluava’s
story continues in Crocotta’s Hackles, the third book in The Incarn
Saga's award-winning new-adult series.
Lluava tried to prepare for the task set before her: to kill an innocent man. Could she do it? She had killed before, men with families and friends in their homeland across the ocean. Yet these men were enemies who had come to Elysia to pillage, destroy, and conquer. She had been forced to kill them. Their lives had had to be lost.
But what of Ammit? He was only fulfilling a duty of ceremonial law. He was innocent. Could she kill him?
What did she know about him? Not much more than she’d known about any other man she had slain. And Ammit, like the Raiders, would not hesitate to take her life. If she reacted instinctively and defended herself, she could justify a fatal injury based on pure self-preservation.
What of the Tucala? This ceremony clearly had originated in ancient times. How could this “only one survivor” regulation be considered fair? She was innocent, so the gods must make sure she wins. But then, what of her opponent? He was innocent, too. He was only respecting the rules of this bloodthirsty event. Wouldn’t the gods, if they did exist, take pity on him as well? If there could be only one winner, how would either her death or Ammit’s prove anything?
Lluava’s head began to spin. None of this seemed ethical. None of this made sense. Was she truly to die in a barbaric battle of strength? She was overwhelmed by different emotions: anger, frustration, confusion, fear, regret. Why had she come to this place? Why had she left the kingdom’s boundaries? The old tales warned that none returned once they voyaged beyond Elysia; Lluava was beginning to understand why.
Torchlight came and went as people sporadically visited Zeek’s body. His friends and family continued to trickle in through the night.
Early in the morning, one of the visitors walked down the hall toward Lluava’s cell. She prepared herself for an explosive encounter with a grieving family member. Instead, Apex’s bristly face appeared in her open doorway.
“I figured they were keeping you here,” he said ruefully.
“I didn’t do it, you know,” Lluava defended herself.
“I know.”
“They are going to make me fight for my life today.”
The flickering flame from the torch in his hand cast eerie shadows on the huntsman’s face.
“We need to leave this place,” Lluava said in a whisper. “No good has come since our arrival. There is nothing here for us.”
Motioning Apex to step into her cubicle, Lluava cautiously stated, “We should make a run for it. Tonight.”
“And what, exactly, is your plan?”
Lluava stared almost horrified at the man before her. “We make a break for the jungle, in the dark. Nobody would see us. Then we… then…”
“Then what?” questioned Apex. His voice was methodical. “We have no weapons. No way of knowing where the opening to this valley lies. The jungle is filled with booby traps, or have you forgotten? They would capture us before we even had a chance.”
“I might die tomorrow. I can’t do that. Not here.” Lluava realized she was trembling. At least in the dark, maybe he wouldn’t notice.
Apex reached out and stroked Lluava’s pale hair. “You won’t.”
Lluava wanted to ask why he seemed so sure, but she didn’t want his reassurance to end, charade though it might be. Afraid to speak, she kept silent, and Apex left her cubicle. As the light of his torch dimmed, so, too, did her hope.
Katharine
Wibell’s lifelong interest in mythology includes epic poetry like
the Odyssey, Ramayana, Beowulf, and the Nibelungenlied. In addition,
she is interested in all things animal whether training dogs,
apprenticing at a children’s zoo, or caring for injured animals as
a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. After receiving degrees from
Mercer University in both art and psychology with an emphasis in
animal behavior, Wibell moved to New Orleans with her dog, Alli, to
kick start her career as an artist and a writer. Her first literary
works blend her knowledge of the animal world with the world of high
fantasy.
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