SURRENDER
The Ferryman and The Flame Book 1
Rhiannon Paille
Genre: YA Fantasy,
Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1480029859
Number of pages:
402
Word Count: 100k
Book Description:
How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?
Kaliel was warned about her love for the
Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She
doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic
weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her
love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the
ultimate sacrifice.
Short Excerpt:
“Sorry I
scared you,” he said.
Kaliel
pressed her lips to her knees, hoping she could hold in her emotions. “I’m not
afraid of you.”
Silence
hung between them for awhile. He shifted on the cloak, the black tunic he wore
shifting with him. He stretched his legs out, and Kaliel looked at his
shin-high boots and breeches. He stole a glance at her turtle shell. “What are
you afraid of?”
Kaliel
stood. “Happy endings.” She didn’t know how else to explain it. She had
contemplated the parable so many times it was exhausting. It didn’t matter
which path she took—neither of them seemed very appealing. She let the mist
soak her sleeves and stick to her skin. She heard Krishani behind her before he
ran his hand down her back making shivers run up her spine. He stayed there, a
foot away, and she wished he would move closer, envelope her in his arms. He
wasn’t supposed to talk to her. This had to be wrong. What would the
brotherhood think?
“Happy
endings?” he whispered. He sounded both unsure and nervous. “What do you mean?”
“What
if someone comes?” She was worried Lord Istar would burst through the trees and
find them in this compromising awkwardness. It seemed more taboo than
practically drowning in the lake.
Krishani
let out a breath. “Nobody ever comes here.”
Kaliel
closed her eyes. “You come here.”
Krishani
took a step forward and she could feel the heat radiating off him. “All the
time.”
She didn’t
answer, instead listening to the sound of the falls. Moonlight glinted off the
flecks of water. She thought about the orb of ice he created for her. She
hadn’t been able to do anything close to that awesome.
“What are
you thinking?” he asked again.
She closed
her eyes and felt her energy shift; like it had the day she went to the Great
Oak. Heat rushed through her as she leaned back, trying to feel him, but not
trying to force it if it wasn’t what he wanted. It was clear to her he cared,
but she was so worried about whether or not she should let him.
“My
parable,” she whispered.
He
went rigid, his hand sliding down her upper forearm. “What did the Oak say to
you?”
She
shook her head. “Never mind, I have to figure it out. Both paths seem so
dreary.”
“You
seem too sweet to have a bad parable.”
She didn’t
want to talk about the nightmares of the Flames, the parable, the fact the
Brotherhood would disapprove of him touching her. It felt so natural; the last
few moons had been lonely without him. She couldn’t explain what she felt, but
she couldn’t watch him marry the land and leave the island.
“But
I do,” she said. She drew her hands instinctively to her chest, her elbows
digging into her ribs. He dropped his hand as she turned, and buried her face
in his chest. He reluctantly ran his hands through her hair, letting them rest
on the small of her back.
“I
thought about you every day,” he said as she pressed her cheek into his tunic.
She
smiled against his shirt. “And I thought about you.”
“Promise
me something?” He wasn’t holding her, not really, their bodies weren’t pressed
together and the inches between them made Kaliel feel cold.
“What?”
“You’ll
find a happy ending.”
“What
if I can’t?”
He
pulled back and brushed his thumb across her cheek. “Promise me you will.” His
eyes met hers and his jaw dropped. His hand paused, cupping her face in his
palm. He held her gaze, her heart beating
hard. Before she had time to answer, he pressed his lips against hers. She
didn’t expect him to do that and it was better than she imagined. She came to
life under him, kissing him back with unyielding passion that made him pull
away to seemingly catch his breath.
Kaliel’s
sadness drained away as he broke from her lips and then cupped her face with
both hands and kissed her again, pressing the length of his body against her.
His kisses made her feel light and giddy, like she could float into the sky.
She slid her hands up his chest and looped them around his neck. There was
swimming in the lake and losing her breath and then there was this. Being out
of breath with him was like drowning in a sea of happiness. He could keep her
prisoner forever and she’d never complain. He pulled away again, and wound his
arms around her waist, trapping her against him. His lips found hers again,
rough and inexperienced, but strong and satisfying.
She opened
her mouth and his tongue grazed hers, warmth spreading from her heart to the
rest of her body, making her tingle. She smiled against his lips.
“I missed
you.” She tried to steady her breathing.
Krishani
shook his head and put his hands on either side of her face. “This is all I
want. This and nothing else, ever.” His mouth covered hers again. He pressed
himself against her and she sighed. It felt like she had known him her entire
life and even longer, if longer even
existed.
Images
appeared behind her eyelids—the shape of a boy and a girl wearing gaudy crowns
on their heads. They were painted into parchment, but they were blurry. She was
too elated by Krishani and his lips on hers to record the images, but they
seemed familiar.
And then
everything changed. Krishani pushed his lips against hers one last time and she
felt the shift in her energy dissipate. It was as though all the joy
evaporated, replaced by intense fear. She pushed him away and tried to
understand the pounding in her heart that made her want to break in half.
Bloom the weed of temptation.
He looked confused
and shocked. Without a word, she turned and fled towards the Elmare
Castle.
My Thoughts:
This is a great epic fantasy with a wonderful twist of romance thrown in. I loved this book!
This book was original and kept me guessing. There was never a dull moment! My favorite thing about the book was the switching point of views. Books to me are just that much better when the author takes the time to go through and switch the perspective between characters. I feel like I get a more complete look at the story.
I was not prepared for the ending. Oh I had read other reviews that had warned me but it still was not enough to prepare me. :(
I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
My Rating: 4 Stars!
About the Author:
Rhi was never a normal girl. Her life was an urban fantasy
wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her
everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She studied at U of Sedona and
MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. She’s married
to a chef/comic book shop owner and she has a fondness for architecture. She
frequents twitter and facebook, but if you really want to get to know her you
should visit her site: www.yafantasyauthor.com
