Knight of Wands (A Steampunk Fantasy Adventure Novel) (Devices of War Book 2)
Read Knight of Wands (A Steampunk Fantasy Adventure Novel) (Devices of War Book 2) Online
Authors: SM Blooding
Praise for Knight of Wands
A lot of women read books and fall in love with the main male character calling them their book boyfriends. Well I am in love with Synn, but not in a book boyfriend sense. He just seems so real to me. In a steampunk world, it is easy for characters not to be real, but Synn is different some how. It might be because you get to read all of his thought processes and they show you how human he is. It could just be amazing writing. I don't know, but I can't wait to read the third book now.
Phaedra Seabolt
Praise for Fall of Sky City
Wow! What did I just read?? The story was deliciously complex, full of fear, wonder, magic, gadgets, gizmos, one heck of a psycho Queen and wonderful friends. Every character brought something to the story, each with a unique personality that came to life through the book, each with their own fears to overcome.
Victoria Limbert
I love the world Blooding has created. She managed to create it in a way that it combines specs of all my favorite movies, books, etc. It’s a mixture of young adult fantasy, steam punk, dystopia, sci-fi, paranormal and even some tiny bit of romance. Fall of Sky City is a diverse book that is intense, a little bit violent, and a whole lot of awesome! I look forward to reading the next book of the series!
Unputdownable Books
Return to a world of mind blowing visuals, heart stopping action, and ships that sail the skies.
Nix, Queen of Wands, has exactly what she wants—Synn El’Asim, the greatest Mark the world has ever seen. Even though she bound his soul to hers, he is not easily controlled. If she wants him, she must do the one thing that pains her most. Let him go, and give him what he desires. Peace.
Armed with a treaty bearing Nix’s seal, Synn sets off to bridge the gap between the world’s two reigning tyrants—the Hands of Tarot and the Great Families. He struggles to trust Nix as he fights for control of his soul. He’s going to need every ounce of restraint when dealing with his mother, leader of the Great Families. She will not give up her power without a fight. Nix will honor her treaty only if Synn agrees to become her knight. His mother refuses to sign the peace agreement if he falls into the queen’s control.
Frustrated, Synn does the one thing neither woman saw coming. He invites all the tribes, currently voiceless in the war between these two ruling tyrants, to partake in the treaty negotiations. All they have to do is prove their worth in his Peace Games. As Synn’s influence and subsequent power grows, a new fight begins.
Who will control Synn’s League of Cities? Can he protect more people as a leader of the Great Families, or as the Knight of Wands?
This is a work of fiction. All the characters, organizations, and events within this book are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to business establishments, actual persons, or events is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Blooding Books
Denver, CO
Copyright © 2013 SM Blooding
All rights reserved.
Per the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any form without written permission from the publisher. Please only purchase authorized editions.
Cover Design by Ravven Glass
Interior Design by Once Upon A Time Covers
Formatted by Anastasia Creatives
Edited by Ralene Burke
Proofread by Veronica Roland
Published by Blooding Books
Blooding Books
Denver, CO
Visit our website at:
www.smblooding.com
ISBN 10: 1492914223
ISBN 13: 978-1492914228
Other works by SM Blooding:
Chronicles of Illona (NA Steampunk Adventure)
Devices of War Trilogy
Fall of Sky City
Knight of Wands
The Dream Killers
Season 1
Pilot Episode: Graveyard of Dreams (Dec 2013)
The Demon Talker Novels
Demons Are Jackasses
With Just Ink:
Dreamland Stories (Fairytale Romance)
Nightmare’s Dream (2014)
DEDICATION
To Dad.
I have always looked up to you.
To Krista.
You see things I don’t.
To my girls.
Never lose your voice.
Fight. Never let it go.
CONTENTS
11 Sending Out the Invitations
33 Finding Direction in a Sea of Wind
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book wouldn’t have made it to publication without a lot of help! From my fans to my friends, I received a lot of great support. You kept me going when I wasn’t sure I could go any further. Thank you.
I want to send a special thank you to my illustrator, Ravven, and my host of editors! OMW! You guys made this story really gleam! You are all so awesome!
Krista, thanks for not giving up on me, kid. You’re a pain in my butt, but, good grief, I love you!
Dre, thanks for pushing me. She’d always be like, “Where is it? Why isn’t in my hands yet? Stop telling me it’s not good enough. It’s good enough for me. Now give me the damn book!” Thanks for being such a super friend.
Veronica has been a rock. You push yourself and give me someone to aspire to be. You’re an amazing woman.
PROLOGUE
Devices for war are always turning. People with eyes on power are always conniving, and too many see war as the only solution to tyranny.
~ Kadar Mubarak El’Asim
THE HANDS
of Tarot are my greatest enemy. They threaten everything I believe in and stand for. For all that they preach peace through the gentle teachings of their religion and through the guidance of their goddess, Tarot, they rule our lives with great force.
The leaders of my parents’ generation allowed them power for a reason, though. They’d discovered someone more ruthless.
The Arrows were a society of manipulative politicians and assassins. No one could say they’d seen one. Arrows didn’t wear a uniform, or an insignia. They walked in shadow, infiltrating every high ranking family, every tribe, every religion. There wasn’t a single move any person made in the gain of power that an Arrow wasn’t behind.
So how did anyone know about them? That’s the same question I asked.
A man took power from the Ears of the Priests, claiming to be an Arrow. The three major tribal families of the time were decimated from within, disappearing overnight. Mother’s eyes fill with fright whenever those days are mentioned. No one could be trusted. No one knew who these Arrows were, what they wanted, or what they would do next. They simply knew that the Arrows were powerful and worked in mysterious silence.
That man didn’t stay in power long. When the people supporting you are shadows, it’s hard to use them to stay in power.
My father investigated the Arrows. Even shadows can be seen, if there is light. Together with my mother, they tracked these powerful assassins down, pulled them from their beds and made them disappear. Justice was found.
Neither of them said a single word about how they did it, what was said, or even what the Arrows looked like. They only said the world had been saved.