{"id":1272,"date":"2013-12-05T06:00:09","date_gmt":"2013-12-05T14:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestfantasynovel.com\/?p=1272"},"modified":"2013-12-05T06:00:09","modified_gmt":"2013-12-05T14:00:09","slug":"violet-skies-by-edward-l-cote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/2013\/12\/05\/violet-skies-by-edward-l-cote\/","title":{"rendered":"Violet Skies by Edward L. Cote"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

To break up my writing time, I design book covers for fellow authors. Here’s my latest cover design and a bit about Edward L. Cote’s Violet Skies<\/i>, the first book in his new series of the same name. \u00a0Each book is a novella, short and easy to read. This is a fresh twist on classic fantasy, but it keeps its essential nature intact.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taya Mindaerel and her mother, the Oracle of the Prairie Winds, must flee their home or face certain death at the hands of a dark hunter and his man-eating horse. Their journey takes them to Aurum, the City of Gold, where they seek the aid of the Great Magus Olbinaar.<\/p>\n

On the way they meet three allies- Alex, a vagabond, Brand, a master swordsman, and Ogger a wild creature. They will need all the help they can get to surmount all the obstacles in their path.<\/p>\n

In the city however, they learn that their journey has just begun.<\/p>\n

Download Violet Skies<\/i>\u00a0on Amazon<\/a> and Smashwords<\/a>, or purchase the paperback<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Prologue<\/h4>\n
<\/div>\n

Olbinaar stood in the Grand Library of the Hall of the High Council. Two stories of books lined the walls, which were divided by oak doors at regular intervals. Six ladders granted access to the higher bookshelves. Two huge windows stood opposite each other, displaying grand views of Aurum, the City of Gold. Through each he could see the city\u2019s aqueducts, markets, buildings and towers short and tall. The window on the western side brought light from the setting sun.<\/p>\n

\n

The blue robes Olbinaar wore and the insignia decorating them spoke plainly of his station and power as a Great Wizard of Aeovas. Long years and hard days had worn upon his face. Thick gray hair formed half a ring around the bald spot on top of his head and matched his well-groomed but bushy beard. His blue eyes studied the room, and his stocky frame stirred impatiently.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cAh, Olbinaar. I thought I\u2019d find you here,\u201d a jovial voice said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar turned to find a younger colleague entering the room. \u201cDibian,\u201d he said. He offered a slight bow, a courtesy not returned. \u201cI\u2019m waiting for the Council.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Dibian closed the door behind him. \u201cYes, I know.\u201d He wore not the blue robe of his official position, but his own black robes of fine silk. His flippant self-indulgence and habit of overeating gave him a large gut and a soft visage, but his weight was not the first thing most people noticed when they saw him. No, that would be the damnable smirk he always had on his perfectly shaven face. He kept his brown hair trimmed with the same meticulousness, but that did not draw the eye in the same way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cYou\u2019re out of uniform,\u201d Olbinaar said, adjusting his own robes proudly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cTrust me, you\u2019re the only one who cares.\u201d Dibian walked over to a table, where he found a bottle of blue wine that had been left for Olbinaar. It was an excellent vintage, carefully crafted from blueberries and four other fruits, each more rare than the last, then aged for decades. Dibian examined the bottle\u2019s markings and nodded in approval. With a quick gesture, he chilled it. He poured himself some of the rich dark blue wine in a crystal glass. \u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t want any?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The elder wizard shook his head. \u201cI hate to think of what that bottle must be worth. I wish the Council would spend its taxes more wisely than on attempts to impress us.\u201d He sighed. \u201cBut frankly, I\u2019m wondering what\u2019s keeping them so long.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Dibian smiled. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar scoffed. \u201cReally? They\u2019re scared, Dibian. Ultimately, there\u2019s no telling what they will do. They must have some reassurance that we won\u2019t simply run roughshod over them, but what . . .\u201d he lowered his voice, \u201cwhat can they really do to protect themselves?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The younger man peeked over his glass, clear blue eyes shining. \u201cWhat indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar allowed himself a small smile. \u201cThis is unlike you. I\u2019ve grown accustomed to you opposing everything I say out of habit.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Dibian laughed quietly. \u201cWhose habit is that, old man? I do what I do for my own reasons. It is you who always react to my moves, and second-guess my motives.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Just when he thought his colleague might say something to soothe the sting from that barb, Olbinaar saw something through the western window. Three explosions lit the evening sky, quieted by distance. People filled the streets with panic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

For a second, Olbinaar stood shocked, but he roused himself to action. \u201cThe city is under attack! We must warn the Council!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cThe Council is dead,\u201d Dibian replied flatly. He took a drink of wine then set his glass down on the table.
\nOlbinaar’s knees wobbled. \u201cWhat? Are you mad? How do you know this?\u201d He started off toward the Council Chambers. \u201cIf this is some kind of prank\u2014\u201d Another explosion tore the top off of a tower. Rubble fell to the streets below in a violent cloud of dust. Olbinaar stopped walking when he saw it through the window, which shook with the roar of the blast.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Dibian sharpened his voice. \u201cIt\u2019s no joke. They\u2019re dead, old man. Every last one.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cBut how?\u201d<\/div>\n
\n

\u201cI killed them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The silence stood thick, until broken by another explosion, this one closer to the window.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar turned to face Dibian with eyes wide in shock. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The younger man laughed. \u201cWhy? Isn\u2019t it obvious? Did they think they could ride us like donkeys? Or leash us like dogs? What good is a law, against us? Against this kind ofpower?\u201d As if to punctuate his words, another explosion shattered the great window behind him. Glass shards rained on the wizards, but both protected themselves with shields of their own power, raised by well-trained reflex. The wind howled through the broken window.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Dibian raised his voice. \u201cPieces of paper won\u2019t stop this. When Ruegar went mad and took it upon himself to exterminate the rest of us one by one, what did they do?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cThere was nothing they could do!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cExactly! We\u2019re practically gods!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cAre you mad? What gives you the right?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cWhat right do they have to try to bind us with their laws? And now this latest farce? Do they expect us to surrender the very means to defend ourselves?\u201d Dibian shook his head.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar slowed his breathing, and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The murderer sighed. \u201cWould you prefer it if I turned them into puppets? I\u2019m fed up with even pretending to subjugate myself to those petty politicians. We all are, whether we admit it or not.\u201d He paused. \u201cIt will be better for us to rule openly. You\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The elder frowned. \u201cYou mean for wizards to rule the world? What of democracy?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Dibian laughed. \u201cDemocracy is the rule of the best con artist. Let those who have true power rule over those who do not.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The explosions continued, growing more intense. Olbinaar knew there had to be a terrible panic in the streets, and untold dead and wounded. What he could see would not be the half of it. He looked out the broken window, a breeze blowing his robe and beard. He asked, \u201cAre you doing this somehow?\u201d
\nDibian scoffed. \u201cWhat would I have to gain? This city could stand to be redecorated, but there must be some easier way to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar rounded on him, but before he could speak, Dibian scowled and said, \u201cWho do you think it is out there? Telaron and Sela are in the city as well, and that makes four. Did you really think Ruegar would pass up a chance to come after four of us at once?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar sighed. \u201cI did not know you were here, or that you had brought your lover.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u201cAh yes, but I am, and I did. Hmm.\u201d Dibian paused to take a fig from the tray and bite into it. \u201cI wonder if he simply followed me here. I’ve made no secret of my whereabouts.\u201d He finished the fig and licked his fingers. \u201cOh well. What\u2019s done is done. Ruegar is here, and I know none of you can defeat him alone.\u201d He walked over to the broken window and put a finger to his lips. \u201cPerhaps . . . I could . . . but I’ve too little to gain to risk my life on those odds.\u201d Dibian looked down, where Olbinaar could see a crowd running through a street below. The murderer looked back at Olbinaar with that arrogant smirk. \u201cIt seems we\u2019ll have to work together this time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Olbinaar looked out the window, at the fire and crumbling buildings. He knew what Ruegar wanted\u2014 he was trying to smoke them out. He also knew that he could not hope to defeat Ruegar the Mad on his own, but Dibian had some skill in magical combat, and his lover Sela was twice as fierce as any man. Olbinaar\u2019s apprentice Telaron might already be dead, but if he were not, only swift action would save him. Justice for Dibian’s crimes would have to wait. The only way to prevent much more bloodshed was to fight alongside a half-mad devil of a woman and a cold-blooded murderer.<\/p>\n

Olbinaar growled, frowned, and fumed, but there was nothing else he could do. He looked over his shoulder and said, \u201cFor now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Find more from Edward on his website<\/a>, Twitter<\/a> and Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To break up my writing time, I design book covers for fellow authors. Here’s my latest cover design and a bit about Edward L. Cote’s Violet Skies, the first book in his new series of the same name. \u00a0Each book is a novella, short and easy to read. This is a fresh twist on classic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[102,103,161,162,177],"tags":[621,642,730],"class_list":["post-1272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover-art","category-cover-design","category-excerpt","category-excerpts","category-fantasy","tag-cover-design","tag-fantasy","tag-ya"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1272"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1272\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}