I followed the series since I was ten years old… Please write a little snippet so we know it’s not the end… Pllllllllleesas Pleeeeeease… If you write it, it will be real. I just want to know it’s real.
It was a long email, the gist of which is that if we write something in the future of KD, then there would be world peace and end of famine and suffering. If only. 🙂
I said we were taking a break from KD, but we understand that it’s hard to see the series end, so we wrote a little story for you to show you that the world goes on.
We are working on Hidden Legacy and Innkeeper and it’s taking up all of our time, so please be patient.
Update: this is now a prologue to Aurelia Ryder series.
The King of Fire
“Why do you do this to yourself?” Grandfather sighed.
I sat on the floor of the library, basking in a pool of gentle light slipping through the narrow, arched window behind me. Blood and dirt smeared my jeans and my T-shirt. Everything hurt, and sorting through the maze of pain and aches was exhausting. My body was pretty much a single bruise. The right side hurt the most, sending a sharp spike of agony through my insides every time I inhaled. The seventh rib was broken. Probably when the bigger one kicked me. I was covering my head at the time, and the broken rib was the lesser of two evils. I was working on it, but I had to conserve magic. They would be coming for me soon.
“I have my reasons,” I told him.
“Are they good reasons?”
“The best.”
Grandfather sighed again. His handsome face, edged with a neat silvery beard, wore a long-suffering expression.
My brother stalked over from the spot by the wall. He moved on all fours, silent like a ghost on padded paws. When I materialized in Grandfather’s palace, he’d taken one look at the blood on my face and changed shape in a burst of flesh. In his human version, he was three feet eight inches tall, a perfectly reasonable height for a six-year-old. I knew this because we measured his height every six months. The current freaked-out iteration was about my height, armed with powerful muscle, leonine jaws with four-inch fangs, and claws that could gut a human like a fish. His fur was so dark, it was nearly black, and against that darkness, his gold eyes glowed, two blood moons hyper charged with shapeshifter hormones.
“It’s not that bad.” It was worse.
My brother pawed at the thick chain stretching from the shackles on my leg into empty air.
“Please leave it,” I told him.
He caught it with his right hand and pulled, testing the strength.
“Stop.” If he yanked it out of the wall, my whole plan would collapse.
He whirled around. The massive jaws gaped and snapped shut, fangs sliding against each other like teeth of a steel bear trap.
“That’s not nice.”
He snarled.
Grandfather stepped forward and rested his hand on my brother’s shoulder. “You are late for dinner.”
The kid let out a soft half-snarl, half-sigh that turned into a whine.
“I know. Your sister never does anything without a plan. Off you go.”
“Do I get a hug?” I held out my arms.
He snarled, but padded over, and nudged himself into my arms. I hugged him, petting the soft fur. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
He sighed and then I was holding empty air.
“He missed my fingers by less than an inch.”
“Your brother is upset.” Grandfather snapped a huge old book closed. “Can you blame him? I am upset. Your mother, if she knew, would be upset.”
If my mother knew, she would drop everything and ride out to save me. I had to keep that from happening at all costs.
“Your grandmother will be livid.”
My grandmother was the one who sent me into this hell in the first place. She wanted to come herself, but she was too much. Too tall, too strong, too beautiful, and too full of magic. She would draw attention and be treated with fear and caution her power deserved, while I had learned to hide my power. I was unknown and easily overlooked as a threat.
“Why Moloch?” Grandfather asked. “Why now?”
“There are children in the hell fortress. He has over five hundred people building his citadel. You should see some of them. They’re walking skeletons. You look into their eyes and there is nothing there.”
The stench of it, sweat, urine, blood, feces, rot of infected flesh permeating the narrow tunnels filled with cells, barely lit with oppressive watery fey lanterns. The voices. The newer captives cried, the ones who had been there for a little while moaned wordlessly, like animals, and those who have lasted the longest just stared, wordlessly, glassy eyed. The air saturated to the brink with miasma of pain and misery. I’d cried when they dragged me to the cell from the sheer impact of so much human suffering. I had to get out. It was that or I would break and do something rash. That’s why I came here. I had to anchor myself to something light.
“This is what Moloch does,” Grandfather said. “He views his people as fuel to be consumed in order to achieve his means. He feels no remorse. He believes it is as it should be. This is the danger of proclaiming yourself to be a god-king. You start believing your own press.”
“He isn’t a god.”
“No. He is a man, but he is at least as old as me with all of the education and magic his ancient line bestows and that makes him infinitely dangerous. I know you are aware of this fact, so I will ask again. Why are you there? You can answer me, or…’
“Or?”
“Or I will tell your mother. Your choice.”
I was out of options. I would need his help anyway, eventually. “The seer of the Witch Oracle called me.”
Grandfather’s eyebrows rose. “I didn’t know you kept in touch.”
“We’re friends. She is only two years older than me. We used to have girl days and shop for makeup together. I call her once in a while.”
Grandfather frowned, obviously struggling with this information. I gave him a moment.
“Is there a prophecy?”
“There is.” And she’d called me frantic in the middle of the night to deliver it.
“Let’s hear it.”
“When magic crests at its peak, the King of Fire will leave his citadel of misery in the Western Desert to travel east to devour the queen who doesn’t rule and sever bloodline reborn. Only the one who shares his power may oppose him.”
As soon as I heard it, I told my grandmother and we were on the leyline to Arizona before the sun came up.
I met Grandfather’s gaze. “He’s going to kill my mother.”
Nobody would ever harm my mother. Not as long as I was breathing.
He pondered my words. His eyes grew distant and for a moment a different man emerged from his wise and kind facade, younger, harder, vicious and sharp, like a shark coming to a surface from the depths of the ocean. The immortal wizard-king who nearly killed everyone he loved to rule the world. Ah, Grandpa. I missed you.
“You cannot kill Moloch.”
“I’m going to give it a very good try.” I had planned a lot of fun surprises.
“No, child. When I said you cannot kill him, I meant he regenerates. Our family bred for power over the lands we claim. His line bred for the ability to restore themselves.
“I’ll chop his head off. I’d like to see him regenerate that.”
“He will,” Grandfather said. “I haven’t seen it, but my father has.”
He was serious. My careful plan collapsed on itself like a house of cards. “How is that possible?”
Grandfather smiled. “Magic of a bygone age. The best you can do is destroy enough of him to buy you time to get out. The magic of this moment in history isn’t strong enough for rapid reconstruction and the periods of tech will slow him down even more. Inflict enough damage to assure a temporary death and he won’t be a problem for at least a few months. Dismemberment is your friend.”
I gave him my sweet smile. “Thank you.”
“You didn’t ask the most important question.”
He paused. This was a test. If I asked the correct question, I would be rewarded. If I failed, he would be disappointed. I needed his help desperately.
I ran through it in my head. Magic at its peak, the King of Fire, citadel, Western Desert, the queen who doesn’t rule, the one who shares his power…
Here goes nothing. “How do I share in Moloch’s power?”
Grandfather smiled, his magic shining from within. The sun had risen, the clouds parted, the flowers bloomed, and the world smiled with him.
“The eyes, Julia. Moloch’s power is in his eyes.”
The library vanished. I was back on the piss-soaked straw in a dank cell, chained to the wall. The gaunt woman across gave me a blank stare. She probably didn’t even notice I was gone.
The heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway. A metal bar clanged open. Men filed into the room. Hands grabbed me and hauled me up, as someone unlocked my shackles. I hung limp. It was time.
#
I climbed to the apex of the hill, scrambling up the rocky slope. A strong hand caught my wrist and hauled me up like I weighed nothing. My grandmother grabbed me and squeezed me in a crushing hug. All my wounds cried out with a trickle of blood.
“How did it go?” she asked.
I glanced over my shoulder at the citadel burning behind me. The flames roared, turning the fortress into one massive bonfire staining the night with orange.
“He took my eye,” I told her.
She sucked in a sharp breath.
“That’s okay,” I said and opened my eyes wide, one brown and the other a brilliant glowing green. “I took one of his.”
This was a lovely story snack. Thanks for giving it to us!
I agree, thank you so much. Does anyone else feel like the world has slightly tilted on its axis? There is so so much to think about here ??
Oh, yes, so much!
“I took one of his”. Oh, Julie!
OMG! Now we have something seriously marvelous waiting for us down the road! You guys are the BEST!! 😀
+1
+1
Eeeeeee! Happy sigh and thank you.
So cool! Yay author lords!
Fantastic! I love your world building depth. Thank you for these little snippets for us to devour ❤️
I hope this is Julie, I think this is Julie, but if this another child of Kate’s that is also going to be amazing.
Thank you!
Wow thank you so much! I know we are going to enjoy anything and everything you put out! You guys are amazing!
Oh my goodness what a lovely excerpt ! Thank you so much. So good to read that life goes on…
Anyone else slightly concerned what a transplanted body part from a magical being convinced he was a god-king might do to an empath who has magic? Loved it though.
Thank you so much for this!!!
Woah!
Wow that was amazing
Thank you?
This is awesome! Thanks so much!
wow. what a treat. thank you.
deep breath after reading that.
I don’t know how you manage to be this awesome every time you write something. I bow before your amazing talent.
Yay!!!! Thank you for the snippet. 🙂
Oh. My. Gods. Thank you author lords.
Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG! That was so cool! Thank You So Much!
Oh, oh THANK YOU guys!
What a teaser, I love it. Thank you very much!
Aaaaaahhhhmazing!!
::blink, blink:: Wow, this was the last thing I expected, thank you!!!
and DANG….
As I read this, I was thinking there were 3 kids because it didn’t occur to me that it was Julie talking. She said before that Roland wasn’t her grandfather, but I guess she changed her mind in the 5 years since the last book.
So on the one hand, thanks for the tease. On the other hand, waaahhh! I want the whole book!
It’s not Julie. It is JuliA. Different person entirely.
Unless I’m completely misunderstanding. And no, Roland is not Julie’s grandfather except legally by marriage, if Kate is now Julie’s mom.
Roland is just being pretentious and “Elder”. He’s formalizing her name to inject more importance.
Also, it’s not just legally by marriage. Julie was adopted and carries the family blood. Erra accepted it already before the end of MT.
Julie is older than Conlan, and about 2 years behind the Oracle.
I agree. That’s how I read it as well.
Roland is grandfather. Erra is grandmother. Conlan is the brother.
And Julie is awesome like Kate!!!
Marriage has nothing to do with it. Kate adopted Julie before her relationship with Curran, therefore Julie is Roland’s granddaughter. Also, because of the blood ritual she actually does share “the blood”.
I also think the use of Julia is Roland being a pretentious elder, and there was an exchange in Kate 9 where he was referenced as grandpa, so that ties into the AL’s choice of words.
No, she is Julie. I remember Roland calling her JuliA before but not when.
I wasn’t referring to bloodline. I was referring to the book where they get married and Kate refers to Roland as Julie’s grandfather and Julie says he’s not her grandfather. Apparently she changed her mind.
I understood your reference, in fact Julie’s phrasing was “he’s not my grandpa” in Magic Binds (I think) is what made me recognize that this was Julie (her use of the word grandpa here paralleled that other comment).
I felt like it was an indication of how the relationships evolved and Julie had the understanding that he loved his family so after five years she was willing to forgive as long as he remained safely trapped in his pocket prison reality.
I was just responding mostly to Serafina’s marriage comment.
sArafina
So this is about life in Roland’s pocket universe.
My apologies, spelling was never my best subject.
I think Roland’s pocket reality explains the popping in and out that both characters seem to do. Teleportation hasn’t been a feature of any of the other of the AL worlds (some have been able, but not in an everyone can kind of way).
Goosebumps. I have goosebumps. It’s all your fault. ?
Thank you! Especially since we k ow how busy you are with other staff! The world feels peaceful already!
Thanks!
Thank you! The snippet made my day!
Yeah yeah yeah! A future future future Julie saga! Keeping up with the do not mess with me women! Good things come to those who wait but thanks to the long emailer for spurring a little taster treat.
It is so awesome how you manage to add epic mythical stylings to the story without it being absurd or forced.
Thanks for the story and I hope that you are less stressed now that the book is the smash hit that everyone but you was certain that it would be. 🙂
1st – Amazing!!!! Thank you for the break from Hurricane Florence clean-up. 2nd – Derek’s reaction will be epic.
Hope you guys are progressing positively after the storm. We thought we were ok, but after another inspection we might not have been as lucky as we thought, still waiting for the final verdict.
Damage wise, I was really lucky. Limbs down, a few shingles missing, but nothing major. Mostly it’s just waiting for water to go down so roads will open back up. I’ve been helping neighbors and family who did have flooding damage with cleanup. Hope your verdict is reasonable.
Well that went all kinds of directions!!
Thank you for sharing!
Oh man, what a treat!!! You guys are the best, you know that?
Thanks!
This was fantastic!!!
I’m always excited to read what you share with us. This story line is going to amazing, like every other one!
Holy Cow! Thank you!
That was awesome!
? wow!! And thank you soooo much!!
Wow!!! Thank you!
“I took one of his.”
That’s my girl.
Very cool. One question about Magic Triumphs – I thought Curran was grey. In MT he is black. Is that from eating gods?
Yes. It was described in the last book.
Tidbits, thee give us but tidbits…..Thanks!
Yay! Thank you!
Is, um, “Grandmother” Erra?
Yes. Erra was described as such in the last book.
OMG. This is everything! I knew a Julie story was coming!!
Wowzer. Can’t wait to see what the middle part is like. In the meantime, I’ll keep my eye out for more Innkeeper and HL. Life is good.
That was intriguing and amazing. I am so very appreciative!
Wow! And thank you- I didn’t are hope for more KD world for a while knowing you were both a bit busy and probably rather weary after the tour and all.
But Julia not Julie offers so many choices! Child of Kate and Curran or Julie’s actual name?? I’m inclined to the latter with Erra as grandmother but can’t imagine Julie and the youngest (Serena??) witch oracle shopping together.
Oh what a tangled website the author lords weave the better to the bdh appease!!
Or is grandma really great great grandmother freed from her prison? I thought Erra would be her great aunt?
oooh yes, that would make more sense.
Grandma must be Kate’s grandmother, Roland’s mother.
I read the AL’s comment on checking out Gunmetal magic and the BDH’s obliviousness to past plot lines and names, so now at least I know it is Julie, but the reference to Kate as her mother confused me- I thought she was more of an erratic aunt, even though she and Curran had adopted her.
Sigh, must try harder and connect the dots, not dash through speed reading and ending up confusing myself even more. Oh well, forced to read the AL’s back catalogue- a face worse than death- I’m gutted 🙂
Erra refers to Kate as Julie’s mum at the end of MT
Spent day purging old friends junk. Am dusty and dirty but happy less junk.
Went to check my phone, clean hands now and voila a treat.
Thank you , for I think Julie or future kid , and great story. “ I took one of his .”
You write great. Period.
???????????
So much joy, fear and speculation in this little tidbit!
Thanks you! I loved that you didn’t name your characters, so we could figure it out. Made it even more intense. Thanks!!
Oh dear… Julie starting to collect magic like other people collect baseball cards. She has her own, she has Kate’s, and now she has Moloch’s. She was even (briefly) a shapeshifter!
This is probably going to end poorly, but it’s going to be fantastic! Very excited!
I will wait as long as I need to for this to become reality (and help it along in the meantime by buying all your books!)
Don’t forget the power words and incanting she got from Roland.
Thank you so much for sharing this view into the ongoing KD world. Thank you!
Yes, thank you both so much! My fix has been partially sated. ?
Thank you! Wow!! Pretty amazing! Very kind of you, truly!
?SMH
This was awesome!! What is this???
I don’t know how you do it! Maybe this has been rattling around in your heads for awhile, but still, to whip out a snippet this fast in the middle of your crazy busy lives is amazing. It’s said “The more you write the better you become”‘, I say your hands down the experts in the field now.
I’m guessing this is Julie kids or grandkids so I believe we (the BDH) have a lot to look forward to in the future.
Thank you, thank you and thank you!
I think Julia is Julie and she sees Kate as her mom since I’m guessing she’s with Erra and since anyone of Roland’s line can get to the dragon demension the 6 year old lion was Colan. They did say Julie would be getting her own spin off so maybe this is a sneak peak of her first book. I doubt this is about Julie’s kids. But I could be wrong
Yeah. Julie is a badass, and she’s okay with the evil immortal wizard king being ‘grandpa’ now. Chances are that’s due to spending time with her grandmother Errahtrim.
Roughly five years from Magic Triumphs, so this is a snippet of a possible story ages from now. Great stuff.
+1
In, “Gunmetal Magic,” Barabas says, “Julia, get your bag.” He is taking her back to the Keep, and she wants to stay with Andrea.
Julie’s correct name is Julia.
You are right. It is Julie and the lion is Conlan. So happy to know that Erra is still with Julie.
Thank you ALs for this 🙂
I agree with this line as well because the six year old lion is her brother.
Very amazing as ND wonderful! You two really do a great job!!
I’ve changed my mind about this. I think this is Kate’s grandchildren. The girl’s name is Julia not Julie, she worried about her mother (Julie’s mother’s died), she has a younger lion-type brother (descendent of Curran & Kate) and they’re obviously related to Roland Grandfather (grandfather is about all he could handle, no great granddad – he already knows he’s great in his own opinion. No matter who, it’s a kick-a** story!
Holy cow! Continues to amaze me how wonderfully you fling master tales into the air. A green eye…fascinating. Thank you.
Eeek!!! Love it! Conlan at 6 🙂 and Julie but please tell me Derek will be there too!
Wow, thank you for the ‘snippet’ , I know you said you were taking a break from KD world for a while, so this is an wonderful unexpected treat. ?
Love it, but the I love all your books. Thanks
Wow! You are awesome authorlords! Thanks so much for this, it made my day?
I think grandmother and grandfather are Kate and Curran. The mystery is who is “mother”? Julie, Conlan’s wife, or another female child of Kate & Curran?
I don’t think the grandparents are Kate’s grandmother & grandfather because her grandfather is locked away and her grandmother is dead.
But anyone sharing blood with Roland can access him in his pocket reality, so that would explain the brother popping in and out. Also, much was made of Erra taking on the mother role to Kate so she would be grandmother as this is also about chosen families (Julie being Kate’s adopted daughter). I’m pretty sure this is from Julie’s trilogy and is Julie, Conlan, and Roland.
Agree. Grandfather addresses her as Julia. The description of her mother fits Kate to a tee. Michelle’s description of chosen families suits as well.
It’s a great story . I wish I had an imagination like yours.
Thanks for Sharing.
First of all, thank you! That was amazing!
That said.
Now I feel empty! And need more! And all I worked on to be over and ok…just broke into tiny pieces. And I am curious and hungry for more.
“Why me?”
I think the kids are Julie and Conlan. Grandmother is Erra and Grampa is Roland. Whoever it is this is seriously interesting. Looks like Grampa has visitors on a regular basis. I hope he has calmed and mellowed over time.
Yeah, but why did the author lords describe him closing a book. His he plotting his return and doesn’t what Julie to see?!
Maybe he was reading to Conlan when she “Popped in” for a visit? Sometimes, closing a book is just closing a book.
Thank you, and thank you again…and again! This little bit of story made my day! I love it and love you guys for sharing these characters we love and this world!
All Hail the Authorlords!
Thank-you for taking the time to put this out there.
I can totally see all the ties and how this totally is just a truly shining example of the wonderful universe you two weave for us!
I want this part to be super small and insignificant because its a continuity/kd universe thing … however … in an effort to take the insignificant details off your plate … shouldn’t this part (“That’s okay,” I said and opened my eyes wide, one brown and the other a brilliant glowing green.) be sky blue + brilliant glowing green(assuming that Moloch’s eyes were the glowing green ones and not the brown one)
I only mention this because even the cover of magic stars pictures Julie is pictured with eyes of sky blue … I also thought you mentioned her eye color in the past as sky blue and ofc her hair as part of the whole wolves, horses, birds of prey koorgahn/kurgan blood history of Julie. However with my limited ability to search my electronic copies I can’t search/find the exact passage that makes me come to this conclusion.
Regardless I takes absolutely NOTHING away from this Fantastic Contribution to the KD universe!!! (her eyes can be whatever color YOU say!)
I want this part to be super small and insignificant because its a continuity/kd universe thing … however … in an effort to take the insignificant details off your plate … shouldn’t this part
““That’s okay,” I said and opened my eyes wide, one brown and the other a brilliant glowing green. “I took one of his.””
…… be sky blue + brilliant glowing green(assuming that Moloch’s eyes were the glowing green ones and not the brown one)
*edited for readability and to add this thought….
Love that the power is in his eyes … especially since (to my kd world history assumptions) Morloch is the Kurgan equivalent of Roland and is possibly the source of their clan/tribe/races ability to see magic (possibly making him Julies equivalent(much more removed) to Kate’s Roland … And Grandpa Morloch made that huge magic mistake (that everyone is always talking about) where they allowed themselves to be worshiped as a god.
Granted this last bit is pure conjecture but one of the many reasons your writing is so unbelievably good.
In Magic Burns when we meet Julie, her eyes are brown.
But you’re right, on the cover of Magic Stars Julie’s eyes are blue.
But in Magic Binds when Erra discusses Julie being a child of the Koorgahn, she just notes her hair color. Kate’s thoughts reveal that ancient Greeks described them as red-haired or fair-haired with blue or gray eyes.
Hhmmmm…
Julie’s eyes are brown. 🙂 The artist thought she looked better with blue eyes. Always go by text, never by cover.
You are just the best!!
More Julie and Derek, please. I know you’re probably going to do Hugh first and that’s cool. Hidden Legacy also wonderful. Really, just keep it coming as long as it isn’t endangering your health. If you write it, I will buy!
That includes the Maud and Dina stuff whenever they hit ebook!
Christine I think you found all the passages that lead me down this whole confusion.
Prior to posting
I found and reviewed the Magic Burns and the passage where we first meet Julie. I didn’t see a mention of the eye color there but I may have missed it because I’m far from perfect. (I am going to reread that part again and look for the part where it says brown (to cement it in my head)) I may be able to quote it like Shakespeare word for word till the end of my days!
The Magic Stars cover is the “brain image” I use while reading and yes that is probably part of why (in the past/in my head) that Julie’s eyes were sky blue.
In addition to the text of Kate’s thoughts (re blue grey eyes) that you found that I couldn’t find.
prior to my first posting I did look up the Magic Binds Erra re-introduction scene … eye color … ** read read read * don’t see a mention of Julies eye color … **
If ANY of my ereaders had the capability to search ALL of the text of all the books I could have just done a search for blue, green, grey, hazel, brown (all the eye colors) to find out which were where when ? =)
AND
Thanks to you Ilona for popping in and setting the record straight. ?
and for my part … your answer (which is always the correct one) was one of the many possibilities I had in my head(artistic license was that something you DISCUSSED with that artist in depth??? lol ).
I originally thought that I may have been helping but I would guess (NOW) that Ilona just knew for a fact Julie’s eye color or she did a search through all the text previously written to determine what she said in the past so that this latest part is correct.
I know if I had written as much as those two have (first my brain would be melted) and second I would have on hand many many tools to help remind me what all I said before.
Good day to all .. I’m off to reread some more and find the “Julies eye color is brown” passage in Magic Burns
and
Kate recalls that Kurgan’s eyes are grey blue (which is probably the passage that twisted my Brain on Julie’s color) In Magic Binds.
When they are about to eat the srimpy thing and julie showers I think its when it says about her brown eyes.
Oh my Gawd. Came to reread the Last Sweep of the Blade installment cause I’m procrastinating from housecleaning/organizing/laundry. Came across this and haven’t read it yet cause its existence is freaking me out. You guys are too awesome for words. Going to save it as a reward for doing any of the adulting stuff I mentioned above. Hard to believe that I’m a 45 year old woman when I fan girl so hard :). Thank you!!!
I can’t improve on this comment and I’m 74 ! So, +1.
72 here, +1.
+1 also
and I’m 72
66 here!! I need to live long enough to read all the stories!!
1+ and I’m 71. ☺
+1 I’m 66 in 21 days! ?
+1 and 45 here too. I opened up my laptop to work (while watching football) but that got completely derailed.
🙂
I’m 75 and plan on at least living long enough to read as much IA as I can befor I walk on!
I love it when my favorite authors are younger than I. At 69, it’s getting easier to find them, but I also find I am pickier about what I will spend time and/or money on. I am re-reading more things these days, especially all the AL’s series.
Turned 68 on sept 28, so practically youthful fangirl.
I’m 59 and God willing have many more years of reading Innkeeper ahead !!!
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
Aunt Erra was called Grandma by Julie, and I assumed the grandfather is Roland. Maybe Julia, Erra and Hugh revived Roland’s mother. Per end of Magic Triumphs.
Could be Julie, Roland being formal and calling her Julia, and Conlanchecking in.
I think Magic Stars is a prequel to a set of stories about adult Julie and Derek?
Aside..I think Steve West (iron and magic) is the BEST male narrator, as amazing as brilliant Kobna Holdbrook-Smith work on Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch.
An amazing ongoing urban fantasy, police procedural, with a side of architecture and history.
I think maybe Erra is Hugh’s mother, based on the epilogue in Magic Triumphs.
Hugh was an orphan. Erra slept for centuries not waking until shortly before her appearance in Magic Bleeds. All of her offspring are dead. She described them to Kate as handsome but stupid (paraphrasing). For info on her sons, read the part where Erra shows up at Kate’s apartment and has tea and talks with Kate. OTOH, Hugh is not only a handsome devil but quite intelligent as well. Definitely not one of hers.
All true and I’d taken into account – but to whom else would Erra and Julie’s conversation in Magic Triumphs refer?
The theme of Chosen Families run through these books. Roland raised Hugh from childhood and shaped him, therefore he is Kate’s brother. A lot of his “bad behavior” was attributed to him wanting recognition and acceptance from her as family. He clearly develops a sibling like relationship with Kate in MT, so Roland is father, Semiramis is grandmother.
The question I have is does the amount of Magic he holds mean he is a great, great, great, great, great, grandchild of Erra and maybe a magical throwback? That would maybe account for him being able to wield blood as a weapon after the purge, though in MB Roland says he can’t take that away, so I don’t know why he was surprised at the end of IM.
Maybe, I think, but I could be wrong.
Think about Curran, Mahon, & Martha (and the MB interaction where Kate chastises Curran for pretending to not have parent problems). Derek and Curran (Derek is baby brother per Desandra). Julie & Kate. Adora (who takes the position of protecting the dragon pro bono because it’s a family thing). Jim (who only feels he has Dali, which is his weakness).
Chosen Families are a big theme.
I just had a thought about Hugh’s continued blood powers.
Roland was rather sidden about finding the sahanu to be a problem that he used Kate to solve.
They worshipped the blood, not the bloodline, and Hugh carried the blood for at least decades. Maybe their worship caused the blood powers to become permanent once the blood had been carried and wielded long enough, so that purging the connection no longer terminated the powers, to Roland’s unpleasant surprise in _Iron and Magic_.
What do you think?
sudden, not sidden.
dammit
Oooh, that’s interesting. We know he didn’t want to be worshipped because that changes “things”. We know he chose for the Sahanu to worship the blood to avoid the complications of him being worshipped. So if it turned out that the worship of the blood changed the blood………..
Oooh. I think you might be right. Because why did the Sahanu all of a sudden become a problem, and he was quite shocked at the end of IM. Ooo, nice one GreedyGuts!
F******gA! I got chills! Wonderful. Loved the brief little brother Conlan appearance 😉
F******gA! I got chills! Wonderful. Loved the brief little brother Conlan appearance 😉
Oh MY Holy ******* Stars!!!!!! Too Fabulous TERRIFIC!!!!!!!!!
Simply Amazing!
Thanks so much for the snippet.
Terrific! Thank you so much!
Gah!!!
This is an April Fool’s Day joke, right? =p
You are amazing!! I can’t believe you posted this snippet for us …. well, the person that asked anyway. It was so fabulous. I wasn’t really all that excited about a Julie trilogy, but just like you did with Hugh, I am now excited beyond belief! You two are seriously at the top of your game and I’m in awe of your talent. Thank you thank you thank you!!
Pretty snappy cool!
I don’t know why we got this snippet, I hope it’s nothing bad….. I’m really hoping it’s not something bad, but I’m so happy!
I love that Conlan really does go and visits Grandpa. Hopefully measuring Conlan’s height every 6 months means that Julie and Kate see each other regularly, and they are okay with each other again.
Thank you! The two of you surprise me over and over with the quality of storylines, plots and especially characters and character development. I’m pretty sure I have read everything you’ve written at least once and most of KD/Curran at least twice. Just finished Kinsmen series for at least the third time.
I can’t help myself reading someone who can come up with my favorite line: “Here kitty kitty”
w.o.w.
Peace,
O.O. That was awesome! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy weekend to post this!
Ah wow, what a surprise! Thank you for this.
I’m very excited for more hidden legacy and the finish of Maud’s story, but the occasional glimpse of KD and co always gets my hype train going. Will be great to see what you come up with next.
And the awesomeness continues…
Love it as always, don’t need to analyze it, just grateful ?
WOW. Just wow. And a heartfelt Thank You! I never seem to be able get enough of your work so rereading has become a huge habit. ??
That was MAGNIFICENT!!!! Yep I was totally yelling!! I adore innkeeper and hidden legacy – but KD and her family – this universe is something so utterly special <3
Thank you so much for the story! What a lovely treat! But also thank you so much for working on Hidden Legacy and Innkeeper, both of which I adore.
Amazing, so amazing. I can’t wait to read the rest. Thank you.
I haven’t finished Magic Triumphs because I want to delay KD ending. This makes me so happy, knowing that stories from her world will continue. Hooray! Roland in grandpa role is excellent, as is cute little feral Conlan. Amazing. Thank you ALs!
WOW!!! My automatic “Open this page first” habit reaps such awesome rewards!!!!
+1
Thank you for the snippet. As usual, I couldn’t put two and two together. I would think who was who, but in the end, I didn’t know. Thanks for the Horde filling in the who’s. I went back and reread it and it all made sense. Something to look forward to.
Again Thank you for your hard work and the endless pleasure you send us.
After reading this, I must agree with others – ‘The more you write the better you become’. So thoroughly enjoying the Innkeeper series.
Thank you.
Thank you for the snippet! It was glorious as per usu. 😉 🙂
I want to just roll around in this story like a puppy in blankets. I’m SO happy to see that Julie has reconnected with Kate and that Erra is still around too. And more Conlan! So much to look forward to, and I cannot wait.
This made me so happy! Thank you! Julie has been one of my top fav characters for a long while now.
So awesome!! Thanks!
What a wonderful surprise gift. Thank you.
Ahhhhh I wasnt expecting anything like this thank you!!!!!! I love that we got to revisit Roland and see an older Conlan…. glad Conlan vists ?
And Julie is badass, love it <3
I am too very glad I found this! thank you! you do realize if magic ever stuck Ilona and Gordon would likely achieve godhood rather spectacularly As we adore you!
Wow.
Just wow.
Wow. This is a fabulous gift and soothes the obviously premature withdrawal pangs after Magic Triumphs, which was wonderful. When everything else in the world seemed to be going wrong, we could always count on Kate and her team to come through.
Good to know that now we can count on her successors.
Thank you, your tag of ALs is so well deserved. Your snippets are so good, and we’re right into the story & loving it.
Holy…. wow.
Does it mean he can take her body and grow out of his eye in her skull now?
Julie is meant “to share in his power” not to be consumed by it. So I guess not. I think it’s more worrisome that Moloch may be able to share in her powers as well.
This snippet was unexpeted and very much appreciated!
Bless the person who provided reasons for such a lenghty snippet ♡
Thanks for this. I was surprise to find a blog on Sunday and with a surprise gift! Like others I had trouble at first iding the characters but a second reading and some help from the board helped. P.S. I am 76 and intend to be around for more great reads.
Thank you Authorlords. I will look forward to the adventures of Julie and seeing Kate and Curran again, even if it is only a slight mention. I am looking forward to buying the next Innkeeper and reading Diamond Fire…Nevada as a tiny Bridezilla-ish.
Holy &^%$#! How do you manage to draw me in so completely in a few paragraphs? It just about hurts when snippet ends. Thank you but wow. I need to read it again. And again.
+1
+1
+1
what she said – awesome!
Why does this hurt more? I mean we won’t get this story for years to come. It hurts so bad. Oh there is an Maud segment I missed. I’m all right breathe through the pain.
Thank you
I’m really happy you wrote this, but I do have some concerns over a 10 year old reading the Kate Daniels series.
I’m hoping it was abridged. I’ve done that with a few books. Mine will be hooked on these as soon as I give them to her (she has a thing for lions) but she’s got some years to wait (and plenty of other great stuff to read.)
My parents never censored what I read. I am grateful every day for that. It did not matter what I was reading. The fact that I was reading was very important to them. Of course, there was no porn or erotica around for me. But I decided what I liked after reading a few paragraphs. I was one of the few 12 year olds that I knew who read Louis L’Amour and Agatha Christie books the same summer.
That is so cool.
Mine didn’t either and while I did run into “questionable” books, I still only read what appealed to me. Jane Austen, Thoreau, and Andre Norton to name a few! (Yes, as a 10 year old!) …still have those books…
Every family and every child in a family is different. Also kids don’t have the same baggage adults do and will often skim over parts they don’t understand or don’t like. My parents never censored what my brothers and I read; I read _Dune_ and _Dr. No_ ( the James Bond book) when I was 8. My 11 year old just read _The Hunger Games_ which is quite popular in the middle school set; the level of violence and moral issues is about the same as KD. The only reason I haven’t handed her KD or the Hidden Legacy series is that she says she hates the relationship stuff. (I’ve read her snippets and she wants to be an animal mage.) IMHO KD would be better then a lot of what’s out there for “young adults” right now because the romantic relationships are developed in a realistic and thoughtful manner.
No worries. I don’t think KD series is as bad as you think for young ones. I’m an adult who reached the half century mark. I cannot read The Edge series. I think it’s too violent and so much deaths. KD is tame compared to the Edge… OMG! Have you seen what the kids watch in TV/movies? Or those video games? KD is definitely tamer! =)
My parents never censored what I read (and I learned early on not to ask for explanations) and I managed to read myself right into Harvard. Introducing a love of reading is so much more important, IMHO.
I also found that if something was too mature for my level I just didn’t “get it”. Many times I have gone back to old favorites and been shocked at how risqué they were, but as a kid I just didn’t have the reference experiences to understand.
Love this little window into the future. Thank you. I much appreciate all that you do.
Sometimes readers are they own enemies and this is one of those times. Authors want to please their readers. Sometimes thats ok but sometimes you should just be mean and give us nothing! LOL. I would have been patient waiting to read something about KD world or when you chose to write something close to that world. Now after reading this snippet I’m all messed up! Ugh…I’m on the fence about it. I think I was better before I read it. 🙂
I am appreciative of whatever you choose to write and recognize it’s your artistic prerogative to make that decision. Thank you so much for all of your work, we really do appreciate it!
I have no words….WOW!!! You didn’t have to do this, but I am so glad you did. WOW! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
+1
+11111111
Wholey crap! Thank you!!
What she said… ?
Thank you ???
Thank you!
Oh….my….that was unexpected. A lovely bloody kick azz surprise! Thank you! ?
It’s Monday and this nice surprise made my week. This snippet revived me. Thank you!
Julie! Yay! Love it! Let the ass kicking continue! Patience is a virtue and with a full dose of Hidden Legacy, we will wait with bated breath, BDH.
Thanks, Authorlords!
Thank you so much for this!!!
Thank you. Julie is one of my favorite characters and I love seeing her grow. I love the way she claims her family and they claim her too. I can only pray for Derek to be a part of her life too.
You can’t win for losing around here! Give us a preview and we whine how hard it is. Personally, I loved this. Wondered about the brother thing, and the t8ming, and ooh, what a delicious little morsel! Thank you for the birthday present!
I too wondered about the brother thing, then realized it was Conlan. I cannot wait for Julie’s books, and then Conlan’s, etc. I love everything Ilona Andrews writes, which is unusual for me. My favorite authors! LOVE anything you share with us, and so very grateful!
Yay!!! Fantastic food for my imagination! I’ve been reading your work since Magic Bites hit my local bookstore in Savannah. Your writing has helped me through many tough days….and I continue to be overjoyed to lose myself in your world building. Thank you for sharing a snippet and allowing just a bit of insight into the way you see the future!
Unexpected and mesmerizing! Thank you.
Amazing! Thank you for the glimpse of Julie and Conlan and her relationship with Roland and Erra. Loved their interaction with one another.
+1
Oh, guys! So fabulous!
This is going to be sooo much fun when you get around to it.
Thank you for helping the poor Horde member suffering from imminent KD withdrawal.
Thanks for taking the time to come to Houston and chat with us, too. You two are so much fun to listen to as well as read.
Really looking forward to “Diamond Fire”.
Thankyou so much! Really loved it! Especially the “nobody hurts my mom” , that bit really resonated with me.
I’m so excited. I love that you are working so hard on Innkeeper AND Hidden Legacy continued AND allowing a glimpse into the future of Kate’s legacy! Thanks! And I shall endeavor to exhibit the virtue of patience while being estatically grateful!
😀 😀 😀
Just..amazing. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this wonderful surprise!
Also, GET SOME JULIE, YOU BADASS YOU!!
You spoil us rotten 🙂
Wow, that was great. Thank you.
It’s almost a perfect short story as it is. Which seems weird to me somehow because there’s almost no action. It’s all implied. But it’s implied so well!
My my my and wow! This is wonderful, really to wonderful. I thank you for it, but I warn you this is only going to inflame those fans who think they are entitled. Hope you won’t regret your generosity. Side note love 6 year old Conlan
Everything you write is awesome. Thanks for this.
I don’t know what I love more: that Conlan is such an adorable, protective little brother who visits Grandpa by himself; that Julie continues to develop into her own badass who’s about the same age now as when we first met Kate; or that our favorite dysfunctional, blended family loves each other so much and functions so well as a team. I didn’t know I needed this until I read it. I’m glad they’re all still out there fighting the good fight.
Golly. A literal chill ran down my spine and I got goosebumps on my arms at the last line.
I was always wondering about the fate of Julie and her wolf. Really hoping you guys will decide to write a book or two about it. Thank you so much!
That was awesome and freaky! Thank you ?
I’m wondering about the eye thing; I recently read another story (Ancient Magus’ Bride) that had something similar go on with the exchange of eyes being an exchange of magical power. Creepy! Love Conlan and Julie! Thanks for the future vision snippet, but you are definitely entitled to your break!
Wheeeee!!! I loved it! Thank you!
Now to ponder which “grandmother” is referenced and how she came to be a physical presence…
Wonderfully awesome, you spoil us. Thank you.
Julie!!! Yay!!!! Thanks you!
Wicked.
uhuuuu. Julieee. Aaaaa! The eye! Aaaa! Dinner! They are eating in Roland realm! Awwww! Hugs! This is great! Thank you!
no, Roland told Conlan he was late for dinner, as in with Kate and Curran back at home
Thank you for this snippet. I look forward to reading more stories set in the Kate Daniels universe in the future, just like I look forward to reading more Hidden Legacy and Innkeeper in the nearer future.
Since reading Magic Triumphs when it came out, two toughts keep popping up in my head:
– Where did Kate’s original last name come from? Did Voron copy it from a bottle of Jack Daniel’s? Are there other readers here who know?
– What kind of humans are still living in Kate and Curran’s neighbourhood? Ones to stubborn to move or people who don’t mind the shapeshifters? I sometimes wonder how they experience life with their new neighbours.
Yes, I also wondered about the name.
Me three.
At some point it is stated that Voron picked it at random.
Mostly, all the regular humans mived out.
Various shapeshifters bought and moved in to benefit from the proximity to the former Beast Lord, except for the five houses that the Lennarts already own, and George’s house (that Mahon and Martha helped them buy).
(Raphael also probably invested in the neighborhood as well.) ?
moved, not mived
Thank you 🙂
Wow! So this is the future. I love it. Love my authorlords.
Feeling spoiled. Feeling happy.
THANK YOU!!!
Wa-hoo! So awesome – love the whole family dynamic, and how the kids are casually dropping in to visit with Roland. Thanks a bunch!?
WOW. Just WOW! Super interesting! You guys are THE BEST.
Oooooh! ???
I have finished my third reading, it is better, much better than the first reading. What helped were all the comments the BDH presented. The ages of the readers makes me proud to be a part. The first non-juvenile book I can remember reading was Cooper’s, Leather Stocking Tales. There was a scene where our hero was eating. He asked, “Wench, do you want to play ‘ride the mare?'” She responded, “I’ll meet you in the stable, when I get off.” I never found out what “ride the mare” meant, because there was an Indian attack on a neighboring villiage. My instincts told me, don’t ask mom, because it was something I shouldn’t talk to mom about. Oh, I’ve got a decade on the oldest reader so far at 82.
My husband had an intense argument with his high school English teacher about the Cantabury Tales. The Knight “took he her maiden head by force”. His teacher insisted that meant he’d chopped off her head, which was fine to talk about in rural Tennessee. My husband, with his more liberal mother, knew exactly what that meant… Once he proved it to the teacher, Cantabury Tales were no longer taught by that teacher. It’s a good thing they weren’t reading the Wife of Bath tale. Euphemisms are so much fun.
Hi! I saw your comment first and you seem to know what you’re talking about. 🙂 Would you mind helping me? Just a minute of time.
I searched for King of Fire. No go. The above snippet made no sense to me- KD means Kate Daniels, right?
So third reading of what? And what is BDH?
Thank you!
Explanation of ignorance: I’ve only discovered Ilona Andrews and their many worlds in the last year. I’ve read about everything I can find, well mostly listened lately because I also discovered Audible this year as well.
@Ann-Michelle
I’m not Henry, but maybe I can help out.
Yes, KD = Kate Daniels. It sounds to me like Henry read “The King of Fire” snippet three times 🙂
BDH = book-devouring horde. That’s us, the fans of Ilona Andrews, ha ha. The more fic they give us, the more we want!
You are going to have so much fun reading through the Ilona Andrews back catalogue!!
?
I searched for King of Fire. No go.
That’s because it is a snippet of a book/story that has not yet been written, Ann-Michelle, and may never be. One of the distinct pleasures of being a member of the book devouring horde is the generous gift of these little snippets that give us background to the books that actually get published… and also reading along as the latest Innkeeper tale is the authorlords write each chapter, Friday by Friday, then comparing the raw story to the polished version that subsequently goes up for sale. They love us enough to put themselves through the labour and expense of self-publishing each volume, because their regular publisher was not interested, and we love them enough to buy enough copies to make this wonderful series profitable. 🙂
Welcome to the group!
+1
Love your posts Henry and you + Mary made me laugh ?
Wow. Cool. Thanks. Wow.
Very nice. Thank you!
Wow just wow…this is amazing, you guys know we are going to want more and more insights into Kate Daniel’s world no matter who it features. You have created monsters that needs regular snippets to appease them.
Thank you ?
Ahhh I love this! Thank you.
Though I was fine with the potential future from Julie leaving with Erra giving me a potential future, I appreciate you giving us this as well. Shows that all is not perfect at the end of the book. There are still dangers ahead. Still stories not yet shared. Thank you!
Thank you both so much for sharing Kate’s world. You’ve given me many hours of happy reading. Love and best wishes, Fran O. ?
Wow. This is amazing!
I’m starting to see where the inspiration for Catalina’s power may have come from. It sometimes seems the BDH loves you so much we may love you to death. Make sure, despite our whining, to take care of yourselves first. As much as we want more, we actually want you healthier more (because a healthier you will live longer to write more).
+1
Ditto. Your health in all areas is very important. I love how your creative minds work, and hope to be entertained for more years. This snippet was awesome! Made me hungry for KD’s world so much I reread Iron Magic and Magic Triumphs. AWESOME!!
The photo shows what happens when I do read anything by the AL’s.
Yep. And looking at the clock saying, there is no point in going to sleep now, coffee…must have coffee.
+1
Well said! And sadly, very true!
Am I dreaming?☺Excellent! I’m not really a “squeeee” person but this was sooooo fine!?Thank you so very much!?
“Wow…”
I couldn’t wrap my head around you guys walking completely away from Kate’s World. How could you? I get taking a extended break and focusing on other projects of course I do. But this world you guys have made is just so wonderful and you guys write it SO well! I love all you guy’s stuff but the stories based in KW are by far my favorites. The Inn stories come in second. But I truly look forward to everything you guys put out.
I also believe you guys would write a really bitchin historical romance. Like next level! I hope someday that happens.
Thank you for this snippet. I didn’t know how bad I needed it.
-Val
Forget Historical Romance – every time I read the Author Bio bit about ‘not being the Spy who loved him’ etc. I just imagine what a Bond Movie written by Ilona & Gordon would be like…
—
Cracking Snippet, thank you!
Agree ?
As will many others, this is a series I have followed for years. This book was very good. As it seems like the end I am definitely sad.
Oh my. Thank you so much for this. Wow! I loved it. Amazing! I just can not place into words the depth of my emotion on this beautiful snippet!
#happydance Oh yeah, just what i needed and didn’t even know it!! Can I tell you how obsessed I am with Kate’s world!! I don’t even care if all we get is snip-its!!! lol I’m just so happy to be back here with my favorite characters!! Now let me re-read this a few hundred times!! lol
Thanks for this snippet and hope their are more in the future.
Totally unexpected! Home with a sick kid and boom a brief look into the future. Wonderful and brings up so many great questions and answers. Thank you but remember why you should feed the BDH….
Thank you for indulging us. This was delicious.
Hugs.
+1!
You’re so kind 😀 thanks so much! I expect Julie’s story is going to be even more amazing than Kate’s (and I adored Kate’s). Don’t run yourself ragged though; we can be patient!
YES!!!!!, Thank you!!. Currently rereading the KD series for like the 4th time. This snippet made my day!
Guys, thanks, great snippet. I loved the last KD book (and all the others before) and I love that Kate and Curran got their version of a HEA – but I‘m so so glad that there will be more from the KD world. Love Julie, Erra, Conlan and good old grandpa 😀
… in the meantime, I‘m just going go to read everything else you publish…
Juli-A is not Juli-E. I thought. But then I re thought.
Everything else fits. But who the heck is the Grandma? Can’t be Erra, can it???
I suppose it can. And is. Since this was in response to “if KD’s world ends, mine will too”.
I wonder if in addition to the shopping, Julie and Sienna also braided each other’s hair?
Yes, I’m kidding. Seriously.
Julia is Julie & Erra is Grandmother (at least that is how I interpreted it) – I loved the snippet – and it gave a wonderful peak into how useful having a wise and contained wizard around for advice (without world domination) can be!
It can’t be Erra because that would be total Ewwww. Unless Julie refers to Erra as Grandma instead of Great Aunt… we know Kate’s maternal grandmother was an invalid out west somewhere, so not her…. hmmm
Erra took on the role of Conlan’s grandmother, and at the very end of the book, Erra says, “It wasn’t so bad to have a granddaughter”, referring to Julie.
Oh, and regarding Kalina’s mother, either Roland was lying about her dying, or the authors forgot. When Evdokia was giving Kate some of her family history (in Magic Slays), she said that she’d only seen Kalina once after she and Roland became a couple, and it was because she was in town for her mother’s funeral.
I really, really loved it! Thank you very much!
Wow, what an unexpected treat! Thank you!
Got totally immersed in this snippet, looks like the start of a riveting tale but I understand why it’s got to stay on the back burner for now, given everything else you have on the go!
Love it, love it, love it! Thank you so much! :->
Thank you! I loved this!! No hiding the new eye color from Kate?
That was a wonderful read, thank you. Good luck on Innkeeper and Hidden Legacy.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I freaking love what you write! You take all the time you need. And when you are ready, I will gladly read the rest of this story! Well done! And thank you!
Amazing! Thank you so much for giving us this great snippet which sent my imagination flying with all those things you hinted at. Totally happy, what a splendid year with so many treasures for us. Despite everything thats also going on you totally spoil us dear ALs.
Thank you!!!
I just read it again and Ohh, it just got better.
First time you read it fast, you just inhale the words.
Second time you read it slower and savor the words.
Thank you
P.S.
I think you would write a fierce romantic novel.
Thank you so much for this awesome story, it was the highlight of my day!
I remember the first thing I ever read from you involved a short story about a witch with one green eye and a shapeshifter that was her love interest. Can’t even remember what collection it was, but liked it so much I picked up book 1 of Kate Daniels. Amazing if after all that time this was the origin or related to that story.
Seeing eye. Moria and toms story by Patricia briggs in strange brew anthology. That one got me onto faith hunter but I don’t think illona had a story on that one.
Thank you Ilona! I am SO psyched you are working on the Legacy series! It seemed unfinished to me, and I hate to admit it, but it might be my favorite series, even over beloved KD series. (I am also embarrassed to admit, I can’t bring myself to get past the first third of Magic Triumphs because I know it’s the last. How sad is THAT?”
Me too!
I just read this snippet again for the second time after a break of a few days, and it is an even richer read. The ALs always pack in so much detail in a sentence. I have not even STARTED on Magic Triumphs yet. It delays the inevitable. ?
Thank you for the snippet! I am confused- This is supposed to be Julie’s Pov? The tone seems very different… Previously i didn’t think Julie called Roland ‘Grandfather’ or Kate ‘Mother’- Kate was an ‘errant Aunt’ and Julie never had a warm relationship with Roland… and if referring to Erra in the same nomenclature vein, wouldn’t Erra be her Aunt, not Grandmother? Unless this ‘Julia’ is another character, and not actually Julie…
Methinks the AL’s just enjoy torturing us and causing endless speculation, so they substituted titles for names to maintain suspense?, so much more fun to wonder and ask about.
Please read the last few pages of Chapter 17 and the Epilogue in Magic Triumphs more carefully.
Especially the last 2 paragraphs of the book which clearly establish who Grandmother is.
No torture, no need to speculate. It’s all right there.
Lol sadly I am still waiting on my turn at the library copy. Will buy my paperback version eventually, but for now I have to wait my turn.
love it
For some reason it keeps reminding me of the scene in MT when Kate and Hugh met on the battle field and fight back to back (just like in the dance/vision scene at Hughs castle in the Black Sea).
Love how it came true but not in the context it was originally thought – as in Hugh and Kate fighting for Roland.
Yes!! Thank you. OMG what a tease!
OMG! OMG! OMG!! This the best thing ever!!!! Thank You!!!
Several of the readers mention that Julie was part Kurgan. Elizabeth Moon, a fellow Texas author wrote of Kurgans in her novels. Moon’s Kurgans would befriend some people, tree huggers, but others would be guided into deadly encounters with trees. One of the men they liked lost a finger. The Kurgan spliced a twig in the lost finger’s place. The replacement finger, it had the appearance of a green finger, had to be trimmed because of leaf growth.
That was a lot of badassery crammed into a few paragraphs. 😀 YES!!!! Thankyewverramuch.
Thank you for the snippet. I never expected Julie and Erra to get lost in the world and do nothing. This is an interesting story . I wait for rest when you have the time and inspiration.
For this part:
What does she mean by “I was working on it” – is that in reference to the ability to self-heal?
In any case, this is how I understood the snippet:
Julia = Julie
Shapeshifter lion brother = Conlan
Grandpa = Roland
Grandma = Erra
the Queen who doesn’t rule = Kate = Julie’s mother
“we measured his height every six months” = Julie returned home after initially leaving with Erra at the end of MT, yay
“His line bred for the ability to restore themselves” = Moloch’s power is self-healing, and Julie now shares his power (!!)
“he won’t be a problem for at least a few months” = Moloch will be back. Will he be Julie’s arch-nemesis?
“She probably didn’t even notice I was gone” = Conlan and Julie can escape any situation they’re in simply by visiting Roland?
Agree with the folks who are wondering how Derek will react to all this. I already feel sorry for him. ?
ooooh, I forgot to factor in the Derek freak-out. I wonder if Moloch is a sensate now too?
If Conlan’s 6yo, then Julie is ~23? Anyone want to check my math?
I agree with all, except for the “She probably didn’t even notice I was gone” part. Julie is referring to the “gaunt” woman who is locked up in the cell with her.
Yes, I meant – if Julie was “gone” does that mean she was physically not in the cell while she was visiting Roland? And if yes, does that mean she can “transport” herself out of physical danger any time just by popping in for a visit with Grandpa?
Oh! Got it, now I’d like to know too…
Whoa. Now my couriosity is all a flutter . Thank you.
Mmmmm…I don’t think this snippet is being interpreted correctly. Especially since we have no idea how far into the future this even is happening.
Also, alot of people are forgetting that JULIE, Kate’s niece/daughter, has blue eyes. A “throwback” to her ancestors. So neither a Green or Brown eye fits her description.
Here are the choices as I see them:
1.) Ilona and Gordon forgot the spelling of Julie’s name and her eye color
2.) Kate had two additional children after Conlan, naming one Julia (which would be really odd)
3.) This is far far far into the future and Julie has a daughter named Julia, and she is naming either Erra or Kate as her Grandmother. Both Julie and Kate could be looked at as reborn bloodlines. Also, the brother is never described as a lion, just a shapshifter with fur and Gold eyes.
Anyone else agree?
No. Julie has brown eyes.
Lynnmerrick, go back to the very beginning of this snippet’s comments. You will find, among many other revelations, Julia is the original name and her eyes are brown. A cover artist made them, despite Julie’s “in-the-story description,” green.
To other reader’s, Derrick has always thought of Julie as a member of the family, and he didn’t think of her romantically. The romance, or infatuation, was a one-way affair, it was Julie’s. Julie had to mesmerise Derrick to get him out of the clutches of the siren.
A guide to sifting out the good stuff, read all the comments in the longer threads. It is enlightening. Yes, there are excellent “single” comments, but the threads make the BDH.
Hi Henry, u are right about Juli’s eye colour which were described as brown when she cleaned up first time at Kate’s. Later Erra called her a throwback and the originals had blue or grey eyes. Maybe that caused the confusion.
But I don’t agree about your reading of the romantic involvement between Juli and Derek. In Magic Stars Derek withstands the love witch because he “belonged to someone else”. True to type he believes he’s not good enough and Juli thinks about Derek as ” her wolf”. If that isn’t romantic entanglement I don’t know.
Didn’t Julie do something magical to Derrick to break the spell put on him by the Siren? The way I understood that scene, she did.
Additionally, as Julie road away with Erra, there was no hint of Derrick being in her thoughts, not even a, “The one I left behind.” Julie had no idea if she was coming back to Kate or Atlanta.
Erra was thinking about her new title as Grandmother, tasting it to see how it feels.
No, Julie was incanting but it wasn’t focused on Derek. She was fighting (magically) and killing Adams with her Tomahawk when Derek was walking towards the Levitsa. Julie’s magical incantation wiped away Adam’s magical snake attack.
You are correct about what she was doing, it was just aimed at a different threat.
This is referring to the end of Magic Stars, which I had to look up because my memory is just not that good.
MichelleD is right, Julie was fighting the warlock. I still believe Derek and Julie are a number. But u are right too – Julie rode away with Erra and no mention of Derek at all. Had me wondering too. But should not have, the wondering I mean. I’m always guessing about authors plots and guess wrong. So will just wait and see and silently grumble at authors that don’t write quick enough for me. But don’t tell them, they might get mad and then we won’t have world peace etc
Re: “Also, the brother is never described as a lion, just a shapshifter with fur and Gold eyes.”
The shapeshifter brother is described as having “leonine jaws.” I took that description to mean that the rest of him was likewise leonine since we don’t have mixed-animal shapeshifters in the KD universe. So I feel it’s safe to conclude that the brother is a shapeshifter lion.
The rest of the description for the brother (almost-black fur, gold eyes) also matches Conlan’s description from when he first shifted in Magic Triumphs.
So much fun. And granddad? Wow, isolating the old goat really took some of the kinks out. So cool that little brother visits as well. Mom and dad moved to Az.? Thanks lots of fun
Moloch was in AZ. smh.
I know i should have asked this before, when i was all exited and thankful. Now after rereading and rereading it hit me over the head.
Sekmis is alive? She hopped into a leyline? In a dagger or alive alive?
(What?when? how? why? wow…)
No this world will never get boring. Ever!
Semiramis is Kate’s grandmother. I’m almost entirely certain this is not about Kate.
MichelleD – Yours is the first comment I’ve read that even suggests that this isn’t about Kate. That’s what I thought at first. However, here’s what the authors wrote above, before the story: “we understand that it’s hard to see the series end, so we wrote a little story for you to show you that the world goes on”.
Everything matches with Kate’s world except the “a” in Julie’s name. I think it might have been a typo and they just decided to leave it. Grandfather Roland changed the physical appearance of his age, is described as an “immortal wizard-king” who almost killed everyone he loved to rule the world. And, he gave Julie that God’s-love-shining-upon-you look, where his face sort of glows, and she felt like the sun came out. She described Grandmother Erra perfectly. Conlan. It’s all there. I had to go back and read it a second time, slowly.
Wow!!!!! You guys are amazing
Thanks for fun snippet. You guys rock.
Thanks for Maud & Arland (and of course Helen) , Kate & Curran, Nevada and Connor – and all the supporting casts.
I have the Silver releases to read this week.
Have a good week and I hope that you are getting some rest even amidst the series writing. ?
Congrats on the health report and thanks for the snippet. We are a greedy bunch!
How are your hands doing? Learning to dictate more and type less? Gives new meaning to “hands on” phrase.
i think the reason it’s so hard for us to let go of the KD series is conlan. the mixing of kate and curran’s power all in one boy was made into such a big deal because of all the awesome/horrifying things he can do with all that power… and then THE END we don’t get to know of all the awesome/horrifying things he does with his power. we are left hanging. if there was no conlan, more people would have found it easier to find closure. i’m not really interested in julie though i fear i’ll end up reading her books just coz there’s nothing else. i’d much prefer if you wrote about conlan too because it’s more interesting to know what someone with all that power is capable of doing and will choose to do.
Thank you for the sneak peek. Amazing. When I finished KD10, the epilogue with reminded me of Xena, Warrior Princess! I am eagerly awaiting the next Hugh and Elara book and the Hidden Legacy. In the meantime I am re-reading and listening to KD10. Hearing the characters is glorious and hilarious!
Thanks for the “proof of life.”
+1
Tee heel! Glad to know their daughter is as much of a berserker as her parents.
Tee heel! Glad to know their daughter is as much of a berserker as her parents.
Thanks for the “proof of life.”
your writing is so great so amazing – thank you for your worlds you have created for us.
Holy Crap in a handbasket!!! Yaaaaas! And Thank You!
Holy Crayola, Batman! That was intense!
Love!!!!
I am pumped for a Julie book!
Holy cow, WTH was that? It’s awesome!
Whoa, wow! Julie’s turned into quite a force to be reckoned with.
And thanks for the glimpse into their definition of “life going on”.
So–darn–awesome! THANK YOU!
So freaking awesome!!! I think I speak for a LOT of us that we’d love a Julie boooook ?
Awesome.. but how did she exchange eyes????
..r u doing well?
Thanks for the proof of life and proof of being amazing ????
I was one of the people originally confused, who was this mysterious “Julia” ????!!!!
A later blog entry made things Crystal clear. Feel like a dope, but a happy dope.
Thank you.
I do NOT have withdrawal from the KD world — as far as I can tell, we have two Hugh/Elara books to go, and those take place in that magic/tech world. So they contribute to the KD universe in my eyes, if not as directly as Gunmetal Magic (which I loved, loved, loved). Also, I have to confess I am wholly willing to wait for inspiration to strike the Authorlorads. If an April Fool’s joke can become a GREAT book in this world, then Julie, Conlan, and Derrick have a chance of their own novels. Or perhaps novellas! Dalia and Jim did. So did Andrea and Raphael.
Also, I am not forgetting that removal of Roland from the picture unleashes all kinds of dynamics. And weren’t there rumors of a novel about Roman? Now THAT could be really cool.
Perhaps if I did not so thoroughly enjoy rereading IA novels, I would be more anxious about where the KD world might go from here. As it stands, however, my kindle is rich with Ilona Andrews works, and they reward rereading, sort of the way that Lois McMaster Bujold does for me.
In any case, as usual many thanks for the snippet! I love hints and pondering as well. 🙂
Two things bother me. One, I don’t like that Julie(a) thought about pleasing Grandfather Roland by coming up with the right question. She was looking for that God’s-love-shining-down-upon-you look from him, and she got it. It was like the sun came out. Kate thought it was addictive, one of the reasons she didn’t want to do it. So, what’s up with that? Julie knows better.
Two, and this might not bother anyone else, but with the family’s ability to pop into Roland’s pocket reality, they basically have the ability to teleport at will. We were told that if you were in the dragon’s world, you just had to think of where you wanted to be back on Earth, and you appeared there, so teleporting, but with a pitstop. It’s probably just me fighting change, but the introduction of this ability into that world sets a different tone (if that’s the right word).
So good. I had always weirdly wanted Roland to be a real dad to Kate and grandfather to her kids, and it seems like he has become that. I remember when he left that note when Kate and Curran were buying their house, and wrote how much he liked the house because there was “room for the children,” and he suggested she increase the wards on one side of the house. I hoped then, that we would see a better relationship between Kate and Roland. Now, I’m dying of curiosity to know how he made that transition from power hungry egomaniac to grandfather. He is one of those characters that you as writers somehow excel at: complicated, good and bad, and filled with surprises. More like real people, three-dimensional, and less of the caricatures I see in a lot of novels. Thanks for the story. I really enjoyed it. And by the way, I’m really looking forward to the next Hidden Legacy novella.
I’m just catching up on all blog posts and read comments about a snippet and finally found this little gem… soon as I finished reading my chest got all tight and my eyes began brimming with tears, it makes me sooo happy to have a possible future for Julie and gang. I know sometimes it feels that as writers you’re endlessly bugged for new content and release dates etc etc in your time, but for some of BDH your series really do touch us and leave everlasting joy in our soul. Even if it never turns into a series it’s nice knowing you thought enough of us pesky fans to give us some joy. Good luck on the parental visit and can’t wait to hear new narrator, I love Renee but agree for a little change to the voices.