There wasn’t going to be more snippets, but we received a message from Tina, one of our readers, who has been in the hospital for five days due to pneumonia. She’s been checking the blog page every day and she wanted how she could better if there was never a new snippet.
Here is a new snippet.
The Office of House Records occupied a short tower of black glass on Old Spanish Trail, across the street from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. The asymmetric building leaned back, textured, its profile odd. As Rogan pulled his gunmetal- grey Range Rover into the parking lot, I saw the front of the tower. It was shaped like a feathered quill. The setting sun played on the dark glass. Only a handful of cars waited in the parking lot.
“Are you sure he will be there?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“It’s Christmas Day.”
Rogan turned to me. “He will be there, because I called and asked.”
I gripped the zippered file so hard, my fingers went white. Last chance to back out. Rogan reached over, his magic curling around me. He took my hand and held it in his.
“Do you want me to turn around?”
“No.” I swallowed. “Let’s do this.”
We got out of the car and walked to the door. It slid open with a whisper, and we stepped into a modern lobby. Black granite sheathed the walls, grey granite shone on the floor, and in the center of the lobby, thin lines of gold traced a magic circle. A guard looked at us from behind his desk and bowed his head. Rogan led me past him to the elevators.
The folder seemed so heavy in my hands. All my doubts bubbled up and refused to disappear.
“Am I doing the right thing?”
“You’re doing the only thing that makes sense to keep your family safe.”
“What if I don’t qualify?”
“You stood toe- to- toe with Olivia Charles, a manipulator Prime, and you won.” His voice was steady. “You will qualify.”
“Thank you for coming with me.”
He didn’t answer. He’d made it clear in the past that he expected me to walk away from him the moment our family became a House. He didn’t think our magic was compatible. If we had children, they might not even be Primes. He viewed this as the beginning of our end, but he came anyway. He was also a complete idiot if he thought I’d let him get away. He was mine. My Connor.
The elevator opened. We stepped into a hallway, with a dozen doors branching off from it, all closed. At the very end of the row of doors, large double doors stood open. We walked toward those doors, then through the doorway, into a huge circular room. Books lined the walls, thousands of books on the curved wooden shelves, three stories high, each floor with its own railed balcony. A grouping of comfortable couches upholstered in dark leather occupied the center of the room. Directly in front of it, between us and the couches, a round counter rose.
An old man sat behind the counter, reading a book. His skin was a warm brown, pointing at a Latin American heritage, his hair was white, and he wore a three- piece grey suit with a tartan bow tie. He raised his head, smiled at us, and hopped off his chair. His eyes, behind large glasses, were very dark, almost black, and shiny like two pieces of obsidian.
“Ms. Baylor,” he said, his voice soft and cultured. “Finally.”
“I’m sorry to trouble you on a holiday.”
He smiled wider, showing white teeth. “Don’t mention it. It is, after all, my job. I would’ve done it anyway. I was in downtown Houston, in the tunnels, when the Old Justice Center fell. I owe you and Mr. Rogan my life.”
A man emerged from a shadowy alcove in the side wall, moving silently across the floor. In his mid- twenties, he wore expensive shoes and a sharp black suit, with a white shirt that looked even whiter against his light bronze skin, and a black tie. Black and grey tattoos covered his hands and neck. His dark brown hair, cut short on the sides, but longer on top of his head and slicked back, defined a long handsome face, with intelligent eyes the color of whiskey. He looked dangerous and slightly mournful, like a Prohibition- era gangster at a funeral.
“It’s not every day one gets to register an emerging House,” the Records Keeper continued. He leaned closer and smiled at me, as if sharing a secret. “Especially one with a truthseeker in it. I’m so very excited to meet you. Michael is also very excited, aren’t you, Michael?”
Michael nodded.
The Records Keeper put on a pair of linen gloves and turned around. Behind him a massive book lay on a pedestal under a glass hood. He raised the hood, picked up the heavy volume, bound in marbled leather, and placed it on the counter. An elaborate gold crest decorated the front panel.
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
“It is. Eighteenth- century Dutch binding. The Houses of Texas have been recorded in this book since before statehood.”
He opened it gently and showed me an empty page. “If you pass the trials, your House will be written here.”
He turned the heavy pages to the red bookmark. Four columns of names written in beautiful calligraphy covered the page. Some were crossed out.
“Are those the people who failed the trials?”
He nodded. “Indeed. Now then, do you have the necessary paperwork?”
I passed him the folder. He opened it, scanning the pages.
“Where is the second witness?” Rogan asked.
“Running late. Given the circumstances, I wanted to make sure to select someone whose reputation is beyond contestation. Someone whose name commands respect. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
“A witness to the emergence of a House has certain obligations,” Rogan told me quietly.
“Like what?”
“We’re expected to offer advice and guidance.”
The Keeper checked the signatures and raised his head. “You’ve presented us with a conundrum, Mr. Rogan. Finding a suitable test for a truthseeker was challenging, but identifying the younger Ms. Baylor’s magic was even more so. I must say, your sister’s power is something truly remarkable. It is, of course, a mental branch, but what subset? One would naturally lean toward a psionic, but a psionic who evokes a genuine love has never manifested. Michael and I had to dig very far through our archives and other archives. Favors were called in, access to databases had to be requested, and foreign Keepers of Records were consulted. But we persevered, didn’t we, Michael?”
Michael nodded again.
“We had to reach very far, and we finally found what we were looking for in Greece. There is a single House— just one, mind you— whose record showed the emergence of a similar talent. Only in female offspring. The last verified manifestation was in the 1940s. Apparently, there was some unpleasantness.”
Argh!!!!!
Ditto!!
I second this…July cannot come soon enough.
Ditto on Steph’s “Argh!!!” I have foreboding about 2nd witness. And “1940s” makes me think it could be the grandmother or her family?
Who wants to bet it’s Duncan, aka Caesar? 😉
Hmmm, yes, or Michael Latimer perhaps? As the witness.
YAY thank you! I was feeling sorry for myself recovering from a surgery I had on Wednesday, thinking about how much better being laid up would be if I had Wildfire, but this helps 🙂
I’m so glad that Tina asked, and even gladder that Ilona and Gordon responded. And hope you feel better too!
(I had a spine procedure on Wednesday that really shouldn’t have been a big deal, and went very well, and I figured there was a good chance I’d be back at work today even though I had the day off… but I am kind of weirdly exhausted even though I can’t point to anything that is wrong. Though I’m also feeling a lot better. So strange.)
It’s the anesthesia. It always wipes me out.
I did it without any sedation, so it was just local anesthetic – and a lot of contrast fluid* – and a lot of scraping bone and poking at connective tissue on the way in. It was a weird angle, too – coming up from below to get at c7. (Though I’d met the doctor before, during his residency, which was kind of nice.) Enh. I think my pain levels dropped a lot more quickly than I’ve seen before, which made me notice the exhaustion! (Also, last time around – and it’s been years – I was up against a teaching schedule, and I had no choice. Get the injection, teach a three hour lab. Curl up and die the next day, then show up at work the day after that. I’m all spoiled now.)
* which proceeded to leak out, and even though it was pretty clearly not CSF, nothing was supposed to be leaking out, so that was, um, unsettling.
Tina and Tylikcat, I hope you both feel better soon.
Thank you Ilona and Gordon for this delicious snippet.
Double ditto on Steph’s ” Argh!!!” Also ” Yay!” ” Chiii!!!”
This time next month we will be counting down the last few days till we can read the whole book. I thought I hadn’t ever anticipated a book like White Hot but I am even more eager to read Wildfire.
Gods yes! And save some love for Amanda!
(Seriously, I’ll be fine within the next couple of days. The dumb part was not putting myself on reduced duty until the chronic headaches were so bad I couldn’t type coherently. <= I am only slightly wiser than I was in my twenties. The last couple of weeks of just doing training, helping with experiment design and being everyone's big sister have been a vacation.)
I can't be the only person who hears about another book after Wildfire and feels their ears perk so hard they might practically be crossing a species line?
Bless you. Safe travels.
Tina, get well soon. Thanks to the Authorlords for the snippet. More excitement for the book. Just have to wait. Hurry hurry hurry…
No, no, wait! If she can stretch it out for another week or three…
Just kidding. Kind of. Maybe. 😛
We need the countdown clock back!
I hope Tina feels better. Thank you.
I hope this snippet makes Tina feel better. Once you feel better, healing is much more of a chore than a torture. Thank you Ilona and Gordon.
SQEEEEE
Thanks to Tina & our wonderful authorlords…..
So great! Thank you! Can’t wait to read the whole thing.
Just one month left… SO CLOSE!!!!
oh, thank you for this on a Friday where I’m going bazonkers trying to find a participating oncologist for Humana in my area. Bless you, bless you both! Woo hoo!
You are in my prayers. Hope everything is ok.
Check out CBD oil, interesting stuff.
Oh good grief. I’m literally going on vacation and if you told me I could read this book today instead I’d have a very hard time saying no. I thought I was too old to fangirl, but I am clearly not!
You are never too old to fangirl!
Yas!!!!!thank you so much!!!I was excited before but now I’m on pens and needles waiting!!!!
Many thanks for the snippet ?
Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Tina ?
Thank you for the Snippet!
And I do hope that Tina & Amanda have speedy recoveries!
Thank you so much for this. I am ready for the rest of the book. I think it will be one that will be hard to put down, which is the best kind.
Thank you to Ilona, Gordon, and Tina. Tina, I hope you and Amanda are better soon. The setting for that snippet was fascinating. I was completely caught up in it and then it was over. Sigh, sigh.
Can we get a count down timer? 🙂
Helen of Troy maybe? Thanks for the snippet!!!!
Ooh, interesting thought. That would be before the houses existed, though.
Exactly my thought! As soon as he said Greece, that leapt to mind.
So was the Pied Piper of Hamlin. But now the Pied Piper of Houston is employed by Baylor Investigation.
I was thinking the basis for the Aphrodite mythology, but Helen of Troy would be good, too.
I mean, she was the face that launched a thousand ships.
Speaking of Helen, have you heard of the milliHelen? That’s the unit of beauty needed to launch one ship.
So bad! 🙂
I’m just hoping it isn’t Grandma from hell.
Can’t wait for the book!
Get well.soon Tina!!
“The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War. . .”
I’d guess the equivalent of the 1946-1949 Greek Civil War, never knew it was caused by a Prime… possibly a slightly alternate history Queen Frederica?
Stories vary but in “our” timeline, someone convinced parents of upwards of 50,000 Greek children to send them to various camps either into Eastern block countries or into special “safe” zones…. It wasn’t all Queen Federica but she played a part.
*Queen Frederica
Damn typos.
Ack, too short, too short! The next month is going to be torture!
Thank you, thank you! I always feel so lucky when you share a snippet!
I am so looking forward to this book
Yay!!!!!! Oh, this made my day. Thank you so much!
oh that was almost unfair ’cause I’m dying for more! Can’t wait till this comes out! Tina – I hope you get to feeling better and thanks for getting us an extra snippet!
Come on July!!! Thank you gracious author lords
ARGHHHHHH!!!! sooo long until July 25th
Thank you, Ilona Andrews for the snippet. I realize you are on tour and this was not an easy thing to do so thank you twice.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Tina as hospitals are not restful places to be in when you are ill as nurses are constantly in and out poking and prodding and asking questions. Personally I always freeze in the patient and waiting rooms but cafeterias tend to have good healthy food I can eat which vending machines do not. Chaplains tend to be multi denominational and restful people in my experience. Hopefully Tina has a SO in her life to notify and take care all the ancillary tasks while she heals.
You’re good people.
Tina, I hope you recover quickly and fully.
AHHHH!!! I CAN”T WAITTTTTT
Ah, I needed this so much. Just pulled an all-nighter working on a project. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Suddenly my day is better,,, Like Tina, I’ve had pneumonia, misery indeed.
Get better Tina. <3
Thank you thank you thank you for the snippet. Suffering from an ear infection that has travel into my mastoid bone. The pain is yuck. This brought a smile to my face. Thank you again
Thank you for all of the snippets. Sigh, I am >65, so waiting is hard. But the 7/25 cannot come soon enough.
Thank you again for being awesome writers.
Remember that I am the displaced Houstonian that has lived in Massachusetts for the last 27 years.
Ahhhhhh! So very, very cool!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Aaaack!!!!! Why can’t I have this book RIGHT NOW?!?!? Thanks so much for the snippets! So exciting to devour another morsel!
Yes, why not nowww? (a little cheese with my whine please).
Ahhhjh I can’t wait for the book to come out!!! Thank you. I love it! ?
Omgeeeeee I can’t wait until the next book!
First – Tina, get well soon; Second – I bow before the AuthorLords!!!
Next – did anyone catch a certain phrase from the Record Keeper? “….someone whose reputation is beyond contestation. Someone whose name commands respect.”
Oh my – could it be….Caesar?!?! O_O
Remember that’s how crazy Howling described her – squeaks!!!
Yes, I noted that too. Deep foreboding about Caesar as 2nd witness. But the Authorlords had to bring him back to the story somehow if he is going to turn out to be bad guy. Oops, I’m talking about gravitas guy in loby as who I think will be 2nd witness and who I think is bad guy Caesar.
I think witness 2 might be Cesar too. I also think Linus Duncan might be Cesar. He’s the guy who consoled Cornelius in the beginning of white hot. He fits the description. Also,the Micheal mentioned isn’t Michael Latimer is it. Oh God I’m loosing my mind. I need this book so bad.
Thank you for the snippet. Made my day.
I ha the same thought.
So — will it be Linus or Lenora?
My guess was Lenora. Then Nevada would be terribly nervous about testing in front of her teenage idol.
I was thinking Evil Grandma. That is, after all, close to how Augustine described her.
She’s temporarily in town, an established truth seeker, so setting her up to offer advice makes a lot of sense.
I thought of EG but then she was described as despised and feared by everyone, so I thought it might not make sense.
Lenora sounds like a probable candidate for the second witness but I’m not sure she might be Cesar. I don’t think she’d get with their whole destabilization program.
I agree. It is the one reason I don’t think that Lenora is Ceasar.
Thank you! It’s been a balm on a wounded soul.
Thank you so much for the snippet! Can’t wait for the whole book!
Thank you so much for the snippet, I can not wait for your book, I have been counting the days on my calendar since the last book came out. Thank you for all you do!
“I wanted to make sure to select someone whose reputation is beyond contestation. Someone whose name commands respect.”
Umm… not to start any completely misinformed rumors, but doesn’t this sound suspiciously like our descriptions in Wildfire of Caesar?
Nope – I noticed it too – see above comment! hehe – and OMG 31 days til book release – gak!
oh no. bad feeling about that second witness….
Get well soon Tina.
Thank you, I got my audible pre-ordered ?
I hope Tina has a speedy recovery! Perhaps you should provide her with another snippet for when she’s home so she doesn’t relapse!!! 🙂
LOL
Get well soon Tina!
OK, I am officially terminally hooked. I can’t wait for my pre-order to show up. Do I get early in Orlando?
First, I hope all the BDH that are under the weather (however far under) will improve soon. I was mentally under the weather and this helped. Second, thank you to the AuthorLords for caring about their readers so much that they provided comfort medicine (what all good books are). Is it no wonder that we are always seeking more. The care you show your readers comes through in the stories and characters you share with us. Finally, thank you for the wonderful snippet. I am very much looking forward to learning about how a House becomes and how Nevada will change Rogan’s mind.
What she said.
Hear! Hear!
Tina – hope this helps you to a full, or at least much better recovery!
And, Ilona and Gordon – thank you for the snippet, as I try to get to the release date to get here quicker.
Pure torture!! But am glad to be able to get another snippet. Thanks so much. 🙂
Thank You Ilona, Thank You Tina, I hope you feel better. Shuffling off now to the corner to begin the countdown. Trying not to focus on your statement of no more snippets. It’s a whole month!! Hangs head.
Thank you!
Thank you so much, Ilona and Gordon. I love these books. They are wonderfully written and absolutely amazing. Now all we have to do is survive to the end of July. So glad she does not plan to let him escape!
Tina, I wish you a quick recovery.
Thanks Authorlords! Love the snippet!
Checking the blog for 18th time paid off!!! Thank you Tina! Get well soon. Thank you Authorlords, Happy Trails!
Get well Tina. Thank you Authorlords.
Thank you!
I hope Tina feels better soon. Bless her for asking for a snippet!!! Thank you both for being generous enough to share this with us. We need a count down clock!!! ?
Can someone die from Anticipation?
Dear Tina,
So sorry to hear ur in hospital. That’s definitely No Fun! I hope ur out of there ASAP! Thx for asking for the snippet.
I love you both.after a horrible day this really cheered me up
Best of luck Tina, hope you get well soon!
Ooooooooooooo! Unpleasantness! Do tell …
“Apparently there was some unpleasantness”…. Oh, Authorlords, you are so delightfully evil to end the snippet so!
Our thanks to you and very best wishes for Tina!
I literally COULD NOT AGREE MORE!!! The Authorlords are both generous and cruel! 😉
The lady in question was ripped to pieces by an adoring mob.
(Jumping from the proverbial cliffhanger)
Yes, best wished to Tina and thank you Authorlords for granting us this snippet, much appreciated 🙂
Tina – wishing you a speedy recovery!!
The release is on my birthday and it’s been a VERY long time since I’ve had a countdown.
My birthday too! Happy birthday, hope you enjoy this present as much as I will!
Happy Birthday to you too. I’ll be downloading my pre-order at 12:00 am and pulling an all-nighter finishing the book – sleep will be overrated 🙂
Ack!!! Both grateful for the snippet and wild to learn more!!! Must…be…patient…
what….what… you cannot I mean cannot end it there, really, mean cruel and amazeballs and wonderful and arghhhhhhhhhh….okay words not wording properly – I CANNOT WAIT……
Thank you very much. I just had a “uitpraatsessie” with my oldest son (12) who was very angry with me for sending him to bed at 22,00 because he was absolutely tired.
So we needed to talk about it but it drains me, and now I’m back to myself.
I hardly can wait till the book comes out.
Thank you for the snippet. Checked and rechecked all this week and last. No more – sniff, sniffle?
No, no more! We have to stop being so greedy (this is me trying to convince myself too)
If only we could convince The AuthorLords to be greedy instead… once each book is finished, they could open a new pay section on the site, then post a scene every so many days, ending the penultimate chapter the day before the book is released. Think how much $$ they could make while promoting the book at the same time… Of course, the price would have to be high enough to cover the cost of a person to manage the pay site, someone else to do the bookkeeping, creating jobs, and high enough to cover the extra taxes, raising civic revenue too!
::sigh:: instead, they have generosity and nobility and all these pesky principles.
🙂
Thank you, thank you thank you. That snippet will get my through the weekend. Soooooo looking forward to Wildfire ??
Thank you! Tina, feel better.
Not much longer. 🙂
What she said.
Ditto! Tina, I hope you have a swift recovery.
Thank you, Ilona.
And thank you, Tina, for requesting a snippet from your hospital sickbed. I hope you recover quickly.
We all wish you well!
So glad Wildfire comes out next month!!! These snippets are so much fun but ratchet up the impatience level!!!! Thanks for sharing, Ilona!! Hope you feel much better very soon , Tina!!!
I thought about writing you to request one from my hospital bed this week. Getting one is a good thing on a crap tackular day. Thank you so much! I am so impatient for the release and requested the day off jyst so i could binge read without worry.
Hope you get better soon!
I also took the 25th off to read in peace!
Why can’t it be July 25th in 2 days?!?!?! I won’t make it.
Thank You!! It was a wonderful tease snippet that made my night.
Hope you feel better soon Tina.
I can only imagine the unpleasantness if it makes people into love zombies that want a piece of her, literally. Thank you for the snippets. 🙂
Thank you so much for the snippet. You really are too good to the BDH. We are lucky to have such benevolent authorlords 🙂 Only 31 days left. I will be on vacation when it comes out so I can devour and not have to worry about work. Hope your travels go well.
May everyone who posted they were ailing get better soon 🙂
I’m all aquiver with the unpleasantness. Yummy.
I needed that. Actually, I think I speak for us all when I say we needed that. Thank you!
A speedy and full recovery to you Tina.
These books rank high in my favorites list. Fortunately, the two of you do not make us wait too long between books. And you give us snippets. I have ordered my e-book and the paperback. Now, perhaps Amazon could arrange to deliver my copy at exactly midnight. Sleep is overrated. A good book is more important.
Book 2 paper copy was ordered before the publication date was changed and has yet to arrive. It keeps getting delayed. It looks possible that the paper copies of II & III will arrive at the same time. These are for our daughter-in-law’s Christmas gift. A new series. No waiting for the next book.
Thanks for all the books and all the snippets.
Weird. If you ordered through Amazon they should have #2 shipped! I received my pre-order on release date (and also got the e-book at midnight!)
I found out w/ White Hot that iBooks delivers eBooks at midnight.. Eastern Standard Time. So if you live on the West Coast like me, you actually get it at 9pm the night before. Yippee!
I use that to my advantage as well. White Hot was finished about 3:30 am PDT on its release date thanks to that trick. I start refreshing about 9:05 pm and they are usually in before 9:30 pm.
Get well soon Tina
Nook books are not available to 11 pm PT – used to be at 9 pm but got changed a while ago (I start checking at 9 and hope against hope). And I just realized I will be on the east coast that week with all day meetings and other things in the evening so I won’t be able to read it until the end of the week. Although it might make a good read when flying cross country if my seatmates don’t mind all the giggles and gasps. ARRGGH….
And those of us in Austria (the one WITHOUT kangaroos) have to wait until 6am the next morning. White Hot is the only time I have willingly gotten out of bed at 6am. Ever.
Wait. No kangas in Austria??? The horror ….
It is bad for Australia though. I don’t get it via Amazon Kindle until it releases US EST, even though we have an Australian Amazon store now. That means waiting until at least 5pm on release day for us, due to the international dateline. The good part about that is that I can begin to devour it when my kids are in bed without having to wait until midnight to start. I’m trying to find the silver lining here.
Thank you for the snippet! Tina, get better!
I am totally with Tina waiting for snippets. All my major surgeries are scheduled around any new book schedule. Last year was a major wisdom tooth extraction. This time was total hysterectomy surgery. Even drugged out, you can read a book you absolutely been waiting for so long. It did not matter even if the words were swimming. Just keep blinking!! Lol! Great news today, lab results-No Cancer!! Whoopee!
Oh congrats!!! That’s great news.
Yeah congrats!
A rum slushie and a snippet. I could not ask for a better Friday evening.
Oh hey wait! The snippet says the second witness is someone whose “reputation is beyond contestation.” Could the second, unknown, witness be Caesar!?!
I had the same thought, based on the language!
At this point I’m 99% convinced it is Lenora. Only I don’t want it to be her.
I think also it’s Lenora the second witness but I don’t understand why you’re wishing it’s not?
Would Lenora get that involved in House business? I thought they were separate worlds, after all Rogan did that House Verona exception.
Maybe it’s Curran. He told Kate once that he was beyond contestation. ?
Lol
For all we know it could be Grandma Frida – anyone who wears yellow rubber ducky pajamas and fixes tanks is beyond reproach in my book……
My short list is Michael Latimer, Linus Duncan, and Augustine. All three are on my list for Ceasar.
Except there’s a special Prime in town. A truthseeker prime from an established House. Who wants to bet Evil Grandma shows up as second witness?
I bet it’s Linus Ducan the second witness but he’s not Ceasar.
Wow never have I been so happy to hear a friend is sick…wait what?
Feel better Tina and thank you.
Thanks for the snippet- and to Tina for starting that ball rolling! Best wishes for your recovery! Having a super sick toddler at home means alternately bored to death and equally stressed out at the same time. Snippets make the world go round! 🙂
Thank you for this yummy snippet! I, too, am in the hospital and I do believe this will help me be released soon!
All my best wishes for Tina and all my thanks to the Authorlords.
A delicious snippet with new characters that I already love.
Yay! Awesomeness from the Authorlords.
Hope Tina feels better soon!!! Thanks for the snippet!!!!!
Tina, I hope you get well soon. All the best to you. Hats off to our kind authors who take such good care of their readers. Hope the tour is not too exhausting. Wish Avon had sent you up to Santa Cruz.
Oh Gordon and Ilona, it looks like you made the day or week for hundreds of us — and so many need to get better soon! We just need to bask in this delicious snippet and promise to rest up for the complete book!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Tina – thanks to you as well and I hope your feeling better soon.
Thank you for this and all the snippets Gordon and Ilona . I have read White Hot twice already and it was great both times. Can’t wait for next installment of Nevada and Rogan.
Tina wishing you a speedy recovery so you will be able to fully enjoy the new book.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Using this way also to wish Tina a speedy recovery! Also thank you for breaking your ‘no-more-snippet-time’ for Tina! ???
This is a wonderful snippet!
And here is to you, Tina… *hugs* Hope you get to feeling better! Get well 🙂
Oh no you didn’t! Lol
Tina! I hope you get Well soon.
One month and two days…
I know it’s not long but it seems like it! Thank you for the snippet!
For Tina get well soon, for 2 very nice authors thank you for the tease can’t wait for the book. Love these characters!!!!!!
How much of a catastrophe does my life have to be to get a snippet? Hubby fighting cancer and even more debilitating depression, me on the verge of layoff while being our only means of insurance…dogs determined to poison themselves on backyard mushrooms…need I go on?
So sorry, Lynn-Marie! It looks like you’ve got the weight of the world on you right now! I’ve been through the husband with cancer thing– I can’t imagine having to worry about my job and insurance at the same time!! (He’s fine, 7 years later, btw.)
Hope you feel better soon, Tina! Authors, thank you so much for this snippet! It’s definitely a bright spot to my week! I found out that I need a hysterectomy. I’m 42. Ugh. On the bright side, I should get a lot of reading done!
I had one two years ago at 41. A very good decision health wise, but psychologically it took about a year for me to get my head around not being in tune with my body in the way we are with a monthly cycle. Thankfully I kept my ovaries so didn’t go into instant menopause.
I hope your surgery goes well for you. My best advice to be gentle with yourself and what you do afterwards and give your body plenty of time to heal.
2-1/2 years ago, I got all my stuff removed at 38. My doctor* told me I had a “smorgasbord**” growing in there, and it all had to come out.
The surgery itself was difficult to recover from, but once I did I felt better than I had been feeling before the surgery. I still think about how awful it was before, and how bad it would have been now had I not gotten everything out. Hope your surgery goes well for you – hang in there!
*Ob-gyn surgeon, Dr. Katherine Hsiao. She is amazing, her nurse practitioner is wonderful, and her office staff are lovely. If you live anywhere near San Francisco, I heartily recommend her.
**For the curious, “smorgasbord” meant endometriosis, fibroids, and 3 types of ovarian cysts on one ovary; it was the only one remaining at the time since I had already had a grapefruit-sized dermoid cyst (with teeth!!!) eat the other.
Thank you too Jules for your recommendations & kind words! So glad everything worked out well for you, that “smorgasbord” sounds awful & painful! Although I’m a bit nervous about the surgery, I’m looking forward to not having my issues anymore!! Thanks for the Dr recommendation too, but I’m in FL. 🙂
Thank you Angie for your advice & kind words! I have mixed emotions even though after all my appointments & tests, it feels like the right decision. I’ve had 2 c-sections & gall bladder surgery, but this surgery makes me nervous. Yet, I’m relieved that my issues will be resolved & I won’t have to worry anymore about anything being wrong! Thanks again for your advice!
I had my hysterectomy at about that age, Tricia. Only one fibroid, but it drove severe anemia on top of chronic fatigue syndrome, such that I was sleeping 16+ hours a day and was useless the rest of the time. I had a hemoglobin count of six the day I went to the gynecologist for my annual; he had my husband come in from work to take me directly to the hospital for surgery. One nice thing was that they gave me two units of blood — I was drunk on unaccustomed oxygen for six months before it wore off, going out dancing with my husband and giggling *very* inappropriately.
For perspective, I found it considerably easier and more comfortable to heal from the hysterectomy than I’d felt after my bikini-cut C-section.
Thanks for the info, trailing wife! It’s definitely making me feel better to hear about others successful surgeries! I have anemic tendencies as well & it definitely makes things worse. Really looking forward to not having these issues anymore & hoping things go as smoothly as my c-sections too! Thanks again for sharing your story, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Just bringing something up. We have the technology for someone to donate sperm in a cup, have it cleaned and used to fertilize a donated egg, and then implanted into a woman of possible similar bloodtype to carry to term. The only reason I bring this up is because this hasn’t been addressed in the novels so far. If Rogan is worried about Nevada dealing with having to go to someone else, they could just contract with another Truth seeker House. Nevada would carry one of the babies and another would be given to a woman from the other house to carry. It would be a simple and pretty clean process.
Extracting the ova isn’t quite as painless – I looked into this at one point – but indeed, it’s doable. (At the time it was all go on lupron for a month and don’t work out over that period, and my amusement value at inflicting my genetic heritage on an unprepared public – on paper at least I looked like a great donor – did not extent to not training for a month, so I bailed. If I’d known what a fit my mother would have thrown when I mentioned the idea, I might have stuck it out. ) I can only imagine that Nevada would chafe under the physical restrictions.
…but I think a lot of people would find this an unpalatable solution. I knew that the combination of leaving my ex-husband and going into research meant the chances that I would have children of my body decreased, hence my interest in being a donor. I think for many people, knowing that they had biological children who were being raised elsewhere would be pretty painful, and many people are highly invested in the genetics of the children they raise.
Since it is about magic, artificial insemination may not work. As you pointed out, the tech is there, but houses still die out from lack of primes. People who don’t care for each other marry rather than selling eggs or sperm.
This brings up an interesting point regarding the evil grandmother. They said he couldn’t conceive, but then she had a child anyway. I’m thinking deal with the devil, since it backfired on her. Sells her soul for the perpetuation of her power in another generation and gets a child who is a dud, but passes the power on to the next generation after she has discarded him.
There are so many points here. I mean, this might just be about propriety not catching up with tech – we’ve had decent birth control for a while, but we haven’t yet fully shed the social mores that say “nice girls don’t”. (And one can certainly come up with a convincing argument for how one “ought” to be raised by one’s biological parents. Written by someone with a romanticized view of biological parents, but there you are.)
But that bit with the EG… looking at the range of talents coming out of that family (both sides, really) and the uncertainty in what she did to bear her son, I wouldn’t be to sure that Rogan is in a position to predict anything about the genetics of offspring from him and Nevada. Mind, from a narrative standpoint it might be better not to tie things up too neatly (and certainly not too early) but there does seem to be a potential chaos in the equation there.
As an attorney, I occasionally get to be involved in gestational parenting agreements. The most common and safest legal approach is for the gestation carrier to be unrelated genetically to the fetus who is most likely the result of donated sperm and ova and genetically unrelated to the intended parents. (It is super cool legal work and it is NOT an adoption. You present the hospital with the court order and the intended parents go straight on the birth certificate.) This situation works as well as it does because the gestational carrier/surrogate is not having to give up her own biological child to an unknown future. Magic aside, can you imagine Nevada doing this?
I thought about this option for couples in the Hidden Legacy universe but you have to remember that magic does weird things in this world. It is entirely possible that Ilona and Gordon have created a situation where an actual sexual act resulting in conception is required for the magic to pass to a child. The child may need to be gestated by a magical mother to manifest magic himself.
Remember the example of Victoria Tremaine: “She couldn’t carry a child to term, so she did ….things and your father was born. She wanted a son who was a Prime. Your dad had no magic. None.”
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she had a terrified Greek serving girl (who happened to be a long lost descendant of Helen of Troy) who she forced to “carry” her son and this unwilling surrogate’s magical heritage got tangled up in the mix.
So many fascinating ideas here…
are all of you out of your minds? Rogan would never go for this in a million years
?
Neither would Nevada – “He was mine. My Connor”. She doesn’t care about genetics or her kids being Prime and would want to have children with him if possible.
However, here’s a possible loophole for IA to have the less firm HEA, if Rogan continues in his nutso belief that Nevada, as Head of House Baylor, will leave him for purely practical reasons. I would like the series to continue, but after Rogan and Nevada are settled. There are plenty of other characters to write about.
It’s not really the place, but I would love to pick your brains about the legalities in different regions. (Not for any practical reason, I just like knowing how things work.)
Sure. Email me at zozobraswife AT gmail DOT com….
One issue here: “We have the technology”
Yes, we do. Does Hidden Legacy?
The references to Mexico’s rumoured ‘secret weapon’ at the lab Rogan and the 16 are sent in to raid sound remarkably like a nuclear weapon, or an atomic bomb.
They have magic. Why would they need to split the atom?
(Granted, without the theoretical splitting of the atom, they wouldn’t have smart phones or tablets, but there’s ways around that and still avoiding Oppenheimer and the cold war.)
When Penelope described Evil Grandmother’s actions with: “She couldn’t carry a child to term, so she did… things and your father was born.” To me that implies that Tremaine knows about some sort of magical surrogacy, or she, and few other Primes, are aware of IVF and surrogacy and they keep it to themselves, to use in last ditch efforts to preserve their Houses.
As for Nevada and Rogan? No, they’re far too romantic to do anything but have children they love and be greatly shocked when they’re somehow magical gods because they can bridge the two different strands of mental magic.
Thank you all for your replies. My idea was mainly to help Rogan deal with the emotional break he is having over the issue. Someone that is that strongly associated in his mind with duty would remain torn no matter if it went against his romantic nature as previously stated. I understand that Nevada is a character that might be appalled by the idea but there is the thought that for Rogan and his sense of duty and devotion, it might force him further away from Nevada because he felt like he was doing her irreparable harm.
To those laying in an annoying hospital bed, suffering the effects of surgery, be well, this too will pass. and since I cant count my surgeries on all my fingers and toes, I get it
Hiderous day. Thanks from the bottom of my heart
Hope it got better Cynthia! At least you got through it.
Is it wrong that I am grateful Tina is sick? I needed my I-A fix. July can’t come fast enough!!!
Every time I read your books, snippets, short tales.. you save my life .. no joke.
Thank you 🙂
Tina, you have thousands of adoring IA fans wishing for your speedy recovery!
Thank you Authorlords for your evil cliffhanger!
Oh my, now my mind is running 1000 miles per sec… Unpleasantness and u didn’t even give a name for Cat’s power… But its so sweet of you to consider Tina and thanks Tina.
Fingers crossed it’s called Siren.
Tina, I hope you are feeling better very soon. Take it easy once you are out of hospital. Being in for five days sounds serious. Much love from another member of the BDH.
Authorlords, once again, thank you. You are so generous to give us all these snippets.
eeeeeeeeeeeeeh! *enough said.
Just a heads up for all you Pacific Coast readers Nook. You can go into your phone change the time zone from automatically update to manual and select Eastern Time zone.
Do this around supper time and when your device is about 10 minutes past Eastern midnight, you should be able to pull up Wildfire and download even though it will be a few more hours until midnight local time.
….and this is how to read books on release day without staying up late.
BEFORE Release Day! Cheaters, ALL OF YOU WEST COASTERS!
Uhm. Excuse me. My jealousy was showing.
Entirely Understandable.
If you have Kindall and are on west coast you get your releases at 9 pm Monday.
Well sometimes it is 10pm 🙂 PST
All you folks not feeling well, I hope you are better soon.
Thank you authors. The snippet is great!
Wonder what the “actual” release time is for those of us in NZ then? I’m sure it’s usually a day late (ie one of the American time zones). Sigh.
thank you thank you thank you!
May have to try this.
Thanks authirlords for the snippet!!!!
I’m working the timeline- if we use the great Chicago fire as reference point (1871) start by a second generation magic user prior to formation of houses and testing, but testing must have begun in his life time because he rated later in life. I figure 4-6 generations after formation of the houses would be possible in the a lot time from then to present. If you assumed the houses start shortly after the fire then we are talking about 2nd generation for 1940 possibly the third if we are talking about child.
The affected per the record keeper were only girls to determine that it had to be more than one. Considering the rarity of magical talent it couldn’t more than 2 or3.
True. But considering the societal norms for the 1940s, especially in Greece and other nations; “not ending well” could take on a completely different connotation. Consider a ” siren” raised during the second world war. First the Greeks
push the Italians out, but Germany intervenes. Either side of that divide a poor girl would be used in horrific ways.
Or horrid things happened to her. In our modern example the audience first listened quietly, then adoringly, then became protective… but the projection was that at the end they would want to touch her and then take bits of her, starting with clothes and hair. Imagine during wartime, when the norms of behaviour are loosened anyway, especially with regard to the weaker members of the conquered group.
No, I don’t want to think in more detail than that — just that much hurts my empathy.
You are awesome. This is an awesome snippet. I hope Tina gets better.
Thank you for the snippet, July 25th can’t get here soon enough. Tina, I hope you have a speedy recover.
Just had tonsils removed so reread White Hot and your chapter 2 snips. Sad part is all done with 13 days of no work left ?. Need moreeee
You know, some may soon start scheduling elective surgery just to get early snippets.
I got so caught up reading that I forgot it was a snippet! Lol I can’t wait to read the rest! Also, you guys are the best. Who else would post another snippet for a recovering fan. Another reason why I will buy all your books, forever. ?
Greece?? I wanna say siren or she is what started rumors of sirens again in the early 1900s. I cannot wait! Almost 30 days out ????
Ooooo, good point.
My first thought too!
Sirens historically go back. In Germany they were the Loreli, luring sailors to their doom. Sirens went back at least to Homer in Greece. But didn’t they have to carry a tune?
Maybe it’s just the voice that “carries” the magic to the listener.
Singing is an easy way to project like you would need to to reach a ship, Catalina was speaking to the group and they seemed to react pretty quickly once they heard her voice.
Author lords! Even if your writing wasn’t as amazing as it is your consideration to your fans would keep me coming back–it’s truly unparrallelled! On a lighter note, I wanted to throw out the idea that Rogan’s character might have been slightly inspired by X=men’s Wolverine? I just realized the name simularities (Rogan/Logan), thye both have that kind of grizzled “I’m too badass for you to handle” vibe, and they’re both ex-military. Just food for thought…
I’m so grateful to Tina for requesting a snippet, and to our Intrepid Authors for granting her request. I hope that Tina and all of the family of readers are well soon. I’m particularly impressed by the number of readers who have written to express their concern. What a superior group of fans!
It is sad to read about the troubles and hard times that some of our BDH friends are going through but heart warming that you care so much for your readers and that we can post our sympathies and encouragement to each other. It helps ❤
Love you guys and love your books – pure escapism JOY ?
Michael doesn’t speak so Nevada doesn’t know if he is lying… So what is Michael hiding?
Interesting thought
Maybe he’s her test, and they don’t want to give her an advance “hook” into him.
maybe his name isn’t even Michael
My thoughts exactly.
Speedy recovery Tina. And to my fav authors, you guys are so nice. Thank you for the snippet
the feeling of hmmm i mustn’t be run over by a bus because my last thoughts might be ” oh $%^&, I didn’t find out what happen in the end of the book”
Love it, and I hope Tina does too. Thank you!
Been having a really, really rough week, where no matter what I try, or how much energy I expend, the problems aren’t going away or getting better. Reading these snippets have allowed me to get a breather and temporarily escape my difficult reality. Thank you! Thank you!
And to Tina and everyone else who’s dealing with illness or difficulties, hope things get better soon! We’re all in this together.
I can’t wait to read the whole book!
Tina, get better soon!
Love this! What a great way to start the morning. Thank you!
Well, that’s kind of a mean place to stop, now isn’t it?
heheh.
thank you
I concur!!!!
Thank you! July release is getting closer??doing the happy dance. Get better Tina.
Thank you. Good luck Nsvada.
Yea! Thanks Tina!
This book is going to be so amazing – can’t wait! Thank you for the snippets, was a great treat to start the day. Feel better Tina!
Thank you! Well wishes for everyone who needs them, been there and snippets and innkeeper chapters were a ray of sunshine! Sometimes I wish I was a decent writer to come up with better comments ? Can’t wait till release date!
Feel better soon, Tina. Thanks for the snippet!
Many thanks to both of you and to Tina for the request (get well soon). Great snippet — always a delight.
Hope you’re feeling better soon, Tina, and thanks for spurring on the Author Lords to make everything better. I can’t wait fir the book and doubly can’t wait to see the Author Lords in person in Orlando!
Get better soon Tina. Good books a coming.
The Love Me power could be one of the old magics, like we see with the Pied Piper. Female only says to me that maybe the power is Siren.
Sirens drowning their victims makes sense if you can’t turn off the power and the victims will eventually tear you to bits otherwise. It would be a hugely powerful way to take out enemies and collect loot. They sit out on a rock offshore to ensure that no friendlies hear them
Tina feel better but I have to tell you…….You do realize this is absolute torture!
I am rereading Kate to keep my mind off of Wildfire! Not working out so well……LOL
I really love Kate Daniels world and I am so pleased that Nevada and Roan world has absolutely captured my imagination as well! I primarily listen to audiobooks but also own most of the print and ebooks!
I would like to thank you for creating these world’s where I have gone to live for many happy hours!
Please keep it coming!
This was lovely, thank you.
Thanks for the snippet!! They are like tiny awesome gifts:)
A) my metaphorical ears perk up at “someone whose reputation is beyond contention”. Ceaser? Latimer? Evil Grandma?
B) What gift do the males like Catalina manifest?
Excellent snippet choice. Thank you for keeping us going until July 🙂
Tina, if you happen to see this, hope you get better soon! 🙂
B) continued: perhaps a charisma that leads people to think you walk on water, like, say, Ceaser?
Rereading One Fell Sweep waiting for Wildfire. I tell you, the Authorlords’ books make me so emotional, one minute grinning, the next, crying. I never cry when I read books. I pray to whomever gods the Authorlords revere that there’ll be more stories to tell in the Innkeeper series. Words alone can’t describe how truly awesome this series is.
A wonderful snippet. Thank you. I do not know Tina personally, but 20 years plus of respiratory infections (regular bronchitis 4 x per year, sprinkled with occasional pneumonia, pleurisy etc) means that I know damn well how horrible she must be feeling – this is such a nice thing for you to do for her.
I have a technical question:
We know magic existed before the Osiris serum–I assume it was invented to allow “normal” people to access their magic–but before that, when did magic talents become prevalent enough for magic users to form Houses? I was under the impression that didn’t happen until after 1863, when magic use became a common practice among the general populous. According to the Records Keeper, they’ve been recording the names of Houses in their book since before Texas acheived statehood. Well, Texas became a state in December of 1845, right? And if magic users first started recording names of Houses when the book was new, then the practice was around at least 50 years or so before that.
From the Pied Piper example in White Hot, we know there were a few powerful magic users as far back as the 13th century, but with the appearance of magic talents being so sporatic, at what point were there enough magic users to form Houses?
In our timeline, Texas became a state in 1845 but in the Hidden Legacy universe, Texas must have become a state sometime after 1863 and the Houses came after the Osiris serum. If I’m remembering the canon correctly…
I’m thinking the unknown tester is Grandma T. Grim humor there. If Nevada identifies her as grandmother, she gets to claim Nevada for her house. If Nevada keeps her mouth shut, then she gets to be an advisor to her granddaughter. Win win for Grandma!!
Oh wow. This is definitely something the Authorlords would do. Sneaky!
I would think as the new house you get to refuse someone to be your advisor if you don’t like them/consider their acts heinous since you wouldn’t listen to their advice….
Since Nevada has never seen (or heard of) Tremaine as a family member until very recently, I think House Baylor would be a legitimate independent entity. I’d like to know about House Schiffer (sp?) since Rogan suspected Nevada’s talent as coming from there.
It was so nice of you to offer another snippet for Tina. I hope she gets better quickly.
And thank you for the snippet. You are nice people.
Very, very nice thing to do sharing your work for healing!! Tina I hope you feel better very soon! A very well placed snippet!!
Hope the other witness is not Grandma Victoria.
Thank you Tina! Get well soon.
Thank you!
Get well soon Tina!
Thank you Tina and the authorlords !! And I hope you (Tina) feel better soon =) !
WHO IS MICHAEL ?!!
It would be so funny if the other witness is Lenora xD
No I think its the guy who offered to help her at the gala
Or her grandmother???
I wondered if it would be Linus Duncan.
I was leaning that way myself.
Whoever it is, I be they are the New Caesar. It couldn’t be a coincidence that the Records Keeper described their reputation as “beyond contestation.” That’s exactly how David Howler described the New Caesar in the cistern, and it’s not exactly a description people use in day-to-day speech.
Definitr it is thr paternal grandma
I think it’s Rogans mother.
I was thinking the same thing.
Rogan’s mother is from Spain.
Good one! It’s time to meet Rogan’s mom.
Isn’t Rogan’s mom Spanish not Greek?
I know. This is going to sound a bit pedantic but Rogan’s mom is Basque. If she’s living retired in Basque country, maybe traveling by air and such is a bit of a problem in the Pyrenees.
which may explain (if she’s the second witness) a delay in her arrival.
Wouldn’t they want try to find someone from a different House? If Rogan’s mother is the second witness, the majority of advice House Baylor receives would be coming from House Rogan. Seems like it would be best for everyone if new Houses were required to have a “second opinion” this early in the game, to avoid giving more established Houses undue influence over emerging Houses.
Also, with both witnesses coming from House Rogan, House Baylor would start off looking like a sub-set of House Rogan, when they really need to stand on their own two feet. Sometime in the future (hopefully very, very distant future) House Baylor and House Rogan may no longer maintain cordial ties with each other. House Baylor can’t afford to begin by throwing all their eggs in one basket. Even if Nevada doesn’t know this, Rogan will. I think he’d make sure the second witness came from a different House. It is, after all, in Nevada’s best interest, and Rogan is all about looking after her best interest. Even when it hurts him to do so.
I agree. The second witness should come from a different house and preferably from a similar type of magic. My vote is for house Schafer or possibly the Greek house with magic like Catalina.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if the second witness was the New Caesar, and he had a magic similar to Catalina’s? He certainly seems to inspire an incredible level of devotion in his followers, similar to the way Catalina’s magic works.
I agree. And… I guess the tests should be fair… House Rogan is already too involved in my opinion to be involved more in that process
I think it a different Michael. The one at the gala was older and came across as a person of power. This one was described as twenty-something and seem to be assistant of some type to recorder keeper.
I agree. If this were the same Michael, wouldn’t she have thought, “Hey, that’s the guy from the gala who offered to ‘rescue me’,”?
I don’t know.. I was thinking about the Michael at the Gala tbh ^^’ But it seems “off” (like you said, the Michael at the Gala seemed really powerful -so not really an assistant – even if I thought he was in his twenties/early-thirties xD).
There’s a Michael Latimer, a Michael Rivera, and a potentially third Michael ? Maybe too many Michael if a third one appears… xD ?
I was wondering if he might have been the person sitting in Lina’s place when Grandmama Tremaine showed up . . .which makes me wonder what his magic is . . . when someone is being tested you might want to have someone on hand who can act as a containment/dampener of magic . . . long enough to get the situation back under control.
Can’t wait. Can’t wait. The speculation is making me nuts. But in the nicest of ways, of course. 😛
Oh man. I am SOOOOOO excited for this book!!! Omg!!
Beautiful! Thank you! I can’t whait for the book!
Thank you! I hope you feel better Tina! And thank you to the awesome authorlords for providing this lovely snippet. I can’t wait. 🙂
Ouuch! This is too good to wait another month, I just wish I could read it now.
Victoria (EG) is old enough to have come from the family in Greece
The reference to something happening in 1940 or it could be the Paternal side of the family they have new rellies head to Greece for a honeymoon party time (Greeks don’t care how far away you are on the family tree ) or they could turn up in Texas (hey blood is blood)
I always hoped the paternal side was more United Native Tribes, more firmly establishing their presence in the world-building, but Greece would work, too.
Ten minutes after meeting a member of the family, I was invited to a Greek wedding . It was great!
Is the second witness caesar??
I was thinking the second witness is Augustine?
First things first; “Get well soon Tina!”. As a member of the Book Devouring Horde, my family wishes you a rapid and full recovery.
Thank you Ilona for sharing another exciting snippet! My curiousity
has reached a new high wondering what curves are being thrown at Nevada and Rogan. You were really sweet to post an additional snippet to cheer up a sick fan. You’re the best!
Thank you I needed this snippet can’t wait for the book I like to hold paper in my hands nothing like an actual book but I have pre ordered on kindle
Is that Michael? As in MICHAEL LATIMER????! *squeeaaaaaals*
Get well Tina, but also thanks 😉 Given Greece was in the middle of WW2, I assume we’re trying to make something historical fit the magical context. Like a WW2 version of Mata Hari… did Betty Pack get there? Who has a hot tip on a femme fatale in Greece during the war? And I’ve got to stop this now. It’s all well and good wishing winter away till the 25th July but we’ve got a holiday in Fiji booked in between and I don’t want time flying then. But it would be an awesome holiday if I had the book then… 😉
I don’t think you could do a World War II not with the powers that would be flying around, so I would nix that thought.
Yes, the bit in White Hot about the rubber band theory establishes that there was still a WWII in the 40s and a holocaust. The main difference was Alexei I invaded Poland as Imperial Russia. (Presumably, Rasputin used magic to cure his hemophilia and the Czars remained in power, either suppressing or avoiding the Bolsheviks.)
As Imperial Russia always saw itself as the third Roman Empire, it would make sense for them to be heavily involved in whatever was happening in Greece in the 40s, so we are likely to hear more about that history.
Get well Tina, hope this snippet helps you to get better. Yes we all still have to wait, darn it.
“Given the circumstances, I wanted to make sure to select someone whose reputation is beyond contestation. Someone whose name commands respect. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
I totally think the second witness will be Grandma Tremaine. If it was… oh the delicious irony.
Hm, her reputation is certainly impressive, but I don’t think it’s her – most people are not pleasantly surprised to see her 😉
Perhaps someone from House Shaffer?
I thought Grandma’s reputation was more than a bit self-serving and rapacious. Terror is not the same thing as respect.
Here, here. The only way I could see her in this role is if she somehow mind-manipulated her way into it, which makes no sense. What’s in it for her? Of all people, she’s the LAST to want House Baylor to come into being. House Baylor means the end of House Tremaine, something she’s gone to extreme and extraordinary lengths to prevent.
Awesome!! Can’t wait to read this book!! 🙂
Tina I hope you feel better soon. Thank you for your the snippet! Cannot wait for the book!
Feel better, Tina!
Thank you for posting! I could not be more excited for this new book. 🙂
How did the Records Keeper know what the the younger Ms. Baylor’s talent was to do research on before Nevada submitted paperwork? Word of mouth going faster than the speed of light?
I think they submitted the form online, when they were hanging around the table
Not sure why but the Records Keeper reminded me of Garrick Ollivander from Harry Potter.
Oh, thank you, thank you! Second witness, could this be Lenora?
Get well, Tina!
H’mm I like Felicia’s comment. I hadn’t considered that, but If you’re going to test something powerful and new that might go up in psychic flames it would be prudent to have an extinguisher handy.
I’m pretty sure that Grandma Tremaine is not the second witness. No one wants to see her. How about the very likeable older man in the elevator? If it’s him, I like him for Caesar.
Best wishes for Tina ?
And I’ve just seen Ilona (I don’t know if Gordon participated as well, I think so ? but it is posted with Ilona’s chibi though… I’ll stop rumbling and go to the best part: IA posted a little snippet on Wildfire’s GR page ?)
COPY AND PASTE:
Goodreads says my answer is too short and I must make it longer. Ummm…. Here is a snippet?
“We’ll tell you whatever you want,” Ella said. “Just make that abomination release my husband.”
Rogan turned to me. “How would you like to proceed?”
They were looking at me, a mixture of panic, disgust, and utter desperation on their faces. I was the monster in the room.
I have been trying to find that snippet on GR without success. Where was it posted?
Questions about Wildfire above the comments section.
Thanks. I had to log into the desktop version to see it. ?
My birthday is tomorrow but I’m more excited about the fact that Wildfire is now only one month away. I can’t wait ?
So…interesting snippets. I dunno if it’s fair to call an entire chapter a snippet, but it’s definitely a trend I approve of.
As for that health thing…’White Hot’ released at 9pm the night before my surgery, so I was up really late, slamming my way thru as much as possible.
I find myself ‘standing athwart’ on the question of Leonora as Ceasar…..I think it all comes down to motive…crazy idealist? Or crazy cynic?
So, I’m now sitting in a care facility, dutifully doing my PT so I can go home…where I can read ‘White Hot’ (3rd time) w/o interruptions (haha hoho I WISH).
PS Best part of reading comments is seeing Ilona’s tiny little alter ego, especially the times she’s responding to my comment??
Some time, between now and my exit from this life, I want to get to use the comparison, “Mournful, like a Prohibition- era gangster at a funeral.”
Best ever. 🙂
Get well soon Tina. Thankyou Mr and Mrs Adrews for another amazing snippet! Xx
“We walked toward those doors, then through the doorway, into a huge circular room. ”
Yes! Score for Ilona Andrews. Too, too many (and yes, including Ilona Andrews, unfortunately, but NOT THIS TIME!) authors write (and editors allow) about people walking through doors like they were ghosts. Thank you for Rogan and Nevada walking through a doorway.
Also, I hope the incongruity of Cornelius’s older brother’s name from Reginald to Blake gets cleared up, soon.
Thank you, again, for this series (and your others — love Kate Daniels and The Edge). Wishing you the best of everything,
-C
I’d have to go back and re-read BFM by my memory is that Cornelius’ older brother’s name is mentioned in connection with a bank account thus Reginald might simply be his first name and the one used on legal
documents and Blake might be what his family called him, possibly his middle name.
My dad’s first name was a family name and there were several men with the name in. Within the family my dad was known by his middle name, but outside the family he went by his first name.
It’s my birthday and what a lovely present! Get well soon,Tina!
Thanks for the snippet. I hope Tina got her groove back. 😉
Crazy thought… Helen of Troy or someone like her as the second witness… hehehehe
Best wishes on a speedy recovery for everyone that is ill.
What a great teaser. Authorlords – you both are amazing.
Get well soon Tina.
Hum. Michael the assistant – is he possibly house Shaffer? (For testing a truthseeker you would want a very strong Significant or Prime Truthseeker, no?).
Second witness, I vote Linus Duncan (yes, possible Ceasar) or Lenora Jordan…or Michael Latimer.
Iinteresting Greek connection – from Dad’s family not EG side… perhaps? Arabella magic out of left field, Monsters, Greek… what does that result in? Monitor? Cyclops? The Greeks had so many wonderful monsters…
And oh, what about Bern re-testing? I hope we get to see him blow the test away he he… turns out he is a Prime too! Of course poor Leon will be crushed by that news.
Only 28 days left!!
I hope you are well now Tina.
Dear Authorlords,
Thank you. We want more!
Much love,
Gene
Get well soon Tina
Hope your recovery is swift, Tina!
Thank you so much for this snippet! Cannot wait for the book…
Only 25 days left, but still 25 days too long. 🙂
I want to see Rogan and Nevada in their Prime Heads of House Assembly robes, but I doubt we’ll get a cover like that in possible book 4. Maybe author lords will self pub and Doris can do it. Look at me, imaging book 4 while waiting for book 3. Self-torture 🙂
Michael has whiskey coloured eyes and a long face. Baronovskey’s rumoured illegitimate offspring perchance?
Tina – hope you are feeling better!
Ilona – thanks for the snippet – I am dying to get this book!
I also have a question that I haven’t seen asked (though I might have just missed it). Who is/was James Baylor’s father? We know his mother did “something” to have him, since she couldn’t carry a baby to term (surrogate, maybe?), but unless there is something new in terms of reproduction in the Houston of this world, she would need a male to fertilize her egg. Who is he? James and Penelope have three daughters, two with powers that can be explained by the genetic backgrounds of their parents/known grandparents, and one, Arabella, with a power that doesn’t fit. I am assuming that this comes from the family of the male paternal grandparent. Will we find out more about him?
Dying to know!
Gloria
I have wondered the same thing, Gloria!