G I V E A W A Y   E N D E D

Synopsis:

When darkness descends can a few courageous heroes save their planet?

Princess Morisa’s world is turned upside down. She planned to be a priestess living at a monastery for the rest of her life. But now she’s being sent to a foreign country and is expected to use her special powers to entice the prince to marry her. How can she seduce him when it goes against everything she’s been taught?

Prince Everette is embroiled in the world of politics and rebellion. With his father leaving for war and his mother ill, he’s the regent ruler and head of the military. As if that isn’t enough, he’s expected to be polite to the feisty Princess Morisa, who is staying at the palace for the summer.

Everette and Morisa’s stormy relationship intensifies as the warring world around them erupts. Can they put aside their differences long enough to keep the most dangerous sorcerer in the galaxy from destroying their planet? Or will the galaxy plunge into darkness?

Golden Cord of Light is the thrilling sixth book in the Star Rider Universe. If you like bigger-than-life heroes and heroines, evil sorcerers, space battles, romance, and mysticism, you’ll love Heidi Skarie’s exciting novel.

Buy Golden Cord of Light for an amazing adventure full of passion and excitement set among the stars.

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EXCERPTS:

Excerpt 1:
1 Dogfight

City of Silver Light, Jaipar, planet Borko

A beeping noise caused Baymond to glance down at the instrument panel of his starfighter. Everette’s Tornado was bearing in on his tail, trying to lock on a missile. He grinned and soared upward, curving away from the Tornado before Everette was successful. The g-force pushed him into his seat and he tensed as his anti-gravity flight suit squeezed his legs to prevent a black-out.

“Candle, want to test the Liberator in a dogfight?” Everette said over the radio.

“You’re on, Hunter,” Baymond said into his helmet mike. He shot by Everette’s starfighter, then looped around and headed back. The Tornado was now too far away to see and he relied on his air combat instrumentation to locate it. On the screen, he spotted it over the ocean and flew in that direction.

Approaching rapidly, he tried to get a lock on the Tornado as his helmet sensors pressed against precise points on his head so he could control the weapons by thought. The Tornado shot off so fast, he couldn’t target it. Baymond soared after it, pleased with how quickly the Liberator could accelerate and how it handled at high speeds. The dot on his screen showed that Everette had reduced his speed and was returning to engage.

The mock dogfight continued as the two starfighters tore back and forth across the sky.

Baymond finally succeeded in locking onto Everette’s Tornado. Across the display came MOCK KILL. “Got ya!” he yelled.

“I’m dying!” Everette flew the Tornado into a nosedive. He pulled up at the last minute, climbing back into the air. “I’ve been reborn.”

Baymond chuckled. “Only to die again.” A flashing red light caught his attention. He glanced at his display. The words ENGINE OVERHEATING appeared. His laughter faded. “Hunter, I’m having trouble with my engines.” Baymond switched them off. “I’m going to let them cool off.”

“You’re dropping too fast!” Everette yelled. His ship was directly above Baymond’s. The ocean loomed up quickly in the viewport. Baymond switched on two of the four engines. He skimmed the surface of the ocean and rose into the sky.

The words ENGINE OVERHEATING appeared on the screen again.

Another voice crackled in Baymond’s ear. “Ground control to Candle. Gain altitude and eject.”

“I’m going to try to bring her in.”

“Negative. Eject Immediately. The engines could catch on fire and she could explode.”

Ignoring orders, Baymond switched on the other two engines and switched off the two that were overheating. His heart raced as he soared toward the airstrip. Warning lights flashed. The two remaining engines were dangerously hot.

I can’t die! I can’t do that to Fawn, he thought.

He turned off all the engines, dropped the landing gear, and glided in for a landing. The Liberator hit the concrete and rolled forward. One of the engines burst into flames. Baymond pulled a lever and discharged a fire extinguisher agent on the engine, then threw open the canopy top and leaped out. Adrenaline pumped through him as he sprinted away from the ship.

The wail of sirens pierced the air as two fire trucks sped over to the Liberator. 

 

Excerpt 2:

A dark shadow moved somewhere above them. Morisa looked up, thinking it was an animal or perhaps a guard who’d followed them. The shape left the cliff top and came flying down toward Baymond. It happened so fast she didn’t have time to react. The being landed on Baymond and they both fell to the ground. Baymond’s head slammed against a rock and he lay still. The other figure, a man, rose and turned to her. In the moonlight, Morisa’s knees weakened as she stared at the huge man before her. His cold eyes held dark power and she instantly knew he was a sorcerer. 

She moved past her fears and readied herself for battle.

His fist flew toward her face. She twisted aside and slammed her heel into his gut. He gasped, doubling up, and she kneed him in the chin. Her robe hampered her movements as she dodged away from him.

He came after her and dealt her a forceful kick, sending her sliding across the rocky shoreline. She rolled with the fall, then sprang up and defensively put her fists in front of her face.

The sorcerer sent out a blast of psychic energy that knocked her to her knees. The spell held such power that she couldn’t escape. In agony, she focused on breaking his incantation. Her whole body began to feel hot as she chanted a counter spell. When her power hit his spell, they both flew backward.

Trembling, Morisa rose and pulled her crystal out of her pocket. She held it in front of her, calling upon its energy. Before she could activate it, the sorcerer hit her wrist. The crystal flew out of her hand and onto the sand. He slammed his fist into her temple and she collapsed onto the ground. She rolled onto her stomach, trying to ignore her throbbing headache as she searched for her crystal. He kicked her in the ribs and her side exploded in pain. A cold chill went through her — this was a real fight, not a match. Her life and Baymond’s depended on her skills and training. 

Morisa expected to be struck again as she hunted in the dark for her crystal. Instead, she heard movement behind her. Glancing up, she saw Baymond had regained consciousness and fought the sorcerer. She turned her attention back to her search and spotted a gleam of violet light where the moonlight touched her crystal. She crawled forward and grabbed it, then drew on its healing energy to give her strength. Still weak, she looked back toward Baymond and watched the fight in fascination. Baymond moved with a grace, skill, and fluid control she’d rarely seen. He fought on a level beyond mind and body. His strength radiated out from the center of his being as he delivered forceful blows.

The sorcerer’s foot slammed into Baymond’s chest and the youth staggered backward, barely retaining his stance and breathing raggedly. He looked like his body couldn’t withstand much more abuse. Blood flowed from a wound on his forehead and dripped into his eyes. He wiped it aside and blocked another kick, then slammed his fist into the sorcerer’s throat. A killing blow if delivered with enough force, but with Baymond’s declining strength it only knocked the sorcerer to the ground.

As he fell the sorcerer stuck out his leg and hooked it against Baymond’s. The youth fell to the sand, landing hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

The sorcerer was instantly on him and closed his hands around his throat. Baymond struggled frantically to pry open the man’s hands. Morisa concentrated on the power of the crystal. The psychic powers surrounding them had caused it to turn black in her hand. She visualized the crystal clearing as she called on the Lady Mother for help. Soon, she felt vibrating energy and the crystal glowed violet again. She pointed it toward the sorcerer and sent out a beam of light.

The sorcerer cried out in agony as if he’d been stabbed in the back, then he collapsed across Baymond. The crystal’s power sliced back into Morisa’s hand and went through her being like a bolt of electricity. She collapsed.

When she regained consciousness, she saw Baymond’s anxious face above her. “Get up quickly,” he said in a rasping voice. When she pushed her blistered hand against the sand to rise, she winced in pain.

The sorcerer stirred next to them. Baymond grabbed Morisa’s arm and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s get out of here!”

The sorcerer also rose, standing between them and the pathway up the cliff. He raised his hands in the air, drawing on dark powers.

“Get to the ocean. Swim back,” Baymond yelled. When she hesitated, he said, “Run! Now.”

Author Bio:

Heidi Skarie’s life as a writer began when she had a dramatic dream about a futuristic world at war. The vivid dream was like watching an action/adventure movie. Excited about the dream, she recorded it upon awakening. That night the dream continued where it left off. After six nights, Heidi had a hundred-page journal recording the series of dreams. This awakened her interest in writing, which continues to be one of her greatest passions today.

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