CLAIRE DAVON

Title: Gorgon's Quest
Buy the Book: Amazon
Published by: Claire Davon
Release Date: 6/7/20
Pages: 235
ISBN13: 978-1-946621-16-0
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Thanks to her sister Euryale’s bargain with the gods, former gorgon Stheno is back in human form—but far from comfortable in her skin. As the fiercest warrior of her three sisters, she mourns her tough, beastly hide and snaky hair.

 The last thing anyone would call Stheno is girly—much less beautiful—but before she sets out to find her lost, mortal sister, Medusa, she googles a salon at random to cut off her annoyingly long hair. Her stylist is Marwen, a man with compelling, light-brown eyes that glow with an otherworldly light.

 The last of Stheno’s unruly locks barely hit the floor when the first attack comes, and in a heartbeat they’re on the run. As their passion ignites, they realize they didn’t meet by chance. They’re both entangled in a prophecy drawing them inexorably toward one fated conclusion: Medusa. But there’s a faction working just as hard to make sure it never happens.

To save her sister, Stheno will have to face her fear—that once she unleashes her beast, Marwen won’t look upon her with love any more, but with horror.

“It may be that your quest is not so far removed from mine,” she replied, and Marwan started in surprise.

“I…what could a goddess need from me? I am in dire straits. There cannot be a link between saving my life and the needs of one as powerful as you.”

She didn’t speak for a moment, and when she turned to him, her eyes flicked to the slitted ones of a cobra before returning to human.

“There are many paths connecting to your own,” she said, and a snake wound itself around her shoulders. “There are many things the serpents witness that others do not. There is a larger story going on behind this one. That is true of all the gorgons, none more so than the one in Sumeria. It is there that your path will lead you. There is more to this than meets the eye. My snakes tell me so. You must watch yourself. There is a part to be played here, but we do not yet have all the pieces in play. I have heard tales…but you must learn the truth for yourself. Events are in motion that will lead to the conclusion that is told. Be warned, Sumerian, and be careful.”

Then she faded and Marwan stared after where she had been.

Sumeria. In his early days, he had hoped to avoid that region of the world, but now understood that he could not. There was no getting around the truth. His destiny was coming, and nothing would change that. He had to face it. But he couldn’t do it alone.

Maybe he should tell the gorgon of the threat he faced from the ancient god. She knew about gods and treachery and it might help his cause. Conversely, maybe he should run. There was nothing for him in Sumeria but death. Hiring Stheno might have been a mistake, with her connection to that region.

Then he dismissed the notion. Stheno was a warrior, and not some pretty plaything that would do his will. In her own way, she was similar to the snake goddess that had just left his apartment. Stheno had spent centuries as a monster and it was impossible to say what that did to a soul. It had been foolish to enlist her help. He was lying to her, which was wrong, but her recent return to humanity was part of the reason he continued the deception. She would have no love for gods and might be more inclined to help him once she found out the truth.

Or she may not. After all, few liked to be told that by being allied with him they would be under attack.

            But that was what happened when you pissed off a god.