A Feather of Air

Title: A Feather of Air
Buy the Book: Amazon
Published by: Claire Davon
Release Date: 12/6/22
Pages: 191
ISBN13: 978-1-946621-30-6

 

Vadoma should have learned the joy of freeing her Vântoase air talent at her mother’s knee. Instead, tragedy landed her in a virtual prison, controlled by her overbearing Aunt Bizzy. Until the woman abruptly hauls her off to France—and Vadoma realizes this is no impromptu vacation.

Bizzy has broken with Vântoase tradition to take a side in the upcoming Challenge between Elemental and Demonos. Worse, she’s offering up Vadoma as a pawn to help the Demonos win. In whatever way the Yalungur—a massive eagle shifter—wishes to use her.

As a rare male sylph, Rasmus is used to having all eyes on him. In fact, he’s counting on it. The distraction will aid his mission to keep the air beings from giving the Demonos an unfair advantage. He never counted on being distracted himself—by a gorgeous, dark-haired iele who doesn’t quite fit in.

When the Yalungur unsheathes his talons on Vadoma, Rasmus finds himself racing to save her. Now they’re both on the run, and quickly becoming joined at the heart. But as Challenge begins, Vadoma must reach deep within to awaken her sleeping powers—or she and Rasmus could be parted. Forever.

If they had been back at their wagon in Romania, Vadoma doubted she would have the courage to speak so plainly. Fear beat a tattoo inside her chest, lending her strength. If her aunt threw her out, she had few options. She wished her late mother was here. The woman had died before she had a chance to pass on her lore to Vadoma, leaving her with her only living relative—Bizzy. She owed her aunt for taking her in when Vadoma had no other option. Still, at twenty-four, she was old enough to make her own decisions, yet Bizzy bossed her around like she was a child. Once, but no longer. Bizzy had trained her how to manipulate wind and dust storms on the most basic of levels. All she had taught her was to defend, not to attack. Vadoma was aware she could learn much more, but Bizzy was an unwilling teacher. The power that pulsed within Vadoma told her much still lay dormant, but she couldn’t access it. If more vântoase were around, it might be better, but Vadoma was unaware of more like them. Vadoma wondered if there were no other vântoase left. She’d been informed more iele existed in their country, but she had never encountered them.

“A yalungur has assembled a force of air talents to assist the Demonos, and we are going to join them. This is our opportunity. Those like us are too often hidden. Not this time. I am disappointed you can’t detect the change. I suppose I didn’t teach you as much as I should have.” Her aunt shot Vadoma a quick glance.

If she strained, Vadoma could hear the caw of a large predator bird, but she hoped that was her imagination.

“What’s a yalungur?”

Bizzy made a smacking sound with her lips that usually presaged an outburst. “He is an Australian bird man shifter. That’s all you need to know.”

“You have always said that Challenge is not important to those like us. Elementals and Demonos fight, but whatever side wins, we endure. Vântoase are not affected by the outcome of their battle. Why do we care for either Griffin or Amai-te-rangi? Why should we get involved with this war?” Vadoma continued to stare out the window as she spoke, her words lying uneasy on her conscience. Something was disturbing her, but she could not pinpoint the issue. From the little she knew about Challenge, the last time had ended in destruction and failure for the Elementals. Some who had been killed by the Demonos had been Romani—and vântoase. Their powers could not protect them from everything.

“It’s true that we have not paid attention to the affairs of Elementals or Demonos in the past.” Dust floated from Bizzy, obscuring Vadoma’s vision. “This is different. We are part of something more, and that’s why you had to go to France. It will mean great things—for them and for us.”

Alarm bells sounded within Vadoma. Her power stirred, identifying a wrongness in the statement, though Vadoma could not say what that was.