Blog Tour: Excerpt of Queen of Thorns and Roses by Connie Suttle

Author: Connie Suttle

Series Black Rose Sorceress #4

Genre Adult; Urban Fantasy; Paranormal Fantasy
Publisher Subtle Demon Publishing, LLC
Publication Date July 5, 2018

The present King of Az-ca has been rendered powerless through an unsuspected coup, and is overcome with despair.

Kaakos has escaped death, but is forced to leave Ny-nes. Now, his sole focus is revenge.

Az-ca’s citizens have fallen victim to the enemy’s lies, and civil war threatens to split the country.

Sherra is forced to divide her attention between searching for the enemy, dealing with traitors and struggling with the King’s misery and desolation. When the blood spell that rendered Kerok powerless takes a turn even its maker didn’t expect, only her dreamwalker, with help from another, can hope to turn the tide…

Book One on Amazon http://amzn.to/2z7FDb2
Book Two on Amazon http://amzn.to/2y5fae4
Book Three on Amazon http://amzn.to/2y5uA1I
Book Four on Amazon https://amzn.to/2KPjdAQ

Excerpt:

Ny-nes

Kyri

"There are three of us. How do you suggest we teach the entire population to read, write and follow a new set of rules—all at the same time?" I demanded.

North wasn't speaking to me. I was barely speaking to him. His back was turned toward me as he gazed out a window in what was left of Kaakos' suite.

Garkus ignored both of us in favor of showing the few who still lived inside the city how to clear ground and plant seeds. The seeds he'd scrounged from the kitchen—beans, corn and such, that hadn't yet been used as food.

At least it was late spring, and if the ground were willing, we might see results—unless the soil and air were so toxic that plant growth was no longer possible.

I watched as North's shoulders drooped, letting me know I'd hit a sensitive spot with him. "I was hoping we could bring teachers and such from Az-ca."

"After you rendered their King helpless? Those people from Az-ca?" Sherra would make his life miserable—and mine, too, if we even suggested such a thing.

"You say she's smart," he whirled to face me. "What if there's a way to reverse this?" he tapped his chest in frustration. "I wasn't intending," he stopped before saying something else.

"Intending what?"

"I thought we could unite the country—like it once was." He turned his back to me again.

"You thought you could walk right into Az-ca, take over where you left off centuries ago, and everybody would just fall in with your plans. Is that it?"

"I didn't count on her—never saw her in all my divinations."

He meant Sherra. An unseeable. He'd divined Thorn II, just not his Queen and partner. "So. You wanted to take over after practically destroying their current King—who was a very good King, and before that, an excellent Commander of the army. That's a hell of a way to get Az-ca's population to adore you, isn't it?"

"I can offer them peace," he began.

"Except you can't. Kaakos is still alive, remember, and he'll be coming for you—of that I have no doubt. You know it, too, and you can't take him on without Thorn's army at your back."

"I thought we could work together—Thorn and I. That he'd see the reason in it after a while."

"And, as he's currently powerless, what choice would he have?" I sniped. "Except he has the strongest Queen you've ever seen at his side, and she certainly won't fall for that bullshit."

"I could be his right arm. His power," North turned to argue with me.

"It's not the same, and you know that."

"It's what I'm willing to offer."

"Go ahead. I want to hear what Sherra says when you say it. Frankly, the only reason you're still alive is that you and he are connected."

"You think she can kill me?" He snorted and turned his back to me again.

"You saw what she was doing with that army—she'd have taken Kaakos down and his palace with him, if you hadn't done what you did and distracted her. She kept him inside this place. He'd be dead, if you hadn't decided to pull Thorn's power away."

This time, I watched him stiffen. He knew it just as I did. Had he left things alone, we wouldn't be having this argument, now. Had he not interfered as he did, Sherra and Thorn II would be happy to send troops and teachers, I think.

Instead, Kaakos was still alive, and that meant he was a hidden threat to anyone who thought to stand against him.

Like his bastard son, Thorn I didn't think any woman was good enough to do the job—not when a man was available.

Both those things—his son and his attitude—had ruined our relationship centuries before.

Not much had changed between then and now.

"How—is he?" His voice was quieter, now.

"Depressed. Not eating. Refusing to leave the palace. That's how he's doing." I received regular mindspeak from Doret—there was no sense in attempting to contact Sherra. I was too ashamed to try, actually.

You should have told her the moment North pulled you away from Kaakos' clutches, a small voice taunted me.

Yes, I should have. I'd told Doret, but as neither of us wanted to inform Adahi, we'd kept that secret from him and everyone else.

Now we were left with the aftermath of that malformed decision.

"Will it do any good to write her a letter, asking Az-ca to stand with Ny-nes for a common purpose? She can hate me as much as she wants, and he can, too, but until the threat of Kaakos is eliminated, neither Ny-nes nor Az-ca will be safe."

"Feel free," I tossed a hand in the vague direction of Az-ca. "Just be prepared to have your ass handed to you."

"It's what the diplomats of old would do," he said. "The enemy of my enemy, and so on. We can send the letter—and Jubal, at the same time."

"You think returning a traitor to Az-ca is a peace offering?"

"His execution belongs in the hands of Az-ca, not Ny-nes. If I thought I'd receive a civil audience, I'd go myself."

"You try that," I said. "To see how far you get."

"What about approaching the army Commander?"

"Armon? He'd be waiting with Sherra at his side. You have no idea how close she is to him and much of the army."

"Then I'm back to writing a letter, or contacting her in some way, to request a civil audience with the King and Queen."

"If I thought I'd be welcome, I'd go, just to watch them take you down a peg or two."

"If they accept my request, feel free to accompany me."

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY 

To celebrate the release of QUEEN OF THORNS AND ROSES by Connie Suttle, we're giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner!

LINK:  https://www.subscribepage.com/QueenOfThornsAndRoses

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to internationally. One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Connie Suttle.  Giveaway ends 8/18/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Limit one entry per reader. Duplicates will be deleted. 

ABOUT CONNIE SUTTLE

CONNIE SUTTLE is the author of the Blood Destiny series, the Legend of the Ir’Indicti series, the High Demon Series, the God Wars series and the Saa Thalarr series. Other titles are scheduled for release very soon.

Connie earned her MFA from the University of Oklahoma and has taught courses at the university level. Reading (and writing) have been a constant throughout her life.

The author lives in Oklahoma with her patient, long-suffering husband and three cats. Obviously, the cats are not so long-suffering and are certainly not patient.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website http://subtledemon.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Connie-Suttle-Author/220330094696864
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/subtledemon
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4349456.Connie_Suttle
Amazon http://amzn.to/2fC75aY