by: L.J. Evias
Series: The Intrigue of Magic
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: September 26, 2024
Publisher: Silver Amulet Publishing
Transported to an ancient realm of magic and mystery, can a young woman survive scheming royals, shifting alliances, and impending war?
Alice Harper yearns to determine her own fate. Desperate to change her parents’ minds about moving away from everything she knows, the gifted archer sets out to win a coveted scholarship. But the seventeen-year-old feels completely out of control when she and her friends stumble through a strange portal to a mysterious world.
Separated from the others, the bold and reckless teen finds herself whisked away to an impossible palace where charming mages offer help. But as she becomes entwined in the politics of the court, Alice grows suspicious of her new allies, and she struggles to distinguish friend from foe…
As she’s pulled deeper into treacherous plots, can the daring young adult rescue her peers and get everyone home?
The Discovery of Magic is the captivating first book in The Intrigue of Magic YA epic fantasy series. If you like relatable characters, powerful enchantments, and fast-paced action, then you’ll love L. J. Evias’s battle for courage.
After what seemed like hours, Darien stopped and knocked on a shimmering golden door with an engraved double-edged star. Before entering, he turned to her and lowered his voice. “The Royal Mage can be a little odd, but as long as you do as he asks, you’ll be fine.”
Alice’s chest tightened again. What was he was leading her into?
A young man dressed in long blue robes greeted them from behind a desk and asked them to wait on a hard wooden bench until the Royal Mage was ready for them. He swiftly returned his attention to the book in front of him as soon as they had seated themselves, focusing so intently he may have forgotten them.
Although his robes reminded her of various fictional wizards, she had expected him to be dressed more ornately, perhaps in a tunic like Darien or many of the guests she had seen at the previous evening’s dinner. Despite being near the top of the tower, his robes were relatively plain, only decorated with three golden stars and a simple golden rope belt.
The rest of the room was quite grand, the walls lined with towering bookcases, spilling out books at all angles. Emily would have loved it here.
Beautifully patterned rugs filled the floor, each of them big enough to fill a normal sized room but seeming tiny in this space. In the centre stood a giant gold tree with tiny silver stars hovering above. Nothing appeared to be holding the stars in place, and Alice grinned at this charming use of magic. She could get used to this.
“It’s a reminder of the past,” Darien said, noting her appraisal. “There used to be two magical cultures, one represented by the gold tree and one by the silver five-pointed star. A long time ago they united and became the gold star that signifies magic in North Parsa today.”
Alice resisted the urge to stand up and explore. Even though she wouldn’t be able to read the words, she was still fascinated at what might be inside these magical texts. Instead, she tried to find out more from Darien, but he only smiled and told her they could talk about it all later.
Disappointed, she turned her attention back to the mage behind the desk. Sitting here was like waiting to see the headmaster, something she’d had the misfortune to suffer a couple of times. The waiting was all part of the show of power, letting her know what kind of man he was.
Sighing, she stretched her legs. She wasn’t going to like this man, but she couldn’t let that show, not when she needed his help. She glanced at Darien again, sitting with a serious face and a tight jaw. Surely, as a prince, he had nothing to worry about. Did he?
With her stomach tightening, she wished they’d hurry up.
After what felt like an inordinately long time, the mage stood, and announced the Royal Mage was ready for them, though there was nothing to suggest how he suddenly knew. He escorted the pair up more stairs into a small, comfortably decorated receiving chamber.
The chairs in here were cushioned, a welcome change to the hard bench. However, the room was empty, so she didn’t know whether to sit or not. To her side, Darien waited stiffly, his eyes fixed on a curtained archway at the other side of the room.
A few seconds later, an extremely well-dressed man appeared in the archway, towering over everyone. He swept into the room, his dazzling gold-starred cloak billowing behind him, every step radiating power and confidence. Coal-black hair framed his angular jaw, but somehow his eyes were darker, abyssal black staring right through her.
She shuddered and hugged her arms to her chest.
As he glided towards them, the Royal Mage threw a sideways glance at Darien that Alice couldn’t decipher. “Welcome, my dear,” he said, bending to kiss her hand. “No one told me how beautiful you were.”
Although this type of behaviour was flattering from Darien, it was a little creepy coming from this much older, imposing man. However, she was here to get his help, so – resisting another shudder – she pretended to be pleased.
“Come this way. We’ll find you a way home in no time.”
As Darien started to follow them, the Royal Mage turned back to him with a stern expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her. You can return to your royal business.” His mouth twitched. “Unless you would like to stay for a lesson?”
Darien’s face fell and, looking as disappointed as Alice felt, he turned around and left without the slightest argument.
Resisting the urge to request him to stay, Alice forced shut her gaping mouth. Why would he accompany her all this way, then just leave?
The Royal Mage smiled at her. “Prince Darien is such a charming boy. It’s a shame he isn’t so dedicated to his studies.”
Alice’s cheeks heated. She didn’t want to be responsible for Darien neglecting his studies, or getting into trouble because of it. But alone with this man, the words to defend the prince escaped her.
Alice’s chest tightened again. What was he was leading her into?
A young man dressed in long blue robes greeted them from behind a desk and asked them to wait on a hard wooden bench until the Royal Mage was ready for them. He swiftly returned his attention to the book in front of him as soon as they had seated themselves, focusing so intently he may have forgotten them.
Although his robes reminded her of various fictional wizards, she had expected him to be dressed more ornately, perhaps in a tunic like Darien or many of the guests she had seen at the previous evening’s dinner. Despite being near the top of the tower, his robes were relatively plain, only decorated with three golden stars and a simple golden rope belt.
The rest of the room was quite grand, the walls lined with towering bookcases, spilling out books at all angles. Emily would have loved it here.
Beautifully patterned rugs filled the floor, each of them big enough to fill a normal sized room but seeming tiny in this space. In the centre stood a giant gold tree with tiny silver stars hovering above. Nothing appeared to be holding the stars in place, and Alice grinned at this charming use of magic. She could get used to this.
“It’s a reminder of the past,” Darien said, noting her appraisal. “There used to be two magical cultures, one represented by the gold tree and one by the silver five-pointed star. A long time ago they united and became the gold star that signifies magic in North Parsa today.”
Alice resisted the urge to stand up and explore. Even though she wouldn’t be able to read the words, she was still fascinated at what might be inside these magical texts. Instead, she tried to find out more from Darien, but he only smiled and told her they could talk about it all later.
Disappointed, she turned her attention back to the mage behind the desk. Sitting here was like waiting to see the headmaster, something she’d had the misfortune to suffer a couple of times. The waiting was all part of the show of power, letting her know what kind of man he was.
Sighing, she stretched her legs. She wasn’t going to like this man, but she couldn’t let that show, not when she needed his help. She glanced at Darien again, sitting with a serious face and a tight jaw. Surely, as a prince, he had nothing to worry about. Did he?
With her stomach tightening, she wished they’d hurry up.
After what felt like an inordinately long time, the mage stood, and announced the Royal Mage was ready for them, though there was nothing to suggest how he suddenly knew. He escorted the pair up more stairs into a small, comfortably decorated receiving chamber.
The chairs in here were cushioned, a welcome change to the hard bench. However, the room was empty, so she didn’t know whether to sit or not. To her side, Darien waited stiffly, his eyes fixed on a curtained archway at the other side of the room.
A few seconds later, an extremely well-dressed man appeared in the archway, towering over everyone. He swept into the room, his dazzling gold-starred cloak billowing behind him, every step radiating power and confidence. Coal-black hair framed his angular jaw, but somehow his eyes were darker, abyssal black staring right through her.
She shuddered and hugged her arms to her chest.
As he glided towards them, the Royal Mage threw a sideways glance at Darien that Alice couldn’t decipher. “Welcome, my dear,” he said, bending to kiss her hand. “No one told me how beautiful you were.”
Although this type of behaviour was flattering from Darien, it was a little creepy coming from this much older, imposing man. However, she was here to get his help, so – resisting another shudder – she pretended to be pleased.
“Come this way. We’ll find you a way home in no time.”
As Darien started to follow them, the Royal Mage turned back to him with a stern expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her. You can return to your royal business.” His mouth twitched. “Unless you would like to stay for a lesson?”
Darien’s face fell and, looking as disappointed as Alice felt, he turned around and left without the slightest argument.
Resisting the urge to request him to stay, Alice forced shut her gaping mouth. Why would he accompany her all this way, then just leave?
The Royal Mage smiled at her. “Prince Darien is such a charming boy. It’s a shame he isn’t so dedicated to his studies.”
Alice’s cheeks heated. She didn’t want to be responsible for Darien neglecting his studies, or getting into trouble because of it. But alone with this man, the words to defend the prince escaped her.
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The Intrigue of Magic is Evias’s debut series, featuring accessible world-building, intricate plots, and unforgettable heroes and villains. Released in 2024, The Discovery of Magic is the first book in this series.
When not immersed in the pages of a novel, Evias enjoys real-world adventures both in the UK and abroad. The enchanting settings of The Intrigue of Magic series draw inspiration from personal travels, notably the unique architecture and evocative landscapes of Morocco.
Bonus material and a sample short story are available from the author's website.
Places to find L.J. Evias:
Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed reading this well done excerpt!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing it.