Daughter of Aithne
The Silver Web
Book Three
Karin Rita Gastreich
Genre: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Orb Weaver Press
Date of Publication: May 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9972320-2-8
ASIN: B06WCZYRNW
Number of pages: 386
Word Count: 119,000
Cover Artist: Thomas Vandenberg
Book Description:
Betrayed by her own prodigy and accused of treason, Eolyn forges a risky alliance with the ruthless and cunning Mage Corey. As enemies old and new rise to arms, the beleaguered queen of magic prepares for a final, desperate battle to secure her son's throne.
Across the Furma River, Taesara of Roenfyn is drawn out of seclusion and into an ever-more vicious game of intrigue and war. Subject to the schemes of her uncle and the mysterious ambitions of the wizards of Galia, she fights to assert her will while defending her daughter's inheritance.
In the climactic finale to The Silver Web trilogy, threads of love, honor, betrayal, and vengeance culminate in a violent conflict between powerful women, opposed to each other yet destined to shatter a thousand-year cycle of war.
"Vigorously told deceptions and battle scenes...with a romantic thread." -Publishers Weekly review of Eolyn, Book One of the Silver Web
âLush, evocative descriptions carry readers through an unforgettable journey.â âKirkus Reviews review of Sword of Shadows, Book Two of the Silver Web.
Excerpt ONE:
Taesara left the kitchen and climbed the narrow stairs that led to the Motherâs study and a handful of chambers set aside for receiving guests from the outside world. The rest of the cloister was stark in its furnishings and modest in decoration, but here the chairs and tables were finely carved. Tapestries graced the walls with images of men and women called by Thunder during the long and difficult history of Taesaraâs people.
When she entered the study, the man standing at the window wheeled about and pinned her with a stern gaze. His long face was framed by graying hair, his sage cloak richly embroidered with silver threads.
âMy Lord Regent.â Taesara sank to her knees, deeply troubled by this unannounced visit.
A rustle of skirts indicated the Motherâs approach. The old woman laid a frail but steady hand on Taesaraâs shoulder. âIf it pleases you, Lord Regent, I will take my leave now, so that you may speak with your niece.â
Taesara looked up at the Mother with a mixture of hurt and trepidation. âDear Mother, I have no family in this world, not since Iââ
âHush, my daughter.â The Mother took Taesaraâs face in her hands and studied her with kind eyes. âI know the vows you took when you entered this place better than you. I do not doubt the devotion with which you have served the Gods as part of our community these many years. Your family has indeed been dead to you, but now Thunder wishes to call you back to the world of the living. Listen to your uncle, for he seeks to resurrect your heart from its grave. The news he bears will bring you much joy.â
âBut I donât wantââ
âKnow that whatever you decide, you have my blessing.â The Mother kissed Taesara and left, closing the door quietly behind her.
Taesara lowered her gaze to the floor, burdened by a terrible uncertainty she had not felt in years.
Sylus Penamor, Lord Regent of Roenfyn, strode forward and extended a gloved hand to his niece. âRise, Taesara.â
She obeyed, stiffening as Penamor took her chin in his fingers and subjected her to cold inspection. After a moment, his frown deepened and he shook his head. âOnly the Sisters of the Poor could take a woman at the height of her flower and turn her into a dried-up weed.â
Taesara bristled. âThere is no place for vanity within these walls.â
âApparently not. Theyâve made you skinny and sallow. Though it is nothing, Iâll wager, that a bit of sun and some proper food cannot remedy. What are these rags they dress you in?â
She stepped away, clenching her jaw. âThis is all I need. All anyone needs, to live at peace in this world.â
Penamor snorted. âIndeed.â
âWhy are you here?â
âIâve come to fetch you home.â
âThis is my home.â
âThis was your temporary refuge. A foul place, but one of your choosing. We were generous enough to let you stay, first your father and then I, as we put the outside world in order. Now it is time for you to return.â
âI am not going back.â
âOh, but I think you will.â Penamor spoke with an odd tone, at once menacing and full of promise. âWar is at hand, and you will be the one to lead it.â
Taesara forced a laugh. âYou know I will have no part of it. Eliasara would die at their hands if we so much asââ
âThey do not have Eliasara,â he said. âWe do.â
Shadows flashed through Taesaraâs vision. She stumbled and caught hold of the back of a chair. A chasm opened inside her heart, swallowing the vines and trees with which she had concealed her love and pain during all these years. The bitter flood of anguish returned full force.
âWhere is she?â Taesara did not look at her uncle, her mind consumed by the image of King Akmaelâs stony countenance, his dark intent, his merciless heart.
âAbout a dayâs ride from here. She has been asking for you.â
âIs sheâ¦whole? Have they harmed her in any way?â
âDo you mean have they turned her into a witch? No. Eliasara is a true daughter of Roenfyn. She has remained faithful to her memory of you, and to the convictions of her people. And she is beautiful, Taesara, as lovely as you were at her age, with the same sweet smile and golden hair.â
âShe will not recognize me. She had only just begun to walk when we were separated.â
âShe will know who you are. That is enough. She wants a mother to love, and one who will love her. She needs you, Taesara.â
Unable to endure the weight of the moment, Taesara sank to the floor. Oh, sweet Thunder, help me.
âWhat is this unbearable work of the Gods?â she asked. âHow has such a thing come to pass?â
âThat is an amusing story to tell.â Penamor knelt at her side. The smell of leather and horse stung her senses. âThe wizard Tzeremond often said that the magas always betray their own, and so that old hawkâs wisdom has once again proven true. The Witch Queenâs greatest student, a maga warrior by the name of Ghemena, broke into Eliasaraâs prison with two of her companions. They slew the Mage Kingâs guards and brought the Princess to Roenfyn, to me. Now the magas stand with us, ready to fight.â
Fire surged through Taesaraâs veins.
âWho else?â she demanded. âWho else stands with Roenfyn?â
âGalia has agreed to support our cause, and new messengers have been dispatched to Antaria. We await their response. We also have allies inside Moisehén: noble families whose loyalty I have cultivated in secret; mages who pretend to serve King Akmael; and others among the Witch Queenâs guard who are anxious to see the line of Mage Kings dissolved. This is our moment, Taesara. Your moment. To exact vengeance on the King of Moisehén and his villainous harlot, to kill their bastards, and to see your daughter and all her descendants claim the Crown of Vortingen.â
Taesara straightened her back, withdrawing from her uncleâs grasp and taking deep breaths as she tried to steady her pulse.
After a long moment, she leveled her gaze at him. âI donât care about any of that, Uncle. All I want is to see my daughter.â
A smile of triumph touched his lips. âAs well I knew you would.
About the Author:
Karin Rita Gastreich writes stories of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. An ecologist by vocation, Karin has wandered forests and wildlands all her life. Her pastimes include camping, hiking, music, and flamenco dance. In addition to THE SILVER WEB trilogy, Karin has published short stories in World Jumping, Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writerâs Residency.
Twitter: @EolynChronicles
Interview:
âMay 8 Interview Literary Musings
http://literarymusing.weebly.com/
Questions:
1. Where do you get your ideas?
Anything can inspire a story. Daughter of Aithne was inspired in many ways by the amazing women Iâve known and the women Iâve read about in history. In particular, Iâm fascinated by medieval women, by how they managed to wield and manipulate power in a society so steeped in patriarchal values. In writing Daughter of Aithne, I asked myself, âWhat would happen if barriers to power were removed and women could rule â and even wage â war just like men?â
2. Do you have a dream cast for your book?
Itâs reaching a little high to imagine my novels would ever be made into a movie, but if they were, I would cast Emma Watson as Eolyn, the magical Queen of Moisehén, and Emma Stone as her rival, Taesara of Roenfyn. Both probably need to age a little into these roles, but seeing as Hollywood has yet to cast its greedy eye on this story, theyâve got time.
Kit Harington would make a decent King Akmael; heâs got the regal bearing and just the right âI could use a little more loveâ look about him. Tom Hiddleston would be my choice for the enigmatic and irresistible Mage Corey. Bryan Terrell Clark would be perfect as the charismatic warrior and all-around heart throb, Prince Savegre, Taesaraâs ally in the battle for the throne of Moisehén.
3. How do you handle writerâs block?
When I donât feel like writing, I donât do it. We all need a rest once in a while, and that is especially true of the creative endeavor. I have gone for months at a time without writing, always in the faith that when the time is right, I will sit back down again and the stories will flow.
4. What inspired you to write this book?
Daughter of Aithne is the book Iâve always wanted to write, but it took two other novels â Eolyn and Sword of Shadows â to lay the foundation for this last stage of Eolynâs journey. I wanted to write a medieval fantasy that gave women the reins of power. I wanted to show the capacity of love and compassion to triumph over fear, oppression, and war. I believe I succeeded in all of this with Daughter of Aithne. Daughter of Aithne can be read as a stand-alone novel, but the full significance of the story cannot be understood without reading Eolyn and Sword of Shadows.
5.Whatâs the hardest part of being an author?
The fast-paced pressure of the market. It takes time and dedication to craft a high-quality novel; but readers have a reputation for impatience. Iâve been told itâs impossible to succeed as an author unless you churn out at least four books a year. Iâm a nonconformist by nature, and I simply refuse to chain myself to that expectation. For me, success is not about how many books I produce and sell. Itâs about the quality of the product I offer. I realize this attitude may condemn me to obscurity, but thatâs okay. As long as I have a few faithful readers who come away extremely satisfied, I can consider myself successful as an author.
http://literarymusing.weebly.com/
Questions:
1. Where do you get your ideas?
Anything can inspire a story. Daughter of Aithne was inspired in many ways by the amazing women Iâve known and the women Iâve read about in history. In particular, Iâm fascinated by medieval women, by how they managed to wield and manipulate power in a society so steeped in patriarchal values. In writing Daughter of Aithne, I asked myself, âWhat would happen if barriers to power were removed and women could rule â and even wage â war just like men?â
2. Do you have a dream cast for your book?
Itâs reaching a little high to imagine my novels would ever be made into a movie, but if they were, I would cast Emma Watson as Eolyn, the magical Queen of Moisehén, and Emma Stone as her rival, Taesara of Roenfyn. Both probably need to age a little into these roles, but seeing as Hollywood has yet to cast its greedy eye on this story, theyâve got time.
Kit Harington would make a decent King Akmael; heâs got the regal bearing and just the right âI could use a little more loveâ look about him. Tom Hiddleston would be my choice for the enigmatic and irresistible Mage Corey. Bryan Terrell Clark would be perfect as the charismatic warrior and all-around heart throb, Prince Savegre, Taesaraâs ally in the battle for the throne of Moisehén.
3. How do you handle writerâs block?
When I donât feel like writing, I donât do it. We all need a rest once in a while, and that is especially true of the creative endeavor. I have gone for months at a time without writing, always in the faith that when the time is right, I will sit back down again and the stories will flow.
4. What inspired you to write this book?
Daughter of Aithne is the book Iâve always wanted to write, but it took two other novels â Eolyn and Sword of Shadows â to lay the foundation for this last stage of Eolynâs journey. I wanted to write a medieval fantasy that gave women the reins of power. I wanted to show the capacity of love and compassion to triumph over fear, oppression, and war. I believe I succeeded in all of this with Daughter of Aithne. Daughter of Aithne can be read as a stand-alone novel, but the full significance of the story cannot be understood without reading Eolyn and Sword of Shadows.
5.Whatâs the hardest part of being an author?
The fast-paced pressure of the market. It takes time and dedication to craft a high-quality novel; but readers have a reputation for impatience. Iâve been told itâs impossible to succeed as an author unless you churn out at least four books a year. Iâm a nonconformist by nature, and I simply refuse to chain myself to that expectation. For me, success is not about how many books I produce and sell. Itâs about the quality of the product I offer. I realize this attitude may condemn me to obscurity, but thatâs okay. As long as I have a few faithful readers who come away extremely satisfied, I can consider myself successful as an author.