New Release and Giveaway! ISLA’S OATH by Cassandra Page (Isla’s Inheritance #2)

Australia is a long way from the Old World and its fae denizens … but not far enough.

Isla is determined to understand her heritage and control her new abilities, but concealing them from those close to her proves difficult. Convincing the local fae she isn’t a threat despite her mixed blood is harder still. When the dazzling Everest arrives with a retinue of servants, Isla gets her first glimpse of why her mother’s people are hated … and feared.

But Isla isn’t the only one with something to hide. Someone she trusts is concealing a dangerous secret. She must seek the truth and stop Everest from killing to get what he wants: Isla’s oath.

Excerpt:

“Can I help you all?” A large woman came out from behind the counter, her sudden appearance making me jump. I hadn’t seen her until she moved. Her red and gold gypsy-style shirt camouflaged perfectly with the rug hanging on the wall behind her.

“Just browsing, thanks.” I smiled at her. She didn’t smile back.

“Your friend there like art?” The woman indicated Ryan with a jut of her chin.

“He’s a painter.”

She brightened—I noticed a few old spots of paint on her jeans—and lumbered over to Ryan. However, she kept a gimlet eye on the rest of us to make sure we didn’t steal anything. Very welcoming.

Bored, Sarah and I waited by the jewellery stand. “I’m dreading getting back to the cabin,” my cousin admitted, brushing sweat-damped tendrils back from her face. “It’s going to be an oven.”

“Why don’t we use the barbeques to cook dinner?” I suggested, wiping my palms on my denim shorts. My nausea was growing. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to eat dinner. Stupid honeycomb. “At least that won’t heat up the cabin any further.”

“Good idea.” Her eyes lit up. “Then we can go down to the beach for a swim afterwards. To cool off.”

“Hey, Isla,” Dominic said, walking towards us. He was holding something black in one hand. “I was thinking about getting this as a present for your dad, to thank him for paying for the trip.” He held the object out to show me, a lump vaguely shaped like a curvy woman with her arms together above her head.

I squeaked and leaped back, my shoulder thumping into a hanging wind chime. Wooden tubes clanked furiously. The shop’s owner shouted something, but I didn’t hear it.

The sculpture was iron. And I’d nearly taken it from him.

Dominic stared at me with wide eyes, the sculpture still outstretched. The storeowner barrelled over and snatched it off him as though he was brandishing it.

Swallowing hard, I fled.

Goodreads