By Sandy Amazeen May 26, 2009, 2:11 GMT
Centuries ago the mage Imogene was defeated in an undisclosed battle and as a result, he cursed the land and its occupants so half the people were unable to tolerate sunlight, the other half incapable to surviving the dark. The Lightborn and Darkborn share an uneasy coexistence, neither fully trusting the other, a problem compounded by their different view of magic. Darkborn shun magic, ostracising those with any natural ability while the Lightborn embrace it.
Balthasar Hearne, a Darkborn physician was surprised when his brother’s old girlfriend appeared on his doorstep at sunrise, seeking protection. Shortly after her arrival, she delivered twin boys which she tried to kill before vanishing. Within hours of finding a refuge for the sighted twins, something unheard of among the Darkborn, Bal is beaten nearly to death by men determined to find the babies.
Bal’s wife Telmaine, a daughter of high society came home from visiting her family just in time to begin healing her husband’s grievous wounds. Telmaine has kept her magic talent hidden as a simple survival tactic but to find her kidnapped daughter and save the family from the political tempest, she will have to embrace her abilities. Against the forces threatening both the Light and Darkborn, Bal and Telmaine will have to make some difficult decisions that will place them directly in harms way.
To get into the flavor of this political fantasy, think Regency romance meets vampire light. There are some gaps to the overall story that will likely be filled out later but the brisk plot and thickening political intrigue more then make up for it. An interesting if a bit unpolished fantasy.
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