The MFRW Steam hop is a monthly event hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. I'm sharing an ongoing excerpt from the second book in the Warrior Kings series, Eyes of the Seer. I loved creating Marcán and Astrid's love story.
During this time period, survival was not guaranteed and the warriors had to be bada** to keep themselves and the ones they loved alive. Marcán had always been in love with Astrid but as her brother's best friend, she saw him only as a nuisance. Follow along as this changes ;)
Back outside, Astrid pulled the covering tight around her and headed toward the trees.
“Marcán?”
An owl answered her. Trying for a lightheartedness she did not truly feel, she said, “I know my Marcán and ye are not him.”
“Yer Marcán?”
The low voice vibrated through her and nervous excitement danced along her skin. She turned toward the shadows where the voice had come from just as he stepped toward her. He stopped.
“I am beyond exhausted. Forgiveness, please.” He roughed up his hair. “My ears are playing tricks on me.”
Although his face was in shadow, she knew exactly the expression he wore. A quiet smile. His eyes bright and clear. And intent on her. Astrid took a step closer.
“I am readying a bath for ye.” She swallowed right before she reached a hand out to him. “Come.”
She couldn’t be sure, but she sensed there was some inner struggle.
Don’t give up on me now!
When she moved closer, he finally closed the distance to her and accepted her hand. Heat shot up her arm, warming her innards. His palm was rough and she realized she’d never actually touched his hand before. It was quite large, making her hand seem as small as a child’s.
“I need to get ye something to eat as well.”
She started to move away, but he stood fast. “What are ye about, Astrid?”
Closing her eyes, she basked in the sound of her name on his lips. How could she have been so blind? When she opened her eyes, he had moved into the light. That same light revealed her expression to him, and he searched her face as if looking for answers.
“Are ye trying to talk me out of telling Diarmuid about Pádraig? Ye needn’t bother. I have done so.”
Eyes of the Seer
He wishes to prove himself...
Marcán of Clonascra bears the bloodline of Brian Boru and his prowess as a warrior has earned him great respect from everyone but Astrid, the woman who holds his heart. Between her mother's condemning him as a pagan Seer and Astrid's total disinterest, he finds solace as the king's protector and confidant.
She is desperate to escape...
Astrid is more than ready to wed but her brother, the king, is in no hurry to see her married, so she decides to see to her own match-making. The man she approaches quickly reveals his lack of honor, but her overbearing mother pushes her to wed him anyway. When Astrid discovers Marcán's love for her, will it be too late to have the happiness she'd always dreamed of?
Available in both e-book and paperback.