Shield and Scepter

November 22, 2023

Shield and Scepter

by K. M. Warfield

GENRE: Fantasy

An ancient relic. Two solitary quests. A chance to prove one’s worth.
After an intense battle against the malicious Goddess, Lolc Aon, and freeing the Fallen citizens of Byd Cudd, Jinaari and Thia are presented with new challenges while in the public eye. Even though Thia has been granted nearly unlimited healing power through the God Keroys, many still doubt her because of her Fallen lineage. Jinaari does his best to support her, but his lessons are cut short after his sister is kidnapped.
Faced with life altering obstacles, will Jinaari keep his vow to protect Thia even from afar? Can Thia learn to trust herself and win over the public? Or will it be too late?

Enjoy an Excerpt:

Lukas shook his head, “When he warned me, I thought he was joking.”

“Who warned you? About what?”

“Althir, before he left. Told me that keeping an eye on you was going to be harder than what he was going to do. Until tonight, I thought he was exaggerating.”

“She’s the Daughter of Keroys, Lukas. Where she goes, and when she chooses to, is not something she needs to explain to you. It’s not Garret’s Mark she bears.” Caelynn said from the staircase. “Jinaari has reasons to keep her safe. I’m willing to bet him asking you to keep an eye on her didn’t include restricting her movements to the point of suffocation.”

Thia cringed inwardly at the tone of her friend’s voice. So much anger and pain was hidden beneath her words.

“She’s right. You don’t owe me an explanation, though I’m glad to hear this wasn’t a problem with any of my men. Go upstairs, rest if she lets you. I’ll talk with you tomorrow. If we can be honest with each other,” he gave her a direct look, “then perhaps I can keep my word to Jinaari without restricting you beyond what you’re comfortable with.”

Glancing toward the stairs, she caught sight of Caelynn as she disappeared. “I’d like that, Lukas. Things should be back to normal by then.”

“For your sake,” he said, “I hope so. I like you, Thia. So do my men. We’d be here even if Althir hadn’t asked us to be. We all got scared when you disappeared, but that one,” he glanced over his shoulder toward the staircase, “she was ready to burn Almair to the ground to find you.”

About the Author:

Born in the late 1960's, K. M. has lived most of her live in the Pacific NW. While she's always been creative, she didn't turn towards writing until 2008. Writing under the pen name of KateMarie Collins, she released several titles. In 2019, the decision was made to forge a new path with her books. The Heroes of Avoch series, along with a new pen name, is the end result.

When she's not writing, she loves playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, watching movies, and cuddling up with her cat. K. M. resides with her family in what she likes to refer to as 'Seattle Suburbia'.

Q&A With the Author:

What was your inspiration for writing this book? I played in and helped run a Dungeons and Dragons game that went for over 3 1/2 years. The characters were amazing, and those friends are my family. I didn't want to let go of the characters, and everyone else loved the idea, so I wrote 'Scales and Stingers'. I thought I was done when I finished the first draft. Two weeks later, I woke up and started 'Shield and Scepter'.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book? Thia really grows as a character in this one. Her strength comes through and she starts actually believing in herself as much as her friends do. Having her go through that actually helped me do the same. I've got some PTSD issues that are the bigger problem behind depression and anxiety. Writing Thia's journey to accepting who she is helped me battle some pretty dark demons of my own. Oh, and her sarcasm streak is epic!

Do you have any other books you are working on that you can tell us about? I've been focusing mostly on the Heroes of Avoch trilogy. Book 3 is titled 'Sword and Soul' and is coming in May of 2024! But I have been working on another story set in Avoch...a few years after this series wraps up. With some of the same characters. Those that survive, anyway.

Can you tell us about what you have planned for the future? I really like the world of Avoch, and am thinking of other possible stories set in the world. Some before Thia's journey of other heroes. Or how the kingdoms united and the Gods became gods. I'm a total pantser, though, so it's hard to say exactly what's next.

Anything more you would like to say to your readers and fans? Reviews are amazing, even if you didn't love the story. If you did and need to know some backstory, don't be afraid to drop me an email. As many of my friends know way too well, I love finding out what parts people loved, if I made them swear at a character, or who their favorite was of the book/series! Motivations are there, but not always clear because we never get into that one character's head. If you have questions, reach out!