Interviewer: We here at True World Teen are delighted to welcome Belinda Loring. She’s here to fill us in on behind-the-scene gossip to recent shocking events and dish about her boyfriend the demigod. Welcome, Belinda! (polite applause. Belinda shifts in her chair as if uncomfortable)
Interviewer: How did you find out that your boyfriend was a demigod? Or did you always know?
Belinda: I’m embarrassed to say that although Demian and I have been friends for years, I only recently found out he is a demi-god. I knew he had the long-winded talent because we exchanged messages on the breeze, but I didn’t know about his other powers until a forest fire threatened us. Demian used his powers to reroute a stream and allowed us to hide safely in the water until the flames were past.
Interviewer: Wow! How did you feel about this revelation?
Belinda: I was absolutely stunned. I mean, my boyfriend is a demi-god. How cool is that?
Interviewer: There’s a rumour that you and Demian have Bonded. Is this true? And is this bond why your recent Bonding ceremony with Warren, the House Scott heir, failed so spectacularly?
Belinda: I’m glad you asked, because I’d like to set the record straight. Demian and I were Bonded together, illegally, as children by my grandmother’s enemy, Malachi. We were so young we didn’t know what it was about or remember the ceremony. When the Bonding ceremony to Warren failed, I was more surprised than anyone. I would never, never have embarrassed our Houses like that, if I’d known about the previous ceremony.
Interviewer: And how does your grandmother, former First Councillor Ellona Loring, feel about the match?
Belinda: At first, of course, she was very angry at Malachi for the illegal Bonding and afraid that Demian would be an inappropriate match for me. But now that’s she’s met Demian and knows that he doesn’t share Malachi’s radical views, she’s much more reconciled.
Interviewer: Very quickly, could you give us five cool things about having a demi-god for a boyfriend?
Belinda: Uh, well, we can send each other messages on the breeze, because being a demigod means that he has all four elemental talents. He`s an awesome sculptor—he can shape stone with his bare hands. (pause)
Interviewer, laughing: That`s only two things.
Belinda: When we had to jump in the stream to escape the forest fire, he heated up the water so that it wasn`t icy cold. Uh, he can bring statues to life.
Interviewer, leaning forward: To life? What do you mean?
Belinda: Not permanently. I mean, that would be kind of creepy. More like golems. When I was kidnapped, he sent golems to find me. He saved me.
Interviewer: Well, that is hard to beat! One last cool thing about having a demigod for a boyfriend?
Belinda, ducking head shyly: He created a new flower, just for me.
Audience: Oooooh!
Interviewer: Swoon! Okay that’s all we have time for tonight. Tune in next week when prominent scientist Edgar Killjoy explains how the tethers between the True World and the Mirror Worlds function and why we should care.
IN TRUTH AND ASHES by Nicole Luiken
What she can’t remember could ruin her life.
The Mirror Worlds are but dull reflections of the True World, where magic and technology blend together…
On the True World, Belinda Loring has known from childhood that she must Bond with the son of another noble First Family. Uniting the families ensures hers will hold onto its powerful position, and so she’s always pushed down the tender feelings she has for her best friend–gorgeous, steadfast Demian, who isn’t noble.
But when the ceremonial magic goes disastrously wrong, Belinda becomes a national disgrace. Scorned as Broken, she turns to Demian for help getting revenge on the man who ruined her: the radical Malachi.
But the seeds of Malachi’s murderous plans lie buried in Belinda’s past, in the dark days of her kidnapping–a period of which she has no memory. And Demian may hold the key to recovering all that she’s lost–and saving the worlds.
Young Adult Fantasy [Entangled Teen, On Sale: January 1, 2017, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781682813881 / eISBN: 9781633755451]
Buy IN TRUTH AND ASHES: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | iTunes/iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Powell’s Books | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Nicole Luiken
Nicole Luiken wrote her first book at age 13 and never stopped.
She is the author of twelve published books for young adults, including Violet Eyes and its sequels Silver Eyes, Angel Eyes and Golden Eyes. Her latest release is Amid Wind & Stone, book two of Otherselves. She also has writes for adults and has a fantasy romance series, Gate to Kandrith and Soul of Kandrith.
Nicole lives with her family in Edmonton, AB. It is physically impossible for her to go more than three days in a row without writing.
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