Voices from the Grave

'Niari wasn't really sure when she first became aware of the sound. When she went back over the events of that afternoon later, it seemed that it had been there all along, slowly growing in volume, intruding itself gradually into her awareness. At first, it seemed like the sighing of a breeze, a mere breath of sound that barely disturbed the silent air of the tomb, but gradually it grew in intensity until it could no longer be ignored. All heads came up in sudden alarm.
"What was that?" Mennia gasped, clutching Jomac's arm. He shook his head helplessly, drawing her close and placing an arm around her.
It was all around them, a sighing whisper that seemed to be comprised of many voices, all repeating the same thing, but still it was impossible to pick out what it was that they were saying. The intruders listened and trembled. For some reason, though the door was close, none of them thought to make for it and get out of the cave. And then Niari heard it, one distinct word in all that mass of sighing.
"Awake."
And all the other voices suddenly picked up on that word, repeating it over and over with growing volume.
"Awake. Awake. Awake."
The sound grew until it was a mighty crescendo. And then in one last thunderous climax, all those unseen voices cried, "Awake. Awake, for the One is come!"
And then silence. Silence so profound that it seemed yet another sound to their terrified ears. They stared at one another in shock and wonder.
Finally, Keladryn broke the silence. "Well," he said in a voice that was remarkably steady considering what had just happened, "it seems we're in the right tomb."
"What's that?" Varia said, pointing towards the back of the cavern.'

The last two years have been hectic for Niari and Carlitha. Their brother King Aanek has made good use of the fact that he has two sorceresses for sisters, and they and their magic have played a major role in helping the country recover from the ravages of war. Now, the rebuild is all but complete, their brother has a firm grip on power, the economy is beginning to pick up, and the mood in the country is one of optimism. Finally, the sisters can begin to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labours.
That is until a ghost turns up with a message from the gods.
Suddenly, it's all happening again. The Cult of the Earth Mother is back and still determined to conquer the world for its goddess.
And once again, Niari, Carlitha, Friend, and their companions must stand in their way.
With a group of mostly new companions, a few old acquaintances, and some very unexpected allies, the three friends must set out on another mission to thwart the Cult and secure peace for the world if they can. The mission itself is simple. The Cult is on the trail of a magical artefact, and Niari, Carlitha, and company must beat them to it.
But before they can even get started, they must find the prophecy that will guide them. After that, they must find the rest of their company, then discover what they're looking for, where to find it, and how to keep it out of the Cult's hands once they have it. Simple, right?
Join Niari, Carlitha and a rather motley group of companions on another wild ride through a world where magic is real and the gods are near, where prophecy determines the direction of events and trouble is around every corner, as they find themselves once again caught up in the battles of the very gods themselves.
This is the second novel in the Daughters of Destiny series and follows on from events in The Collars of Phaleran. It is not necessary to have read The Collars of Phaleran in order to enjoy this book although, of course, I do hope you may wish to go back and fill in the background to this story at some point!

Dettagli