Good morning! I hope you had a good weekend. Who are we kidding? Weekends are usually good.
I’m back again with a poll. I’ll be posting this elsewhere on social media as well, but wanted to get it up here first. It’s two options for a potential hook. Just let me know which one resonates more with you (and why, if you know):
"Embark on a journey to Ixoras Atoll, where the allure of immortality unravels, plunging an advanced magical society into chaos, as forbidden secrets emerge and the fate of an entire civilization hangs in the balance."
"Step into the realm of 'Cupbearer, Swordbearer,' where the coveted elixir of immortality falters, thrusting Ixoras Atoll into turmoil, as the delicate balance between the sacred and the martial teeters on the brink of collapse."
I think I like the first one better. The second seems too vague. I was just trying to make the tie-in of the title a little more evident but I don’t think I need to.
Lastly, I believe I promised a longer synopsis of the story I’m nearly finished writing:
In the maritime realm of Ixoras Atoll, where the elite partake in a revered sacrament formulated by royal alchemists to attain immortality, the Menifes dynasty faces an unprecedented crisis. As the magical protection of the red sacrament, the khreus, inexplicably fails, Cezré'kal “Ré” Menifes, the ninth child of the deceased emperor, finds herself thrust into a role she never anticipated – ruling the Silver Isle while on the brink of chaos.
To secure her reign, Ré, motivated by the welfare of her younger sisters, decides to enter into what she perceives as a pragmatic alliance. However, the mysterious deaths of her family members reveal a sinister plot, orchestrated by a murderer exploiting a vulnerability created by the tainted khreus.
Ré’s closest confidants, a healer and her apprentice embark on a perilous investigation that uncovers the deadly connection between the khreus and the surreptitious and untimely deaths of Ré’s entire dynastic line by an unknown player within the court. Operating outside of the eyes and spies of one powerful church leader, Cupbearer Koae Xal, and with the aid of another, Swordbearer Erovan Wessar and his arcane studies, Ré’s friends convince her of blasphemy, triggering a series of revelations.
As Ré navigates the complexities of uncovering a conspiracy within her own palace, a fateful encounter forces her into a desperate escape. Fleeing for her life, she discovers she isn’t the only one with secrets. By luck or by fate, Ré is thrust into the Scree, where she is faced with a hive soldier who is more than he seems and experiences firsthand the disparity between the upper and lower echelons of Ixoran society.
Taking refuge at The Dreggy Pinniped, Ré begins to question her ingrained beliefs as she interacts with diverse individuals from various walks of life. Immersed in the struggles of the impoverished and the inequity rife in the streets of Ixoras Atoll just beyond her palace walls, she grapples with the impact of policies issued in her name and, at times, by her own hand. With newfound allies, Ré embarks on a journey to save her younger sisters, embracing her strengths as a practitioner of canticruche, or "cross-singing."
"Cupbearer, Swordbearer" unfolds as a tale of intrigue, betrayal, and self-discovery, where all boundaries blur, and the destiny of an entire civilization hangs in the balance.
I’ll return Friday with a form to designate your interest in being a Beta Reader! I’ll be accepting just a few parties for this round but will widen the field substantially for Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs). Thank you, if anyone is interested.
Have a great week!