Timekeeper Rising is a YA Dystopian
Fantasy novel and the first in the Timekeeper Duo. It is the first book by debut author Allyssa
Painter.
Blurb: Fifty years ago, the sky cried acid
and the earth vomited poison, all due to human destruction. Desperate for a
savior, the people called out to the Shunned, a group of Fallen angels on
Earth, and allowed them to take over. Now the Shunned rule with unspeakable
cruelty, manipulating and torturing the humans in every possible way.
Marked for death, Iris Ankea will do
anything to end their tyranny and rescue her brother and best friend from their
clutches. When she learns that she is God’s chosen Timekeeper and has the power
to defeat the Shunned, she sets out with the only man who can help her, the one
she thinks just might kill her. With a
prophecy about her drawing ever near, Iris must race against time to discover
her powers before the world, and her life, end. Can Iris force herself to
embrace her role and sacrifice herself to save everyone she loves, or will she
lose it all?
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25459606-timekeeper-rising
Buy links –
Barnes
and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/timekeeper-rising-allyssa-painter/1122283351?ean=2940152025255
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/559604
Signed
Copies: https://allyssapainter.wordpress.com/signed-copies-2/
Author Website: https://allyssapainter.wordpress.com/
Excerpt 1 –
“Look, if someone
can sense your aura, they can trace you. If they can trace you, you're dead.
You cannot be traceable.”
Iris barely
flinched as he dropped down beside her, glancing around cautiously, checking
for threats. She had held her dagger in her hand, occasionally twirling it
through her fingers, since he joined her at the edge of the forest. “I already
am, though, aren't I? You signed my death warrant yourself.”
Once more, Sage
Atroxé sighed. “I came because I was ordered to. That doesn't mean I agree with
my orders. Have I killed you yet? I believe you can help us. However, more than
likely, if you don't die, I do. That's not to say I'll kill you. I just... It's
not like I just came here to kill you without even batting an eyelash. This
isn't a simple decision.”
Iris nodded. No
fear, no worry flooded her features. She smiled. “Let's make a deal. I'm headed
to the Shunned to... Well, to kick some butt and save my loved ones. After I do
that, kill me. Let me save the people The Shunned stole from me. Let me help
your people. Then save your life.”
Sage shook his
head in a melancholy manner. “Unfortunately, even if I did choose to murder
you, it would only hurt us. I told you, you are special. We need you.”
She shook her
head. “No, I need you to help me save Daniel, among others. You need me to die
at your hand. That's it. Deal?” Iris didn’t know how much Sage knew about her
life or her family, but if he didn’t know about Zander, she didn’t want him to.
Zander was powerful in his own right, and important. Iris was sure Sage already
knew about Daniel, but she wasn’t sure about Zander and she had no interest in
giving him any more ammunition against her than he already had.
“Why? Why would
you just allow me to kill you?” Sage wondered aloud.
Iris chewed her lip,
standing. “Because, I believe in your cause. You need to beat them. You, Sage,
no one else. You must beat them.” She paused. He said nothing but appeared
slightly sick. “Because Sage, I've Seen it,” she said, and started on her way
out of town, tossing a bag over her shoulder as she did.
Excerpt 2 –
“Can I help you?” she asked in a polite voice, staring the man down,
pretending that she had not already embedded her dagger deep into his thigh and
did not currently work through ways to gain the advantage. She took mental
inventory as she stared the man down, watching for any move he may choose to
make. She carried no weapons, while he carried many. He seemed built for sheer
strength, while Iris possessed a thin, wiry body, though she had strengthened it.
He possessed at least some sort of power since he could deflect her dagger
somewhat. Iris had powers too, but they were undeveloped and mostly still a
complete mystery to her. So, what could she do to protect herself? How could
she win this battle?
The man sneered at her, looking down at her both literally and
figuratively. “Yes, you can. If you’d like to just, oh, I don’t know, die at my
feet, that’d be awesome. Thanks.” The man smiled scathingly, revealing two rows
of decaying teeth.
Iris did not even wince, though inwardly she cringed at his disgusting
mouth. “No, sorry, I just don’t think that’s going to happen today. Maybe try
again tomorrow. Or you know, don’t.” She smiled sweetly as she suddenly spun,
bringing a roundhouse kick to the man’s stomach. He stumbled backward a few
steps and snarled. He stayed on his feet but he bent over for a long moment to
catch his breath. Iris laughed. “What? You didn’t expect a little thing like me
to pack a punch? Or rather, a kick? Oh, sorry. I do so hate to disappoint.”
The man once again stood tall and began to step toward Iris. She
stepped away. He stepped to the side. She countered. Iris contradicted every
move he made, the two circling each other. He yanked her dagger out of his
thigh and allowed the blood to seep. “Apparently I will have the pleasure to
kill you with your own dagger.”
In one movement, he stepped to the left, forcing Iris to counter even
as he shoved the dagger toward her heart. She moved more quickly than he and
thus earned a slice across her upper right ribcage. She grunted in pain but did
not soften her blow. Instead, she shot forward, shoving her right palm to his
nose and up. She tried not to wince at the crunching sound his nose made. She
did not care for hurting others but she would defend herself and her family
until her dying breath. No one would touch them. As the man recovered from the
blow to his nose, Iris stepped forward once more and reached for her dagger. He
waved his hand and sent her flying.
With a thump, Iris landed against a nearby tree. She fought to catch
her breath as he grinned, those rotten teeth gleaming out at her. He stalked
toward her, a glinting pistol in hand. She pushed herself into a standing
position as she tentatively reached out with her mind. She caught snippets,
just pieces about her position as the Timekeeper and her lack of weapons. She
silently cursed herself for leaving the cabin without them. She knew better.
Zander had taught her better.
As the stranger loomed toward her, she forced herself to forget about
the pain in her body. She focused on the matter at hand and how she could fix
it. But that was the problem. How could she fix it? Few options presented
themselves and the few that did were unseemly. Iris gritted her teeth and faced
the man attempting to murder her, a virtual stranger. She wondered what could
possess someone to track down a stranger and murder them in cold blood without
the stranger ever harming them or anyone, for that matter. She should ask Sage.
On her own, she could not comprehend it. She could understand if she had killed
someone the man loved or something. But she hadn’t. And he did not care.
The man once again began the dance of stepping ever closer, each step
just a bit to the side. Iris mirrored his movements, once again circling. Her
mind raced, trying to win this fight before it fully began. Stall, stall, stall, her mind told her. Give up, you’ll never win, her body
replied. There is no victory without a
battle, her heart countered. The words steadied her. “Tell me, why did you
come? What have I, a teenager, done to someone like you, a man of your stature,
to warrant this, this attempted murder? Why do you bother with me?”
The man laughed, a cruel, evil laugh. “Little Timekeeper, you know as
well as I why I intend to murder you. And believe me, dear, this is no attempt.
I shall succeed. I always do.”
Iris smiled. “I must disagree with you there, sir. Fate has already
woven a far different tale. I shall not die this day. I do apologize for any
inconvenience this may cause you.” She grinned again, a scathing grin meant to
match his own. He lunged at her, but she had been prepared for that. As he
stepped forward she dropped to the ground, delivering her own low swinging
kick, knocking his feet out from under him.
Iris watched the man topple with a satisfied sigh as she stood and
moved to ready herself for another attack. She knew she mostly bought time. If
she could keep him from pulling that trigger, eventually she could knock the
weapon away from him or snag her own. Or, hopefully, Sage or Sara would come
looking for her and bring a weapon. She could not really see Cassian coming to
her aid, but hopefully one of the others would. She desperately needed help and
she knew it.
As Iris backed away from the man, he rose to his feet. “You insolent
girl, do you really hope to defeat me? You would need an army and I see no
army. How do you intend to beat me?”
Iris wondered the same question as the man lumbered toward her once more.
How did she intend to escape this situation?
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