The Last of the Firedrakes
(The Avalonia Chronicles
#1)
by Farah Oomerbhoy
Publication date: August 15th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
by Farah Oomerbhoy
Publication date: August 15th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
BLURB
16-year-old Aurora Darlington is
an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams
of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a
portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.
Avalonia is a dangerous land
ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to
control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way.
Thrust headlong into this new,
magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy
all she holds dear.
With the help of a young fae, a
magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn
the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide
as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to
unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.
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For a
second that felt like a lifetime, everything stopped; I felt like I was
floating in nothingness. Then I blinked, and, when I finally opened my eyes and
focused again through the tears, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I found
myself standing at the mouth of a small cave situated on a hill and overlooking
a quiet, moonlit valley. On my left, a dark forest stretched out as far as the
eye could see, treetops glistening silver in the light of the full moon. The
hills around us undulated into wildflower-filled meadows that lay sleeping in
the dewy night.
Far down
in the valley, I could see a little village, its lights twinkling in the
distance. To my right, a waterfall splashed playfully into a small river that
ran down into a lake, next to which the little village was built. The moon here
was fuller and larger than I had ever seen it, and the night sky was awash with
a fantastic array of glittering stars.
Had I
passed through the tapestry? Where was I?
I looked
around, disbelief clouding my judgment. I was still trying to get my bearings
after that strange moment when I had been inside the tapestry and nowhere at
the same time. It gave me a funny feeling, as though I had been lifted out of
my own consciousness and then put back into my body.
A warm
breeze brushed past my face and played with my hair. Gone were the cloudy grey
mist and the cold, nipping wind of the English countryside. I drew in a sharp
breath—the air was crisp and clear, sweet smelling, and fresh. The moonlit
valley was filled with fruit trees, wildflowers, and rolling meadows.
“How did
we come here? Where are we?” I asked, still confused.
“You
really are ignorant,” said Oblek, glancing at me. “I take it your uncle didn’t
tell you anything?”
I shook
my head and looked down. Oblek had tied my hands with a rope he had with him
while I was still dazed and looking around. It was humiliating, and the rough
ropes cut into my wrists, rubbing them raw every time he pulled me forward.
I had to
find some way out of this. And, at the moment, the only thing I could do was
discover more about where I was. Then, when I got an opportunity, I could
escape and find my way back up to the cave on the hill, where we had arrived
out of the tapestry.
But then
what?
Christopher
was probably dead, and Aunt Arianna would doubtless blame me for everything
since I had disappeared at the same time. I had no idea what to do. I didn’t
really want to go back, and, now that my adoptive parents were dead, I had
nothing to return to.
I was
starting to panic. I had nowhere to go, and my mind was imagining an array of
horrible outcomes of my kidnapping. My palms had become sweaty, and my racing
heart was thundering in my chest as I half-walked and half-ran, desperately
trying to keep up with Oblek’s giant strides.
“Why are
you doing this?” I pleaded with my kidnapper.
But Lord
Oblek said nothing. He didn’t even look at me. He just kept walking ahead and
dragging me along behind him, with no more explanations as to what he was
planning to do with me.
I was
terrified, and I had no idea if I was going to survive this. But I tried to be
brave. Maybe I could talk my way out of this?
“You do
know that this is called kidnapping?” I said, trying to reason with Oblek.
He didn’t
bother to answer.
“What
will happen to me now?” I squeaked, my voice breaking, as I tried not to cry.
“Queen
Morgana will decide what is to be done with you,” said Oblek, finally.
Queen
Morgana! The woman from my dream? It was not possible that this, too, was a
coincidence. It must be the same Morgana, the one who had tried to kill my real
mother.
Who the
hell was she?
Suddenly
all of this seemed extremely scary. I hoped that I was still dreaming and that
there was no way I had actually traveled through a magical tapestry into some
strange land. It all seemed very exciting in books. But actually being
kidnapped and then hauled around like an animal, traveling deep into a land I
knew nothing about, was not my idea of fun.
I had to
get away from this horrible man, and fast.
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Author Info
Farah Oomerbhoy is a young adult
writer with a master’s degree in English literature from the University of
Mumbai. Farah loves the fantastical and magical and often dreams of living in
Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest. Her debut novel, The Last of the
Firedrakes, Book 1 of The Avalonia Chronicles started on Wattpad where it
received a Watty Award in 2015 and over 1.5 million reads. Since publication,
The Last of the Firedrakes has gone on to win a silver medal in IBPA’s Benjamin
Franklin Awards, become a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards and become an
international bestseller. Farah lives with her family in Mumbai, India where
she can be found checking for magical portals in every closet.
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