Excerpt 3 from Winter’s Requiem, Historical/fantasy, PG

Available in Print and Ebook

http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html

Winter’s Requiem, Book 3, Dark Goddess Trilogy, Celtic historical/fantasy

Blurb:

Three different women, one ancient curse…

An ancient curse is revealed, leading Domelch, Brigit and Cailleach into certain danger amid a web of deceit. Can they break the curse and put the shattered pieces of their lives back together?

Excerpt:

“Ungild, I am retiring to my room for the night. I will not need your services.” Cailleach concentrated on concealing her thoughts, hoping the old woman would not detect her deceit. Wrapping herself in shadows, she pretended to walk toward the hall to the royal quarters, but instead slipped silently into the woods.

She’d been careful not to use magic around the mortals, but tonight she had no choice if she was to test Aethelfrith’s heart. Concealing herself among thick bushes, she stepped out of her clothes. Her naked skin prickled in the cold autumn night, but the feeling of being naked filled her with a sense of freedom—freedom from the binding fabric, freedom from the laws of mortals.

Calling on her powers, she used all of her concentration and strength, aware of her weakness in this foreign land. Her body tingled with the transformation, her flesh twisted and shifted, sprouting black feathers.

The raven let out a harsh cry, ruffling her feathers and taking flight. Happiness filled her at the freedom this shape gave her to slip undetected through the night, soaring on wings across the treetops. The cold air bounced off her insulated body, her wings slicing with ease through a night illuminated by a full moon. The sounds of pounding hooves and jangling bridles reached her ears and she changed course, flying toward the river. Below outstretched branches, she spotted Aethelfrith and his band of warriors. They emerged from the woodlands into a clearing in pursuit of a stag.

Cailleach flapped her wings faster to increase her speed so she could keep up with the swift hunters. She recalled the thrill of hunting, her heart fluttering with excitement. The riders spread out around the fleeing stag in a skillful formation, cutting off its escape. The majestic beast fell under the might of the roaring spears.

Alighting on a nearby branch, Cailleach waited for the warriors to gather their prize stag, knowing they would probably stop to rest now.

A small fire sparked below. The warriors gathered around for warmth. Drinking horns gleamed in the moonlight, laughter carried up into the night.

It was time. Cailleach shrugged off the nervous jitters surging through her body, uncertain of what she wanted to happen. Spreading her wings, she landed on the ground, calling on more magic. Her body shifted, her flesh pulling and shaping into the sagging flesh of an old, ugly woman. In this tormented body, she did not have the same joyful feelings as she embraced in the raven’s body. The gnarled, painful joints twisted in a hideous angle, the naked flesh wrinkled and sagging. A sudden terrifying thought filled her that her senses about Aethelfrith were wrong. If he failed her test, she might not have the strength to change her shape back and she would be stuck in the hideous body.

It has to be this way. It has always been this way.

Naked and limping through the trees, she emerged before the warriors who sat in a circle around the fire. All heads turned toward her.

“Who here will give warmth to a lost, cold old woman?” Her voice sounded like a raven’s harsh croak. She parted her lips in a smile, revealing blackened and chipped teeth.

Theodbald looked at her with disgust. “Old woman, you will find no warmth here. Be off with you,” he barked, waving her away.

“Wait.” Aethelfrith stood, peering at her. “Take this to cover yourself.” He took off his cloak and approached her, draping it across her naked shoulders.

She looked at him, hoping he would see through the guise. Her chest tightened in apprehension. “Would you warm an old woman’s frozen lips?”

He gazed at her as if looking right through her. Cailleach’s heart quickened. He pressed a kiss to her lips, awakening the magic.

Her body changed, the bent, swollen joints straightening, the sagging skin tightening into the shape of a young, beautiful woman.

“What is this?” He stared wide-eyed at her.

“King of the land of Bernicia, I am Sovereignty and your seed shall be sown over every kin,” she said, hardly able to keep from revealing herself to him.

He peered at her, recognition glimmering in his eyes. “Frige?”

She gave him an enigmatic smile and called on the magic to change her shape into a raven. The cloak landed in a heap on the ground at Aethelfrith’s feet. Her transformation used the last of her powers until she could rest and gain more strength. The raven stared up at him and let out a parting croak. Flapping wings carried Cailleach away into the moonlit night, her thoughts troubled. She should be happy that he had the heart of a king, but something didn’t feel right.

A blanket of mist sparkled and shimmered beneath the ghostly splash of moonlight over the river dividing Bernicia from Gododdin. The fog emitted an unearthly radiance, parting as if opening a doorway. She tried to turn to avoid entering the strange mist, realizing it was a trap, but the fog surrounded her. In her weakened state, Cailleach’s magic was nothing more than a harmless ember that faded into a cold ash. She experienced a sense of confusion, the cold, wet mist capturing her.

Cailleach struggled to escape the trap. She sensed that Badb had tricked her, luring her here with magic. Badb knew Cailleach was unable to resist the temptation to test the prince for kingship and would be too weak after working such strong magic to be able to escape the trap. The fog encircled Cailleach with a memory, one she wanted to close her mind against. She tried to fight the powerful, magical pull.

I cannot escape from my past.

****

'Ms. Heckart draws the reader into the pages and enchants them with her words.'

Karen McGill, Coffee Time Romance

 

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

My book page at Mundania Press: http://www.mundania.com/author.php?author=Kelley+Heckart

My author page on amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

 

Excerpt 2 from Winter’s Requiem, Historical/fantasy, PG

Available in Print and Ebook

http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html

Winter’s Requiem, Book 3, Dark Goddess Trilogy, Celtic historical/fantasy

Blurb:

Three different women, one ancient curse…

An ancient curse is revealed, leading Domelch, Brigit and Cailleach into certain danger amid a web of deceit. Can they break the curse and put the shattered pieces of their lives back together?

Excerpt:

Night and day melted into one. The weakening sun stirred her heart, its rays reaching lower in the sky, cleaving deep, twilight shadows. A mighty river cut a wide swath through a land of rolling hills, the heather bloom turned tender colors by autumn’s kiss, ringed by furrowed alder and pale birch. Cailleach pressed her cheek against the smooth bark of a birch, sensing the power stored within the ancient tree. The sounds of people chattering faded away, leaving her with a calming feeling.

“Do not wander too far off, my love. Enemy lands lie just across the river. It would fill me with dread if you were to be taken captive.” Aethelfrith’s strong arms enfolded her.

She rested her head against his shoulder. “I needed to be alone, away from all the constant chatter that muddles my thoughts.”

“I understand, but this gathering is very important to me,” he said, “and I am honored to have you at my side.” He pressed his cheek against her head.

“It is important to me as well.” He would be tested tomorrow night. Will I be tested as well? The warmth of his body caressed her, and the wonder of the grove awakened her senses. “This is a beautiful place. I understand why your priests chose it.” The river sparkled in the faint sunlight, capturing the beauty of the hills and woodlands reflected on its surface.

“Then come with me,” he said, gazing down at her. “The ritual will begin soon after sunset.”

“Already I smell the blood of the slaughtered beasts.” Her heart leaped in a hurried beat, excitement growing at the significance of the sacrifices—the power of the night of thinning barriers. But being in Brigit’s strange body and having her lost memories back left Cailleach with an odd feeling of reluctance.

He stepped away from her, holding out his hand. The prince had a captivating effect on her, his tender smile drawing her in. She accepted his hand and they walked together toward the grove.

The grove of oak, alder and birch shuddered with the force of hundreds of people, wrapped tight in cloaks, gathered outside the fenced off sacred area. A hush fell over the crowd as handfuls of oxen were brought forth amid a twinkling pathway of flaming torches. Without sufficient fodder to keep the beasts alive through winter, their great sacrifice would ensure the survival of the people over the harsh winter.

Cailleach had witnessed many such sacrifices. She shuddered, glancing up at Aethelfrith’s face. His gaze rested on the priests. He watched with interest as the long knives arced downward, spraying the beasts’ blood. She tried not to think of the one sacrifice she performed that ended in tragedy, wishing she could forget that horrible memory.

The priest’s voice echoed, dedicating the sacrifices to the fertility goddess, Frige. A chill touched her at the mention of the goddess. Aethelfrith gazed down at her. He squeezed her hand, a knowing smile on his lips. The strong touch of his warm male hand reassured her.

With whetted blades, the heads, being the anima of the beast, were removed from the carcasses and strung up in trees to appease the goddess. The ghastly ornaments bobbed from half-bare branches, illuminated by the rising moon. Slaves carted off the bodies to be prepared in the kitchens for a feast, the leftovers to be salted and eaten throughout the winter.

“There is one more rite to be witnessed.” Aethelfrith held her hand in a tight grip, his strong, bare jaw clenched.

Gleaming with the translucence of a moonbeam, a milk white horse pulling a chariot entered the grove. Silence fell like a veil over those gathered. Cailleach’s eyes widened with awe at the sight of such a splendid beast that she barely noticed the two occupants riding in the chariot. Both men wore flowing white robes embroidered in golden spirals, but one of them also wore a golden crown, identifying him as King Hussa.

The priest and the king observed each neigh and action of the horse before the expectant crowd. Cailleach knew this to be a divine beast, nourished in a sacred wood and employed in no earthly labor.

Ungild stepped from the shadows, her eyes brightening with surprise and approval. Cailleach sensed the presages divined from the horse’s actions had something to do with Aethelfrith.

The king addressed the gathering. His great stature and flowing blond locks gave him godlike qualities, the golden crown sparkling with an unearthly radiance on his brow. “The gods have spoken. The enemy will be routed under the force of our mighty armies. We have much to celebrate tonight.” His gaze rested in the direction where Aethelfrith stood.

Theodbald stood close to Aethelfrith, arms crossed and bearded jaw set in a grim line of intimidation, his stare aimed at King Hussa’s warriors. A handful of young, smooth-jawed warriors, mixed in with handfuls of seasoned warriors, flanked Aethelfrith in a protective arc behind their lord.

“Do you think King Hussa will allow us into his hall tonight?” Theodbald spoke low to his brother.

Cailleach sensed a change in the king, his stare warm and inviting instead of filled with malice. The white horse had divined in Aethefrith’s favor.

“I think he will do more than that, brother,” Aethelfrith grinned, squeezing Cailleach’s hand.

The crowd of warriors, craftsmen and farmers dissipated, drawn to the raging bonfire rising in the center of the clearing. Towering flames consumed the stack of wood, writhing and crackling with intensity. Servants brought forth flagons of mead and ale to the eager crowd and drinking horns glittered in the darkness. Music rang through the night on resonating strings entangled with sharp, airy flutes and chased by galloping drums, entertaining the crowd as they awaited the opening of the mead hall doors.

Aethelfrith pulled Cailleach into his arms, keeping to the shadows. “You have brought me good fortune.” He pressed a quick, tender kiss to her lips.

His kiss filled her with warmth. “I hope it is good fortune I have brought you,” she said, her thoughts mixed. The flames of the bonfire flicked out and stretched across the darkness, reminding her of ill-tempered spirits searching out the innocent to torment.

The mead hall doors swung open. Light and warmth spilled into the frigid night. A herald stepped out, pressing a horn to his lips. The harsh sound carried across the clearing, a welcome sound to the hungry guests.

Aethelfrith straightened his shoulders, his bearing one of confidence. He looked down at her, expressing regret. “I wish to have you at my side, but...”

The customs of these people irritated her. Even in Aethelfrith’s own hall, she could not sit at his side. “I understand. We will meet later.”

She fell back into the shadows, watching her golden prince with his band of warriors stop at the open doors. Two large door wardens looked them over, one of them grunting out a request. “King Hussa requests that you sit at an honored place at the table.”

“He does?” Aethelfrith flashed the door warden a smug grin. “Why, Hunwald, you seem almost disappointed that you cannot throw me out.”

Hunwald grunted and moved aside to allow Aethelfrith and his men entry into the hall. The dim, smoky hall swallowed her prince. Sighing, she debated whether to enter with the women. The thought of enduring an entire night in a packed hall with awful smells and endless noise turned her stomach.

“So, it displeases you how women are treated among the sons of Woden.”

Ungild’s voice was a welcome intrusion to her tonight. “It is not the way of my people,” Cailleach said. The words sent a prickle across the back of her neck, reminding her she did not belong here.

“To an outsider it may seem that women are mistreated. They are kept in the shadows, but the men welcome their council. Women are honored. Our way is just different,” Ungild said, glancing at the hall doors. “Sadly, I do not have the honors here that I enjoy in Aethelfrith’s hall. We can sit with the women or we can stay out in the night.”

“Staying out in the night is the more welcome choice, but I feel I must be inside.”

“Near Aethelfrith.” Ungild’s expression remained impassive, but her voice sounded discontented.

“That still displeases you.”

“I think you know you do not belong here.” Ungild proceeded into the hall.

A chill wind bit at her face and penetrated her wool tunic dress. Cailleach pulled her cloak tight and followed Ungild into the warm hall.

****

'Ms. Heckart draws the reader into the pages and enchants them with her words.'

Karen McGill, Coffee Time Romance

 

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

My book page at Mundania Press: http://www.mundania.com/author.php?author=Kelley+Heckart

My author page on amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Excerpt 1 from Beltaine’s Song, Historical/fantasy, PG

Samhain is a somber night for the main characters in the second book of my Dark Goddess trilogy because they are haunted by the vengeful goddess called Cailleach who wants to destroy them. My story is set in a time when Christianity began taking hold in parts of Scotland, but the pagan ways were till very much alive, especially among the farmers. In this Dark Age time period kings were likely to be Christian, but most were Christian in name only.

Available in Print and Ebook

http://kelleyheckart.com/BeltainesSong.html

Beltaine’s Song, Book 2, Dark Goddess Trilogy, Celtic historical/fantasy

Blurb: For each of them, spring's song has a different meaning.

Aedan and Domelch must battle earthly foes—enemy kings and traitorous allies. For the first time, the arrival of spring heralds the sound of a harsh battle horn as their foes close in. Through all this turmoil, can their love survive?

For their son, Gartnait, spring brings with it the promise of new love and the thrilling sound of the battle horn, putting those he cares about in danger.

Excerpt:

Wood smoke scented the air. Through the wide branched oak trees, nearly bare of leaves, the valley below glowed with bonfires, which would be snuffed out to symbolize the dying of the sun and relit in the spring when the sun was reborn. To some, this still symbolized the death and rebirth of the sun god. A blood red moon gazed down on the somber scene and a sense of relief washed through her. Cailleach's power lay in the waning moon and the full moon gave Domelch comfort.

A few brave souls gathered near the bonfires. The sorrowful notes of a flute stirred Domelch's heart. The somber notes echoed within the mist that crept from the darkest corners. Voices joined the flute, chanting in mournful tones, the words lost in the night. Mist swirled around the valley, hovering above the reaped fields and rising toward the pointed thatched roofs of the village homes. Next to the homes, the new Christian church, built outside the fortress to accommodate the growing village, lay in darkness. She imagined the monk, huddled in the back of the church where he lived, trembling beneath his blanket on this night when the veil grew thinnest between the earthly realm and the land of the dead. Sensing the sorrow of the night, she knew candles burned in each house to honor those family members who had died.

She tried to see Aedan's face in the moonlit night to judge his reaction to the scene below. “Does it bother you that they still celebrate pagan holidays?”

“Nae. As much as I want to believe the Christian doctrines, a part of me understands how important it is to honor the spirits of the land, of nature.” He pulled her closer to him.

A warm feeling washed over her. She knew he would never admit that to anyone else except her. The villagers continued chanting, snatches of their words floated up to them. Gone were the long ago large gatherings and rituals to honor this dark time of the year, marking the beginning of the new year, but parts of the rituals were kept alive by the few who still believed.

“I hope they do not draw her attention.” Domelch shivered despite the warmth of her cloak and Aedan's arms. She thought the back of her neck tingled where the cat's claw brand had once bound her as Cailleach's servant. Somewhere off in the shelter of trees away from prying eyes, people still gathered to honor the goddess of the land in her aspect of Destroyer, possibly offering human sacrifices to her to ensure that the cycles would continue unbroken.

“She will not come.”

“How do you know that?” The confidence in his voice surprised her.

“I cannot explain it. 'Tis a feeling I have.”

She remembered the secret she kept from Aedan, the one she promised Columcille she would never tell him—that he had fae blood, even worse, it was Cailleach's blood. What it meant, she had no idea, but he probably had some kind of connection to her through his blood.

The chanting chilled her heart, the sense of spirits running free hidden in the mists, nagged at her. Even if Cailleach's shadow did not hang over them every year at this time, this night still gave her a sense of fear. A large talon seemed to reach out of the darkest part of the earth and snatch the sun away, blighting the land with snow and death.

****

Kimberly
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

‘This story is a remarkable one on so many levels. The theme spoke to my soul and touched my heart. The warrior women made this story sing for me…I adored the way Ms. Heckart tangled religion and politics into a tale that held my interest to the very end.’

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

My book page at Mundania Press

http://www.mundania.com/author.php?author=Kelley+Heckart

My author page on amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

 

The Time of the Crone

I have always been fascinated with the changing seasons and this time of year is my favorite. Fall leads into winter, bringing longer days of darkness. I don’t know why, but this is the most inspiring time for me to write.

Fall and winter belong to the Crone, the darker aspect of the Goddess. There are three faces to the Goddess, mirroring the three phases of the moon. There is the Maiden (new moon), Mother (full moon) and Crone (old moon). The Crone has always been my favorite and she comes in many different disguises of Hecate, Badb, Cerridwen, Atropos and The Cailleach. She has many other names as well in different cultures, but she is always the one who has the power of prophecy, she is wise, she is the bringer of death, of change and of cleansing. She is associated with the winter months because those are the months when the earth rests and readies for spring. She is feared by most, but respected by all. The raven, crow and wolf are her animal guises.

Though she is a goddess of death, she is necessary to the fabric of life. Without death, we can have no life.

The Cailleach (veiled one) is the center of my trilogy titled Dark Goddess. I chose her because she is known in Ireland and Scotland, which corresponded with the settings of my story. She is one of the oldest goddesses who personifies the cutting winds and harshness of the northern winter. She is usually an old hag, but there are Irish myths that show her as a beautiful young maiden. In legends, she appears to the hero as a hideous old woman to test his heart for kingship. The one who kisses the old hag is rewarded—she changes into a beautiful maiden and bestows sovereignty on him.

There are many stories about her, but the one I focused on is the legend of The Cailleach and Brigit. The Cailleach ruled in the winter months and Brigit ruled in the summer months. The part that interested me about this legend is that they may have been two different faces of the same goddess. I decided to write a story using that theory and what may have caused that to happen.

In my trilogy, the Cailleach's destiny is entwined with that of an Irish clan and goes back to the battle between the Milesians and the Tuatha de Danaan of ancient Ireland. She makes an appearance in the first two books, but the third book of the trilogy (Winter's Requiem) belongs to the Cailleach.

Three different women, one ancient curse…

http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html

 

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

My book page at Mundania Press

http://www.mundania.com/author.php?author=Kelley+Heckart