Author: Nyna Queen
Title: By A Thread
Published On: May 1 2019
Series: Trueborn Heirs Series #1
Publisher: Levire
Pages: 470
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Format: Print

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SYNOPSIS

“I’m a spider, sugar. My shaper kind doesn’t bear that name for nothing.”

That's not something Alexis Harper dares to say very often. If she did, it might just get her killed. Not that she is an easy mark, but even fools get lucky once in a while.

In a world where the magically gifted trueborn rule and the magicless halfborn slog away in the slums, half-blood mongrels like Alex are outcasts—feared and shunned. For most of her life, she has lurked in the shadows, trying to keep her true nature a secret. But the secrecy ends abruptly when she saves two trueborn aristo children from a group of hired killers. Accused of a crime she didn't commit, Alex suddenly finds herself running from powerful enemies, with no one around to trust.
Or what about the mysterious stranger who has been following her? He is one of Death’s Servants, born and bred to kill at the country’s command. Not the most preferable ally, but then, her choices are limited. Soon she has to decide whether she can trust him or not—it’s a gamble she might not survive either way. And before Alex knows what is happening, her life is hanging by a silken thread…

“You’re not one of those guys, are you?”

“And what kind of guy would that be?” Darken asked.

Alex flipped back a strand of blond hair. “One of those macho-imbeciles who think that women belong behind the stove and not behind the steering wheel.”

Darken gave her a puzzled look that was almost convincing.

“I beg your pardon,” he said stiffly. “I didn’t mean to imply that there was anything wrong with your driving skills.”

Of course not. “What did you mean to imply, if I may ask?”

He sighed, impatiently. “If I recall it correctly, I just told you about the possible physical repercussions of my magic. At the moment you’re experiencing dizziness, perhaps even blurred vision. Your mouth feels dry and your skin raw. Your pupils are dilated.” He bent forward, peering into her face and she involuntarily took a step backward. Damn!

Max and Josy appeared around the car, notably dallying while getting into the car to be able to listen in.

“And your point is?”

Darken waved an irritated hand. “Haven’t you been listening at all? It’s going to get worse, a lot worse. What you are experiencing right now are just the first ripples. Especially the first time when someone is touched by a forfeit’s magic the effects are particularly dire. You’ll likely feel like you’re having a bad case of the chills, perhaps even suffer from shivering attacks and other … certain … physical symptoms.” His voice gained a slightly clipped edge at those last words, but she was too mad to pay it any attention.

Oh, so now he was getting all indignant because she wasn’t falling to pieces at his touch. Poor little woman wasn’t able to handle the touch of the big threatening predator. Males! He’d probably expected her to suffer some kind of nervous breakdown or something, getting all teary and whiny and swooning on his arm, begging him for smelling salts. Perhaps that was what most people did in her current circumstances. Well, she wouldn’t do him that favor, oh no! She’d suffered physical backlash of magic before and while it wasn’t a pleasant experience, a shapers’ body usually coped much better with it than other humans.

It was true, she did feel a bit shaky on her legs and there was a faint tingling sensation on her skin, but there was just no way she would grant him the triumph of backing down now. She’d have to grit her teeth and tough it out.

“Thanks a lot,” she said pointedly, “but I think I can manage.”

She yanked the door open—forcing him to quickly pull away his hand if he didn’t want his fingers to get squashed—and paused to look at him over the door casing. “Don’t worry, its a few hours’ drive to Gomorrah. You’ll come to your right.”

Before he could argue, she pushed past him, slipped into the driver’s seat and pulled the door shut behind her.

Well, chew on that, Mr. Smug.