I am
thrilled to be hosting a spot on the KINGDOM OF BLOOD & SALT by Alexis
Calder Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar
Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Alexis Calder
Pub. Date: March 30, 2023
Publisher: Illaria Publishing
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 328
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/KINGDOM-OF-BLOOD-SALT
An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Raven Kennedy, and Sarah J Maas.
After spending years training to
defend my people from our enemies, I never expected that my enemy would be the
one keeping me alive.
Athos is the last human city. A treaty with the Fae keeps the fae, the vampires, and the wolf shifters at bay, while we fight against the dragons at our border. Being a human in this world is dangerous and we all make sacrifices to survive.
When the delegation sent by the Fae King arrives to claim the human tributes required by our treaty, I never expected to forge a connection with their leader.
Ryvin is as dangerous as he is handsome. I know he’s my enemy, and I know I’m supposed to hate him, but with each passing day, he’s more difficult to resist.
But things are changing in Athos. Humans no longer want to bend to the Fae King.
Alliances blur and centuries of lies begin to unravel.
And I’m faced with a choice.
No matter how much I hate him, Ryvin might be the key to preventing war.
But it may mean sacrificing everything….
Kingdom of Blood and Salt is the
first book in a fantasy romance trilogy with fae, vampires, and shifters. This
enemies to lovers series contains violence, mature language, and spice. This is
a NA/adult fantasy romance and steam level will increase as the series
progresses. Mind the cliff.
Excerpt from Kingdom of Blood and Salt by
Alexis Calder
The delegates settled around the table, and my sisters
took their places between them. Morta was seated at the far end, near my
father. The queen was at the other end, facing him. As soon as everyone was
seated, I took a seat next to a delegate, as far away as I could from the
strange woman. There were a few empty chairs next to me, giving me a buffer
between me and the queen.
At least I’d only have to make small talk with one of
the delegates, and I could avoid being too close to Ophelia. Istvan took a seat
near the queen, leaving one empty chair between us. I was grateful he’d chosen
to be closer to her than me.
Servants brought out drinks, then followed with
platters of fish and lamb, bowls of rice and vegetables, and gorgeous towers of
figs dripping with honey. My stomach growled at the sight, and I breathed in
the mingling scents.
“Your kingdom is lovely,” the man sitting next to me
said.
I looked over at him, doing my best to force a smile.
“Thank you.”
The man smiled widely, and I caught sight of two
gleaming white fangs. “Not so different from my home.”
Swallowing down the initial burst of fear, I forced my
gaze to his eyes. They were watery blue. A faded, unimpressive color. After
everything I’d been told about these creatures, I expected something more. They
were said to be beautiful, experts at seduction. But this man wasn’t any prize.
There were plenty of guards in our armies who were more handsome.
“You don’t seem to be afraid of me,” he said.
“Should I be?” I asked.
“Most humans are,” he said.
“And you enjoy being feared?” I asked.
He smirked. “Fear is power, princess.”
“Respect is power,” I countered.
“You are young, but you’ll learn,” he said.
“Orion, are you trying to scare our new friend?” A
familiar deep voice cut in.
I tensed, knowing my good luck was up. I looked to my
right just as the ambassador pulled out the chair and sat next to me.
“I thought perhaps you’d fallen into the sea,” I said.
“Alas, I’m an excellent swimmer. I was… occupied,” he
said, his eyes darting toward one of the servants in the corner. She caught his
eye, then giggled, her face flushing deep crimson.
My stomach tightened in what felt an awful lot like
jealousy. Gritting my teeth, I sent the thought away. First Lady Marlette at
the party and now servants? With any luck, he’d be too busy finding women to
seduce to have any need for me.
A grim thought struck me. Perhaps this was how he
chose tributes. Or maybe he promised his lovers a reprieve. “Already making
notes for your selection?”
“That wasn’t my intention,” he said. “I was simply
getting to know your household.”
“With a servant, Ryvin?” Orion wrinkled his nose.
“None of the princesses were available,” Ryvin said
with a shrug.
“Nor will they be,” I bit out. “You will not touch me
or any of my sisters. That applies to all of you.” I glanced at each man next
to me, before turning back to Ryvin. I knew he was the highest ranking out of
their delegation. “You understand me?”
A hand gripped my thigh and squeezed. “I like your
fire,” Orion whispered in my ear.
Before I could push him away, Ryvin was out of his
seat, his chair clattering to the ground. He yanked Orion from his seat. In a
blur of black fabric, Orion was on the ground and Ryvin’s knee was on the man’s
chest. The ambassador held a dagger to the other man’s throat. “She gave you an
order.”
Gasps and the screeching of chairs over the stone
floor surrounded us, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the men on the
ground.
“You take the side of a woman over me?” Orion hissed.
“We are their guests,” Ryvin said. “If you touch her
again, I will remove your head myself.”
My heart thundered in my chest, and I had to clamp my
thighs together to tamp down the rising need. I’d grown up around the fiercest
warriors in our kingdom, but never once had any of them defended me.
Apparently, it was a major turn on.
Blowing out a breath, I gave myself a moment to enjoy
the thrill of seeing a man stand up for me before reminding myself of who he
was. He was still a monster. Just because he stood up to another monster didn’t
change anything.
“Is everything alright, ambassador?” My father asked.
Ryvin removed his knee, then tucked his dagger into
his boot. He stood, then smoothed out his tunic. “I apologize, your highness.
We aren’t used to human protocols. Sometimes, I forget myself and a little bit
of the beast within breaks free.” He glanced at me before he turned back to my
father. “Please, forgive me.”
A lump rose in my throat. His words were a reminder of
what simmered below that handsome exterior. I’d wondered if he was human, and
it seemed he was giving me a hint. Or a warning.
“I apologize for my forwardness, your highness,” Orion
said softly. He was standing next to me, eyes downcast.
Everyone in the room was staring at me, waiting for me
to react. I licked my lips reflexively.
“If you’d like me to further punish him, I’m happy to
oblige,” Ryvin said so quietly I was certain I was the only one who heard him.
“That’s not necessary.” I had a feeling if I said the
words, Orion’s head would be torn from his body. I glanced at the man standing
to my left. “A misunderstanding”
Orion bowed. “It won’t happen again; I can assure
you.”
“Well, if that’s settled,” the queen said. “Shall we
get back to our meal?”
Orion settled into his seat, and after a few tense
moments of silence, the table erupted into general chatter.
Sophia caught my eye, then silently mouthed the words,
are you okay? I nodded, then made
myself eat, keeping my attention on my food.
“I will keep my men in line,” Ryvin said.
“Can you send your men home?” I countered.
“As soon as our job here is done,” he said.
“You mean after you kidnap humans so you can take them
to their deaths?” I hadn’t meant to say it, but the words tumbled out.
“I can assure you; all the tributes are well cared for
and live a far more luxurious life than they’d have here,” he said.
“If you say so,” I mumbled.
“I can offer my personal…”
I stood, not waiting for him to finish. The table
quieted and Ophelia glared at me. I ignored her, turning my attention to my
father. “I’m afraid the excitement has made me tired. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll
take my leave.”
“Of course, darling,” my father said.
Ryvin stood. “Please, allow me to escort you safely to
your room.”
“Oh, that is not necessary,” I said.
“I insist,” he smiled, flashing straight white teeth.
No sign of fangs.
My brow furrowed slightly. What exactly was he if not
a vampire? He couldn’t possibly be human, could he?
It didn’t matter what he was. He was a threat.
“That’s very kind, ambassador,” my father said. “Of
course, Ara is happy to accept.”
“Shouldn’t I have a chaperone?” I asked, flashing my
most demure smile.
Ophelia laughed. No, not laughed. Cackled. “I think
that ship has sailed, Ara.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and threw her my nastiest
glare.
“I promise, I won’t bite,” Ryvin said.
Ophelia stopped laughing. The whole room went so
silent I swore I could hear the waves crashing against the cliffs in the
distance. If I wasn’t so tense, I might have appreciated the way the color
drained from Ophelia’s face.
“Shall we, princess?” Ryvin offered his elbow, and as
if driven by something outside myself, I complied, sliding my arm into his. I
could feel the eyes of everyone at dinner on us as we exited the dining room.
About Alexis:
Alexis Calder writes sassy heroines
and sexy heroes with a sprinkle of sarcasm. She lives in the Rockies and drinks
far too much coffee and just the right amount of wine.
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Giveaway Details:
1 Winner will receive a $10 Amazon
GC, International.
Ends April 18th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
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4/3/2023 |
IG Post |
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4/3/2023 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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4/4/2023 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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4/4/2023 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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4/5/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/5/2023 |
Excerpt |
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4/6/2023 |
IG Review |
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4/6/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/7/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/7/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/10/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/10/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/11/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/11/2023 |
TikTok Review/IG Post |
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4/12/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/12/2023 |
IG Review/LFL Drop Pic |
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4/13/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/13/2023 |
Review |
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4/14/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/14/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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