UFI welcomes Jill Archer Author of The Noon Onyx Series. Thanks for Joining us!!
Excerpt Dark Light of Day:
“I’ve been watching you, wondering, waiting to see where you’d end up. After
all, there are other demon law schools,” Seknecus said, making a moue of
distaste that made it clear exactly what he thought of them. “But I was happy to
see that you chose St. Lucifer’s.”
Technically my mother chose St. Lucifer’s . . . But there seemed no
reason to interrupt to clarify that bit of misinformation. Seknecus wandered
around the room, picking through papers, flipping open and quickly shutting the
front covers of various leather-bound books, never meeting my eye. I had no
doubt, however, that his attention was fully focused on me.
“So, you see, seeing your name on my list wasn’t exactly a surprise, although
it appeared much later than I would have liked.”
He did look at me then, with a frown of disapproval. I did my best to look
expressionless because none seemed appropriate. It wouldn’t do to look amused,
bored or, Luck forbid, rebellious. Seknecus stared at me with narrowed eyes and
then went back to wandering.
“You’ve got some catching up to do,” he said, addressing a copy of Sin
and Sanction: Codification & Case Law. “It doesn’t matter why or what
excuses you’ve got for yourself. You will be held to the same standards as
everyone else, regardless of whose daughter you are. And you’ve missed a lot of
class already.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off with a wave.
“Manipulation class,” he clarified. “You’re going to have to work ten times
as hard as everyone else just to pass. Quintus Rochester doesn’t go easy on
students and he’s likely to see your absence during the early part of the
semester as a challenge. You know, failing is not an option. Not if you want to
live . . .”
Fiery Edge of Steel Excerpt
“You are familiar with Empyr wine, Ms. Onyx?” Rochester asked.
I nodded warily.
Angels were obsessed with apples. They took their love of this fruit very
seriously, worshipping it as a symbol of the lost world they once ruled. A
common motif in Angel art was the fallen apple that never rotted. Empyr wines
were apple wines that were “enhanced” by some of the best Angel sommeliers in
Halja. The enhancements were spells. Each batch had its own name, flavor,
coloring, and associated spell. They were served upstairs in the Angels’
infamous restaurant on this building’s thirty-third floor.
I’d had Empyr wine exactly two times in my life. Each time it had produced
life-altering effects, although in an indirect manner and not of the kind I
could have guessed.
Friedrich turned back toward me and offered me the cup. Inside, the liquid
was pink and fizzy and flecked with gold. I reached for the cup and there was a
brief moment when I wasn’t sure Friedrich would let go. Was the spell tied
to his touch? I yanked harder and the wine nearly spilled out of the cup as
it broke free from his grasp. Rochester’s signature nudged mine, like a parent
pinching an errant child. I glanced back at Ari, who gave me a tight smile.
I tipped the cup to my lips and drank. Immediately, a bitter, chalky taste
filled my mouth. I hid my grimace, finished, and handed the cup back to
Friedrich.
“This batch is called ‘Fortuna’s Favorites,’” Friedrich said. “Think you’re
one of them?”
Time will tell, I thought, but said instead, “Fortes
fortuna adiuvat.” Fortune favors the bold. Another of Dorio’s sayings.
Maybe Fitz had the right idea.
Friedrich grunted. Ari grinned.
Rochester held off magically pinching me again. Instead, he handed me a white
linen napkin.
“A gift from this batch’s sommelier,” he said. “Some words of wisdom
regarding this semester’s assignment.”
I choked back a laugh. From tea leaves to wine tannins, where Angels fear
not to tread . . . I accepted the napkin and wiped my mouth gently. I’d
been generous in this morning’s application of Daredevil Red lip paint. Who knew
what my fortune might be if I added too much of that to the mix? But the laugh
died in my throat as I looked down at my napkin. Slowly, a stain of words
appeared:
When traveling into the unknown, sometimes the biggest danger is
the one you bring with you . . .
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Jill Archer writes dark, genre-bending fantasy from rural Maryland. Her novels include Dark Light of Day, Fiery Edge of Steel, and White Heart of Justice. She loves cats, coffee, books, movies, day tripping, and outdoor adventuring.
Dark Light of DayNoon Onyx #1
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Armageddon is over. The demons won. And yet somehow…the world has continued. Survivors worship patron demons under a draconian system of tributes and rules. These laws keep the demons from warring among themselves, and the world from slipping back into chaos.
Noon Onyx grew up on the banks of the river Lethe, the daughter of a prominent politician, and a descendant of Lucifer’s warlords. Noon has a secret: She was born with waning magic, the dark, destructive, fiery power that is used to control demons and maintain the delicate peace among them. But a woman with waning magic is unheard of, and some would consider her an abomination.
Noon is summoned to attend St. Lucifer’s, a school of demon law. She must decide whether to declare her powers there…or to attempt to continue hiding them, knowing the price for doing so may be death. And once she meets the forbiddingly powerful Ari Carmine—who suspects Noon is harboring magic as deadly as his own—Noon realizes there may be more at stake than just her life.
Fiery Edge of Steel Noon Onyx #2
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Lucifer and his army triumphed at Armageddon, leaving humans and demons living in uncertain peace based on sacrifice and strict laws. It is up to those with mixed demon and human blood, the Host, to prevent society from falling into anarchy.
Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, paired with a lack of control and reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider from her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.
When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task which will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined…
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Anyone who tweets one of these will be entered to win ANY fantasy book of
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address) (up to $10.00). Contest ends on June 3, 2014. One tweet/entry per
person.
“Lucem in tenebras ferimus. Into the darkness, we bring light.”
@archer_jill #DARKLIGHTOFDAY
“When traveling into the unknown, sometimes the biggest danger is the
one you bring with you…” @archer_jill #FIERYEDGEOFSTEEL
“One out of every two hunters who follow the Old Trail will not
return.” @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE
Finally! I’m looking forward to seeing Noon embrace her fiery magic.
@archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE
Ari Carmine is smokin’ hot. I wanna see if Noon can forgive him for that
nasty surprise at the end of B2. @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE
I heard a rumor that Rafe Sinclair makes a wish and I wanna know if it’s
granted. @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE
Nocturo. Tall dark handsome. Heard his scalpel’s put to good use. Is he gonna
threaten Brunus w it again? @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE
I love the characters, but I’m really just in it for the monsters and magic.
Bring on the ice demons! @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE
Armageddon is over. The demons won. But it’s not as dark as all that. Parts
of it are romantic and sweet. @archer_jill #NOONONYXSERIES
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