The Pale Sorceress

Damien sacrificed himself to save his ice-bound city from pirates and sorcery. Now he must endure captivity and learn the sorcery he lacks in order to win free and get back to his wife, his unborn child, his friends... and his Realm that is still facing an unknown threat.********** Back Blurb: King Damien sacrificed himself to save his ice-bound city from pirates and sorcery. Now he is captive to the ungentle whims of the evil sorceress, Azella the Unpitying.Her magickal ability exceeds his own. Damien's only hope to win free and go home to his soul-bonded Queen and unborn child - and his still-threatened Realm to which he is also Bound - is to persuade Azella to teach him what she knows.Azella is willing to teach him... for a price.The question is whether Damien can give her what she wants - without following her down the path of Evil Wizardry... Like his grandfather before him...This epic fantasy explores the complex interactions of Magick and Philosophy, Means and Ends, and... CHESS...Want to start at the beginning? Book One of the Chronicles of Ilseador: The Rebel Duchess is available in print and eBook at all fine online retailers!******** Teaser: "You'll do." A smile that Damien was all too familiar with curled Azella's lips. "You'll more than do, in fact. My sources hadn't told me how handsome you are. I shall quite enjoy this, I think."Damien tried not to roll his eyes."This beard..." She stroked his chin. "I assume you usually keep it a bit more trim. I usually prefer my bedmates to be cleanshaven. But then, they are usually too young to grow a proper beard. Perhaps I shall make an exception.""Perhaps you are making an assumption, lady sorceress," Damien said dryly."No," she said calmly. "You are no innocent child, Damien. You know full well the Power that is raised through sex. You will be my Apprentice. You will share my bed. And you will do whatever else I require of you."He looked back at Azella just as calmly. "I have sworn to my wife that I would touch no other woman in that way. And since I also know that the Power raised is proportional to the joy found in the doing, it won't do you much good to compel me."Those blue-grey eyes sparkled. It wasn't - quite - anger. Nor amusement. It was... challenge. Damien suspected that the sorceress rarely found something she wanted that she could not immediately bend to her will.He suspected that was why she had wanted him in the first place."Oh, I won't have to force you to make love to me, Damien. You'll soon be begging to do so."