Long before the half-faerie Melia was born in the mortal world, the god Vulcan married Isolt of the Waters. When she betrayed him, the seeds of a great war were planted in the Void.
In Idonne, a young scholar studies Isolt’s story, along with tales of dwarf magic and the birth of a malevolent entity in the Void, Umbra. The stories awaken his dream of a life filled with adventure and heroism.
The Daughter of Light trilogy... Coming of Age and Coming into Power
As a half-faerie, Melia is an outcast in the enchanted world where she lives with her two sisters and full-blood faerie mother. Their father has been exiled to the mortal world for breaking his faerie troth. He's determined to return to the Realm of Faerie by harnessing the power of Umbra--an accumulation of psychic ash which dwells in the Void.
Melia becomes entangled in her father's obsession by way of their telepathic connection. Uncertain about her own nature--is she evil or has she been tainted by her father's contact with Umbra?--the half-faerie seeks aid from the Illustrator. The mysterious woman marks Melia's forehead with a strange emblem meant to draw the help of a green-eyed stranger from distant lands.
Before the young priest--an authority on Umbra--arrives, a tragic accident destroys what's left of the half-faerie's fractured family. Melia's mother is unforgiving. The punishment she metes out will leave her middle daughter torn between guilt and ecstasy, challenge the bonds between three sisters, and complicate Melia's relationship with the young priest.
In Half Faerie, the first exciting installment in The Daughter of Light trilogy, an intriguing world backdrops Heidi Garrett's fantastical tale of mythical creatures and heart-breaking family relationships.
NOTE: Published for the first time in 2012, Nandana's Mark and The Flower of Isbelline have been revised and combined into this single edition with new material added.
In Illialei, a light queen practices black magic.
In Tyrannis, the dragonwitch rises to power.
In the mortal world, Umbra pursues the half-bloods as vessels of incarnation.
Energies in the enchanted world are shifting and new alliances are forming; the battle between Dark and Light has begun. Melia is desperate to make things right with Ryder, the young priest from Idonne, but first she must warn the half-bloods in the mortal world that Umbra is coming for them—and face the powerful dragonwitch and her spectacular Dragon Carnivale.
Melia soared over the enchanted gardens toward the tree house. She sought one of the oak’s lower branches and landed with moments to spare.
Tatou’s arms draped her neck, the limp weight of her small body and legs pressed against Melia’s back. Pixies were known to be deep sleepers, but it still amazed Melia that her best friend could fall asleep in flight. She would wake her in a minute. Right now, Melia wanted to rest in the deep hush that only came when the last edge of night slipped away.
A loud thud followed by the sharp rap of quick steps shattered the peace and quiet.
Melia blinked. The branch she perched on shot past the stairway that spiraled the oak’s trunk. Her eyes followed the wooden steps down to the ground. They were empty. The noisy intruder was inside.
Tatou murmured.
Below, a person Melia had never seen threw open the tree house’s front door. His gold hair, light eyes, trimmed beard, and lean build—not to mention his deep brown uniform—screamed Huron knight. Tiny scabs covered the side of his face and neck.
Maybe if she remained still, he wouldn’t raise his head and spot them through the thick veil of leaves.
He paused in the doorframe to adjust his coat. Melia smelled sweat and leather. The grey half-moons beneath his eyes made her think he’d been up all night.
Melia slowly craned her head to search the nearest row of trees. Could she reach the tall eucalyptus before the twitches began? She rustled her wings to alert Tatou.
“What?” her friend mumbled.
“Fly to the enchanted gardens.” Melia’s body vibrated. “Now!” She chirped the warning in the tongue of eagles just before her back, arms, and legs extended. Ripples in her flesh absorbed the feathers of her wings. The feathers on her back coalesced and smoothed into the same blue dress she’d worn to her sister’s wedding. She squeezed tree bark with her fingers, not talons.
The physical upheaval knocked Tatou from where she lay. Melia’s heart roared into her throat as her friend plummeted.
Heidi Garrett is the author of the author of the Daughter of Light series, a fantasy about a young half-faerie, half-mortal searching for her place in the Whole. She's also the contemporary fairy tale novella collection, Once Upon a Time Today. In these stand-alone retellings of popular and obscure fairy tales, adult characters navigate the deep woods of the modern landscape to find their Happily Ever Afters.
Heidi also collaborates with B. J. Limpin. They've cooked up a yummy paranormal romance, Cupcakes & Kisses!
Heidi was born in Texas, and in an attempt to reside in as many cities in that state as she could, made it to Houston, Lubbock, Austin, and El Paso. She now lives in Eastern Washington state with her husband, their two cats, her laptop, and her Kindle. Being from the South, she often contemplates the magic of snow.
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