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Astoran Asunder #2
Catalyst
A suspenseful romantic fantasy
Contains some mature content
Xaran Ridgeford is on the cusp of a discovery that could have cataclysmic repercussions for the realm. Concerned about how deeply beholden to the Trade Houses his House has become, he’s determined to go to extreme lengths to protect the secrecy of his research.
Unable to shake the conviction that there was more to her brother’s death than she was told, Aderyn Silverin left their mercenary company and has spent five years wandering aimlessly, trying to erase her past.
A chance meeting in the city leads Xaran to hire Aderyn to help him get his research into secure hands. But her help comes with a price: information about her brother’s mission for Xaran’s House, the mission that got him killed.
As Xaran and Aderyn work to untangle the web and reveal the truth, they start to realize that their only hope may rest in one another.
Contains some mature content
Xaran Ridgeford is on the cusp of a discovery that could have cataclysmic repercussions for the realm. Concerned about how deeply beholden to the Trade Houses his House has become, he’s determined to go to extreme lengths to protect the secrecy of his research.
Unable to shake the conviction that there was more to her brother’s death than she was told, Aderyn Silverin left their mercenary company and has spent five years wandering aimlessly, trying to erase her past.
A chance meeting in the city leads Xaran to hire Aderyn to help him get his research into secure hands. But her help comes with a price: information about her brother’s mission for Xaran’s House, the mission that got him killed.
As Xaran and Aderyn work to untangle the web and reveal the truth, they start to realize that their only hope may rest in one another.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2015
8 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Ciacchella
38 books160 followersNicole has never met a genre she doesn't like. She dabbles in everything from science fiction to contemporary rom-coms to fantasy fiction.
Nicole has previously published under the pen names Elizabeth Darcy and Anne Wentworth, but is no longer using those names.
Nicole has had a lifelong passion for the written word. As a child, one of her most treasured Christmas gifts was an electric typewriter, which enabled her to crank out her stories even more quickly than she could with a pen. Naturally, the personal computer is one of her favorite inventions. When she isn't writing, Nicole can usually be found curled up in a chair, whiling away the hours with a good book.
One of Nicole's other great passions is travel, and she has visited Europe, as well as traveling to many of the fifty states. Her favorite trips include visits to Paris, Maui, and various parts of Belgium. She feels fortunate that she is married to a native Belgian, as it gives her plenty of reasons to visit Europe as often as possible. Also, it gives her an excuse to eat Belgian waffles regularly.
Born and raised in Michigan, Nicole lives there still with her husband and two beautiful children. She thinks Michigan is the greatest state in the country, and Michigan State University is the greatest university in the world.
Nicole has previously published under the pen names Elizabeth Darcy and Anne Wentworth, but is no longer using those names.
Nicole has had a lifelong passion for the written word. As a child, one of her most treasured Christmas gifts was an electric typewriter, which enabled her to crank out her stories even more quickly than she could with a pen. Naturally, the personal computer is one of her favorite inventions. When she isn't writing, Nicole can usually be found curled up in a chair, whiling away the hours with a good book.
One of Nicole's other great passions is travel, and she has visited Europe, as well as traveling to many of the fifty states. Her favorite trips include visits to Paris, Maui, and various parts of Belgium. She feels fortunate that she is married to a native Belgian, as it gives her plenty of reasons to visit Europe as often as possible. Also, it gives her an excuse to eat Belgian waffles regularly.
Born and raised in Michigan, Nicole lives there still with her husband and two beautiful children. She thinks Michigan is the greatest state in the country, and Michigan State University is the greatest university in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 17, 2022
Xaran needs protection against his own house so hires Aderyn a Battle Master.
Xaran an alchemist finds he can’t trust his own house so hires a Battle Master named Aderyn to protect him while he works on his new formula. The formula is an explosive and he doesn’t want it to be in the hands of anyone who would use it against people. He just wants it to be used to build. Aderyn needs a job in the area so she can find who killed her brother. They both find they afraid of the same people and combine their efforts.
Xaran an alchemist finds he can’t trust his own house so hires a Battle Master named Aderyn to protect him while he works on his new formula. The formula is an explosive and he doesn’t want it to be in the hands of anyone who would use it against people. He just wants it to be used to build. Aderyn needs a job in the area so she can find who killed her brother. They both find they afraid of the same people and combine their efforts.
April 30, 2021
See book one for my series review. .
March 25, 2016
What an incredible sequel. I love that this series focuses on a different set of main characters each time. Aderyn and Xaran are a great match for one another and I love the passion they share. As Aderyn is searching for answers about her brother's death, Xaran is the one person who seems to be able to help her. Xaran agrees to find answers for her if she agrees to help him, and together they must learn to trust one another. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story takes us next.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews