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- Herausgeber: Lindsay McCafferty
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Sprache: Englisch
There are battles worth fighting, no matter how arduous and hopeless they may seem.
Princess Aria has come a long way since surviving a near-death encounter with a wierlling and averting invaders in Torrannon, but the fight against mental illness can sometimes be one step forward, two steps back. As she struggles to overcome the health anxiety, her beloved horse, Storm, becomes lost in the wilderness.
Aria will once again have to find the strength to face more challenges and figure out new ways to get more control over her mind. She must also deal with the mysteries of why a strange man who she met on the road has a troublesome connection to her mother, Amelia, and why two panthers are too close for comfort.
This is the third book in the Sparks Shall Rise epic fantasy series. A tale about finding hope to keep fighting, even if the path ahead is stormy. Contains content dealing with suicide (off-screen), anxiety, and health anxiety.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
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Content Warning
Content dealing with suicide (off-screen/referenced), anxiety, and health anxiety.
Sparks Shall Rise: A Stormy Path
© 2024 Lindsay McCafferty
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form, including for AI training, without written permission from the publisher and/or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
To be used by AI companies, this book must be acquired legally. Downloading the book from a pirate site and using it to train an AI model does not count as fair use.
This work of fiction is not a substitute for real advice from licensed physicians, therapists, or mental health professionals. Any portrayal of medical practices or therapy is fictitious and not to be interpreted as accurate.
The story, names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are from the author’s imagination and are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, and events is intended or should be inferred.
First Edition (2024)
Cover, Map & Title Page designed by MiblArt
Interior format made using Atticus
ISBN-13 (eBook): 979-8-9854011-5-8
authorlindsaymccafferty.com
Table of Contents
Preface
Thefirstbookflowed. Figuring out the storyline of the second book was difficult, but I got it together eventually. For the third, I wasn’t sure if I would have a story when I outlined it. Once I had that down, writing the book was like coming home.
I already knew the world and the characters, which made the process easier. The book ended up being more robust than I originally believed it could be. I was excited about the story. This is an important chapter in Aria’s life. Also, other characters and the overarching storyline are further developed.
It is also a passion project for me. I love horses and grew up watching horse movies, but most of the storylines disappointed me. So, this is me writing my own horse story. There is also plenty of other content to keep it grounded in fantasy and relevant to the series.
It has been a goal for many years to write and publish a fantasy series. The feeling of actually doing it and being able to hold my books with my name on them is amazing.
Thank you MiblArt for creating another fantastic cover, updating the map, and designing a title page.
Pronunciation Guide
Jayce – Jayse
Landaro – Lan-dar-oh
Lythannen – Lih-than-nen
Munetus – Mune-tus
Roechellar – Roh-shel-lar
Torrannon – Tor-ran-non
Tyringild – Ty-rin-gild
Vihnter – Vin-ter
Wierlling – Weir-ling
Prologue
Carmenslippedoffher boots and socks so she could feel the sand against her feet. The sun was warm on her skin, which had tanned after thirty-six years of living next to the beach and thus spending a copious amount of time there. The scene before her was a welcome sight after so long traveling over the Vihnter Ocean.
She was home now, in the village of Caraway Point in Algasnic. Several months ago, a healer named Aidan had come to her with a proposition.
Carmen sat at her herb preparation table, mixing a healing salve with a mortar and pestle. She pushed back a strand of brown, curly hair that had worked itself loose from her bun and the green bandana tied around her head. One window was open, and a seagull took off with a cry. Salty air mingled with the smell of herbs. Because she was working, Carmen wore a sleeveless gray tunic over a green dress.
The house was made of wood and stone. Downstairs was reserved for working with patients and upstairs was for herself. It was easier to have both spaces in the same house, especially when caring for people who were grievously ill or injured. The concepts of home and work were intermingled and a way of life for her. She had gotten used to rarely having the house to herself.
Speaking of patients, Carmen pushed the pestle down harder when she thought about Richard. His funeral had been yesterday evening. She’d tried for months to help him with depression, but it hadn’t been enough. Richard’s family had still offered her their thanks, even though she wished she could have done more to spare them from this pain. Carmen stopped before she turned her mixture into nothing more than dust and held back a sob. She had cried enough yesterday.
Richard had been such a sweet man, always seeing the best in people. But he lost his wife two years ago, and his farm fell on hard times. Because of those incidents, despair grew in him that he couldn’t overcome. He then became ill often, which brought him to Carmen. She recognized the symptoms of depression by his third visit. She was glad she hadn’t been the one to find him after he took his own life. The best Carmen could hope for Richard was that he had found peace.
Thankfully, today had been quiet, and no patients were staying in the house. Her mind wasn’t in the right place to focus on treating anything more than a minor cut. She had sent her assistant, Maggie, home early. That way, Carmen could grieve alone in peace.
She loved being a healer, but sometimes she let it affect her too much when she lost patients who could have been saved, especially ones like Richard. There had to be more she could have done to help him. She had even reached out to other healers for ideas, but they had little advice to give that she didn’t already know. Could she stand another loss like that? Was this job still worth doing if she had to watch another person wither away because she couldn’t help them?
The bell on the door rang, and a man entered. Carmen pushed her grief down and prepared to focus on her job, even though her mind had no desire to. She stood and assessed if the man was sick or injured. He looked well. No blood. No awkward movements. His boots and clothes looked well worn. The man wore a dark green tunic, black coat, and black pants. He had brown eyes and long, black locs that were tied back in a ponytail. He looked about her age.
The man gave her a friendly smile, which she returned.
“Hello, I’m Carmen,” she greeted. “How can I help you?”
“My name is Aidan.” He shook her hand. “I’ve heard you’re a talented healer.”
“Well, thank you. I do the best work that I can for my village.”
“I also know that you have an interest in helping people with mental illnesses.”
That caught her off guard. Besides other healers, she had only discussed that interest with a few people. “Where did you hear about that?”
“Jina. She also told me in her letters and a little while ago that her anxiety wouldn’t be under control without your help.”
“So you’re her brother. Come sit down. Would you like something to drink?”
Aidan shook his head as he sat at the small dining table in the middle of the room. “I’m okay.”
Carmen sat across from him. Jina was one of her few success stories. She had been helping Aidan’s sister for a few months with anxiety. Between talking to her, teaching her deep breathing exercises, and giving her different herbal teas, Jina was better. They were now close friends.
Jina had even tried to help Richard. She came to his funeral, partly as emotional support for Carmen. She was also the best baker in the village. Jina had delivered a basket of pastries this morning for Carmen and Maggie. She had often spoken in high regard about her brother, who was a traveling healer and lived in another kingdom over the ocean.
“It’s nice to meet you, Aidan. And I’m glad I’ve been able to help your sister.”
Aidan gave her a sympathetic look. “Jina also told me about Richard. I know it’s difficult to lose patients, especially in that manner.”
Another pang of sorrow hit her, but it was nice to speak with someone who understood her situation. “As I’m sure you know, there’s no comprehensive guide for how to treat mental illnesses. Deep breathing, herbs, trying to help them function as normally as possible. It’s guesswork most of the time and not always successful. There must be more that we can do.”
Aidan leaned forward. “And it’s because of that reason that I’m here. I have a proposition for you.”
That’s how her travels began. After finding out about Jina’s battle with anxiety, Aidan had spoken to healers in other kingdoms over the ocean. He found a few who studied mental illnesses. They taught him different ideas and methods, and he invited Carmen to sail back with him so she could also learn from them.
Leaving Maggie to take care of things while she was gone, Carmen traveled with Aidan over the Vihnter Ocean, which had been nerve-wracking.
“The weather is pleasant, and the waves are calm, Carmen. I don’t think the ship is going to sink any time soon,” Aidan had attempted to reassure her as she hid inside, trying to keep herself from having a panic attack.
Carmen enjoyed living by the ocean and knew how to swim, but she preferred to stay on solid ground and never waded too far from shore. “Tell that to the giant hammerhead that circled the ship this morning. I swear it was waiting for someone to go overboard. I prefer to see them on Algasnic’s standard. A drawing on light blue cloth can’t hurt you.”
Aidan chuckled. “The shark wasn’t even that big. I’m sure it was just curious.”
But Carmen’s anxiety was spiking, and she barely heard him. “And what about stories about sea monsters, krakens, leviathans, sirens? Tyringild uses a likeness of the sea serpent, Munetus, as a motif on their standard. That creature causes terrible storms and attacks ships just because he feels like it.”
Aidan put his hands on her shoulders. “Carmen, we have many magical creatures in this world, but I’ve been sailing for years and have seen none of those. And I’m pretty sure Munetus is a myth. Try meditation or mindfulness like I taught you. Get your mind off any dangers of traveling on a ship, all right?”
Carmen got a lot of practice with mindfulness and meditation any time they were on a ship, especially while sailing through a couple of storms. Otherwise, she had seen amazing sights, met wonderful and knowledgeable people, and learned a lot that would help her be a better healer. And she got over most of her fear of traveling on a ship.
