Spirit Warriors: The Scarring
(Spirit Warriors Book # 2)
D.E.L. Connor
Genre- YA Fantasy
Expected Publication Date- July 21st
Published By- Booktrope Publishing
Blurb-
“One of us would finally end what had been started by the machayiwiw so many years ago. I would have to kill him. It was just that simple. I never thought I would want to kill anybody or anything, but maybe I never had anything worth killing for before.”
-Emmeline Rima Belrose, The Scarring (Spirit Warriors, Book 2)
In the majestic beauty of a Montana summer, Emme and her friends celebrate her near-drowning survival and their defeat of the powerful evil spirit, the machayiwiw. But even as they rejoice, things are amiss. Emme watches helplessly as her family divides, and her friends struggle to hold their relationship together. Worse yet, the love-of-her life, Charlie, announces that he will move back to the reservation, without Emme. Different nightmares take over and Emme realizes she must fight and kill—or watch those she loves be killed. Friends from the reservation reach out to Emme and show her what evil can steal from her. Emme believes that evil can never break her bond with the Spirit Warriors or the love she shares with Charlie. Or can it?
Links-
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Book Info-
Title-The Concealing (Spirit Warriors #1)
By- D.E.L. Connor
Release Date: November 24, 2013
Length: 191 pages
Publisher: Booktrope
Blurb-
Sixteen-year-old Emme Belrose has it all: four best friends, a horse of her own, a hidden tepee hangout, and a blossoming romance with tall and handsome Charlie. These friends also have a secret. They can move their spirits into animal bodies: an osprey, a mustang, a grizzly, a mountain lion and a coyote.
But when Charlie, who has a gift for seeing the future, has a vision of Emme drowning in the icy Yellowstone River, the Spirit Warriors must train their animal bodies to kill an enemy they know is coming… but know nothing about. Suspenseful, romantic, and awash in Native American magic, Spirit Warriors captures the tragic enchantment of the American West—and confirms the power of friendship.
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Excerpt:
I tried to put it out of my mind as I neared the reservation. I flew to the top of a tree and waited for everyone to assemble for the ceremony. It wasn’t long before I saw Hawke, Charlie and Archie walking out of the big building. I flew over to them. Charlie’s amazing eyes looked up at me and my heart melted. He was just so incredibly beautiful. I circled overhead. Charlie waved to me. His hair was pulled back from his face and pulled back at his neck. He was wearing buckskin leggings and a colored shirt. Eros and I landed on his arm.
Charlie stroked Eros’s feathers. “Hi, Em, you need to sit in the trees and wait until I motion to you. Don’t be scared. It is time. Trust me.” Eros and I nodded. Eros and I flew off and flew to the top of one of the trees. We sat there watching the people congregating and walking to the creek.
I saw Jack drive up in the Bugatti. My body sat in the passenger seat. My head was slumped forward. Charlie walked up and talked to Jack. They spoke for several moments, and then Charlie walked with the others to the creek bank.
Ollie and Bets pulled up in Ollie’s black Mustang. They got out and walked past Jack and waved to him as they hurried to the creek bank. Hawke stepped forward. He was wearing the chieftain’s headdress. His jaw was set and his eyes were cold and hard. The sound of the drums soon started and the sound of the women’s wails carried along on the wind. Ron’s body lay on the ground wrapped in a white sheet. Hawke spoke in their language. Several of the men stood up and they lifted Ron’s body high in the tree on a platform made of branches. Hawke spoke once more and it was over.
Charlie motioned to Eros and me in the tree. He turned around and waved to Jack. As the drums beat slow and hard, Eros and I circled overhead. Jack got out of the Bugatti and walked over to the passenger side of the car and picked my body up. He carried my body toward the creek bank. The people parted as Jack walked between them with my limp body. Dovie cried out and held onto Irene as Irene tried to run towards my body. Jack carried my body over to Hawke and gently laid me down on the ground in front of him. Jack turned and faced everyone. It was deadly quiet. The drums had stopped. Charlie motioned to Eros and me. We lifted off from the tree and circled overhead. Hawke motioned for the drummers to start again.
A gust of wind picked up and what looked like a puff of smoke rose out of Ron’s body in the tree. Eros and I shrieked as we flew toward the tiny puff. When we were almost on top of it, Eros and I turned towards the heavens and flew straight up. We headed to an open area in the clouds. As the drums picked up speed, we flew faster. The tiny puff was right beside us.
As we came to the opening in the clouds, I heard Ron Clear Water’s voice in my head. “Thank you, Emme. The Spirit Warriors are all here waiting for me.”
I looked but I could see nothing. “Tell Lilly I love her and miss her,” I asked Ron.
“Of course,” he answered back. “Goodbye, Emme. When the time comes, you throw that knife straight and true. You can destroy him. The Spirit Warriors are beside you always. You are never alone.”
My voice cracked as I said, “Goodbye, Ron, I love you.” The clouds opened wide and then came back together.
Eros and I flew back to the others. Charlie waved towards my body. I had never merged back to my body with this many people watching. Eros was spooked as well. Eros and I circled overhead working up the courage to show all these people what we really were. Finally, Eros flew low and hopped over to my body. He touched my cheek with his sharp beak. I slowly sat up and then stood up.
There were gasps, and as one person, everyone took several steps backward. The women had their hands over their mouths and looked horrified. Some of the men had pulled knives or hatchets and were holding them while they looked menacingly at me. Charlie walked over and picked up Eros, and Eros flapped his wings and flew off. Charlie walked over to me and held my hand.
“There is nothing to be afraid of. Emme has the powers we need to finally defeat the machayiwiw.”
There was muttering in the crowd. One of the older men, Tall Crow, stepped forward with his knife in his hand. “She must be destroyed. She will bring us nothing but death and destruction.” Several other men stepped forward and stood next to him. They nodded their heads in agreement.
They moved towards Charlie and me.
I stood still and stared them down. I had my knife. I wasn’t afraid of using it. Hawke stepped between them and us. Dovie walked up and stood by me. Irene ran up and wrapped her arms around my waist. Ryan walked up and stood next to Hawke and Charlie. Jean tottered up to me and wrapped her bony hands around mine. Ollie, Bets and Jack came and stood behind me.
Hawke spoke, and the feathers in his war bonnet swayed in the wind. “Emme will be protected and revered for the powers she brings to our tribe. She will always have a place and home with us here. Anyone who hurts her will answer directly to me. She is the only person who can finally destroy the machayiwiw. Everyone one of you standing here against her has lost a family member to the machayiwiw. How many more of our people do we need to lose? Wasn’t losing them and now your chief, my grandfather, enough? How many more people do you want to sacrifice?”
It was total silence as everyone looked at me. Finally, Tall Crow lowered his knife and walked away. The others followed him. I exhaled loudly. I hadn’t even realized I was holding my breath.
“I’m glad that is over,” I said to everyone standing around me.
“I told you it would be okay,” Charlie reiterated.
I shook my head at him. “Yeah right.”
Ollie interrupted. “Are we eating? I’m starving. You got that bread I like so much?” We all laughed as we walked back to the meeting hall. Irene walked ahead of us with Jean. Hawke had his arm wrapped around Dovie as they walked behind Jean and Irene. Ryan was holding the door for all of us. I walked next to Bets and Ollie. Jack and Charlie were behind me.
Before we went in to eat, I grabbed Bets, Ollie, Jack and Charlie. We slipped around the side of the building. I told them what Ron had said before he left for the Spirit Warriors on the other side.
Charlie nodded. “You can kill him, Emme. You have to finally end this.”
I looked around at my friends. “I can do it if all of you are beside me.”
Ollie grabbed my hand. “I’ll be there to kick the asshole’s butt once and for all. He will be sorry he ever took us on.”
“Thanks.”
Charlie looked in my eyes. “You know I’ll always be there.” I nodded.
Jack looked at me. “I’m with ya.”
I finally looked at Bets. She stared at the ground and them at me. “Of course I’m with all of you. You would get your dumb asses killed without me.”
“You’re probably right,” I conceded to Bets.
“Of course I’m right,” she replied, but she smiled softly when she said it.
Charlie pulled us into a circle, and we stood as we always did with our heads touching. We pulled back and formed our line with our hands joined. Charlie counted to three and we all banged our fists on the right side of our chests and then raised our hands to the sky. “Lilly! Arion!” Then we howled, growled, roared and shrieked while Jack yelled. Hawke poked his head around the corner. “If you weirdos are through howling at the sky, let’s eat.” We laughed and joined hands and walked into the main room to share food with our other friends.
Character Interview:
Please welcome Emmeline Rima Belrose, Charlie Jackson Hunt, Betsy Ross, Oliver Graves, and Lachlan Jackson Arrington from D.E.L. Connor's Spirit Warriors to Diane's Book Blog.
What is your name? Do you have a nickname?
Emmeline: My name is Emmeline Rima Belrose. Emme or even Em (pronounced M-E). My friends call me
Em.
Charlie: Charlie Jackson Hunt, no nickname.
Betsy: Betsy Ross, call me Bets. I won’t answer to Betsy. I
think you can figure out shy.
Oliver: Oliver Graves, I go by Ollie.
Lachlan: Lachlan Jackson Arrington
What is your hair color? Eye Color?
Emmeline:I have blonde hair and blue
eyes.
Charlie: I have straight black hair and my eyes are brown and
my irises are lined in a gold color. All the men in my family have the same
brown and gold eyes.
Betsy: I have red hair and green eyes.
Oliver: I have some amazing black kinky hair that stands
up all by itself! I have amazing light brown eyes.
Lachlan: I have curly sandy blondish brown hair and my eyes
are turquoise blue r so the girls say.
How old are you?
Emmeline: 17
Charlie: I just turned 18
Betsy: 17
Oliver: 17
Lachlan: I just turned 18
Where were you born? Where have you lived since then? Where do you currently call home?
Emmeline:I was born in Montana and have
lived in the same house on a ranch since I was born.
Charlie: In a reservation in Montana. I lived there until
fourth grade and then I moved to live with my grandfather, Archie in the town
that Emme lives in. I moved back to the reservation this summer.
Betsy: In a hospital in Montana. I have lived in the same
house since I was an infant. I live next to Emme.
Oliver: In Hawaii in a pink hospital. Isn’t that cool? We
moved here when I was in 6th grade I live down the road from Bets and Emme.
Lachlan: In Montana. I lived there until I was 5 and then my
family moved to Australia where I grew up. I moved back Montana last year after
my dad was killed in a car accident.
What is in your refrigerator right now?
Emmeline: Not much,
eggs, cheese sticks, fruit, milk, a few veggies. Dad doesn’t like to shop and I
have to buy all the groceries, and neither one of us like to cook.
Charlie: I have no idea.
Betsy: Home grown strawberries and corn on the cob, lots of
veggies. My family are vegetarians.
Oliver: I hope something delish.
Lachlan: I don’t know. You need to ask Edna, she’s our
housekeeper.
On your bedroom floor?
Emmeline: My running shoes.
Charlie: My boots.
Betsy:Nothing, I pick up my stuff.
Oliver: Everything!
Lachlan: Clothes and stuff.
On your nightstand?
Emmeline: My picture of Charlie,
Bets, Ollie, Raymond, Jack, Lilly and me at the Prom, and another picture of
Dad, me and Nana. It used to be a picture of me with Mom and Dad and my brother
Ben and Nana, but I tore Mom and Ben out of it when they moved to L.A.
Charlie: A picture of Emme, Bets, Ollie, Raymond, Jack, Lilly
and me at the Prom.
Betsy: A picture of Emme, Bets, Ollie, Raymond, Jack, Lilly
and me at the Prom and one of me and Lilly in our cheerleading outfits.
Oliver: A picture of Emme, Bets, Charlie, Jack, Raymond, Lilly
and me at the Prom.
Lachlan: A picture of Emme, Bets, Ollie, Raymond, Lilly and me
at the Prom.
In your garbage can?
Emmeline: Nothing, I just took out the trash.
Charlie: No clue.
Betsy: How would I know?
Oliver: A bunch of stinky stuff.
Lachlan: I don’t know. I can look I guess.
Who are the people you are closest to?
Emmeline: Charlie,
Bets, Ollie, Jack, Lilly. Charlie’s grandfather Archie and my father, Scott,
and brother Ben.
Charlie: Emme, Bets, Ollie, Jack, Lilly. My grandfather Archie.
Betsy: Emme, Charlie, Ollie, Jack, Lilly. My mom and dad.
Oliver: Emme, Bets, Charlie, Jack, Lilly, Raymond. My mom and
dad.
Lachlan: ? Emme, Bets, Ollie, Charlie, Lilly. My uncle Zach.
Who is your funniest friend?
Emmeline: Ollie, he always has a
joke and he farts all the time and calls them “barking spiders.”
Charlie: Ollie, for sure.
Betsy: Hands down Ollie!
Oliver: Me I am the funniest one, also the best looking in
case you were wondering.
Lachlan: Ollie and his crazy self.
What is your biggest fear?
Emmeline: That I will have to kill
someone and then I won’t make it to heaven to be with Lilly.
Charlie: That I will not be able to protect Emme.
Betsy: That I will lose someone else.
Oliver: That I can’t live my life the way I want to.
Lachlan: That Emme will never be mine.
What is your most treasured possession?
Emmeline: My picture
of all of us at the Prom.
Charlie: The bracelet that Emme gave me.
Betsy: The necklace matching necklace that Emme and I and
Lilly had.
Oliver: My tunes
Lachlan: My black bugatti that Uncle Zach bought me.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Emmeline: Charlie, always Charlie.
Charlie: Emme, the one I can’t have.
Betsy: Joe Grayson. He understands me.
Oliver: Raymond
Lachlan: Emme, who loves my best friend.
What is your favorite journey?
Emmeline: The one to our
special place, our tepees in our secluded clearing.
Charlie: To our tepees in the clearing.
Betsy: The tepees in the clearing.
Oliver: The tepees.
Lachlan: To the tepees in the clearing.
Which living person do you most despise?
Emmeline: Joseph
Grayson, Lilly’s sorry brother.
Charlie: I despise the machayiwiw and his possession of living
souls.
Betsy: Right now, Emme.
Oliver: Lizzie and Joe
Lachlan: Lizzie and her gang of haters.
What is your greatest regret?
Emmeline: That I couldn’t save
Lilly.
Charlie: That I can’t have Emme.
Betsy: That we lost Lilly.
Oliver: That we lost Lilly.
Lachlan: That we lost Lilly
Which talent would you most like to have?
Emmeline: I don’t
need any more talents, I wish I didn’t have the ones I do.
Charlie: The ability to change the future, not just see it.
Betsy: The ability to will myself away from here and
everything that happened.
Oliver: The ability to bring Lilly back to us.
Lachlan: The talent to win Emme’s love.
About the Author-
Della was born in South Dakota and raised in the vastness and beauty of Montana on a farm. When she longed for the big city life, she moved to Texas where she attended college and received a PhD in nursing. When not nursing people back to health you can find Della huddled over her Mac writing the stories that have occupied her mind for so many years, or traveling with her best friends, the NOLA’s, riding bikes across the Golden Gate bridge or exploring botanical gardens. She is the proud mother of a champion triathlete, two aging dogs and 1 grand-cat. Della has admittedly confessed to her coffee addiction and swears that her two hour coffee crawl while on vacation in Seattle –was the best two hours of her life!
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