Author Name: Archer
Kay Leah
Publisher: Less Than
Three Press
Release Date: Wednesday,
September 5 2018
Price: 6.99 eBook
Story Type: Novel
>50k
Word Count: 136,000
Cover Artist: Natasha
Snow
Genres: Fantasy romance, High fantasy,
Romance
Pairings: MM (primary), MMF
(secondary, overlaps with the primary)
Tropes: Soul mates
Keywords/Categories: Bisexual/Poly
Series Title: The
Republic
Position (Number) in
Series: Fourth
Necessary to Read
Previous Books: Yes
Warnings: "Soulbound"
contains some explicit content, references to self-harm, suicide, and mentions
of suicide-related behavior and intent. This story also contains instances of
graphic violence, references to rape and domestic abuse, and depictions and
mentions of depression.
Book Blurb:
In a relationship
that violates rules and expectations, Mayr and Tash have found their perfect
match in each other. Despite their fears and difficult pasts, they hope for a
shared future with security and a family. When Mayr's secret first love,
Arieve, proposes they create that family with her, it seems dreams could become
reality.
But life is
complicated, and so is the delicate balance between duty and love. While Mayr
protects the Dahe family at all costs, Tash is determined to succeed as a
priest. Both positions require sacrifice, forcing their relationship into
painful choices. To make matters worse, criminals lurk in the shadows, seeking
revenge on them and those they guard.
The life they want
risks losing everything—including Arieve and each other. Even if they can have
it all, keeping it may take more than they can give.
About the Series:
With the right
people and the right price, the Republic of Kattal can be brought to its knees.
But for every line crossed, someone waits on the other side, ready to push
back.
Armed and ready to
defend their lives, these heroes are not afraid of the fight. They stare
adversity in the eye and dance with the darkness within. But in their justice,
there is wisdom. In wisdom, there is protection. In it all, there is love.
Sometimes it’s a matter of saving a village; sometimes it’s a matter of saving
the one they can’t live without. Sometimes it’s just about doing the right
thing and learning to love oneself.
Magic may lurk in
the shadows. Crime may never sleep. But love doesn't back down.
Exclusive Excerpt
Hi there, everyone! I'm Archer Kay Leah,
author of LGTBQA+ speculative fiction romance with an undying love for
fantastical realms of twisted proportions. Thanks for stopping by, and my
heartfelt thanks to Wicked Faerie's Tales & Reviews for hosting this stop
on the tour for Soulbound! <3
I thought I'd share an exclusive excerpt
today, with just a wee bit of one of my favourite scenes from the book! Early
on in the planning process, I knew I wanted to write about what would happen if
Mayr and Tash ever faced each other in the training ring. Even though Mayr has been
Head of the Guard for only a few years, he spent several years as a regular
guard, so he's used to being roughed up and challenging his peers. Meanwhile,
Tash prefers to stick to peaceful means, mostly because he spent ten years
around violence and needs to get away from it. Being a priest allows him to do
that.
But things have changed. Tash has found
himself playing guard once again to protect people he's promised to help… even
though his previous fighting skills are rusty. If he's is going to protect
anyone, he needs to get back into it. Who better than his lover, who's used to
making sure guards are up to the highest standards possible?
It's not that easy, though: Mayr hates the
whole situation. When it comes to Tash, he's a lover, not a fighter. But he
can't stop Tash, and he can't let Tash go without training — and he refuses to
let anyone else do it for him. This is something new for them, a new level of
trust and taking care of each other.
Excerpt: Training
Tash yelped, his head narrowly missing the floor.
Before he fell over, Mayr scrambled over Tash. He dropped onto Tash's
hips and slammed his knees to the floor. Sharp pain burst through his knees,
but Mayr ignored it, too focused on ramming Tash's wrists to the ground on
either side of his head.
"'Den mother' this," Mayr hissed, grinding into Tash. The
more Tash struggled, the harder Mayr pinned him. He stole a suffocating kiss,
thrusting deep as Tash moaned and returned the assault. Mouths crushed
together, he sucked and toyed with Tash's tongue to silence the rest of the
foul words in Tash's mouth. He would rob Tash of breath and offer his in its
stead, claiming Tash and cleansing him of the Shar-denn's malice.
They writhed together, fighting to breathe, until Mayr ended the
torture, unable to withstand the gnawing in his lungs. He shuffled back to sit
on Tash's thighs, avoiding contact with Tash's hardened cock. "Go ahead
and den mother my ass, you haughty bastard."
"Your beautiful ass," Tash murmured. "I'll do whatever
you want to it."
Mayr leaned over until his mouth hovered over Tash's. "Take all
the hate they taught you and roll it into a ball," he said, his bottom lip
grazing Tash's. "Then pound into me so hard you forget all of it.
Everything they taught you, whatever they wanted you to be. Make love to me and
forget them." He slid his lips over Tash's in a softer kiss. "They
had your past, but give me your future. Be my
future."
Tash pressed his forehead to Mayr's. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm
here to stay, mind, body, and soul."
The words stabbed Mayr's heart and slashed open his conscience,
inviting self-deprecating insults to fling themselves about. How easy the
sentiment seemed to be for Tash. No hesitation, no uncertainty, nothing to
suggest he was not serious.
It would be so easy to ask him…
so easy to give him a ring. Mayr drew his splayed hands down Tash's chest, his skin moistened
with a light sweat. The longer he stared into Tash's eyes, the deeper he felt
his future. Possibility whispered in the back of his mind, telling him to
surrender his own past. He needed to run into Tash's arms, not stumble. He
needed to believe Tash would never let him go.
"Mayr," Tash admonished gently, "I trust you, but I
need you to trust yourself and me."
"I do."
"No, you don't. You're relying on
soft defense instead of challenging me with brutality." Tash's fingers
slipped down Mayr's jaw. "You're merciless in training with experienced
guards—I'm asking for the same. I won't break, I promise. I wasn't a weak
fighter." A faint smile passed over his lips. "If I was, they'd never
have let me protect a faction boss. They would've assigned me to a cache house
or made me protect dead bodies. I proved myself in those days—this isn't any
different."
"You'll crack your head open." Mayr motioned angrily at the
floor. "Or dislocate—"
Tash caught Mayr's wrists. "Stop." He clutched Mayr's hands
to his chest. "I know the risks. I've had my share of injuries. But I need
this, and I need your help." Freeing one of Mayr's hands, he brushed a
kiss over Mayr's knuckles. "I give you permission to go full strength.
That's how I learned in the Shar-denn: they threw me into the ring and watched
the blood fly. I had to learn how to smash down my opponent before they broke
me. It's a part of me now."
Mayr sucked in a breath. He whimpered his annoyance as Tash cupped his
cheeks.
"I need you to challenge me, not teach me," Tash said.
"I need to fight your experience and sharpen my skills. Give yourself the
permission to be you."
It isn't an identity problem.
It's me keeping you safe. It's me being the one you're safe with.
Given all the people and things that could hurt Tash, Mayr wanted to
protect the time they had together, safeguarding it from everything that could
break them. He hated that Tash had to leave the village and travel to other
places to fulfill his oaths as a priest. He despised every time they said
goodbye, always afraid it would be for the last time.
The fear and desperation were strongest when Tash attended a meeting
of the Sacred Assembly or visited another village without Mayr. Although he did
his best to accompany Tash on his journeys, Mayr still served Aeley first.
There were times he could not trade one love and duty for the other, but he
never let Tash go alone. On the trips Mayr missed, he sent at least four guards
in his stead.
It's not enough. Even when I'm
with you, it's not adequate. Mayr traced his fingertip along Tash's hairline, captivated as Tash
closed his eyes and settled his hands on Mayr's hips. They were both servants
to duty, unable to let people down. They could not stay by each other's side
every moment of every day. Just as Mayr had sworn to take care of Aeley, Tash
had sworn to serve the people of Kattal. They led separate lives with
responsibilities that originated from opposite directions.
Then you come home and
everything's all right. You fall asleep in my arms, and the world doesn't
bother me as much. That's the real reason I agreed to Ress and Adren moving
into the estate. It wasn't because I'm selfless or because of logic. It's
because I wanted you back.
Mayr frowned and stared at the floor past Tash's shoulder. For three
weeks, Tash had stayed in the temple, insisting Mayr remain at the estate. They
had spent little time together while Ress and Adren attended hearings before
the High Council and began community service to fulfill the stipulations of
amnesty. Tash had stayed in the temple to protect Adren; Mayr had stayed at the
estate to protect Aeley and Lira.
The time apart hurt Mayr more than the fight in Araveena Ford,
particularly whenever he saw Tash's bruised face. Not being able to hold Tash
had killed his patience.
Though it's been dead for a
while, let's be honest. This occasionally sleeping in separate beds and
thinking of the temple as Tash's home isn't doing it for me. There's too much
space between us. With Adren and Ress here…
He could have a home with Tash.
If I try harder, show him I'm
serious. No more jokes. No more lies messing with my head. The past can't have
us.
"I'm
giving myself the permission to be me," Mayr whispered. Fears were meant
to be overcome. The past was meant to be conquered. To rise above them once and
for all, he would prove Tash was worth the rest of his life…
And on
that note, here ends today's post. Thank you so much for reading! I love
hearing from readers, so feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or
comments.
Excerpt (Non-Exclusive):
Silence fell, deep with meaning
conveyed by long gazes and soft smiles. Why had he expected Aeley to say
anything different?
Three loud knocks rapped the door,
scaring them both. Cursing under his breath, Mayr opened the door.
Arieve.
Every foul word tumbled back down
Mayr's throat. "Hey." He leaned against the door, one arm sliding up
the side.
In an instant, he tripped on his
own feet and stumbled into the door, swinging it open further.
"You can't possibly be drunk
already." The corners of Arieve's eyes crinkled with her smile, her
glossed lips painted pink like her cheeks. Dark curls and plaits cascaded over
her shoulders, the firelight lending a golden hue to the white-blonde streaks
in the fringe of hair across her forehead. She held a silver tray, presenting
two glass goblets filled with a bluish-purple drink and fragments of gold leaf
sprinkled on top. "Otherwise, this might be a bad idea."
"What's a bad idea?" Mayr
grimaced, his mouth suddenly dry as if filled with pillow stuffing. Quick to
recover, he smoothed his shirt, resettled his belts, and slicked back his hair,
pretending he meant to be clumsy.
"Your after-dinner drinks.
Lira was going to bring them, but I thought I'd save her the trip. She's having
fun trading stories with your mother." Arieve cleared her throat. "I
didn't want to interrupt your conversation."
The tray rattled in her hand. The
drinks threatened to slosh over the rims.
Mayr steadied the tray.
"Thanks for that. This. These." He offered her an awkward smile and
took the goblets. "I'll let you get back." So you won't see me kick my own ass for being completely inappropriate.
"Thanks, Arieve," Aeley
called from her desk.
"You're welcome." Arieve
hesitated as she lowered the tray. She swayed gently, the rich green layers of
her tiered, ruffled skirts moving with her. "I'll let you finish."
Before Mayr could say anything
else, Arieve hurried down the hall and around the corner.
"I wonder what the mix is this
time." Aeley snatched one goblet to sniff it. "Hint of gaffa nectar,
soured pamolea extract, and a bite of fulore. Plus maybe, probably—"
another sniff "—syrup from the Sailor's Sweetheart bush." She took a
sip and nodded. Flakes of gold leaf clung to her top lip. "Not as fun as
last night's concoction, but I could get used to it."
"That's what you always
say." Mayr brushed the flakes from Aeley's lips with his thumb.
Aeley wiped her mouth on her
sleeve. "Not always, just a lot. Cook knows her stuff. To be fair, she's
known me since I was three, getting into her puddings and tarts anytime she
turned around. I trust that when she serves up a hodgeypodgey drink, it's got
personality." She tapped her goblet against his. "I'm heading back to
our guests. You should, too, considering it's your party. We can resume this conversation later."
After a kiss to his cheek, Aeley
flounced out the door and through the corridor, humming to herself.
Mayr stared into his goblet,
watching the gold swirl in an abstract pattern. My stomach. My head. I can't even…
He set the goblet on Aeley's desk.
He needed Tash's forgiveness more than he deserved a fancy drink.
As he exited the room, questions
assaulted him hard enough to drown the sound of the door latch as it caught.
One question practically shouted above all the others: how much had Arieve
heard of his conversation with Aeley?
His heartbeat faltered. He was
mortified. The door was not impervious to sound. What would Arieve think of him
had she heard…
Hey,
stupid! It doesn't matter.
Mayr grumbled and hooked his thumbs around the back of his belts. It still comes out to you're taken and
happy, so shut up. Dragging his heels, he wandered through the corridor and
turned into the next, towards the ballroom.
Around the corner, Arieve leaned
against the wall, head bowed, with her face hidden by her hair. She twined the
trailing black laces of her bright green tunic around her fingers and pulled
taut, then released them only to repeat the process. The empty tray rested
beside her, abandoned against the wall.
"Hey." Mayr stopped,
careful to leave two foot lengths between them. "I thought you went
back?" He toyed with his marriage ring, twisting the band nervously.
Memories of Tash surged forward, the airy weight of his kisses almost real
enough to feel.
"I wanted to wait for
you." Arieve raised her head and offered a tender smile. "I probably
won't get a word in the rest of the night given the company, so I
thought…"
She was in his arms before he could
reply. Her hug stole his surprise, shredding it until all that remained was
stunned.
"Congratulations," she
murmured, her forehead tucked beneath his chin. "He's got a good heart,
solid. You've found your match. If the Four could grant me one wish tonight,
it'd be for you two to have everything you desire."
Mayr hesitated, his hands hovering
over Arieve's back. Touching was a bad idea, especially while he kept Tash from
the truth. "Thank you." Quick as he could, he embraced Arieve and
pushed her away, feeling worse than the coward he was. "Let's go back. I
need to stop my mother from revealing every baby story she has or everyone's
going to hear about my naked backside and trailing diaper crowns."
Arieve picked up the tray and
started up the hall. "I'm sure Tash is soaking them up as we speak."
She laughed, the joyous sound digging up a dozen memories.
Memories he needed to lock up and
burn down.
He followed Arieve and cast his
gaze to the ceiling. Please, Reverent
Goddesses, get me through tonight. Then let's talk about strength of will,
because one of these days I'm going to have to confess everything and it'll
hurt more than scorching my pride.
Buy Links:
Publisher:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVVDK1Z/
Amazon
Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GVVDK1Z
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GVVDK1Z/
Amazon
(International): http://www.smarturl.it/Soulbound
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/891972
BookStrand:
https://www.bookstrand.com/soulbound-0
Giveaway:
Archer is giving away three $10 Amazon gift cards with this
tour – enter to win via Rafflecopter:
Author Bio:
Archer Kay Leah was
raised in Canada, growing up in a port town at a time when it was starting to
become more diverse, both visibly and vocally. Combined with the variety of
interests found in Archer’s family and the never-ending need to be creative,
this diversity inspired a love for toying with characters and their
relationships, exploring new experiences and difficult situations.
Archer most enjoys
writing speculative fiction and is engaged in a very particular love affair
with fantasy, especially when it is dark and emotionally charged. When not
reading and writing for work or play, Archer is a geek with too many hobbies
and keeps busy with other creative endeavors, a music addiction, and whatever
else comes along. Archer lives in London, Ontario with a bigender partner and
rather chatty cat.
Author Website: http://archerkayleah.wordpress.com/
Author Facebook
(Author Page): http://facebook.com/archerkayleah
Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/archerkayleah
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ArcherKayLeah
Author QueeRomance
Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/archer-kay-leah/
Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/archerkayleah
Thank you so much for being part of the tour!! :D
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