by Kit Tunstall
“We live our lives and do our duty.” He kissed her gently. “We follow our destiny.”
Sadness shadowed her eyes. “My father…”
“He was ready, Anca. He knew what would happen, and his last days were happier for having met you.”
She nodded, and her gaze settled on Ylenia before moving to Nikia and the woman on the floor near her. “So much suffering and death. What will we do with Nikia?”
“We’ll send her away to be cared for. There are no facilities in Corsova to meet her needs, and none secure enough to hold her if she awakens. She can’t be allowed back into our country.” Demi’s face tightened when his gaze settled on Sian. “She will also be banished. Death is no more than she deserves, but…”
She nodded, understanding his reservations without having him utter them. Doubt seized her as she wondered how she would ever live up to the Oath she had taken. Anca looked up, meeting Demi’s eyes, and found her answer. His love and support would see her through.
Author’s Note:
When I set out to create a country to act as a haven for those who weren’t fully human, I wanted it to be realistic. My first step was to find a suitable location for a “vampire” world. When I thought of vampires, Romania came to mind, but I didn’t want to be obvious. Eastern Europe still seemed like the perfect setting for such a country, and I scoured maps. Eventually, I “borrowed” a section of the Ukraine and made it into Corsova.
There was more to creating a country than deciding on a name. I had to figure out geography, economy, flora, fauna, and culture. In order to have Corsova mesh with the other countries in the region, I did a lot of research on Moldova, Romania, and the Ukraine. Taking the best parts of each country, I formed a composite that became Corsova.
Corsovan is spoken a few times throughout the book, and the language is based heavily on Romanian, which had the easiest translator to find online and understand. The addition of a few letters transformed Romanian into Corsovan.
Any inaccuracies in the real places mentioned are a byproduct of artistic license.
Also by Kit Tunstall
Playing His Game
Heart of Midnight
By Invitation Only
Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.
www.ellorascave.com