He strokes my jawline, lifting my face and my gaze meets his emerald eyes—clear and vibrant—like time never passed between us. “You’re home,” he says, his voice stirring all my love.
“You are my home.”
Xarion’s lips caress mine as I’m welcomed past the gates of the underworld.
Acknowledgements
This book has been over a year in the making, and one of the hardest struggles I’ve faced in my writing career. The amount of research I had to invest before even putting fingers to keys was astounding. Many times I feared I’d never be able to do this story justice and wanted to quit. Luckily, I have the most amazing support team, and their faith in this story, the characters, and me never wavered. I love all of their faces so hard. I’m extremely grateful for their praise, love, encouragement, and even the firm ass kicking they give when I need it the most.
First, I have to thank my amazing critique partners. Without you guys, I’d have lost even MORE hair while writing this story. Rachel Harris, Victoria Scott, Shannon Duffy, and Patrice Michelle. Thank you for the countless emails back and forth, reading the same scenes over and over, and simply, for everything. You guys are not only the greatest CPs, you’re my friends—the bestest. *squishes*
To my mother, my rock. Not only are you an awesome book blogger who knows her shit. You’re the voice inside my head (and on the other end of the phone!) shouting at me to write steamier, hotter, and with more passion and feelings. To let my characters “get down.” Without your input, I fear this novel would be far less romantic, and not nearly the heat level needed. Mom, you know your swoons.
Dad, you don’t know how many times talking to you helped me calm down. So many times I was close to jumping off the ledge, the stress so bad my hair was falling out! Your confident cool and strength always centers me. Thank you for your unflappable belief in me when I doubt myself, and for always being there. I’m forever a Daddy’s girl.
To my amazing team of beta readers and early readers and cheerleaders who keep me going. I just don’t know what I’d do without you guys! Not only did you give me amazing feedback that helped shape this story into something readable, your enthusiasm in emails and on Twitter got me through the tough times. In no particular order, thank you to Jaime Arnold, Jessica Estep, Megan Verhegghe, Kayleigh-Marie Gore, Lindsey Mead, Pavan Hansra, Rachel Clarke, Julie Brazeal, Valerie Fink, and Amber Troyer. I heart you guys!
And to all the amazing, supportive YA book bloggers! You guys make crazy cool things happen. I’m honored to be a part of your community.
A special shout out to a fantastic historical author who saved me when I was drowning in history. Stephanie Thornton swooped in and marked up my novel with her magic red pen (MS Word Comments) and worked her magic. Thank you, thank you. This novel would not be nearly the story I wanted to tell without you.
Another special mention to the amazing Andrew Chugg. Your recommendations on some of the hardest books I’ve ever tried to read helped me recreate Ptolemaic Alexandria. Thank you for the emails and direction and suggestions, as well as your own book, The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great, that is a wealth of knowledge.
To the girls of YA Bound. You ladies are some of the most talented authors and bloggers I’ve had the privilege of working with, as well as swooning with ;) Thank you for your amazing support. Tara Fuller, Rachel Harris, Eileen Li, Nereyda Gonzalez, and Kelly Hashway. Hugs! Thank you to the ladies of Omnific for the support as well as advice and a great author loop to blow off steam. You keep me sane.
Thank you to my husband who puts up with my late night editing sessions, missing showers for days on end (yes, I know!), and for loving me so much despite my headache-inducing career choice. And for creating the map of Alexandria. That means more to me than you even know. My son tolerates a lot of neuroticism from me, also. So thanks, Blue, for only slightly ducking your head when we walk into a store and your mom’s got dried, crusty milkshake in her hair. My guys are the best.
Stephanie Mooney, thank you for taking my vision of the cover and creating artwork that surpassed my expectations. It’s gorgeous! And to Jaye Manus, who was patient with me during edits when I had to change the formatting date. Thank you for taking my story and making it look super professional. The interior is perfect.
To my readers. There are no words powerful enough to express how grateful I am to have such a loyal fanbase. Because of you, I get to live my dream of being an author. Thank you for your praise and encouragement, and for rocking so hard it isn’t even funny. The biggest hugs to you all!
I owe everything to God. Thank you for everything.
Appendix
Character List
Astarte (a-stahr-tee): A Shythe Kythan and personal guardian to Pharaoh Caesarion of Egyptian descent. Her mother was the personal guardian and handmaiden to Cleopatra before she died in a fire. She grew up alongside the royal children within the palace, as well as the Egyptian quarter or Rhakotis. She was named after the goddess Astarte, who has changed within many cultures and has been paired with many goddesses. In Egypt, the goddess Astarte was a warrior goddess, and in Greco-Roman times she was unified with Aphrodite, her symbol an encircled star. Generally, she’s referred to as the goddess of war and love, associated with sexuality, fertility, and war.
Caesarion (Xarion; Zar-ee-on): Eldest child of Cleopatra and the only child of Julius Caesar. Ruled as Pharaoh over Egypt jointly with his mother, though in name only. He went by many names, but was commonly referred to as Caesarion “little Caesar”. I took liberties with his name in order to make him my own character, as I don’t feel I could recreate Caesarion’s true likeness and greatness within my story. There is little documentation of the real Caesarion.
Phoenix: A Narcolym Kythan and one of the personal guardians to Cleopatra and Antonius’s royal children. Also one of Star’s closet friends. He grew up with Star when she resided in Rhakotis, and she helped him secure placement as a guardian in the palace.
Lunia: A Shythe Kythan and one of the personal guardians to Cleopatra’s and Antonius’s royal children. Also one of Star’s closest friends. She met Star after her Change when she was promoted as a guardian in the palace. Star and Lunia developed a close friendship as both their mother’s died in the fire that took part of the Great Library.
Habi: A Shythe Kythan General. Oversees the army of Kythan. Works closely with the pharaohs and sorcerer adviser to the queen. Feels Star is one of his greatest warriors.
Candra: A Leymak Kythan who was created for the sole purpose of capturing Pharaoh Caesarion. Leader of the Leymak rogues. Views Star as her biggest, and only, equal rival.
Fadil: The last of the ancient Egyptian sorcerers who created the Kythan Guardians. With the rise of the Ptolemaic reign and their merging of religions, his powers are becoming obsolete. He fears losing his power, and therefore his life.
Kythan Guardian Definition
Kythan: A race of shape shifters created by ancient Egyptian sorcerers to be the guardians of pharaohs. Referred to as Guardians or Kythan Guardians. They were fashioned from the essence of the god Set. They have smooth, porcelain-like skin, pointed ears, sharp canines, and their eyes, arms and hands radiate light; which color is determined by their sub-race. They can also shift into human form when not engaged in battle or by choice. They are a slave race, and are forced to obey their masters’ (the pharaohs’) commands by their slavery binds. The swirled ink tattooed on their necks is their power source. They must serve in order to exist.
Shythe Guardians: A Kythan sub-race who wield the power of Charge; electricity the equivalent of lightning. They can take human or Kythan form. Their hands, arms, and irises glow a celestial blue.
Narcolym Guardians: A Kythan sub-race who wield the power of Flame; fire. Also referred to as Narcos for short. They can take human or Kythan form. Their hands, arms, and irises glow fire red.
Leymak Guardians: A Kythan sub-race who wield the mystical power of the aether (see Word Guide). Their ha
nds, arms, and irises glow silvery white. Created to lead Octavian’s land legions, they follow his orders, but are not bound by commands to any ruler. They are considered rogues.
Word Guide
People Places Things
Aether: A spiritual plane. The Greeks defined it as an immeasurable matter that encompasses the universe above the earthly sphere. The ancient Egyptians called it the Primeval Waters, and believed it’s where all creation ascended from. I took liberties, using it as a mystical realm neural to good and evil—a location between earth and the heavens/underworld unseen to the eye and intangible.
Agrippa, Marcus Vipsanius: A Roman general and statesman who worked with Caesar and who was friends with his great-nephew and adopted son Octavian. His military aids, notably his victory over Antonius in the naval Battle of Actium, helped secure the Roman throne for Octavian.
Ahmose I, Pharaoh: A pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the founder of the Eighteenth dynasty, who succeeded in expelling the Hyksos from the delta region, and ushering Egypt into its most prosperous time.
Alexander the Great: A king of Macedon whose conquest of the Persian Empire gained him control over Egypt. He was regarded as a liberator and named Pharaoh, but didn’t remain in Egypt for long.
Alexandria: A city founded by Alexander the Great located along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. Best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos Lighthouse) and the Great Library. During the Hellenistic period it was the largest city in the world.
Amun-Ra: An ancient Egyptian god whose importance grew in the New Kingdom. Self-created, and considered to be the creator deity, he was called the King of Gods.
Antonius, Marcus: A Roman general and loyal supporter of Caesar. Member of the Second Triumvirate, a political alliance he formed with Octavian and Lepidus after Caesar’s assassination. He committed suicide after losing the war to Octavian.
Automata: Machines or mechanisms that are self-operating, otherwise known as robots in todays’ time. Powered by steam, gears, counterweights, and clockwork they mimic life, such as human and animal movements and sounds.
Caesar, Gaius Julius: Roman general and member of the First Triumvirate, considered one of the greatest commanders of history. His military pursuits played a vital role in the rise of the Roman Empire. After becoming Dictator for life, Caesar was assassinated by senators directed by Marcus Junius Brutus.
Charmain: Cleopatra’s trusted advisor and handmaiden.
Cleopatra VII Philopater: Renowned as Cleopatra, she was the last ruling Pharaoh of ancient Egypt.
Canopus: An ancient Egyptian town located on the Mediterranean coast in the Nile Delta.
Helios, Alexander: A Ptolemaic prince of Egypt, son of Cleopatra and Antonius, and twin sibling to Cleopatra Selene.
Heracleion: An ancient Egyptian city near Alexandria. It was believed that Helen of Troy and Hercules once visited the city, hence the naming of the city after Hercules.
Iras: Cleopatra’s devoted and trusted handmaiden.
Isis: During the Hellenistic period, Isis was regarded as the Egyptian mother goddess and deity of fertility. Her worship spread widely throughout Greco-Rome.
Khonsu: An ancient Egyptian moon god whose name meant “traveler.” He marked the passage of time as the moon moved through the sky, as well as protected travelers and many other things during the night.
Khopesh: An ancient Egyptian sickle-sword.
Lake Mareotis: A brackish lake situated behind Alexandria.
Octavia Minor: Octavian’s sister and Caesar’s great-niece. Her second marriage was to Antonius. She had two daughters by him before he left her for Cleopatra. She later became the guardian to Selene, Helios, and Philadelphos after they were marched in Octavian’s Triumph.
Octavian (Gaius Octavius Thurinus): Renowned to history as Augustus, he was Caesar’s great-nephew and adopted son. Once he defeated Antonius in the Battle of Actium, he became Rome’s first Emperor and founded the Roman Empire.
Osiris: Egyptian god of the afterlife, dead, and underworld. He was fused with Apis to create Serapis in the Hellenistic period to appease both Greeks and Egyptians in their worship.
Pharos (Lighthouse of Alexandria): A lighthouse located on Pharos Island in the Great Harbor of Alexandria, and one of the wonders of the ancient world.
Philadelphos (Delphos), Ptolemy: A prince of Egypt, he was the youngest son of Cleopatra and Antonius.
Quinquereme: A Hellenistic period warship with five rows of oars.
Royal Quarter: Known to the Alexandrians as the Beta District, it was home to the palaces and residences of nobles. Other monuments, temples, a museum, and cemetery were located there along with its own dockyard.
Sarapis: A Greco-Egyptian god. Ptolemy I conceived Serapis as a way to unify the Greeks and Egyptians.
Sekhmet: Egyptian warrior goddess depicted with the head of a lioness.
Selene II, Cleopatra: A Ptolemaic princess of Egypt, daughter of Cleopatra and Antonius, and twin sibling to Alexander Helios.
Set: Egyptian god of foreigners, the desert, and storms. In later Egyptian religion, he became the god of darkness and chaos.
Shendyt: A textile (usually linen) garment worn around the waist that crossed in front and extended to above the knees. Typically worn by military, pharaohs, and commoners in ancient Egypt.
Shu: The primordial Egyptian god of air.
Sinuhe: A character from one of the greatest works of Egyptian literature, The Tale of Sinuhe.
Soma: Alexander the Great’s mausoleum. Located in the center of Alexandria, its grandeur encompassed a large section of the city.
Spatha: A long, slightly curved sword used by the Romans in battle. Designed for slashing rather than thrusting.
Thutmose III: a pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty and thought of as a military genius today, and great conqueror to ancient Egyptians.
Typhonic beast (Set animal): The Set animal was the totem animal for the Egyptian god Set. It is thought to depict the wild dogs that roamed the deserts of Northern Egypt referred to as sha, though it’s not been proven if the creature is an extinct species or a mythological animal uniquely allied with Set.
Was scepter: A symbol used in ancient Egyptian religion that represented power or domination. They were carried by gods and pharaohs, and were associated with the god Set. The was in hieroglyphs stands for power.
References
The Architecture of Alexandria and Egypt: 300BC–AD700, Yale University Press, Pelican History of Art by Judith McKenzie
The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great by Andrew Chugg
The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern World by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid
Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology by Paul T. Nicholson, Ian Shaw
Discovering a Lost Empire: Cleopatra’s Alexandria directed by Stephen Rocha
Cleopatra’s Palace: In Search of a Legend by Laura Foreman
About the Author
From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.
For more on the Kythan Guardians, check out Destiny’s Fire, the next book in the Kythan Guardians series. Releasing October 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, Fireblood. You can read the prequel novella Unveiled now, available everywhere ebooks are sold.
Get updates on future releases and special bonus material at www.TrishaWolfe.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Preface
Epigraph
Map
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chap
ter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Appendix
About the Author
Astarte's Wrath (Kythan Guardians) Page 18