by RJ Crayton
When I’d finished replaying events for Pylum, he frowned. “I should have been more explicit with her,” he said. “I should have told her it was too dangerous for her to go to that temple.”
“You knew?” I asked, unable to hide my shock. “You knew Zygam would take her if she went?”
“Yes, the Seas of Time have long said that Akilah must stay away from Zygam. I thought by keeping her here at the temple, he’d have no access, but I … I was mistaken.”
“What did he unlock?”
“Her memories,” he said.
“Of what?”
“Of her parents, of the full extent of their quest, of what happened when her parents found the Talisman of Elpida, of how she came to be an orphan, of the true nature of the prophecy.”
“And what is that?”
He sighed and shook his head. “It’s too late tonight, and you must see Talitha,” he said. “In the morning, I will tell you everything. I will tell you the full Prophecy of Light, I will tell you Akilah’s story, and I will tell you everything you need to know about Zygam. The time for secrets is over, because we have only ten days to prepare you and this temple.”
“Ten days?” I asked. “Why only ten days?”
“Because soon enough, Zygam is going to realize what this is,” he said, pointing to Akilah’s necklace, which I was still, for some reason, clasping in my hand. “And then they are they going to come for it. They will come when they are strongest, the next full moon. Ten days.”
I didn’t understand. I held up the necklace, and realized it was still warm, that it was still calling for me to keep it. “What is this?”
He looked at the decrepit stone in my hands. The thing was about the size of a grape, sandy colored, uneven, with dark black lines flowing through it. “It is many things,” Pylum finally said. “It is what I used to help lock Akilah’s mind. Because I knew what her memories held, her mind could only be unlocked if this necklace were removed. On its own, it is a powerful object, and therefore it can enter any temple, bringing the bearer with it. It is why I told Akilah to wear it always. But I suppose the most important thing it is, and the reason they will come for it, is because it is the key to fulfilling the Prophecy of Light.”
THE END
Also by RJ Crayton
Prophecy of Light – Trapped
“Be careful what you say. Words have power.”
Kady can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t in hiding.
When Kady awakens in the middle of the night with her house crumbling around her, her aunt hustles her into the night and tries to protect her -- through words, magic words.
While her aunt succeeds in hiding Kady, the woman falls victim to the mage who has been searching for them the past 10 years. Kady knows that she must find her aunt and save her. But will she be able to tap the power trapped within her to do it?
This is part one of a four-part series. Kady’s story continues in subsequent books. Available on Amazon. FREE in Kindle Unlimited.
SCENTED
Scented is powerful tale about life, death and love, woven through the tapestry of characters with unique abilities. If you enjoy stirring, supernatural tales with love at their center, you'll adore Scented.
Sixteen-year-old Bryan Harper has felt alone since the day eight years ago that a sickening, unfamiliar scent wafted from his mother. When he realized too late the new odor was a prelude announcing death, he knew his new sense of smell is a gift, not a curse.
At a young age Lauraline Reese escaped death, yet its specter still haunts her. Unable to let go of the feeling that death has not forgotten her, Lauraline finds it hard to find peace with the storm that almost took her life.
When Lauraline walks into his life, Bryan knows instantly that she is different from the others. He doesn’t know why she appeared, but there is one thing he is sure of: his life is about to change. He just doesn’t know how.
As the two grow close, Lauraline helps Bryan discover a vital message, and Bryan finds himself in a race against death to set things right.
Can Bryan live a normal life despite his talent in scenting death? Or will he be forever marred by the curse of knowing when someone will die next?
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CONCEALED
(Virus Series, Part 1)
They said we were safe. They were wrong.
When pandemics destroy the world above, the safety promised underground proves elusive. Start this page-turning series today.
Seventeen-year-old Elaan Woodson was supposed to be one of the lucky ones. She got one of the few spots in the subterranean protection unit designed to keep select families safe from the deadly virus ravaging the world above.
She’s found happiness in the routine underground, and even a budding a romance with a boy who is also down below.
But, as Elaan hears snippets of conversations from those closest to her and those in charge, she’s begins to think things aren’t as safe as she believed. While Elaan has heard that what you don’t know can’t hurt you, she’s beginning to think otherwise.
The truth may be the only thing that can keep Elaan safe. But, can she discover it in time?
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(FREE for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers)
EXPOSED
(Virus Series, Part 2)
She is their chance for safety. Now they must find her.
The safety of the underground bunker is left behind. Elaan and her friends are out in the open, exposed to the world above. Exposed to a world that has been ravished by the virus. Can they make it to the one person they’ve been told can provide them safety?
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(FREE for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers)
CONTAINED
(Virus Series, Part 3)
No place is Safe.
Elaan, Lijah and Josh have been searching for safety ever since they left the Scientist Protection Unit.
As they're forced to leave their latest home, they find old friends in new places. Just as they think things are finally coming under control, the ground shifts beneath them.
In this exciting final book, our leads search for the solutions that have evaded them thus far, in hopes of reaching a happy ending for themselves and the world in peril.
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LIFE FIRST
"I was completely intrigued by this book from the very first page. There were fairly few characters in-keeping with the story, but they were all extremely well thought out. I really think RJ Crayton should be expecting calls for film rights because this played out in my mind as I read it like a really great film.... It gripped you like King Kong and would not let go until you had finished the book."
- BestChickLit.com
Strong-willed Kelsey Reed must escape tonight or tomorrow her government will take her kidney and give it to someone else.
In this future forged by survivors of pandemics that wiped out 80 percent of the world's population, life is valued above all else. The mentally ill are sterilized, abortions are illegal and those who refuse to donate an organ when told are sentenced to death.
Determined not to give up her kidney or die, Kelsey enlists the help of her boyfriend Luke and a dodgy doctor to escape. The trio must disable the tracking chip in her arm for her to flee undetected. If they fail, Kelsey will be stripped of everything.
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SECOND LIFE
“This thriller based on government conspiracies and lives that are twisted around is captivating! I just can’t give the twists away but you will be sat on the edge of your seat.”
-Amazon Customer Review
Susan Harper is being held captive by her government. As the normally feisty Susan's hopes of freedom dwindle, a mysterious stranger sneaks into her room and promises to help.
Susan and mystery man Rob grow close as he tries to orchestrate her escap
e. When the duo discovers the truth behind Susan's captivity, they realize they must act quickly if they're to save her. Susan and Rob will need more than passion for each other and their wits to succeed. They will need help from old friends, including Kelsey Reed.
In the previous book, Life First, Susan gave Kelsey a chance at a second life. But now will she get her own?
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Third Life: Taken
"This was the best book of the series and the perfect conclusion to the story. It was a stomach churning, tension filled rollercoaster of emotions as you followed the two distinct but intertwined plots."
-Chuckles Book Cave
When Kelsey Reed fled her country to escape a forced kidney transplant, she was sure she’d never return. However, when her brother-in-law shows up on her doorstep, he commits an act of betrayal that changes everything.
Forced to head back to the nation that tried to kill her, Kelsey will need the help of her husband Luke, and friends Susan and Rob to escape with her life.
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Life First Boxed Set
Step into a society that values humanity over individual humans, where your body is important because it might be able to save others. This box set includes the three books in the thrilling dystopian Life First series.
Includes:
Life First
Second Life
Third Life: Taken
Four Mothers
Four stories. Four mothers. Four crises. One great read.
Our notions of motherhood run the gamut from the mythical Super Mom to the dreaded Mommy Dearest. None is entirely true, as a mother's love is always unique, and all mothers are both perfect and flawed. Four mothers tells four sagas of mothers who each face a crisis, either real or perceived, in their parenting life. Change the way you see motherhood.
In The Beads, Iram is a mother coping with crisis -- a child in a coma after nearly choking to death — when something happens that affects her entire outlook.
In Almost Perfect, we see our Mommy Dearest end of the spectrum with Bitsy. She wants her grandson, whom she is raising to be perfect, and with Bitsy, we are reminded, it's not just stepmothers who are wicked.
Tilda, the mother we meet in As Luck Would Have It, exudes luck from every pore. She would love to be the super mom who saves the day for her family, but she has one problem - her daughter’s seeming lack of luck. In fact, Tilda’s luck fails whenever her daughter is around. Tilda's solution to this problem could prove problematic.
Felicity is relishing her overbearing husband's absence on a business trip, when her Two-Day Break suddenly turns into a nightmare.
Also included in the collection is a bonus story, Lynch Party, about a mother who has a different perspective on what makes a great party activity.
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About RJ Crayton
RJ Crayton is the author of the three book series. The Prophecy of Light series includes Trapped, Unleashed and the soon to be released Foretold. The Virus series includes Concealed, Exposed, and Contained. The fast-paced dystopian Life First series include Life First, Second Life and Third Life:Taken. She's also author of the paranormal novel Scented and the short-story collection Four Mothers. Prior to becoming an author, Crayton was a journalist. She reported for several publications, including The Kansas City Star and Education Technology News. Crayton lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. When she's not writing, she enjoys eating cupcakes, walking, reading, sewing or watching TV (she's partial to Star Trek, super hero flicks and gripping dramas). To find out more about her, visit her website, www.rjcrayton.com.