City of the Devine Sun by Holly McCaghren…Blog Tour Stop with Excerpt

Welcome to my stop on the City of the Devine Sun by Holly McCaghren Blog Tour!

City of the Divine Sun

Holly McCaghren

Amazon   *   Barnes & Noble   *   Goodreads

Synopsis:

A famous archaeologist, last rumored to be in search of a hidden Maya city in Guatemala, has gone missing. Her daughter. Serena, worried and overcome by strange visions, abandons everything to search for her mother and the answers to the apparitions that have begun to haunt her.

Her mother wasn’t the only one searching for Mah K’ina. The Baron seeks to plunder the city for its untold riches and is willing to eliminate anyone that gets in his way. Out of her element and desperate to save her family, Serena must now rely on her past to show her the way.

 

Excerpt:

When the Barón finally looked up at her, still being held roughly by the arm of the guard, he gave an odd sort of smile.

“Please, have a seat.”

The guard thrust her into a nearby chair, hands still cuffed behind her. A nod from the Barón and the guard left them alone in the tent, setting her bag down on the table before departing. The Barón addressed her first in Spanish, but Serena interrupted.

“Inglés, señor.”

Better that he thinks I don’t know Spanish at all… That could prove invaluable later. Besides, I can understand more than I can speak anyway.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, señorita? Why do you call on the Barón?”

It was the first time Serena heard him speak in English. The Barón’s accent was faint, but noticeable, giving away his Spanish ancestry. The trace of an accent and his looks made him seem exotic and otherworldly.

I can’t tell him the truth…

“I’m, uh…just a tourist. I don’t know why I’m being held here, but if you could direct me to the nearest town, I would be eternally grateful.”

The Barón looked at her, sizing her up.

“No, I think not. You are familiar…and a long way from any public ruins.”

He turned his attention to her bag and began rifling through her belongings.

“Please, there’s no need to do that. I just need to find my way to town…”

“Ah, here we are.”

He pulled her passport from the bag and flipped through the pages.

“Serena Hatsutsil Bakal… That is no American name, señorita.”

So much for that…

“‘Hatsutsil’ is Maya for ‘beauty,’ is it not? Someone gave you that name deliberately, I think. You are a beauty…and you are Maya.”

Dad gave me that name… He said when he saw me, it was if I had come straight from the heavens themselves. Hatsutsil, daughter… But, Maya? Mom met Dad at a dig-site, but she never told me where he was from…

“Your skin may be pale, but your features betray your heritage. High cheekbones, slightly upturned eyes, straight, coal-black hair…”

He approached her then, lifting a few stray hairs that had fallen in her face, casually brushing them aside. She could see his ring in great detail now, the jade eyes of the jaguar staring menacingly at her.

“Those eyes, though. They are your mother’s, are they not? I have seen those pale blue eyes before.  You must be terribly worried about her.”

“My what? No, you…”

The Barón returned to his desk and sat down with great deliberateness.

“Serena, do not play me the fool. If it wasn’t your eyes, you share her name. I know you came for her. When I saw you yesterday, I suspected… but seeing you here confirms those suspicions. How you got all the way through the forest unharmed, I do not know. If you were travelling with a guide, he is long gone now or my men would have found him.”

Yeah, good luck with that. He’s probably in a tree somewhere.

“Fine, you know my ‘secret.’ I came to find my mother. What does that matter to you?”

“Ah, yes. Your timing is perfect, señorita. I will need you if I’m to convince your mother to help us. She will be so happy to see you, I’m sure. Once we find her, that is. That has been a little… challenging. But do not worry. Nothing stops the Barón for long.”

“Even if I wanted to help you, and I don’t… You don’t even know where she is. You expect me to just hang around until you find her? I don’t think so.”

He let out a deep, long laugh, echoing throughout the still air of the tent.

“Señorita, you do not understand. You have no choice. Fate has brought you here. I will not let you slip away so easily.”

 

Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author:

I was born and raised in the Houston, Texas area, and have lived in Texas my whole life! (Gotta love humidity!) I currently live in central Texas with my husband and two sons.

Nothing makes me happier than settling down with a good book, but they aren’t always easy to find! Some of my favorites (in no particular order) include: Jane Eyre, The Blue Sword, Dracula, Ender’s Game, Heir to the Empire, and the Harry Potter series. I love a good scifi/fantasy book, but it certainly isn’t limited to that genre.

You can read all about my current/published novels on my webpage,www.hollymccaghren.com, as well as on Goodreads. Happy reading!

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MindTrace

Blog: http://hollymccaghren.com/
Website:  http://hollymccaghren.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590128.Holly_McCaghren