Bøger af C E Clayton

Monsters do not hide under the bed on the Island of Selkirk. Monsters haunt the forests in the form of feral elves with knife sharp teeth, vicious talons, and sickly, glowing yellow eyes. For centuries the people of Selkirk have fought these monsters, enacting a Clearing every four years to push the elves back from their borders. Then, after one such Clearing, a babe is found abandoned in the wreckage. Tallis only desires a path of her choosing, to live without attention or interference. Along with her friends, she dreams of leaving Kincardine and going where no one knows them, to live unhindered by the prejudice that comes of being poor, an outsider, an orphan. All Tallis needs is enough coin, and she'll be free. But the monsters have other plans. Hissing her name like a battle mantra, the elves pour into Kincardine, devouring and burning everything in their path. Fleeing her home in secret, Tallis and her friends must discover why the creatures are so intent on finding her, and stop them from framing her as the real monster of Selkirk.

After fleeing Theda, all Tallis wants is to return to Selkirk. But the bounty on her-and her friends'-heads means she needs reinforcements before attempting to return. Following the advice of Seneschal Isabetta, Tallis, Tomas, Rosslyn, and Colben set sail for Arcadia.Once there, they discover they won't be able to achieve their goals without becoming members of Arcadian society-which means competing through battle, often to the death. But if the fighters don't kill Tallis, the complex political machinations of the nobility might, for only they can give Tallis what she needs. Not all their exploits on the road to achieving their goals are as simple as survival, however, especially as a missing child pulls them away from their tasks and duties. But when they encounter an elder elf searching for his son, Tallis is set on the irreversible path of seeking the facts regarding half-elves and their bloody history. She must delve into their shared history beyond the prophecy, and what those truths could mean for her and Tomas's future.

Desperate to thwart their ultimate foe, Tallis and her army sail for Selkirk. Urban has the advantage, however, as he has the lead and a maniacal determination to unlock a holy power capable of destroying the world. Tallis and Tomas have not stepped foot in Selkirk in over a year, having fled once the elves were free of their madness. Rosslyn had warned them of the growing civil unrest, but it did not prepare them for what they would face upon landfall in Kincardine. Low on resources, Tallis finds herself caught between two princes vying for the throne, and a cruel queen who is tempted by Urban's fanatical allure, just as Konrad was. Now, Tallis must convince those who once hunted her to aid her, for if they do not work together, all of Selkirk will burn. Urban is unlike any enemy they have ever faced; he knows all too well what Tallis is capable of, and how to manipulate the venomous voice within her. Everything is at stake for Tallis-the fate of Selkirk, her friends and loved ones, and her own soul. Urban will exploit those perceived weaknesses, making Tallis choose whom to save; for nothing will stop Urban on his quest to bring back his silent god as he enacts the long dreaded prophecy. Tallis and her friends are coming to the end of their journey, one that will prove to the world once and for all who is the true monster of Selkirk.

Tallis is now the secret weapon in Lady Zofia's attempts to claim the Arcadian throne. But as the players vying for the crown are revealed, victory is far from assured. Marcelina's rescue becomes the key to unlocking the army Tallis so desperately needs. But with Tomas and Colben sent on a mission without Tallis, Rosslyn, or Adelaide, things get more complicated-and bloodier-awakening something in Tallis she's not certain she can cage ever again.With the elves god-like trees falling ill and driven to madness under mysterious circumstances, Tallis suspects she and Colben may not be as unique as she originally thought. As Tallis races to uphold her end of Lady Zofia's bargain and confront Lord Bogdan, the presence of pirates from Andor and a familiar face from Theda put all their lives in jeopardy.Tallis and her friends soon discover that Tallis isn't the only one capable of enacting a catastrophic prophecy, and if Tallis doesn't return to Selkirk soon it may be lost forever.

Tallis is learning how to deal with loss, and violence as she and her friends traverse the forests of Selkirk trying to find the reason behind the elven uprising. Not to mention why they keep hissing her name. But the further into the forests they go, Tallis is finding that the elves' depravity can still surprise her, and thoroughly test the bonds of friendship, family, and love. Tallis's journey eventually leads to answers they're not prepared for. Now Tallis begins to wonder just who she really is, and if she's the evil that will end up destroying Selkirk. But she cannot stop to process these revelations, as an unforeseen betrayal lands those she loves at the feet of the very monster responsible for all the hurt and heartbreak. Coming face to face with her foe, Tallis discovers all too late she has no idea how to deal with this level of pain, and death. One way or another, the monster's path ends here, and all Tallis can hope to do is bring those she loves safely out of the heart of the forest.