Release Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway:
A Touch of Fever by Nazri Noor
Arcane Hearts, Book 1
What do you do when you can’t cast spells? You make your own magic.
Jackson Pryde was never great at wielding magic. Instead, he works as an artificer, crafting enchanted devices in the Black Market, a shadowy bazaar of wonders. But Xander Wright, the mouthy, pretentious mage next door, hates all the hammering in Jackson’s workshop.
When a chance assignment forces them to team up, they discover a terrifying predicament. Something is driving members of the magical community into murderous rages. Jackson and Xander must combine might and magic to find the source of the Fever and stop it. Can they put aside their differences long enough to end the Fever, or will they succumb to its bloodthirsty curse?
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Zephyr went up on his hind legs, like a rearing stallion, his eyes bright with anger. “Fly you there? Do you presume to place your undeserving buttocks on my back, little humans? Do you truly believe that I will allow you to ride me like some common donkey? I am a gryphon, most vicious of the predators of earth, noblest of the creatures of the sky.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Even the most vicious of predators needed to eat. Even the noblest of creatures couldn’t resist a bargain. I held up three fingers.
“Three chickens. Next time I come back, I’ll have three chickens for you. I might even bring Xander along next time, so you’ll have another toy to bat around on the clifftop.”
Xander drew himself up. “It would be an honor.”
Zephyr looked between us, calmer, his front paws resting daintily before him, like a cat. “Very well. Five chickens it is.”
“Wait, but that’s not what I said.”
I winced when Xander’s elbow plunged into my ribs. “I’ll give you the money for them,” he hissed. “Doesn’t matter. He already said yes.”
“Five chickens,” I grunted, clutching my aching ribs.
Again I thought I heard Zephyr purring. He could be a little frightening when he got all impatient or imperious, but at the end of the day it was kind of cute thinking of the gryphon as an overgrown kitten, or even a puppy.
“Here,” I said, handing Xander one of the rotisserie chickens. “Unwrap it.”
“Eww.” He grimaced down at the mess of plastic and chicken. “It’s greasy and all.”
“Just trust me. Follow my lead. Zephyr, you ready?”
Saying nothing, Zephyr placed his right paw forward, eyes focused on the roast chicken in my hands. I tossed it into the air with all my might. He went up like a shot, rocketing towards his snack with a single beat of his enormous wings, snapping it up in one go.
“Whoa,” Xander said, eyes twinkling as he watched Zephyr wrestle with the chicken, eviscerating it with his hind paws like he’d just caught some living prey. I nudged him gently, not wanting to distract him too much from the spectacle, but his turn was coming up.
“Okay. When he’s done with the first one, you catch his attention and throw out the second.”
He nodded, lips parted in fascination. Bits of chicken carcass rained down around us, mostly bones or the parts that Zephyr didn’t enjoy very much. Xander took his cue.
“Zephyr,” he called out, hurling the chicken high up into the air. Xander cooed in amazement as the gryphon chased and devoured his flying chicken. He laughed as Zephyr showed off in the sky, doing a barrel roll, a somersault, a twirl. Xander Wright wiped his greasy hands off on his pants, all thoughts of decorum and manners and being locked in a musty study forgotten, if only for one bright afternoon.
He’d never looked so handsome. He’d never looked so happy.
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About the Author:
Hi, I’m Nazri, a Filipino-Malaysian author based in California. I’m trilingual, but I really only write in English. I can also speak just enough Sindarin and Valyrian to impress absolutely no one. My urban fantasy novels focus on heroes who use wits, style, and their wildly unpredictable magic to save the day. Think sass and class, while kicking ass.
My influences come from horror and fantasy: HP Lovecraft, Anne Rice, George R.R. Martin, Chuck Palahniuk, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman. Growing up I was shaped by the Blood Sword, Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, and Grey Star game book universes. I’m also inspired by video games, specifically the Castlevania, Final Fantasy, and Persona series.
TL;DR: I’m a huge nerd. Follow me on Amazon and BookBub, or send me an email at nazri at nazrinoor dot com. I love hearing from readers, and I’m also really, really starved for attention. And yes, that’s my real hair. I try to donate it to the American Cancer Society as often as I can. Also, have you heard? You can get a free book right here.
Catch up with Nazri:
https://www.nazrinoor.com/
https://twitter.com/NazriNoor
https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatestNazriNoor/
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