Hello friends! Literary Flairs presents yet another interesting, highly imaginative and a magical fantasy novel in the making, with a free chapter excerpt for you to read. The book titled The Witches of Panay is an upcoming new release (slated for May end), and is also the first of its series. It is written by the very talented author and illustrator Malika Gandhi. We'll learn more about her and the book in today's special feature.
Connect with author Malika Gandhi
Connect with the author on Twitter, her Facebook page, Connect with her on LinkedIn
From the author's desk : Malika Gandhi (known as Fayr Willow for her The Witches of Panay series) was born in India, Bombay, but was brought up in London. She is married with two boys, and works as an author in her spare time, whilst working full time elsewhere. Malika Gandhi has written three books to date under her own name, all have been published on Amazon.
Book Spotlight - The Witches of Panay
Author : Malika Gandhi
Genre : Young Adult Fantasy, Literary Fiction
Trivia : "I have a new release coming up at the end of May called The Witches of Panay. The genre is Fantasy. This is my first YA Fantasy book which will be a series. PS: The work magickal is intentionally spelt that way." Author Malika Gandhi
Book Summary
Chapter excerpt
The boat began to rock. Rita, Chantelle and I screamed. Shimmering
pearl-like hands appeared on the sides of the boat and then heads appeared out
of the water. The Merpeople were too close.
They were beautiful, as Evaliyah had said. Their faces were angelic-like
and radiance glowed from their very being. I was instantly mesmerised and I
felt a magnet-like tug from them for me to join them.
“Get away from here!” Evaliyah growled at them, taking a shovel he had
stowed on the base of the boat. He waved it in their faces, warning them. “Get
away now, you filthy murderers!”
The Mermaids squealed and dove back under the dark water from Evaliyah’s
threat, whilst the Mermen remained on the surface, but moved back a couple
feet. There was one that looked like a King, for he wore a crown on top of his
head and held an ornate spear in one hand. He had gold and silver markings
painted on his face that shone from a glowing green strobe that he and every
other Mer-person was holding.
“We will do no harm to you. All we want is the girl Larissa and the
Crystal. We will leave the rest of you,” said the Mer-chief.
“You can’t have her!”replied Mathalae. “She is not yours to take! Go away and
leave us!”
“The girl has been called for. We have our orders to take her to our
Queen,” said another Merman.
“Who is this queen you speak of?” asked Evaliyah. “What does your queen
want from Larissa? She is but a normal witch and nothing else. Go and tell her,
she will not have Larissa. We will not give her to you!”
“The Dark Queen will not agree,” said the Merman. “We shall take her!”
“She is your queen?” asked Jake, incredulously.
“The Dark Queen is an acquaintance to the Queen to the Merpeople, who has
made a deal to deliver the girl and the Crystal to her,” said a Merman.
“No!” I shouted. “I will not go to her!”
My sudden outburst sent flames into the sky from my upturned palms. I felt
the magick inside me scream, as fireballs landed on the water’s surface, but
did not die out from the moisture. They instead joined together and spread
fast, forming circles around the Merpeople and a barrier between us.
The Mer-Chief shouted something intangible and large water bubbles rose
from the dark water. They were magickal! The bubbles quickly dispersed the
enchanted fire, leaving only wisps of smoke where the fire was once.
I was shoved back into the tent covering with force when a spear shot
towards me. It was blocked instantly by one of Rita’s shields, and redirected
back towards the Mermaid who threw it. The Mermaid laughed, which ironically
sounded like musical bells, but was deadly. The sound turned into a
high-pitched wail that burrowed into my ears. I covered them with my gloves,
but the sound just got louder.
I could also hear the fight outside the tent
clearly. The sound of the clapping water was tremendous as arrows and magick
joined together in this small, but powerful war of Witches against Merpeople. I
had to go out and help. After all, they were fighting to save me from
those wretched creatures! I stood up and went to leave the tent covering, ready
to use some spells I was taught by Beskine and Janet. I wouldn’t let my friends
fight this alone! Chantelle and Jake had left the tent area to help too. No, I
was not going to sit inside and let them sacrifice themselves for me! Putting
all my energy and power into my magickal blood, I stomped outside.
“No Larissa!” Mathalae stopped me. “You must stay inside. It is you and the
Crystal they want. Let us protect you. Get back inside, now!”
“But, Mathalae, I must help! I can’t just sit inside. I am not a coward!” I
yelled. I pushed past him and stationed myself at the foot of the dragon’s head
of the stern.
“This spell should scare them off!” I removed my gloves and focussed all of
my energy. I summoned the power to push them back down in the murky depths of
this black water. At first, a little glow appeared on my palm and then it
disappeared.
“Larissa, look out!” shouted Jake as a net came hurtling towards me. I
cascaded it away with a single thought and it fell back onto one of the
Mermaids.
She shrieked something, in her native tongue and white hands appeared
around her sides. They grabbed my ankles and pulled me into the water, swimming
as fast as she could with me, to get me closer to the others and away from my
ship.
