I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SOXKENDI: A FAMILY
OF DRAGONS by Camilla Tracy Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
Author: Camilla Tracy
Release Date: February 10, 2024
Publisher: Pudel Threads Publishing
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 402
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/SOXKENDI-A-FAMILY-OF-DRAGONS
Fate can be cruel.
A standalone novel. If you've read the Threads of Magic series, this book is a
centuries ahead prequel that also stands alone.
Alexius has been ignored for centuries. He’s quietly taken the blame for his
sister’s death and simply tries to get by unnoticed, until his heart won’t let
him ignore his mate. Will she bring him closer to his family or pull him away?
Aexie is trying to figure out why she’s turned into a raging, angry dragon that
can’t express what she wants to while not letting her anxiety control her.
Jaxon fights to decide how best to keep the family together or if he should
just give up and travel the world.
Xerus is learning to navigate the ancient love of his life and run the kingdom
he’s been brought up to rule.
As siblings grow up, their duties to themselves clash with their
responsibilities to their family and realm. Mysterious attacks force them to
put the kingdom first and work together. They need to figure out who the
culprit is before their entire realm falls.
Will they come together or will they abandon their duties and watch their
kingdom fall to evil?
A scene from another character's POV
Brixelle
I tapped my claws on my thigh one at a time as I stepped forward in the line. I’d flown by the palace, and my mother said I’d been here once as a child. But seeing it up close, even in my dragon form, was intimidating.
The great blue doors would fit at least two of the tallest dragons I knew one atop the other. And they were open. Just like every first day of the week in the month, they stood imposingly. I took another step, looking down to see the plush carpet below my feet. I’d never felt anything quite as soft as this before and felt self-conscious of the dirt I might bring in. I think if I lay down on it, I could take a nap.
There was a brown dragon in front of me and I was glad that he seemed to know what he was doing. He followed the line and stood quietly and I tried to do the same, though my claws kept tapping on my hip. Normally at this time, I was doing something - moving, focused, busy. I had told my mother that I was going to visit one of our neighbors but had made the flight here instead. She wouldn’t want me to come here, to ask for help. But she was all the family I had left. My father had passed a long time ago. It was just me and my mother for most of the life I remembered.
The line moved forward steadily. I was now far enough into the palace that I saw tapestries and paintings that were as big as the side of my house. Intricately painted or made so that it looked lifelike. Sculptures of the various types of citizens - griffons, pegasi, dragons, manticores, minotaurs…just to name a few. I could stare at each of them all day. A cough behind me made me realize I wasn’t following the line. I blinked and hurried my steps to catch up.
Now, we approached doors that were equally as large, but in a pink and white stone. The top layer of stone was white, but as the artists carved into it, the layers underneath were pink, making the shapes of various flying dragons pop out.
We’d already been briefed this morning, when I arrived, on the protocol, when meeting the King and Queen. We would line up one by one and then present our case. We would enter the room individually and bow or curtsy when we first met the royal family and wait for them to speak to us first, or ask us questions. We were to remain two dragon lengths from the dais and would exit the side door around the gallery where we were also invited to stay and watch the rest of the line of citizens make their requests. There had even been snacks and refreshments set up in the courtyard where we had all gathered to wait.
I stood to the side, wanting so badly to stick my head forwards to see the throne room. My claws tapped on my hip faster and faster as my nerves started to fray. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come. Maybe they would laugh at me. Everyone had problems, everyone was struggling. Why would they help me over someone else? I was only a sheep farmer.
“Miss,” the palace staff coughed to get my attention and I blinked at him. The fur around his face moved as he jerked his head towards the open doors quickly.
I nodded. I took a deep breath in and out. This was for my mama. I strode forward, turned, and held my head high as I marched into the throne room.
There were less creatures there than I had expected as I looked around the spacious room. The floor was made of pink and blue stones, the swirls of blue outlined in gold leading toward the dais where the king and queen sat on their thrones. The queen smiled at me as I strode up to them. I remembered at the last second to count two dragon lengths and stop there. My eyes were drawn immediately to the red dragon on the queen’s left. His scales shone bright red, and he stood proud and stoically, but his green eyes reminded me of the billowing grass. They were soft and kind and when they met mine, I felt a part of me snap into place. I forced my gaze back to the monarchs, hoping they didn’t notice me ogling their son.
“Your Majesties, Your Highnesses,” I bowed as low as I could.
“What is your name, dragonling?” the Queen asked me.
“My name is Brixelle. I’ve come today because my mother is sick, and we would ask for enchantments for our property so our labor could be eased.”
The queen paused and I kept my eyes down. Did all the princes have this effect on all the young dragons of a certain age?
“Alexius, why don’t you go with this young dragonette and provide her with the enchantments she needs?” the queen said.
I looked up again at the red dragon. My body glowed without any prompting from me, but instead of a knowing smile, or arrogance in his face, Prince Alexius seemed to freeze for a moment before he blinked and nodded. I bowed my head to the king and queen again before moving to the side door. I knew the moment Alexius had come up right behind me. How did I know where he was without seeing him approach?
“I am honored, Your Highness. Thank you,” I said. I hadn’t expected a royal prince to help me. I dipped my head as I went back to the courtyard I’d come from.
“The pleasure is all mine,” he said. I felt a shiver dance across my scales.
“Where do you live?” he asked, bringing me back to the present.
“On the outskirts of The Gathering,” I said. I wanted to stare at him, but I didn’t want to make the situation more awkward. Surely all princes were as charming as Alexius. I couldn’t be someone special.
“It’ll be much quicker if we fly,” I said. He nodded. His eyes narrowed for a moment as if he was trying to figure something out and then motioned for me to go ahead first. The courtyard wasn’t quite big enough for both of us to take off at the same time. He waited patiently. I swallowed and took off. He joined me in the air a moment later, catching up swiftly.
We flew in silence and I felt myself glow as the tips of our wings danced around each other in the air currents.
“It’s not much farther,” I said. “Just over the rise there.” And I couldn’t help but smile as I saw my home come into view. It loosened some tension in my chest to know I was closer to my mother now. That my sheep were in view. We landed in the grassy field. My sheep didn’t love strangers, so we stayed away from them. I also didn’t know how the prince felt about getting dirty on a farm.
“What enchantments would you like?” he asked. He turned his complete attention to me and my heart did a flip-flop. I could bask under his gaze forever.
“One to protect our livestock, some border alarms, and if you could, a weather detector would be wonderful.” I smiled my most charming smile, knowing it was quite a long list. Hopefully he would be able to do one or two for me.
He laughed and my chest puffed to think I had caused it. In that moment, his face had turned from serious to carefree and joyful and I wanted to do it again.
“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of a weather-detection enchantment, but the others I can do. Can you show me your borders?” he asked.
“Of course, Your Highness.” I lowered my eyes because I couldn’t keep staring at him without making this awkward. He coughed and I took off into the sky.
We flew along the edges of my farm land and I felt blissfully happy. He was a talented flyer, moving with agility and ease. I felt safe next to him.
“Would you object if I set wards up in sections? That way if someone or something triggers one, you’ll know which section to attend to instead of having to search the entire property?”
“Handsome and smart,” I said before I regained control of my mouth. I clamped my jaws together to stop myself. I snuck a peak at him and he grinned. Was he glowing?
“Do you have specific sections you’d like me to divide the property into?” he asked.
Swallowing my own awkwardness, I took a breath and then turned back to him.
“Follow me?” I asked. His face lit up. That pull I had felt earlier, the one that had snapped into place, glowed and I knew, Alexius was my mate.
When she is not writing, Camilla is often found exploring
animal behavior, crafting, drinking a hot beverage, and clicker training her
animals.
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(2) winners
will receive a Lunar New Year themed box with a finished copy of SOXKENDI: A
FAMILY OF DRAGONS & swag - US & Canada Only.
Ends February 27th, midnight EST.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
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2/12/2024 |
Guest Post |
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2/12/2024 |
Guest Post |
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2/13/2024 |
Guest Post/IG Post |
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2/13/2024 |
Guest Post/IG Post |
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2/14/2024 |
Interview/IG Post |
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2/14/2024 |
IG Post |
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2/15/2024 |
Guest Post/IG Post |
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2/15/2024 |
IG Post |
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2/16/2024 |
Review/IG Post |
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2/16/2024 |
Review/IG Post |
Week Two:
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2/19/2024 |
IG Post/TikTok Post |
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2/19/2024 |
IG Review |
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2/20/2024 |
IG Review |
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2/20/2024 |
IG Review |
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2/21/2024 |
IG Review/TikTok Post |
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2/21/2024 |
IG Review |
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2/22/2024 |
IG Review |
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2/22/2024 |
Review/Guest Post |
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2/23/2024 |
Review/IG Post |
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2/23/2024 |
Review/IG Post |
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