Marie Bilodeau is an Ottawa-based author, TTRPG game writer, and storyteller. Her award-winning speculative fiction has been translated into French and Chinese, and her short stories have appeared in anthologies and magazines including Analog Science Fiction and Fact and Amazing Stories.

As a storyteller, Marie has performed across Canada — in theatres, in tea shops, at festivals, and under disco balls. She has won story slams with personal tales, taken part in epic tellings at the National Arts Centre, and adapted classical material for the stage. She also chairs Can*Con, Ottawa's speculative fiction literary convention.

Marie is an Aurora Award and Foreword Book Award winner.

Heirs of a Broken Land by Marie Bilodeau

Three legendary women. Two dying lands. One final call to battle.

Princess Cassara Edoline's kingdom is shattered, her magic is gone, and her brother has vanished, forcing her to choose between a stranger's ring and raising an army of her own.

Avarielle Grayloft doesn't want a princess to protect. She wants the monsters invading her homeland dead. But an ancient family oath just bound her fiery blade to Cassara's fate, all while a Circle witch hunts her for it.

Crimson Circle Elite Shirina was sent to drag Avarielle home in chains. Instead, treachery inside the Circle itself leaves her with one option: ally herself with the woman she was ordered to capture.

As the Wall of Loss crumbles and darkness floods the Land of Light, three reluctant allies must decide if their combined power is enough to save it — or if their differences will destroy everything first.

A complete spellbinding trilogy of treachery, war, and magic.

CURATOR'S NOTE

Not only do we have stand-alone novels in this Story Bundle, but some authors have graced us with multiple books. In fact, Canadian author Marie Bilodeau has given us an entire trilogy, Heris of the Broken Land. A princess, a warrior, and a mage on three very diffent destinies must join forces to save the kingdom. I've been a fan of Marie's for a few years now, working with her on tie-in fiction. The majestic sweep and finely-wrought characters of this high fantasy trilogy will blow you away, as it did me. – The SFWA

 

REVIEWS

  • "From the first page, this tale grabbed me. Cassara and everyone she met came alive on the pages, and I couldn't stop turning them. And found myself thoroughly enjoying a tale told with humour despite its dark moments, with twists and turns that kept me reading long after bedtime. And kept bringing me to a halt to re-read moments that bit hard, and took my breath away. Remember that when you get to the end, and know that there are sequels. You're going to love this book."

    – Ed Greenwood Internationally-bestselling author of SPELLFIRE and creator of The Forgotten Realms®

  • "…having such a wonderful read with such a great ending means I can wholeheartedly tell everyone that you should definitely, absolutely and without question read all three books in the Heirs of Broken Land series. […] All in all, a perfect fantasy adventure!"

    – Sequential Tart

  • "This is the fantasy epic I've been waiting for, with original magic, found family, and fully-realized, powerful female characters. That it's fast-paced yet breathes wonder in every setting is a fit tribute to Bilodeau's strengths as a writer. Highly Recommended. (I cannot wait for the next in the series.)"

    – Julie Czerneda, author of "The Gossamer Mage"
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Cassara shifted her right leg, careful not to make any noise, wincing as the blood flowed back into the numb limb.

If Klar would hurry up and do his rounds, I wouldn't be having this problem! She exhaled more sharply than intended, her hand rising to her mouth.

Klar turned around, his gray hair and eyes reflecting the light of the lantern he held. Cassara tried to melt between the pillar and the statue, hoping the darkness would be enough to engulf her. Had she known Klar, the captain of the guards, was on duty tonight, she would never have attempted this. He was entirely too watchful and quick to act. She vowed to make her informants pay.

The guard approached the single wooden door, plainly but elegantly decorated, that stood across from where she hid in the shadows. He examined the door intensely. Cassara held her breath and feared she might pass out from the lack of air.

Klar gently tried the handle, finding the princess' room well secured. If he decided to open the door now and found the princess missing, everything would be lost and Cassara would have to return to her prison.

Deciding that interrupting the princess' sleep was not necessary, Klar moved on, casting wary glances at the shadows all around him. Cassara was grateful that the hallways of the royal manor of Edoline were kept dark during the night, providing her the stealth she needed.

The guard vanished around a corner and Cassara quickly slipped out from hiding. A small bag was secured to her waist and her skirt flowed around her ankles. She wrinkled her nose at the stale smell down the corridor, wishing she could open every door and window to get rid of the scent of rotting wood wafting down from the attic.

Grazing the stone wall with the tips of her fingers, Cassara walked past two other doors, her steps muffled by the faded carpet. A lone torch flickered from an adjacent hallway further down, but she did not need its light to navigate, using her knowledge of every detail of the stone wall and its sparse decorations to guide her.

Reaching the last door in the hallway, Cassara glanced around one more time to make sure she was alone before reaching into her hair and pulling two pins free. Her long blond tresses cascaded down her back. Holding the handle of the door, she placed the pins in the lock, twisting one to the right while keeping the other firm in the center. The door opened in one swift motion. The scent of sweet cherry blossoms embraced her and Cassara smiled as she entered the room, closing the door and locking it again behind her.

A small candle illuminated the bedroom, its wick flickering as it reached the last of the wax. A bed, only big enough to hold two children, was close to the open window. The only other pieces of furniture in the room were a bookshelf, a desk and a wardrobe. A small figure shifted under the blankets, and Cassara cursed herself for being too loud. The last thing she needed was for the young prince to wake up.

The wind caressed the trees in the orchard outside, blossoms flying into the room, the dancing petals like a soothing lullaby. Soon the young prince's breaths were once again long and smooth.