The Shadow Portal: Meet the Characters

Welcome to Meet the Characters, my weekly introduction to the characters who live in my books. Last week I introduced you to Micayta from my newest novel Shadow of The Dragon (YA Fantasy). Today you'll meet her brother, Pytaki (pi-tuh-ki).

Age: 14 Hair Color: Dark Brown Eye color: Brown Skin Color: White Birthplace: Talphan (tal-fun) Parents: Sannel (san-el) & Anora (uh-nor-uh) Sibling: Micayta (muh-kay-tuh)

Pytaki has grown up in a world that is trapped in an endless winter. The cause of this is a mystery. He lost his mother when he was three and his father has always been rather distant and cold. So his sister has become more like a parent to him. He's a little immature but very sweet and desperate to win Micayta's approval.

Blurb: Micayta’s world has long been gripped in the thrall of an endless winter that grows worse with the passing of time. Life is a constant struggle. Then catastrophe strikes the small town in which she lives, thrusting Micayta and her brother Pytaki alone into the snow laden countryside. To keep herself and her brother alive will take all the strength that she has.

Then a mysterious stranger appears to complicate matters. Tech has an amazing story to tell, but is any of it true? Old wounds and betrayals make Micayta slow to trust, but without Tech she and her brother will never make it across the countryside alive. Through bandits, wolves, and snowstorms, the three struggle their way to the city of Phadra. But the real danger lies within the city walls, where Micayta becomes a player in a deadly game with a dark-eyed mage.

Nothing is what it seems.

As the truth unravels, Micayta finds herself drawn into a struggle much bigger than she ever dreamed. Choices must be made and sides taken. But the question of who to trust is one not easily answered. Micayta will have to open her heart and find a way to let someone else in, or the flames that destroyed her home will consume the world.

Excerpt: Pytaki stood in the doorway of the farmhouse with the quilt from the bed draped across his shoulders. “Where have you been? I was worried when I woke up and you were gone.”

Micayta stopped and forced her whirling thoughts to come into focus. “I went into town to have a look around.”

“Did you…did you find anyone?” His gaze met hers; pleading for her to say the words he longed to hear.