Welcome to Istey, a land of superstition, where demons and gods are viewed with suspicion, and the Shadow Knights who protect the people from both are viewed with just as much suspicion as those they are sworn to protect the people against. And in a quiet village is Miralee, fifteen and desperate. Fighting demons is the farthest thing from her mind; she wants to be a musician, though her father is determined to marry her off, despite her queer notions and the rumors that she is a witch.
Miralee’s life takes an unexpected turn one morning. A demon, homing in on the life in the village, draws close, intent on feeding on the lives there. Miralee senses the fiend before it can attack. She interposed herself between the demon and several children that it had been intent on devouring. On pure instinct, she plays, channeling energy through the song to create a shield. She holds the demon back just long enough for the two Shadow Knights who were trailing it to catch up and kill it.
After that, life in the village becomes untenable. The rumors about Miralee fly. She is told that women cannot become serious musicians; they cannot be bards. He father tells her he is going to send her away with the expectation that she marry. Rather than accept that life, Miralee runs away.
She plans to go to a large city and try to pursue music. It is too late though; she has been noticed. Aware of what she did the Shadow Knights come after her. And she is stalked by a former Shadow Knight who professed nothing more than to want to protect and teach her.
Miralee: A Shadow Knights Tale is a YA Fantasy of approximately 90,000 words.
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The Fiction of Erik C. Martin 