Capture his heart.
Steal his crown.
Noor is the unwanted, unloved third born of the Aten, chosen vessel of the sun goddess, Sol. While she has no chance at inheriting her father’s title, what she truly longs for is peace from his unrelenting hatred. Hope builds that she may finally be able to claim that reprieve when a missive arrives from the House of the Moon.
The new Lumin, chosen of the moon god, Lumos, seeks to broker peace with the Kingdom of Helios for the first time in ages. He envisions open trade routes and an end to archaic rivalries. His dedication to this cause extends to visions of a union between the two families by marrying one of Aten’s daughters, if one of the matches is a fit.
Driven by his own twisted agenda, Noor’s father is willing to sacrifice his daughters as pawns to steal the crown for him to further his despotic reign, pitting sister against sister in a brutal battle for power. But Noor must come out the victor, either by capturing the Lumin’s heart or stealing his crown. For whomever wears the crown of moonlight, holds the power of the moon itself. With such strength at her command, she could finally defeat her tyrannical father.
Yet this endeavor cannot be accomplished without great sacrifice. As Noor learns more about Lumin Caelum, guilt over her betrayal consumes her, burning hot as the sun itself. If only he wasn’t kind, and selfless, and exactly what she wanted. If only she had greater dominion over her heart…
Can Noor carry out her plan and end her father’s vile reign? Or will unlikely alliances allow a new day to dawn?
Praise for House of Eclipses:
"A gorgeous journey you'll want to take again and again." ~New York Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins
“Stunning world-building, a fierce heroine, gorgeous writing, and a storyline unlike anything you've ever read. House of Eclipses will pull you in until the very last page.” – Celia McMahon, author of The Unspoken Series
“House of Eclipses is full of compelling characters, beautiful worlds full of whimsy and wonder, an edge-of-your-seat storyline, a love story for the ages, and an ending that packs an incredible punch.” – Ethan Gregory, One Guy’s Guide to Good Reads
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT, House of Eclipses, Copyright @Casey L. Bond
“What I am about to reveal is never to be spoken of again,” he began, his cool eyes flicking from Citali’s to mine. “The Sphinx gave me a vital prophecy when I spoke to her after Joba’s departure. While she admitted that the Lumin genuinely seeks peace, she revealed a way to ensure it for an eternity, and in doing so, ensure that my reign as Aten will never end.”
Never end? He wasn’t immortal. The goddess could make it so, but why would she choose him? Why bind herself to him for an eternity?
Even Citali’s brows drew in.
Observing our confusion, Father explained. “Lumos gifted his first heir a crown made of moonlight. The one who holds this relic is endowed with the god’s great power.”
“Anyone who possesses the crown?” Citali asked, ticking her head to the side in sudden interest.
Father confirmed with a nod. “Anyone.”
We were heirs of Sol, but if what he said was true, we could become the Lumin with possession of the crown. Citali’s eyes greedily sharpened along with mine.
“I asked Zarina to remain behind to assure that Helios has an heir,” Father said. “It is no secret that if Sol must choose, I wish for Zarina to become Aten rather than one of you.” The words stung. I knew his feelings better than my own features, but hearing him say it managed to pierce something inside my chest anyway.
“In his letter, the newly chosen Lumin alluded to a potential alliance with Helios, forged not only from ink and parchment, but from the blending of our families. He is open to discussing a marriage with one of my daughters.”
Citali’s lips parted and she flicked a glance to me.
“Such a match would be ideal for Helios. The Lumin and I could begin our work together, while his wife – one of you – secretly seeks the crown. It is in the best interest of Helios, and Sol, to have an Aten endowed with dual powers. And it is Sol’s will that I be that Aten.”
Father paced a few steps, back and forth, rolling his hands as he explained. “Just imagine it. The orbs could chase one another across the sky again. Our land would flourish instead of being forced to wither. This could change everything. Icould change everything.”
And control it all.
His excited mood shifted like the wind. He grew serious, but beneath his expression, a fission of harried mania boiled. “We have only until Noor’s birthday. If I do not possess the crown by then, as you all will finally be of age and eligibility, Sol will choose Zarina, I will be removed, and our kingdom will continue as it is. The river will dry along with the fertile soil, and slowly, everyone will perish. If we fail, Sol will send the sands to swallow Helios. The priests say there are signs that the dunes have already begun shifting toward our great city.”
Father watched me with guarded features. He expected Citali to comply. He expected me to balk. “If you will not do this for me, please think of our people,” he tried, his eyes pleading with me for the first time I could remember.
“What benefits can I be assured if I complete this task for you, Father?” Citali dared ask. Father’s lips parted. He looked at her as if a stranger stood before him, but this was Citali through and through. My half-sister only ever worried for herself. Citali drummed her fingers on her arms impatiently, feeding off the fact that Father needed her for once, and not the other way around. She finally had his attention, though I wondered if she might soon regret it.
Father focused on her. “I expected Noor’s defiance, but not yours, Citali. And I believe you know what is at stake if you fail me.”
Her sharp eyes sliced him. “I will be putting my life in danger. Risking everything. As such, I will expect something equitable in return.”
Father went terribly still and for a moment, I thought she might have gone too far. But then he seemed to settle himself and the tension bled from his shoulders. “Name it, and it will be yours. Land. Riches. A title.” He brightened and shook his head, smiling, then promised, “If you bring me the crown of moonlight, there is nothing I won’t be able to offer you. Nothing will be denied you, Citali.”
Citali eagerly hung on his every word, her greedy eyes glittering as she considered the pretty vision he’d painted for her. But she was forgetting something we’d learned time and time again: Father’s promises always came with a catch.
She went still. “Father… why are you telling both of us? Which of us will you send to him?”
“In our correspondences, the Lumin asked to spend time with each of you so he could determine the best match.”
Doing so would further divide us, pitting sister against sister. It would cause strife within our family, but the Lumin and his people would be whole…
A darker thought emerged. What would Lumina’s army be doing while the Atenas were distracted, and while the Aten watched and waited and schemed? While we focused on the Lumin and finding the mysterious crown of moonlight, would they turn their sights on Helios and take it while we weren’t paying attention?
This felt like a trap. I wasn’t sure whether the Lumin had constructed it or if the Sphinx had, but either way, I had the distinct feeling we were being used as bait.
“You remain quiet, Noor,” Father noted.
Citali interrupted again. “Father, with all due respect, did the Sphinx say why Sol wishes for you to… shoulder this burden alone?”
Nice word choice, Citali.
His chest puffed. “Sol believes that if I hold both powers, I will be able to free her.”
From her unchanging position, Sol could lower herself toward Helios and raise herself high into the heavens, but she was otherwise immobile, fixed in a sky so vast and blue. It hurt to see her thus confined.
Citali’s eyes released their sharpness. I wondered if she lusted after the possibilities the crown might afford her. She seemed to have swallowed Father’s answer but missed his insinuation that he would be Sol’s savior – that he would be the one who set her free.
That wasn’t true at all. If Sol was freed, it would be mine or Citali’s doing, though Father would take the power and praise and never give us a second thought. Citali was a fool if she thought otherwise.
Could Sol be persuaded to reward the one who truly freed her? If it was me, could I ask her to free us from him? If I held the crown, I would never give it to someone as undeserving and cruel and selfish as Father.
My thoughts scattered like sand in the wind.
The Sphinx’s prophecies had never been wrong. Sol had formed the lionessafter the Great Divide, long before she chose her first Aten from among her people. The Sphinx’s wisdom was unrivaled, her guidance unquestionable.
But how could I trust the lioness when I questioned Sol herself?Sol had chosen Father from the first Aten’s long lineage when she could’ve chosen someone – anyone– kinder, gentler, and wiser for the task. Perhaps the goddess of gold and fire’s mercy had burnt away, leaving nothing but uncontrollable anger, her grace drying like the deserts breaking into tiny grains, mounded like the encroaching sand dunes.
Did she see Father’s cinder heart as a mirror of her own?
Or… perhaps Father concocted this bargain to force Sol to give him what his heart truly wanted: power with no constraints. He would use his newly stolen power to free her, if she would make him godlike in return.
“Both of you will meet the Lumin at the feast we host to begin the negotiations. You’ll need to capture his attention, and keep it,” Father advised. “But most importantly, you’ll need to search for the crown.”
Steal his crown.
Noor is the unwanted, unloved third born of the Aten, chosen vessel of the sun goddess, Sol. While she has no chance at inheriting her father’s title, what she truly longs for is peace from his unrelenting hatred. Hope builds that she may finally be able to claim that reprieve when a missive arrives from the House of the Moon.
The new Lumin, chosen of the moon god, Lumos, seeks to broker peace with the Kingdom of Helios for the first time in ages. He envisions open trade routes and an end to archaic rivalries. His dedication to this cause extends to visions of a union between the two families by marrying one of Aten’s daughters, if one of the matches is a fit.
Driven by his own twisted agenda, Noor’s father is willing to sacrifice his daughters as pawns to steal the crown for him to further his despotic reign, pitting sister against sister in a brutal battle for power. But Noor must come out the victor, either by capturing the Lumin’s heart or stealing his crown. For whomever wears the crown of moonlight, holds the power of the moon itself. With such strength at her command, she could finally defeat her tyrannical father.
Yet this endeavor cannot be accomplished without great sacrifice. As Noor learns more about Lumin Caelum, guilt over her betrayal consumes her, burning hot as the sun itself. If only he wasn’t kind, and selfless, and exactly what she wanted. If only she had greater dominion over her heart…
Can Noor carry out her plan and end her father’s vile reign? Or will unlikely alliances allow a new day to dawn?
Praise for House of Eclipses:
"A gorgeous journey you'll want to take again and again." ~New York Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins
“Stunning world-building, a fierce heroine, gorgeous writing, and a storyline unlike anything you've ever read. House of Eclipses will pull you in until the very last page.” – Celia McMahon, author of The Unspoken Series
“House of Eclipses is full of compelling characters, beautiful worlds full of whimsy and wonder, an edge-of-your-seat storyline, a love story for the ages, and an ending that packs an incredible punch.” – Ethan Gregory, One Guy’s Guide to Good Reads
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT, House of Eclipses, Copyright @Casey L. Bond
“What I am about to reveal is never to be spoken of again,” he began, his cool eyes flicking from Citali’s to mine. “The Sphinx gave me a vital prophecy when I spoke to her after Joba’s departure. While she admitted that the Lumin genuinely seeks peace, she revealed a way to ensure it for an eternity, and in doing so, ensure that my reign as Aten will never end.”
Never end? He wasn’t immortal. The goddess could make it so, but why would she choose him? Why bind herself to him for an eternity?
Even Citali’s brows drew in.
Observing our confusion, Father explained. “Lumos gifted his first heir a crown made of moonlight. The one who holds this relic is endowed with the god’s great power.”
“Anyone who possesses the crown?” Citali asked, ticking her head to the side in sudden interest.
Father confirmed with a nod. “Anyone.”
We were heirs of Sol, but if what he said was true, we could become the Lumin with possession of the crown. Citali’s eyes greedily sharpened along with mine.
“I asked Zarina to remain behind to assure that Helios has an heir,” Father said. “It is no secret that if Sol must choose, I wish for Zarina to become Aten rather than one of you.” The words stung. I knew his feelings better than my own features, but hearing him say it managed to pierce something inside my chest anyway.
“In his letter, the newly chosen Lumin alluded to a potential alliance with Helios, forged not only from ink and parchment, but from the blending of our families. He is open to discussing a marriage with one of my daughters.”
Citali’s lips parted and she flicked a glance to me.
“Such a match would be ideal for Helios. The Lumin and I could begin our work together, while his wife – one of you – secretly seeks the crown. It is in the best interest of Helios, and Sol, to have an Aten endowed with dual powers. And it is Sol’s will that I be that Aten.”
Father paced a few steps, back and forth, rolling his hands as he explained. “Just imagine it. The orbs could chase one another across the sky again. Our land would flourish instead of being forced to wither. This could change everything. Icould change everything.”
And control it all.
His excited mood shifted like the wind. He grew serious, but beneath his expression, a fission of harried mania boiled. “We have only until Noor’s birthday. If I do not possess the crown by then, as you all will finally be of age and eligibility, Sol will choose Zarina, I will be removed, and our kingdom will continue as it is. The river will dry along with the fertile soil, and slowly, everyone will perish. If we fail, Sol will send the sands to swallow Helios. The priests say there are signs that the dunes have already begun shifting toward our great city.”
Father watched me with guarded features. He expected Citali to comply. He expected me to balk. “If you will not do this for me, please think of our people,” he tried, his eyes pleading with me for the first time I could remember.
“What benefits can I be assured if I complete this task for you, Father?” Citali dared ask. Father’s lips parted. He looked at her as if a stranger stood before him, but this was Citali through and through. My half-sister only ever worried for herself. Citali drummed her fingers on her arms impatiently, feeding off the fact that Father needed her for once, and not the other way around. She finally had his attention, though I wondered if she might soon regret it.
Father focused on her. “I expected Noor’s defiance, but not yours, Citali. And I believe you know what is at stake if you fail me.”
Her sharp eyes sliced him. “I will be putting my life in danger. Risking everything. As such, I will expect something equitable in return.”
Father went terribly still and for a moment, I thought she might have gone too far. But then he seemed to settle himself and the tension bled from his shoulders. “Name it, and it will be yours. Land. Riches. A title.” He brightened and shook his head, smiling, then promised, “If you bring me the crown of moonlight, there is nothing I won’t be able to offer you. Nothing will be denied you, Citali.”
Citali eagerly hung on his every word, her greedy eyes glittering as she considered the pretty vision he’d painted for her. But she was forgetting something we’d learned time and time again: Father’s promises always came with a catch.
She went still. “Father… why are you telling both of us? Which of us will you send to him?”
“In our correspondences, the Lumin asked to spend time with each of you so he could determine the best match.”
Doing so would further divide us, pitting sister against sister. It would cause strife within our family, but the Lumin and his people would be whole…
A darker thought emerged. What would Lumina’s army be doing while the Atenas were distracted, and while the Aten watched and waited and schemed? While we focused on the Lumin and finding the mysterious crown of moonlight, would they turn their sights on Helios and take it while we weren’t paying attention?
This felt like a trap. I wasn’t sure whether the Lumin had constructed it or if the Sphinx had, but either way, I had the distinct feeling we were being used as bait.
“You remain quiet, Noor,” Father noted.
Citali interrupted again. “Father, with all due respect, did the Sphinx say why Sol wishes for you to… shoulder this burden alone?”
Nice word choice, Citali.
His chest puffed. “Sol believes that if I hold both powers, I will be able to free her.”
From her unchanging position, Sol could lower herself toward Helios and raise herself high into the heavens, but she was otherwise immobile, fixed in a sky so vast and blue. It hurt to see her thus confined.
Citali’s eyes released their sharpness. I wondered if she lusted after the possibilities the crown might afford her. She seemed to have swallowed Father’s answer but missed his insinuation that he would be Sol’s savior – that he would be the one who set her free.
That wasn’t true at all. If Sol was freed, it would be mine or Citali’s doing, though Father would take the power and praise and never give us a second thought. Citali was a fool if she thought otherwise.
Could Sol be persuaded to reward the one who truly freed her? If it was me, could I ask her to free us from him? If I held the crown, I would never give it to someone as undeserving and cruel and selfish as Father.
My thoughts scattered like sand in the wind.
The Sphinx’s prophecies had never been wrong. Sol had formed the lionessafter the Great Divide, long before she chose her first Aten from among her people. The Sphinx’s wisdom was unrivaled, her guidance unquestionable.
But how could I trust the lioness when I questioned Sol herself?Sol had chosen Father from the first Aten’s long lineage when she could’ve chosen someone – anyone– kinder, gentler, and wiser for the task. Perhaps the goddess of gold and fire’s mercy had burnt away, leaving nothing but uncontrollable anger, her grace drying like the deserts breaking into tiny grains, mounded like the encroaching sand dunes.
Did she see Father’s cinder heart as a mirror of her own?
Or… perhaps Father concocted this bargain to force Sol to give him what his heart truly wanted: power with no constraints. He would use his newly stolen power to free her, if she would make him godlike in return.
“Both of you will meet the Lumin at the feast we host to begin the negotiations. You’ll need to capture his attention, and keep it,” Father advised. “But most importantly, you’ll need to search for the crown.”
HOUSE OF WOLVES RELEASES NOVEMBER 19, 2021.
Shadow spreads over the land of Helios, threatening the secret I’ve tried so hard to protect. Anubis, god of the dead, creator of lies, says I’m meant for him. But I belong only to myself. With the Wolven and his pack, the Lumen and Aten at my side, and the hope of two kingdoms, I will hunt the shadow and guard the flame.
Praise for House of Wolves: "An incandescent close to Bond's exquisite duology. Woven with torrid twists, House of Wolves completes a memorable tapestry of masterful prose and intoxicating flourish, enveloping us in a swoon for the ages." -K.L. Kolarich, author of The Haidren Legacy Series
Shadow spreads over the land of Helios, threatening the secret I’ve tried so hard to protect. Anubis, god of the dead, creator of lies, says I’m meant for him. But I belong only to myself. With the Wolven and his pack, the Lumen and Aten at my side, and the hope of two kingdoms, I will hunt the shadow and guard the flame.
Praise for House of Wolves: "An incandescent close to Bond's exquisite duology. Woven with torrid twists, House of Wolves completes a memorable tapestry of masterful prose and intoxicating flourish, enveloping us in a swoon for the ages." -K.L. Kolarich, author of The Haidren Legacy Series
