Sprout of Hope: The Book of Fawla, #2

By Ash Roberts

Kate's journey through the pages of destiny unfurls further in "Sprout of Hope," the riveting sequel to the spellbinding fantasy adventure that began in The Book of Fawla. With the lines between fiction and reality blurred, Kate confronts the truth of her entrapment within a world that captivates as much as it challenges.

"But I've been gone for weeks. My family has no clue what happened to me," Kate protests, her plea echoing against the indifference of a realm under siege. The once sought-after escapism in a good book becomes her reality, as she grapples with the weight of unintended consequences.

In the midst of turmoil, the elves, guardians of ancient secrets, find themselves not just battling an invasion but the prejudices rooted within. Kate, caught between the strife of magical beings and the longing for her forgotten life, must rise to the unforeseen role fate has carved for her.

Will Kate's resolve sprout hope in a land overshadowed by despair? Can she bridge the chasm between worlds and lead a divided people to a dawn of unity?

Dive into the enchanting sequel of The Book of Fawla, where every chapter weaves deeper into the tapestry of a universe that defies the bounds of imagination and the heart's capacity for courage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ROL Digital Dominion
• Release date: Nov 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223834304

Ash Roberts

Ash Roberts is a transgender author who writes books about dragons, and those who ride them. Ash has loved dragons every since a family friend lent a precoucious fourteen year-old her copy of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonflight. She was hooked. She credits Rick Riordan with saving her life because of a trans character he wrote. To pay it forward, she now rights books with plenty of LGBTQIA+ characters so that queer kids can see themselves in stories and not feel so alone.

Book preview

Previously on...

Kate's life changed forever when she discovered a strange old book in the dusty shelves of her local secondhand bookshop. Unable to resist its allure, she opened the weathered tome only to be sucked into its pages and transported to the fantastical realm of Zanor.

Awakening alone in a forest glade, Kate was shocked to find her eyes and hair now glowed green and that her pet cat Trippy had grown into a mountain lion! Before she could get her bearings, she met Kreelan, an elf who believed her to be their long lost princess returned to save them.

Though skeptical, Kate soon discovered she could now control plants and use them to perform miracles. She created a living wall of vines and trees around the elf village, protecting them from invading goblins bent on domination.

After a fierce battle against the goblins, the elves emerged victorious but at a grave cost. While healing her people, Kate learned this was just one of many goblin legions who would surely seek vengeance.

Just when Kate thought she might find a way home, the scholar Regkor presented an ancient scroll telling of her true powers and destiny. With the elves' lives hanging in the balance, will Kate choose to embrace her role as their prophesied savior, or will she find her way back to the home she left behind? 

Chapter 1

But I've been gone for weeks. My family has no clue what happened to me. Kate threw her hands in the air. I didn't ask for any of this. I just wanted a good book to read, not get sucked into one.

That may be the case, but we didn't ask to be invaded either, Kreelan spat back.

The crowd started gathering around them. She shook her head and shooed them. Go away. But, of course, while they deferred to her for anything else, not even elves could resist watching somebody having a meltdown.

What do you want me to do, Kreelan? I don't know how to fight. I don't know how to control my power. I got lucky out there. Can I make the armor again? Will it do my fighting for me again?

I don't know, princess. He looked down.

Oh, for crying out loud. Don't go back to calling me that. She shook her head. My point is, I don't know either. I can't keep protecting you. I'll get myself killed out there. She pointed through the hole in the wall, visible from the wreckage of Regkor's house.

You will have to train, Kate. We provoked the goblins. If we stand down, how things were before will seem like a pleasant dream compared to the future we will face.

Who will train me? She shook her hands in front of her, as if choking an invisible foe. Her voice started rising. Kate knew she was getting hysterical, but she didn't care. Kreelan opened his mouth, but she wouldn't let him talk. Well, answer me.

I--

You? What do you know about fighting? You never fought before yesterday. Somebody else? Who here in Zanor knows how to fight? Who in all of Fawla has been in any kind of battle before?

Kate. Regkor spoke up from her right.

She spun around.