Title Of Book: By The Pact
Series: Pacts Arcane and Otherwise Book 1
By: Joanna Maciejewska
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Sub-Genre: Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Sword & Sorcery

Blurb:

High mages lied: Veranesh, the demon who destroyed the continent is still alive. And it’s up to their former student to expose the truth—even if it means another Cataclysm.

When Kamira, a once high mage student turned arcanist, discovers an imprisoned demon in underground ruins, she is forced into a pact that grants her powerful magic, but also ties her to the very demon that once devastated the continent… and Veranesh wants his freedom.

With one friend by her side, Veelk, a mage killer bound on protecting her, Kamira will have to outwit the archmages, other demons, and possibly her own demonic benefactor to survive. Her chances are slim, but with Veelk’s ever-present sarcastic repartee, Kamira might just pull through.

Plots and schemes, power and means—sometimes the price for victory is choosing which friend will die, but when you only have one friend, the choice is… easy?

Excerpt:

The back alley smelled of rotten food and urine, and Kamira chose her steps carefully, hoping her boots wouldn’t sink into something vile, even though the moonless night made the task close to impossible. The stench seemed to stick to her skin, making her yearn for another bath.
“What happened?”
She’d expected it but still twitched when Veelk’s voice came from behind. By the pact, for someone so big to move so lightly was inhuman, and she had no doubt that he enjoyed giving her that slight jump to keep her on her toes, and—as he liked to say—to remind her of any dangers that lurked in the dark, ready to take advantage of an unsuspecting arcanist. She sneered at that thought. As unskilled in combat as she was, her survival instincts had never failed her, and she often had her barrier up even before she realized what the threat was. Of course, in the past, she could do little else with her magic being hardly sufficient for any casting, let alone extravagant use, but with Veranesh’s power at her disposal, this changed, and the real reasons for getting rid of Yoreus aside, she regretted missing the chance to fight against him.
“There were unexpected complications.” She let her displeasure weave through the words. “Remember that arcanist hater? He recognized you and warned Yoreus. I barely managed to convince the old fart I wasn’t planning on killing him, and that I didn’t know who you really are.”
Veelk said a few words in his native tongue, and although Kamira didn’t catch the meaning, the tone was enough of a tell. “Want to try again?”
As much as she wanted to give a nod, she shook her head. “The old crook will be jumping at every shadow now and likely won’t take a step outside the Towers. Better wait it out and make him doubt there was any plot to begin with. If we act, we’d confirm his suspicions and risk an open war. I don’t think I can take on all the archmages at once,” she added jokingly.
“He might try something in return,” he replied.
“I’m sure you can handle an assassin or two, should it come to that. You could use some fighting exercise.” Kamira eyed his body as if finding flaws in the perfect mass of muscles. “You seem a bit out of shape.”
The way Veelk arched his eyebrow made her expect a demand for proof, but instead he said, “No more than you are.”
To him, any excuse to practice with his weapon or fists seemed good enough, and Kamira snickered. “I was never in shape. That’s why I have you.”
“A bit of exercise wouldn’t hurt. If you got some muscles on that skin and bone of yours…”
“And make your life easier?” She laughed, then threw a dissatisfied glare at their surroundings. Getting used to the stench didn’t mean she wanted to soak any more of it in. “Let’s get out of here. I could use a bath and some good food.”
“Then the Jagged Swordsman it is,” Veelk said.
Without delay, they exited the alley.

What People Are Saying:

5 Stars – “It’s hard to find a good balance between new/unique world and staples that let you jump right into the story without long explanations. I thought the story nailed it.”

5 Stars – “I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I thought the concept was unique.”

5 Stars – “Surprising plot, characters with complex motivations and backstories.”

5 Stars – “Engaging characters, a richly imagined world, and unexpected and dangerous magic.”

5 Stars – “Compelling sand and sorcery tale featuring enjoyable protagonists.”

Where to buy By The Pact (Pacts Arcane and Otherwise Book 1)

https://books2read.com/ByThePact

Meet Joanna Maciejewska:

Joanna might be a bit too cautious to do anything even remotely daring or dangerous herself, so she writes about daring adventures and dangerous magic instead. Yet, she found enough courage to abandon her life in Poland and move to Ireland, and then some years later, she abandoned her life in Ireland to move over to the US. She’s determined to settle there, once she finally chooses which state to reside in. When she’s not writing or thinking about writing, she plays video games or makes amateur art. She lives the happy life of a recluse, surrounded by her husband, a stuffed red monkey, and a small collection of books she insisted on hauling across two continents.