TAYLOR JONES SAYS: In Two Worlds by Kristin Durfee, we are reunited with Aura, Theirra, Levi, and Emily, as well as meeting some brand new characters, several of whom are products of both Levi’s world and Aura’s—born of Earth mothers and Four Corners fathers. Once again, the Kingdom of Esotera is in danger from Lady Grustmiener’s army, and Levi is called upon to help. At first, he doesn’t believe it’s true, sure that he killed her in their last battle. Will he now have to face her again?

The story is well-written with a very unexpected ending. I certainly hope there is another book coming as I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

REGAN MURPHY SAYS: Two Worlds by Kristin Durfee is the second book in her Four Corners series. In this book, our hero Levi has finally gotten his act together. He’s written a best-selling novel about his adventures during the first book and is now a famous author. In fact, he is on a book tour when Theirra, the queen of Esotera’s aide, comes to a signing to recruit his help for another war. It seems that our evil villain, Lady Grustmiener, isn’t dead after all, and she is once again causing havoc in the Four Corners world. But this time, she wants more than dominion over her own world. She wants dominion over Earth too. And the only thing standing in her way is Levi and Queen Aura’s army of soldiers, peasants, and animals. Oh, and don’t forget the dragons.

Two Worlds is a clever and well-written tale of ordinary people being thrown into dangerous situations and doing extraordinary things when they have to. It’s an entertaining read that paranormal fans of all ages will love.

Prologue

Nikolas was a few feet ahead of Emily as she jogged to catch up. The air that poured into her lungs felt sharp and burned. She was not sure how much longer she would be able to keep up. Several brambles and thorns tried to catch her clothes. They slowed her down and increased the gap between the two of them even farther. She could hear Nikolas’s high, clear laughter in her ears and laughed to herself, unable to fully give in for lack of breath. The small boy jutted to a stop and looked back at his mother, his smile frozen on his face.

Emily pulled up sharply, hands on her knees, and gasped much needed oxygen back into her body. Her legs trembled from the exertion of chasing Nikolas around the forest all day. It had taken some convincing of her husband to let them go on an outing with just the two of them. Milskar didn’t like when they strayed far from the castle, but she insisted upon their safety and promised that they would stay close and return well before darkness set in. He reluctantly agreed and kissed her passionately while their young son burst into a fit of giggles and protested, as he did every time his parents showed affection toward one another.

They’d set off along some of the same trails Emily had traveled on almost seven years prior when she was charged with keeping the young and old inhabitants of Esotera safe from the approaching Grustmiener army. It was a task that put her in more danger then if she had stayed to fight.

Her cousin, Levi, who was her whole reason for coming to this world all those years ago, had been kidnapped soon after entering Esotera. It had been an intense and confusing time in Emily’s life. She had to come to terms with the fact that this person she’d known her whole life was really the heir to a magical world, parallel to the one they had both grown up in.

She’d agreed to accompany him on a whim, terrified to let him travel with alone with the band of misfits who came to get him. Yet almost as soon as they arrived, he was taken and Emily found herself lost and trapped in this foreign land. Lost, that was, until the point at which she fell in love with Milskar.

Milskar had been part of the team of people, led by Queen Aura of Esotera, tasked with the mission of bringing Levi back to her kingdom. Emily knew her aunt and uncle had adopted Levi, yet she was amazed and shocked to learn that his ancestors came not just from a different land, but an entirely different world. A world that needed his help. Stubborn Emily had foolishly followed them and soon was all alone in this strange land. It was not until she and Milskar began to grow closer that she started to feel at home in this place.

Their courtship had been short and intense, yet it had been the realest thing she’d ever felt. Once the war was won and Aura was victorious in protecting her future, Emily and Levi were scheduled to return to their home, but at the last minute Emily persuaded the Queen to permit her to stay and be with Milskar while Levi traveled back to their world without her. Emily and Milskar were quickly married, though it was difficult to explain to her parents about her sudden absence. They were furious at her and Levi for disappearing for so long, but were excited to hear that she had met someone and fallen in love.

One time Emily and Milskar made the trip back to her parent’s house. While it was a pleasant visit, it solidified in Emily’s mind that she had made the right decision. This place no longer felt like home to her. They wrote and kept in touch, though it had become more difficult with the arrival of her son, Nikolas. His name had dual meanings. Nick was her father’s name and Kolas was the name of their dear friend who was killed during the Great Battle. She felt it fitting to honor both men with this new life.

Now Nikolas stood in front of her as the smile faded from his pudgy five-year-old face. She was about to ask him what the matter was when strong arms grabbed her tightly from behind. A scream caught in her throat and the last thing she saw was the face of her terrified son before a powerful blow hit the back of her head and plunged her into darkness.

© 2016 by Kristin Durfee