Save magic, the city, or a friend? Windmaster Golem by Helen Henderson

You have no magic. How do you stop a rogue mage, an army of clay soldiers, or save a friend from an invisible stalker?

Let’s meet Brodie from Windmaster Golem, a fantasy romance, by Helen Henderson. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about the story your author wrote.

Windmaster Golem by Helen Henderson

Genre Fantasy Romance

Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG-13

Kiansel, sister to the current Oracle of Givneh, is expected to one day assume the mantle and lead the temple’s followers. Her emerging powers force an impossible decision. To answer the siren call of magic requires she turn her back on her family, her heritage and the teachings of the Oracle.

Banishment to a remote village as healer, a position he despised, fueled Relliq’s desire for revenge. The discovery of a mythical city and an army of clay soldiers provided the means to control all mages—including the one he wanted most—Kiansel.

Brodie, weaponsmith for the School of Mages couldn’t refuse the archmage’s request to act as escort for a healing team fighting a curse upon the land. But how can a man without any magic of his own fight a curse or protect a friend from an invisible stalker?

Introducing Brodie

Please tell me about yourself.

Age I have lived 30 turns in this volume. However my tale actually begins when I make a brief appearance in Windmaster as a youth

Gender: Male

Birthplace: A mountain village in Nerelan

Profession: weaponsmith

Species (for scifi/fantasy characters): human

What do you look like?

I have brown eyes that can have an intense gaze when creating a tool for a special friend. My hair is brown, which is usually kept cropped to collar length so that it doesn’t get in the way when I’m working. Long legs that give me a height that is taller than most on the Isle of Mages, except for the archmage and Murdo, who serves as sergeant major for the residents, helps make quick work of the climb to my hilltop forge.

Who is the significant other in your life?

Ahhh. I don’t have a significant other. I am fond of the archmage’s two daughters, but they are not a romantic interest (at least on my part) as I think of them as my own daughters. There is one whom I can envision a life with. However, Kia is the sister to the current Oracle of Givneh… and a mage. A future between Kia and me cannot be as I have no powers.

Please tell us about your education.

My first exploration into learning a craft was as a mercenary. And my first assignment was a failed attempt to kill Lord Dal. Fortunately for me, he spared my life. I studied for a year with the king’s head guard, then spent a cold season at Telarim the Red’s mercenary camp, studying weapons and their use. There my talent for weaponsmithing was realized and I stayed on for two campaigns working with the troop’s weaponsmith before I apprenticed with the top weapon makers in Nerelan. Book learning came later, as did training to develop my natural talents in the arts of sketching, engraving, and working with stones to use in the jewelry and blades I create.

Are any of your skills a source of pride or embarrassment, and if so, which ones and why?

My ability to imbue life into steel is something I am extremely proud of. The weapons I make for the journeyman mages will serve as their tool for the rest of their lives. Even though I don’t know who will select what token for the hilt or what blade, each piece is special and customized for their future owner. Although I haven’t witnessed it myself as I have no powers of my own, those who are summoned to the council fire say the token, hilt, and blade that are meant to go together call out to the mage who will use the dagger to focus their powers. The pieces have been said to emit a beam of light skyward that only the intended future wizard can see.

Do you get by, live comfortably, live extravagantly?

My needs are simple. I have my own cottage on the isle, the freedom to come and go as I please. Those who like growing plants do so for everyone from student to master, mage and villager alike. Meals can be eaten in the communal hall or you can cook for yourself. Most days I take a slab of bread and some sliced meat with me to eat as my mid-day meal while I work. The evening meal is at the village. Murdo is a good cook and an even better baker.

Those who see me out and about on the archmage’s tasks might say I live extravagantly because of the horse I ride and my welcome at the most powerful houses in the land. I will share a secret about Wirake. He is no ordinary horse, but the son of the head stallion of the vale. And instead of selecting a wizard, he chose me, a man with no magic of my own, as his rider.

What is your family like?

I never knew my parents and those who lived in the mountain village they came from never accepted me. Which is why I signed up with Ruaridh, the head of the mercenary troop serving the false oracle I was hoping to find a family in the brotherhood of fighters. Of course, if I had had a happy childhood, I would never have met the archmage. Dal and Ellspeth became my family, and their daughters mine. While I may not have a family bound by blood, I ended up with one with even stronger ties.

What inner doubt causes you the most difficulty?

That because I don’t have any magic of my own, that one day I will fail Dal and his mate, Ellspeth. The archmage and his lady are my friends. They and their daughters treat me as a member of their family. I would never forgive myself if they fell in battle because I did not train them well enough… or if I failed to protect them.

If you could make any one thing happen, what would it be?

Almost every day since I came to the isle of the wizard’s council and school of magic, I have rued the fact I don’t have the ability to work magic. The other wizards have never treated me less because of it. We are friends… They are my family… I am just not fully one of them.

If I could make one thing happen, it would be for me to hear the summons to the council fire where journeyman mages earn their rank and dagger. For, if I heard the silent summons that would mean I have powers and be worthy of Kia.

Where to buy Windmaster Golem

Publisher BWL Publishing
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JTZD6K7/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/windmaster-golem-helen-henderson/1137734264
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/windmaster-golem/id1533090496
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/windmaster-golem
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1044646
More ebook sites https://books2read.com/Windmaster-Golem

Helen Henderson Social Media

Although the author of several local histories, and numerous articles on the topics of American and military history, antiques and collectibles, Hendersons first love is fiction. Her work in the museum and history fields enables a special insight into creating fantasy worlds. The descendent of a coal-miner’s daughter and an aviation flight engineer, her writing reflects the contrasts of her heritage as well as that of her Gemini sign. Her stories cross genres from historical westerns to science fiction and fantasy. In the world of fantasy romance, she is the author of the Dragshi Chronicles and The Windmaster Novels. In her books, she invites you to join her on travels through the stars, or among fantasy worlds of the imagination.
Website https://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/history2write
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HelenHenderson.author
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777491.Helen_Henderson
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001HPM2XK