A Sorceress of His Own (Gifted Ones, #1)

by Dianne Duvall

[EBookObsessed]

This series is a prequel to Dianne's popular Immortal Guardian series. This is the introduction of the gifted ones. They have advanced DNA and special abilities such as reading thoughts, healing with their hands or seeing the future. It is their descendants who will someday become the Immortal Guardians. It is much different from her current series, but just as enjoyable.

Alyssa was only sixteen when she dons the cloak that her grandmother wore for so many years as the advisor to Lord Dillon's father. Now Dillon is assuming his father's title and it is Alyssa who will serve as his healer and advisor. Her grandmother has told her many tales of the noble deeds that young Dillon has performed and Alyssa's admiration for the young lord have convinced her that she needs to take her grandmother's place.

Alyssa has promised that she will never remove her cloak. Giving the old wise woman and almost deathless presence and allowing the people to believe her powers have only grown over the years so none would dare cross the young girl hiding behind the mask of age and power.

Lord Dillon is a feared warrior and has used his fighting skill in many battles. He has earned the loyalty of his men and many gifts of land and wealth from his king. The one thing that battle has not granted him is a woman of his own by his side. A woman who will not fear him like so many of the noble women do and someone who will guide him and love him and who is willful enough fight with him when the occasion warrants. The only woman who fits that description is the old seer who has stood by his side these many years.

It is the moment that his king grants him the lands which belonged to the son of Dillon's friend, who has insulted the king, that will cause the greatest change in Dillon's life. When Dillon goes to seize the castle, he and his men are attacked on the road and Dillon receives a mortal wound. He is brought back home and Alyssa is brought in to try to heal the wounds. No one knows that in order to heal, Alyssa takes the wounds into her own body. If she wants to save Dillon, Alyssa will need to trade her own life for his but this is a sacrifice Alyssa has been willing to make since she arrived at Dillon's door seven years ago.

After Alyssa collapses, Dillon learns that she is the young woman who has haunted his dreams and he will do whatever he must to make Alyssa is bride, even if he has to fight his king and Alyssa herself.

THOUGHTS:
This story has a bit of a Game of Thrones feel to it that when things were going bad for Dillon and Alyssa, I truly started to be concerned about what awful things would happen to them. I was waiting for the backstabbing and the betrayals. Thankfully, this is part historical/part paranormal and all romance which means the raping and mutilations are kept to a minimum. *Whew*

You can't help but admire Alyssa. She is a strong female character and very pragmatic. While Dillon has flights of fancy about how they will be together forever, it is Alyssa who points out the reality of their situation, like: She is not of noble blood. The king will never allow them to marry. Everyone thinks she's an old lady. The people fear her powers as much as they fear Dillon.

I appreciate that even before Dillon learns Alyssa is a beautiful young woman, he finds out that she is feared and rejected by his people. Dillon makes an effort to point out that Alyssa has healed almost everyone in the town at some point in time and shames them into realizing she deserves better treatment. Dillon's brother, Robert, takes up the cause as well and does a better and much more subtle shaming of the people that by the end of the story, Alyssa finally has the respect she earned for the last seven years.

This is a much different story than Dianne's Immortal Guardians, but her writing style is enjoyable, the characters are loveable and judged separate from her other series, it was a wonderful story and a great beginning to a new and different series.