{"product_id":"2940012033697","title":"The Crystal Facade (Book 2, Rule of Otharia)","description":"SECOND EDITION:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRoyal Otharian twins Darius and Dyla Telkur have a big problem: they know too much about a secret sect of their countrymen living on the forbidden planet Earth. On a previous trip to Earth, they traced the sect's lineage back to the time of Merlin, but a run-in with a local crime boss forced them back to Otharia before they could unravel the mystery.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow Dyla is dreaming again.  Her dreams of the London crime boss portend an imminent threat to her family and she has no choice but to secretly return to Earth to find out what they mean.  What the twins don't realize is they're walking into a conspiracy involving a centuries old interplanetary smuggling operation.  Will they be able to capitalize on their superior PSI powers to get the answers they need before they fall victim to a telekinetic assassin that has hunted them across the galaxy?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEXCERPT:  Chapter 2 - Eclair's First Day\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEclair Jortac sat down at the desk in the front of the classroom facing his students.  It was his first day with this group of advanced telekinetics and he felt like the new kid in school.  He had thoroughly enjoyed teaching the younger students for the past six months.  They had responded well to him and loved his quirky ways.  This class would be different.  These students would not be so easily impressed with him especially since he was only a few years older than most of them.\u003cbr\u003eAll right, I'm the teacher.  If anyone should be nervous, it's these kids, not me.\u003cbr\u003eEclair's eyes swept the room.\u003cbr\u003e           \"Good morning.  My name is Eclasius Jortac.  I'll be your teacher for this class on advanced telekinetics.\"\u003cbr\u003e           In the back of the class, he heard a pair of students snicker.\u003cbr\u003e          \"I heard they used to call him Eclair, like the pastry.\"\u003cbr\u003e          \"Yeah, cause he's soft and gooey.\"\u003cbr\u003e          The two had pitched their voices loud enough for everyone to hear.  Smothered laughter erupted throughout the class.  Another time and place, Eclair would have turned beat red and quietly taken the jeering, another time, another place, and definitely, another Eclair.\u003cbr\u003e          He had been warned by the chancellor about these two students--a pair of bullies, physically powerful and fairly decent telekinetics.  They were of the house of Vogdo and were second-generation nephews of the Grand Duke.  Their previous instructors had given them ample liberties because of that fact.  No one wanted to face the displeasure of the Grand Duke of Otharia and the Institute's number one benefactor.   \u003cbr\u003e          Eclair stood up and walked around to the front of his desk while he continued his introduction.  He concentrated slightly and the two perpetrators jerked out of their seats, standing at attention, with their arms locked to their sides, unable to move a muscle.  However, they could still speak and the first one quickly voiced his displeasure.\u003cbr\u003e          \"Hey,\" the first boy yelled peevishly, struggling to no avail.  \"What's going on?  I can't move.\"\u003cbr\u003e          All eyes turned toward the back of the room.\u003cbr\u003e          The second boy struggled for a few moments before giving up. \u003cbr\u003e          \"As I said, my name is Eclasius Jortac.\" \u003cbr\u003e          \"Well, my name is Vogdo,\" the first boy interrupted, \"and when my great uncle hears of this . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e          The boy's mouth slammed shut and his eyes went wide with shocked indignation.\u003cbr\u003e          Eclair continued talking unfazed by the boy's interruption.  The other student's heads swiveled back and forth between their frozen classmates and their new teacher.\u003cbr\u003e         \"You may call me Sir or Master Jortac.\"\u003cbr\u003e          Both boys stared at Eclair with fire in their eyes.  No one else spoke, their attention was glued to the two boys held in thrall.  To the ultimate surprise of the class, the two slowly elevated into the air and began to spin around in a circle.\u003cbr\u003e          Eclair continued talking nonchalantly.\u003cbr\u003e          \"I want everyone to understand something as we move forward in this class.  I'm the instructor and you're the students.  You're here to learn and I'm here to teach you.  Today's lesson is on focus and the application of power.\"\u003cbr\u003e          The two boys struggled to free themselves as they continued to rotate in front of the other students.  The class soon recognized that Eclair was demonstrating two separate weaves of power on air, something none of them had seen before.\u003cbr\u003e          Eclair pressed his point.\u003cbr\u003e          \"To truly understand power, one must look beyond the surface.  What one perceives with one's eyes is not necessarily the strength that is lurking beneath.\"","brand":"Debra L Martin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47152305144048,"sku":"2940012033697","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940012033697_p0.jpg?v=1763552332","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940012033697","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}