In a society severely divided, the Resistance will attempt to close the Divide once and for all.
Greed. Power. Class division. Resistance.
The Terenian government has worked hard to divide the haves from the have-nots. Guy Bensen, Elite bachelor of the year, wants a better life for everyone. Thief/hired killer, Keira Maddock, hungers for equality. Together, they might be able to change society.
Meanwhile, due to tragic events caused by the Divide, Keira's younger sister, April, has left her baby in the realm across the sea. Now she returns to Terene. With the arrival of two very different men, her life becomes complicated. In order to be safe, April must hide her identity. In order to live, she must open her heart.
In book two of the Reliance on Citizens trilogy, S.L. Wallace delves deeper into political intrigue as we examine the bonds that make us human, blending the genres of action, sci-fi, romance and political suspense.
Excerpt
The Dry Martini was the place to be. A lively melody emanated from the grand piano in the middle of the room, encouraging dancers to mingle on the polished parquet dance floor.
I leaned back against the smooth ebony bar and reached into my inner suit pocket to remove the gold pendant. I rubbed it thoughtfully between my thumb and index finger and then held it up, letting it dangle on its chain. Around and around it spun, a serpent in the shape of an S striking at a coin with a G imprinted on it. I'd given this very necklace to Keira over a year ago when I'd finally shared our secret. Even now, I questioned Scott's reluctance to tell her earlier.
The metaphor was fitting. The serpent represented the Working Class. It struck at a coin that represented the Elite. Disliked and mistrusted by many, serpents will strike back with full force when cornered. So why hadn't they? I pocketed the pendant. What would it take for the general populace to strike back? My thoughts drifted to last year's Palamara report. Surely that had been the time. Cloning had been outlawed ages ago throughout the world, and Ramsey Corps's transgressions had certainly caused an uproar for a short time. Then it seemed as if everyone just forgot about it and moved on. What was wrong with people? If that wasn't enough, then what would it take?
Keira's black dress kissed her ankles as Brody Delaney, head of CalTech, spun her away and pulled her back in time to the music. They made a handsome couple on the dance floor. People watched them. Only I knew that she would look even better at home. The short red-haired curly wig would come off. She'd let down her wavy black hair. I'd run my fingers through it, look into those amazing emerald green eyes and...the pianist ended the song with a trill, breaking into my reverie.
Brody took Keira's hand and led her off the dance floor toward a small empty round table. I picked up my glass and shoved away from the bar, then chose a closer seat. The smooth melody from the piano and the conversations around us made it difficult to hear their discussion. I settled into my chair and rolled my shoulders. Keira needed time to do her job.
I stirred my martini and took another sip. Then I let my mind wander, using a technique I'd learned to help relieve stress. It had been a very long day at the office, not to mention my father. I breathed in deeply and let image after image pass through my mind and drift away. The background music and lively atmosphere at the Dry Martini helped. I'd begun to feel almost perfectly relaxed when Keira brushed by me on her way out. I waited and continued to enjoy my drink until Brody left too. Even though they'd been having these “board meetings” every Tuesday for the past year, they never arrived together or left together.
Outside, Keira leaned against a sleek silver automobile, vintage, mid-21st century. The upkeep cost a small fortune, but it was worth it. Image was everything to the Elite. Plus, as a leader of the Resistance, it was imperative that I had a reliable way to get around.
Expectations...I reminded myself that I needed to talk with Keira about a few other expectations sometime soon. That, and my father, but not right now.
“You following me?” The corners of her lips teased upward. “If I didn't know any better, sir, I'd assume you were interested in me.”
I reached over and wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her close. “You'd better assume that.”
Keira's brilliant green eyes sparkled as she tilted her head back, flexed her fingers through my hair and gently pulled me forward. Her full red lips parted ever so slightly and deepened the kiss. It obliterated all remnants of my stress. After a few moments, we parted.
“After you, m'lady.” I gestured to the backseat.
“'My lady?' What's the occasion? An anniversary of some kind?” Keira's eyebrows arched as I settled onto the black leather seat beside her.
Eberhardt started the engine and pulled away from the curb.
“You could say that.” I pulled my hand out of my pocket and dropped the pendant so it dangled on its chain between us. “A year ago today I gave you this.”
On that same day I'd told her that her brother, Scott, and I had founded the Resistance.
“I think that calls for dessert at the very least, and I know of a place with the best tiramisu.”
Keira smiled and turned away from me. After I fastened the clasp, she removed the wig. Her long wavy black hair tumbled down and brushed against the back of my hand. It sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.
Eberhardt slowed to a stop as we approached The Coffee Shoppe. Despite the late hour, it looked like we may have to wait for a table. One hand was already on the door latch when I felt a slight pressure on my arm. I turned. Keira gripped my forearm and looked past me, out the tinted window. I followed her gaze. Dammit, there was another one.
After the Ramsey Corps incident last year, large bounties had been placed on all three Maddock siblings. We weren't seeing them as often anymore. Whoever had set the bounties seemed to be giving up. Still it was best to take precautions. The contact number couldn't be traced, not even by Raquelle, so we really had no idea who wanted them. It could have been a renegade group of doctors set on continuing genetic experimentation or a group of high ranking Gov officials determined not to lose valuable assets. It was even possible that Elaine Ramsey had returned and formed an alliance with Celia Beckett. Both had connections and both had good reasons for revenge.
Whoever it was, they'd made a mistake. At 350,000 gats per head, they'd set the bounty too high. Keira assured me that no professional Freelancer would touch it for fear of losing their own head after the job was complete, and amateurs were of little concern.
We'd done what we could. Raquelle, a genius at all things techno, had scoured the System and located and destroyed all of the digital images she could find of Keira, Scott and April. The image on this poster looked like it been sketched first and then run through a data processor program. The bright green eyes were really the only similarity, but their shape was wrong.
Keira opened her purse and removed a silver clip with an intricately woven design. By simply pinning up her naturally black hair, she looked absolutely nothing like that of the young woman with wavy blond hair in the full color wanted poster.
After a short wait, the hostess led us to a small table near the front of the cafe. I ordered coffee and tiramisu for two.
“Coffee? I'll be up all night!” Keira said.
Coffee was yet another privilege reserved for the Elite. As such, Keira had never developed a tolerance for the bitter drink, and she was absolutely right. She would be up all night.
I winked at her and ran my fingers gently down her arm. “That won't be a problem, will it? I'm sure we can find something to do.”
She grinned. “Are you off tomorrow?”
“I am, and I took the liberty of canceling your training session with Eberhardt and the Raiders.”
“Shit! Wait here.” Keira suddenly pushed back her chair and walked out the front door.
That certainly wasn't the reaction I expected. I saw him then, just before he pulled away from the window. What is he doing here? I pulled out my wallet. 40 gats should more than cover it. I threw the bills onto the table and hurried after Keira. She had disappeared, but I spotted my car halfway down the block. Perhaps Eberhardt had seen where they'd gone.
Professional Reviews
A well written story
Canvas Skies is the sequel to Price of a Bounty. Price of a Bounty is a remarkable story following a world divided. In the first book we meet Keira and watch as she navigates a society divided by class. She is a free lancer, a bounty hunter pulled into a rebellion she begins to feel strongly about. Here, we meet Guy,and we watch as Keira develops a relationship with him while experiencing the family drama that ties Keira, April, and their brother into the Rebellion.
And Then there is Canvas Skies.
In this review, I want to talk about why I love this story without giving away any spoilers. The first reason is the characters. You are invested in their lives, in their battle against class division. Wallace's world isn't impossible. It is real. It is a possibility. It is a journey through a corrupt government and the people who choose to fight against it. It is emotional, and it is high stakes. All of the characters we love in Price of a Bounty return for the sequel along with the addition of some new characters who we begin to feel just as strongly about.
I think one of the things I enjoyed the most about this book is seeing April (or Aimee as she is now called) come into her own. She has a lot of trauma she has to overcome, and I am impressed by the way Wallace writes her character, the in depth look at what overcoming tragedy and learning to fight back is all about.
In this book I am Keira.
I am Aimee.
I am in love.
I am scared.
But, most importantly, I want to fight back.
I highly recommend this series. You won't be disappointed. The world building is wonderful, the characters are likable, and the writing is done well. Great job.
Very entertaining
I really liked this sequel to Price of a Bounty. It follows April, Keira's sister as she comes to terms with her past and choosing between two admirers. You also tag along with Keira as she struggles to stay true to herself and finds her place in the Realm. But that's not all...
Canvas Skies is action packed that wont disappoint. Love, murder, truth, lies and trust issues... It's all here! Don't forget sticking it to The Man and looking out for The Little Guy
Written in the point of view of several characters, you see the whole scene play out from different angles and it allows you to get more into the story. S.L did an awesome job at seamlessly overlapping the POV's to intertwine with one another as to not to confuse the reader.
I look forward to the next install to this series. It has opened up a new genre for me to enjoy. Kudos to you S.L on such a wonderful series!!!!
Loved it!
A strong second book for the series. I liked the way the author handled bringing the reader up to date from the first book while not being repetitive for those of us that had read it recently. This one highlights Kiera's sister April, but still gives us plenty of time with our favorite characters from book one.
Canvas Skies is another page turner with plenty of intrigue and mystery. It's hard to know who to trust when it comes to the men in April's life. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about dystopian worlds and mystery/romance novels.
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