Dear readers, tonight with us is a marketing exec turned heir to a magical kingdom. She’s here to tell us about power and destiny.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

Well, I’m from the UK, at least I thought I was. Turned out I was adopted and was born in Tsinia a magical land on Enumac.  My adopted parents were amazing and gave me love and everything I needed.  Thanks to them, I went to college and studied hard and then got a position in a prestigious Marketing firm and worked my way up before becoming an executive.

I was happy in my own way. I lived by myself in a converted loft in the centre of town and was single and I thought my life path was set. But little did I know that everything I thought was real was just an illusion  and everything I knew as truth, was, in fact, a lie,

What do you do now?

Now I’m Queen of Tsinia, my real home. Guardians to the Changlins (the sacred stones.) When I found out who I was, it took a lot to finally accept my rightful destiny.  I was very stubborn, well I still am. But I refused to take the crown and demanded they send me back home. Especially when I found out what they had planned for me. Can you imagine, waking up in a  strange land, being told you are the heir and you have magical powers and that you’re to marry an evil warlord’s son, which it was said, he was the one who slew my parents, the rulers of Tsinia (the Ganties.)

I didn’t know these Tsinians and yet their govern committee decided that an alliance between the two lands, Senx and Tsinia would create peace and I was supposed to be the cement. So stubborn me refused their plans and to meet with Darthorn and my decision caused death and destruction. Knowing what I do, If I could have gone back, I would have done things a lot differently.

What can you tell us about your latest adventure?

The first adventure was bittersweet and there are some things I don’t want to speak about. Eventually, I agreed to meet with Darthorn but I refused the marriage to Kovon, Darthorn’s son. I had it in my head that we could create peace without a union. Hey, I was young and stubborn and didn’t know any better. Let’s just say the meeting didn’t go well. 

I was being tutored in the Tsinian code by Pertuis and Alkazar was my tutor in my gifts ( as we like to call them) but it was his duty to teach me how to use my powers and control them. As a Gantie, I had the gift of Mynd, where I could make things move with my mind. I turned out I was a special Gantie where only one other ever existed with the added power to control the five elements.

Then something surprising happened and I was once again asked to speak to the Warlord of Senx. I was trained in my gifts and could use them if needed. But Alkazar spoke of another will that was fighting to get control of me. I didn’t know what he was referring to, but I remember blacking out several times and not remembering what happened. Alkazar and I tried to fight our feelings about each other. Just after the announcement that we were going to both return to Earth and get married, reality came crashing down and I lost my love.  I went back to Earth hoping never to return to Tsinia, however, I gave them my word that should they require their princess, to call for me at once. These Tsinians were my kinsmen and I refused to let them down again.

Sadly, I was asked to return, but my kinsmen no longer lived in Tsinia and fled after being attacked by Kovon, the now warlord of Senx. A prophecy spoke of a crystal called the Darkeye that I needed if I was to defeat Kovon. But the Darkeye was in the city of Helkon in the outlands. There were not many that dared to leave Tsinia and had any knowledge of how to get to this city. But I was given a path I had to take and a group of chosen Tsinians assisted me on this perilous quest. We lost one at Lake Weir and went through many trials and tribulations before making it to Helkon City. It was there I learned about the second will. Who my ancestors were. What I was.

I nearly lost hope after we were separated and tortured by Theon, King of Helkon. Again, I refuse to discuss what happened in the city. No one knows the truth, my truth, and I’ve sworn that I will never speak of it to anyone. We returned to where the Tsinians were hidden and then took back what was left of my beautiful land, Tsinia. I swore I wouldn’t leave them until Tsinia was returned to how it once was.

What was the scariest thing in your adventures?

It was when I thought I was being prepared as a sacrifice and being given to a creature called a Bustack. When the Rants, the guards of Helkon took me underground and we travelled so far below, I thought I was never going to see light again and I silently apologised to my companions that I failed them and I wondered what was happening to them. And how would my Kinsmen survive as slaves to the Warlord of Senx? I lost hope and that was terrifying.

What is the worst thing about your experience in Enumac?

Tsinians were such gentle folks and hated to fight and battle with the Senx. Imagine having to live in fear knowing that they could be attacked again at any time.

When my companions and I had to travel through the Outlands, going into The Forest of Illusions was a terrifying experience for all of us.

What is the best thing about living in Enumac?

Tsinia is such a beautiful magical land inside a green forest. The Tsinians lived in the trees, wanting to be close to nature. Little bridges had been built outside their small homes and were attached to their neighbour’s house, so you could travel from one side of Tsinia to another. This showed the closeness of these gentle folks. The special gifts several Tsinians had, just blew me away. Grenko could grow anything from the ground, vegetables, flowers, and a magical hedge that he was forced to grow once when the soldiers march towards us to attack. Luckily their powers were enough to stop Darthorn from taking the Changlins ( the powers of Tsinia.)

Any romantic involvement?

Alkazar was my love and we were destined to be together. But fate played a cruel hand and I lost him. I can’t talk anymore about this. There’s so much more you need to know about our relationship and what happened.

Whom (or what) do you really hate?

I hated Darthorn because of the constant attacks on my kinsmen. But little did I know that Kovon was eviler than his father. And he possessed his own powers which no one knew about, not even his father. And then meeting Theon. He was the worst. What he did to my companions. I swore I would make him pay for hurting them.

What’s your favourite drink and relaxing pastime?

There was a drink called Tamin juice. It was delicious, it tasted of forest berries and had some ingredient in it that helped to relax the mind. Which I was instructed to drink before each of my session with Alkazar.

The first time I had a bath in Tsinia it felt like I was bathing in milk. The water was thicker than back on Earth and it again had relaxing properties in it. Where I could just soak and forget all about the trouble and evil I had yet to face.

What does the future hold for you?

Right now I’m back at home with my family.  Again, we have given our word to return should the Tsinians ever need me again. I did take the crown but left Omad, the head of the committee, to govern my land. The Tsinians were relieved that I finally accepted the crown and I left Tsinia in a happy positive frame of mind than I did the first time. I know we will return to Tsinia, even if it’s just to check on how my Kinsmen are doing. I don’t expect them to ever have to go to war and use their powers for defence, ever again. I got rid of the darkness and the Senxs live in harmony with the Tsinians. I made a few changes to Tsina before I left.

Can you share a secret with us, which you’ve never told anyone else?

There are secrets I have kept from the Tsinians to make sure they keep their faith, but the Changlings (The sacred stones) aren’t what the Tsinians think they are.

 And another secret I will never let the Tsinians know about and which scares me to death is that I discovered whilst in Helkon that I’m immortal. So I will watch all my loves ones die. Which is a scary thought. Now I’m just living and embracing every new day.

Karina Kantas is a prolific author of 13 titles, including the gritty MC thriller series, OUTLAW and the exciting YA fantasy duology, Illusional Reality. She also writes short stories and when her imagination is working overtime, she writes thought-provoking dark flash fiction. When Karina isn’t busy working on her next bestseller, she’s a publicist, author manager and VA. She’s also the host of the popular radio show, Author Assist on the Artist First Radio Network and host of the YouTube show, Behind The Pen. With two podcasts, Narrations by KK and Behind The Pen.

You can find Thya on the pages of Illusional Reality.

This concludes our interviews for 2020! Join us next year to meet a member of an alien race that had quite enough of humanity. Please follow the site by email (bottom-right) to be notified when the next interview is posted.

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