The name is Pietas. Get it right, human.

The name is Pietas. Get it right #ChaosIsComing #scifi

What does the name Pietas mean? Those who know him will never believe it.

30 Days of Chaos: Day 2

To celebrate the launch of Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas I’m sharing 30 Days of Chaos. Each day during April, I’ll post one excerpt from the book, along with a poster of a quote by Pietas. On the final day, members of my Romance Lives Forever Reader Group will receive a full color book containing all the quotes and posters. Unlike my website, the book posters will have only a quote and a beautiful image. Look for a giveaway at the end of this post.

What’s in a name?

The name Pietas comes from Latin and has a two-part meaning. The first is conscientious, duty, dutiful conduct, and scrupulous. The second is kind, gentle, and compassionate. Those who know lord Pietas ap Lorectic believe the first definition without hesitation. But the second? Well…

Pietas is king of the Sempervians, a race of immortal beings once called Ultras. He rules with absolute authority and power. Feared everywhere, the name Pietas inspires terror among humans, and even his own people exiled him. Twice. When called an inflexible, intractable narcissist, he says “Why, thank you,” yet Pietas insists on a simple title (lord – written lower case). His uniform is immaculate, but his face is often hidden behind stray locks of platinum hair, which he cuts with a dagger. However, one thing he will not tolerate. You had better get his name right.
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From chapter one, Bringer of Chaos:

Aboard the Uurahkal, a holovid screen in the council chamber replayed news from the Siege of San Xavier. In one report, a half dozen Ultra warriors crept over concrete battlements. In a voiceover, a human reporter called the subsequent slaughter of a hundred human soldiers an atrocity.

“Atrocity?” Chancellor Pietas ap Lorectic smacked his hand on the podium. Beneath the blow, the wood compressed. “Why do none of these channels show the truth?” He rubbed at the ache forming behind his eyes. “Humans killed over two hundred unarmed Ultras first. We defended ourselves. But we come back from the dead, so our suffering doesn’t matter!”

The announcer mentioned the upcoming peace talks on Enderium Six. “We hope Chancellor Pietas can be reasoned with at the talks this week.”

At her mispronunciation of his name, he gritted his teeth.

“Human families,” she continued, “have been evacuated from the station to protect them from possible violence.”

“I’ll show you violence.” Pietas cut off the video. “And my name is pronounced Pee-ah-toss, thank you. Not Pie-ah-toss. Pee-ah-toss. It’s six letters. How hard is that to get right?” He stormed away from the podium.

He cast off the heavy silk brocade of his robe of state. Silver threads flashed among teal and white as the supple garment billowed to the floor. He tore off the unadorned silver circlet denoting his rank, and tossed it onto a table. It clattered across the wood and knocked over a small ceramic statue of a six-headed dragon.

Pietas righted it. “These peace talks will end in disaster. Why can’t anyone else see it?” He massaged his temples. “This headache is proof. An Ultra doesn’t suffer pain, unless it’s due to humans.”
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Immortal. Warrior. Outcasts. Traitors took everything. Except their honor.
Preorder on Amazon http://amzn.to/1R8DAbb (Out May 1, 2016)
Read now in print on CreateSpace http://bit.ly/boc-origin-csp