Kyndra Hatch's Blog: Arial’s Triumph SkyRyders Series Book 1 by @Liza0Connor

By Liza O'Connor

Blurb

Arial Logan is the best flier in the world and MAC, the computer program that manages the Corp, wishes to have more with her genetic talent. However, Arial’s mother, General Alisha Logan, has an equally strong determination to protect her daughter from all romantic interests. When Arial falls in love with a new Colonel, her mother is willing to sacrifice not only Colonel Adam’s life, but also the lives of thirty soldiers to keep her daughter safe from the soldiers.

Note: Officers of Rank are referred to as “Sir” regardless of sex.

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Excerpt 1

Arial and Denna watched as the new cadets sailed in on the hundred-mile-an-hour winds. The cadets struggled to bring their wind-catchers down in the best form they could muster. They knew MAC—the Merit Assessment Computer that determined a Ryder’s placement, promotion, and position in the Corp—would assess their landing. A failed landing might not destroy their long-term career, but it would put them at the bottom of an unpleasant pecking order.

Denna groaned as one Ryder failed to collapse his chute. The inflated chute was dragging him butt-first back to whatever sorry town he had come from.

“That poor cadet won’t be sitting for a week.”

Arial frowned. “We need a wind block for days like this. Somebody is going to get killed.”

As if to prove her point, another flyer was landing in the path of the backward sliding cadet.

“This is getting ugly,” Denna agreed as the second cadet continued down to a landing that was in the direct path of the half-inflated catcher sweeping down the pavement.

“He sees it!” Arial declared as she studied the situation through her binoculars. “So why the hell doesn’t he get out of its way?”

“Maybe he’s too scared. They’re just cadets,” Denna reminded her.

“Maybe he’s too brave,” Arial offered as another possibility as she tightened her binoculars onto his face. The Ryder did not look scared. He looked determined. Was he actually planning to try and stop that catcher? If she were out there, she would do just that. However, the difference between her skill level and a cadet’s, was night and day.

With impeccable timing, he did exactly what she would have done. Just as the catcher loomed beneath him, he fell onto the partially inflated catcher, bringing it to a halt.

“That’s no cadet.” Arial smiled as she spotted the small stars on his collar. “It’s a colonel. I’m guessing Rutherford’s replacement.”

“Is he cute?” Denna asked.

“Dashing,” Arial replied.

“Tell me more!”

“Sandy blond hair, blue eyes, nice jawline.”

“How about his smile?”

Arial shook her head. “He’s not smiling right now. He’s lecturing the cadet. Now he’s rolling the cadet over. It looks bad.”

“Should we radio a medic?”

“MAC will take care of it.”

“How tall is he?” Denna asked, getting back to the topic of interest.

“Hard to say … Wait here comes the medics. Oh, our new colonel is tall!”

“My tall, or your tall?”

“My tall.” At five-foot-ten and still growing, Arial towered over most of the cadets her age.

“Can I see?”

With great reluctance, Arial handed over the binoculars.

“Oh Air, he’s perfect for you.”

“Yeah, let’s see if I can convince him of that before Mother threatens him with dismemberment if he so much as looks my way.” Arial climbed down from their vantage point.

“Where are we going?” Denna asked as they ran across the tarmac.

“Medic ward. He was hurt in the fall, so I’m hoping Sandy will insist upon examining him before he has a chance to report to Mother.”

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