Heart Fire (Celta Book 13)

“I keep telling myself that she just can’t get much better, but with every book she amazes and surprises me!” —
The Best Reviews

Praise for the futuristic fantasy of

Robin D. Owens

Winner of the 2002 RITA Award for Best Paranormal Romance by the Romance Writers of America

“Another terrific tale from the brilliant mind of Robin D. Owens. Don’t miss it.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

“A taut mixture of suspense and action . . . that leaves you stunned.”

—
Smexy Books

“Thank you, Ms. Owens, for this wonderful series.”

—
Night Owl Reviews

“Sexy, emotionally intense, and laced with humor.”

—
Library Journal

“Each story is as fresh and new as the first one was.”

—
Fresh Fiction

“[A] wonderfully imaginative series.”

—
Romance Junkies

“The romance is passionate, the characters engaging, and the society and setting exquisitely crafted.”

—
Booklist

“Maintaining the ‘world building’ for science fiction and character-driven plot for romance is near impossible. Owens does it brilliantly.”

—
TRRC Reading

“[Owens] provides a wonderful, gripping mix of passion, exotic futuristic settings, and edgy suspense. If you’ve been waiting for someone to do futuristic romance right, you’re in luck, Robin D. Owens is the author for you.”

—Jayne Castle, author of
Deception Cove

“Engaging characters, effortless world building, and a sizzling romance make this a novel that’s almost impossible to put down.”

—
The Romance Reader

“Owens paints a world filled with characters who sweep readers into an unforgettable adventure with every delicious word, every breath, every beat of their hearts. Brava!”

—Deb Stover, award-winning author of
Almost an Angel

Titles by Robin D. Owens

HEARTMATE

HEART THIEF

HEA
RT DUEL

HEART CHOICE

HEART QUEST

HEART D
ANCE

HEART FATE

HEAR
T CHANGE

HEART JOURN
EY

HEART SEARCH

HEAR
T SECRET

HEART FORTU
NE

HEART FIRE

GHOST
SEER

GHOST LAYER

Anthologies

WH
AT DREAMS MAY COME

(with Sherrilyn Kenyon and Rebecca York)

HEARTS AND SWORDS

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) LLC

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China

penguin.com

A Penguin Random House Company

HEART FIRE

This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

Copyright © 2014 by Robin D. Owens.

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.

BERKLEY SENSATION® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-60494-6

An application to register this book for cataloging has been submitted to the Library of Congress.

PUBLISHING HISTORY

Berkley Sensation trade paperback edition / November 2014

Cover art by Cliff Nielsen.

Cover design by George Long.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

To all those who love Celta,
thank you, you amaze me.

I want to thank here those who helped me compile a complete cast of characters of the series, and most particularly the speaking (or yowling) parts for the audio books on Audible, in random order: Erica Brown, Antonia Witt, Kelly Self, Frances May, Kathleen Mancini, Nykki Williams, Cathy O’Connor, Sandi Dreer, Megan Bamford, Faith Bodley, Kathleen Courtade Collins, Darla Maxwell, and Christy Aaron.

And to my beta readers, including Crystal Jordan, friend and author, Michelle Kaye, and Sandra Kaye . . . the rest didn’t say they wanted named, so I am respecting their privacy. All wonderful and helpful!

Antenn Blackthorn-Moss
:
Hero, architect, Fam Pinky (a cat who became a Fam).

Tiana Mugwort
:
Heroine, FamCat Felonerb.

The Turquoise House (TQ)
:
Intelligent House.

Antenn Blackthorn-Moss’s Family:

Mitchella Clover D’Blackthorn
:
Adopted mother, interior designer, FirstFamily GrandLady (heroine of
Heart Choice
).

Straif T’Blackthorn
:
Adopted father, FirstFamily GrandLord, tracker (hero of
Heart Choice
).

Ilex Winterberry
:
Cousin by marriage of Trif Clover Winterberry, Chief of all the Druida City guards (police), (hero of
Heart Quest
).

Draeg Betony Blackthorn
:
Adopted cuz, warrior (upcoming hero of
Heart Legacy
).

Tiana Mugwort’s Best Friends:

Camellia Darjeeling D’Hawthorn
:
GreatLady D’Hawthorn, businesswoman/cook, owner of teashops (heroine of
Heart Search
), FamCat Mica.

Glyssa Licorice Bayrum
:
FirstLevel Librarian (heroine of
Heart Fortune
).

Tiana Mugwort’s Family:

Artemisia Mugwort Primross
:
Sister, Healer (heroine of
Heart Secret
), FamRaccoon Randa.

Quina Mugwort
:
Mother, devotee of the Intersection of Hope religion, Healer.

Sinjin Mugwort
:
Father, former judge, writer of legal articles.

Garrett Primross
:
Brother-in-law, private investigator (hero of
Heart Secret
), FamCat Rusby.

The Temple People:

High Priestess GrandLady Ulmaria Meadowsweet D’Sandalwood
:
Of GreatCircle Temple.

High Priest GrandLord Alb T’Sandalwood
:
Of GreatCircle Temple.

Lucida Gerania of GreatCircle Temple
:
FirstLevel priestess and rival of Tiana Mugwort.

The Intersection of Hope Ministers:

Chief Minister Younger
:
Reflecting the childlike self.

Chief Minister Foreman
:
Reflecting the vital adult.

Chief Minister Elderstone
:
Reflecting the older, wise guide.

Chief Minister Custos
:
Reflecting the inner guardian spirit.

Others, in order of appearance:

GreatLord Muin (Vinni) T’Vine
:
Friend of Antenn,
the
prophet of Celta.

GraceLord Hymale Equisetum
:
Enemy of the Mugworts, founder of the Traditionalist Stance movement.

Mica
:
FamCat to GreatLady Camellia D’Hawthorn.

Brazos
:
FamCat to GreatLord Laev T’Hawthorn.

Rusby
:
FamCat to Garrett Primross.

GreatLord Rand T’Ash
:
Jeweler/smith (hero of
HeartMate
), Fam-Cat Zanth.

GreatLady Danith Mallow D’Ash
:
Animal Healer (heroine of
HeartMate
).

Arvense Equisetum
:
Farmer, cuz to GraceLord Equisetum.

GraceLord Majus T’Daisy
:
Newssheet owner and editor.

GrandLord Walker T’Clover
:
Statesman (hero of the novella
Noble Heart
in the collection
Hearts and Swords
).

GentleLady Avellana Hazel
:
Daughter of a FirstFamily House, artist, fiancé to Vinni T’Vine.

GreatSir Tinne Holly
:
Owner of The Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon (hero of
Heart Fate
).

GreatSir Nuin Ash
:
Eldest son of T’Ash and D’Ash, fire mage.