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A matriarchal empire. A princess with forbidden magic. A mother who would kill to protect her own legacy.
As heir to the Min empire, Tori has learned to wear her collar well — speaking her mind just enough to feel like herself, defying her empress mother just enough to survive the guilt of submission. But she’s hiding a secret that would see her sawn in half: a forbidden elemental power tied to the world’s mythic past. If discovered, her mother would execute her own daughter without hesitation. And Tori knows it.
When discovery becomes inevitable, she flees into Peach Blossom Grove — a mythic realm of ghost-flowers, sentient forests, and immortals who remember a world before empires. In this ancient realm where immortal masters train magic-wielders and sentient weapons choose their owners, magic is neither blessing nor curse but a reflection of who you truly are. Here, Tori finds what the palace never gave her: belonging. But the trials are brutal, designed to break her before they remake her. And as her mother’s ambition threatens war, Tori must choose — suppress the power that could doom her, or embrace it and become the one thing her mother fears most.
Herself.
Whispers of the Elixir begins the Order of the Ember series — a slow-burn, character-driven epic fantasy of legacy, sacrifice, and the strength of a princess destined to rise from the shadows and claim her place in legend.
Here you will find the political intrigue of Andrea Stewart, the immersive worldbuilding of Patrick Rothfuss, and the emotional weight of M.L. Wang.
Read an Excerpt
Tori fought the feeling of being on a leash. She raised a hand halfway to the feathers fastened around her neck, hesitated, then let it fall.
“Is it itching, Princess?” Lady Elnora said, watching her.
“Like all insanity, but no point fiddling with it.”
Her gentlewoman adjusted the feathered ruff anyway, providing no relief whatsoever. It didn’t matter. Collared or not, today she would prove she was not her mother’s lapdog.
She struggled to see above the red filigree rail of the Imperial Observation Pavilion—where the royal family sat, far above the masses—the weight of her ceremonial robes resisting her every effort. Imperial decorum, it seemed, had not been designed with mobility in mind. It was times like these that she regretted her small stature; her mother, no doubt, could see perfectly.
Once she finally shifted forward, however, her three-story vantage point allowed her a perfect view of the float parade winding through the city of Silver Fox Springs in a ribbon of color and sound.
“I still don’t see them,” Tori said, craning her neck forward.
Elnora’s smooth brown finger pointed the way. Blending seamlessly with the sculptures of giant mythical creatures adorning the streets, Tori’s pantomimists balanced on their stilts, waist pouches packed so tight with skades that the little stones stretched the seams. Pantomimists had never been seen before at the Tailu Spring Festival—and would remain hidden, until her plan required it.
Interview:
Where are you from? Tell us a little about yourself!
I’m from Grand Cayman, a Caribbean island so small you need a magnifying glass to see its shape on the map.
I spent my childhood walking barefoot on the hot ground, eating mangoes and soursop, and breathing the sea air that somehow permeated everything. I also wrote many, many stories.
How do you get your ideas for writing?
History is a big one; people from the past fascinate me, especially ruthless queens, and so many incredible historical situations occurred that prove the saying “truth is stranger than fiction.”
In terms of worldbuilding, ideas often come to me while exploring in everyday life—fields, forests, architectural ruins—and from seeing photos of phenomenal places in our world.
What do you like to read?
Fantasy and the classics, mostly. They are my long-time loves, and fantasy delights me because of the unique way it can convey deep truths. As Lloyd Alexander said, “Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.”
What would your advice to be for authors or aspiring authors in regards to writing?
My advice to authors is the advice I strive to follow: abandon self-criticism while pursuing excellence.
Tune out the inner voice that says you’re not good enough, and stop feeding that monster by meditating on your weaknesses.
At the same time, improve your craft at every opportunity. A great sense of accomplishment comes from continually improving, even if you’re not where you’d ultimately like to be.
Anything else you’d like to share?
A final thought, for readers who find their way to my work.
Stories allow us to experience a world beyond our visible horizons. Just as the sea air permeated my Caribbean childhood, the best stories seep into us quietly, and we emerge from them somehow changed.
As C.S. Lewis said:
“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives can sometimes be.”
About the Author:
C.P. Silver writes fantasy set in a world where matriarchy is absolute, with immersive worldbuilding, evocative prose, and emotionally complex characters. A former lawyer who also briefly studied Chinese medicine, her experiences shape the nuance and depth of her debut novel, Whispers of the Elixir, a slow-burn epic centered on legacy, inheritance, and the dangerous cost of power.
Raised in the Cayman Islands, she now lives in Europe. When not writing, she’s usually reading in a quiet nook or walking somewhere green, listening for the next story.
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9YVK3NG
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Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56899835.C_P_Silver
Author website: https://www.cpsilver.com/
1 comment
Thank you for featuring WHISPERS OF THE ELIXIR today.