The Last Dragonfly
E.G. Moore
Publication date: April 25th 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

A magical dragonfly. A science-focused society. Only one can bring the land and her people from the brink of death.

Sixteen-year-old Governor’s daughter Etoiny longs to throw off her upper-class responsibilities and become the first female scientist of Taachat. When she accidentally wounds a thought-extinct dragonfly, she must race to find a bygone cure in order to present it to the Science Society for admission.

While she researches remedies for the dragonfly, she and the creature form a bond that can’t be explained by science. The dragonfly also revives dying blooms all Taachat’s citizens need to stay alive for the next three-year cycle. Her dead mother’s missing journal could offer insight if only Etoiny could find it.

She soon realizes two powerful people are on the hunt for the dragonfly and its healing ability. Just as Etoiny finds a way to save her dragonfly, she discovers horrors her father has allowed in the underbelly of Taachat and it makes her question who she wants to be.

Etoiny must decide whether to claim her place as a renowned scientist by offering the creature for experimentation or sacrifice her dream, team up with her animal friend, and fulfill their magical destiny.

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EXCERPT:

She strode around the fence and out onto the orchard’s ground. The creature in her pocket shifted around and around and a growly squeak sounded. Etoiny lifted a pocket flap and peeked inside. The creature had curled up and growled again at the streak of light shining in. Streaks of weak steam puffed out.

“Please give me some space to think,” she told Morem without looking up. “Half a dozen steps, if you please.”

“No.”

Etoiny snapped her head up at Morem’s response.

“I need to know what’s going on with that thing.” He peered at her pocket. “You’ve not been yourself. Sure, you’ve always spent large amounts of time in your room, and this must be difficult for you.” He gestured to the figures walking away from them. “But you’ve brushed off those that care about you, hardly seen the sun, and it’s been two days since you’ve asked me for our daily riddle.” Hurt leached into the last part of his sentence. He bumped her elbow with his fingertips and directed her to a far blossom tree. “I discovered it with you. Don’t you trust me?” He’d not said so many words in one speech in a long time.

“Of course, I trust you. I just wanted to figure some things out before I told anyone about it. Before the Science Society’s admittance presentations.”

Morem stood straighter. “And have you?”

Etoiny glanced at her shuddering pocket. “Not a lot.”

“Don’t you think that if the two of us looked, we’d cover more ground? Gather more information?”

“Perhaps.” Etoiny drew out the word, thinking hard about Jaya’s actions. “Although, I have cause to believe someone knows and is trying to steal it.”

“Well, we won’t let them.”

Morem’s rich brown eyes and stoic expression swelled guilt in her chest.

Author Bio:

E.G. Moore is an award-winning poet and children book author, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her essay Wearing Teresa’s Russet Boots was featured in Hope Paige’s Anthology on loss Breaking Sad in 2017, and she had several pieces published in an anthology honoring a local historic building in 2018. When she’s not telling “Mommy Made stories” to her three children or awaiting feedback for her latest manuscript, she can be found off-roading in North Idaho, baking something scrumptious, or on a plot-and-soul refreshing hike.

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