Balefire (novel series)
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Balefire is a fantasy series, published in the US, Canada, UK and the Netherlands (as Vuurbaken), by Cate Tiernan, the author of the Sweep (aka Wicca) series.
Beginning with "A Chalice of Wind", the series follows the life of Thais Allard and Clio Martin on their journey of discovery.
Plot
After seventeen-year-old Thais Allard loses her widowed father in a tragic car accident, she is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. She moves to live with a total stranger in New Orleans, which greets her with many secrets and mysteries. However, none of these moments are as unbelievable as the one in which she unknowingly comes face to face with her identical twin, Clio Martin. Thais soon learns that she and her twin come from a family of witches and that she possesses astonishing powers. Both Thias and Clio have a key role in Balefire - the coven in which they are born into. However, fiery Clio is less than thrilled to have to share the spotlight, but the twins must learn to combine their powers in order to complete a rite that will transform their lives and the coven forever.
Main Characters
Thais Allard
- The twin who was born after midnight on November 22. Thias was raised by her father, Michael Allard, in Welsford, Connecticut until he died in a car accident. Thais follows the rules and rarely parties. She went to live in New Orleans with Axelle until she found out she had a twin, Clio. She then moved in with Petra and Clio where Petra began to teach Thais witchcraft. Thais is a sagittarius and her element is water. She is also a powerful witch like her sister and sometimes when she is in danger, spells will pop into her head. Unlike Clio, Thias has a birthmark on her right cheek. At the beginning of the book series, she began to date Luc-Andre Martin and later found out he was also dating Clio at the same time. Thais was hurt by this and so began to date a boy named Kevin LaTour but broke up with him in final book. She and her sister both are identical to Cerise, their ancestor, except they have black hair, like Melita.
Clio Martin
- The twin who was born before midnight on November 21, Clio was raised by her grandmother/ancestor, Petra Martin, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She has a birthmark on her left cheek and is a scorpio with the element of fire. Clio is the wild child who parties a lot. However, she is also a very powerful witch. At the beginning of the series, she begins to date a boy named Luc-Andre Martin and later finds out he was also dating her twin sister, Thais, at the same time. Her best friend is Racey Copeland is also a witch. Throughout the series, she fights her feelings toward Luc and later develops feelings for Richard Landry. At the end of the last book, Clio chooses Richard. She and her sister both are identical to Cerise, their ancestor, except they have black hair, like Melita.
Petra Martin
- Petra is the grandmother and ancestor of the twins. She separated the twins at birth and had promised their mother, Clemence, that she would keep the twins safe before she died. She is over 240 years old and her element is fire. She is a very, very powerful witch and healer. Petra had two daughters, Melita and Cerise. During a ritual that was performed by her oldest daughter, Melita, her younger daughter Cerise died during childbirth. The ritual, however, made her and eleven other people somewhat immortal.
Luc-Andre Martin
- Luc-Andre is cousin to Melita, nephew to Petra and brother to Sophie. He never really cared for anyone (except his sister) until he met Thais, his soul-mate. He was known as the heartless rake, always going through girls as if they were worthless. He and Thais make up by the final book and end the series as friends.
Daedalus Planchon
- Daedalus is the coven's "unofficial" leader. He is very powerful and very dark. His element is air. Later in the series, the readers find out that it was he who killed the twins' father and he also has a connection to them.
Jules
- Jules was originally a slave until his escape. He almost died but Daedalus saved him and Petra healed him. Later, he becomes a member of the Treize, the coven. Somewhat loyal to Daedalus and in love with Claire.
Axelle Gauvin
- Axelle was Melita's best friend and sister. She became Thais's guardian temporarily until Petra took over. She was the weakest witch in the coven until the last book. Axelle is headstrong and not a housekeeper.
Richard Landry
- Richard was stuck at the age of fifteen until the last book and becomes attracted to Clio. Later on in the series, he said that he had fathered Cerise's baby although it turned out to be someone else. In the beginning, he tried to kill the twins until he got to know them. He and Clio are now together.
Ouida Jeffers
- Ouida was a female slave bought by Luc until the community set her free. She joins the coven later on in the series and sometimes helps Petra with the twins.
Marcel Theroux
- Marcel was originally thought to be the father of Cerise's baby and tried to run from his past and the coven. He became a Christian monk and stopped using is powers until Daedalus called to him after he found the twins.
Claire
- Claire is scared of the twins as she believes that one will bring her death. She drinks a lot and does not really care about anyone except Jules, whom she loves.
Sophie Martin
- Sophie is the sister of Luc and cousin to Melita. She fell in love with Manon and likes to study. Later in the series it is revealed that she was once in love with Marcel and possibly still does.
Manon
- Manon has been stuck at the age of twelve for over 240 years. She wanted to die but Sophie prevented it. In the last book, she began to grow and decided to live, however, since she tried to kill the twins, Melita killed her.
Carmelita "Melita" Martin
- Melita is a very powerful, dark witch. She extended the coven's lives for thirteen generations in Cerise's line until the twins showed up. She was secretly married to Daedalus's brother, Jean-Marie and appears in the final book.
The Series
- A Chalice of Wind
- A Circle of Ashes
- A Feather of Stone
- A Necklace of Water