The Hood of Aalayfa

Book one of the Aalayfan series

A mysterious and magical alternate reality fantasy that takes place in two realities at once – a world of enchantment and mythology and modern-day London.

Cloaked in the mists of Mesopotamia is the mysterious world of Aalayfa, an alternate reality made of the fragments of Tiamat, the Dragon Mother. It is precisely this world that compels the Soultana of Siduri to cross realities, journeying to find Anatat, a Hood of Aden who serves as a minion to the current queen.

For Anatat, it is not just a matter of loyalty but also of trust as she and the sorceress are pulled below the surface of the desert into the underworld of the Chilala, the desert spirits. It is there that Anatat is intrigued to learn of a parallel self, living in a very different reality where the story of lovers unfolds in modern-day London.

About the Author

Sylvia Xamanka was born in Cyprus, grew up in Canada and has lived in the UK for more than a decade. Her interests include mysticism, ancient symbology and worldwide spirituality. Her influences include Isabel Allende, the Sufi poets, Merlin Stone and Anais Nin. Sylvia lives in London.