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eBook Category: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy
eBook Description: Being sold into slavery was bad enough. Discovering that her new mistress served the Dark Goddess who was trying to destroy her was worse. But when Shanna was ordered to kill her friend Tara.... that was more than she could tolerate.

eBook Publisher: Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust, Published: Sword & Sorceress 7, 1990
Fictionwise Release Date: February 2009

This eBook is part of the following series:

• Diana L. Paxson's Shanna Series

11 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: eReader (PDB) [22 KB] , ePub (EPUB) [39 KB] , Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [16 KB] , Portable Document Format (PDF) [189 KB] , Palm Doc (PDB) [17 KB] , Microsoft Reader (LIT) [68 KB] , Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [89 KB] , hiebook (KML) [71 KB] , Sony Reader (LRF) [54 KB] , iSilo (PDB) [14 KB] , Mobipocket (PRC) [18 KB] , Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [51 KB] , OEBFF Format (IMP) [30 KB]
Words: 5169
Reading time: 14-20 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Portable Document Format (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

So--this should soothe the pain..."

Shanna sighed as Tara spread cool salve across the rope burn on her arm, her nostrils flaring as its minty fragrance diffused through the air. The lamp hissed and light flickered across the stretched leather of the tent. From outside came the whicker of a horse, footsteps, the small sounds of the caravan at rest.

The pale blue robe of a novice among the Moonmothers slid back from Tara's cool fingers as she worked. Shanna was reminded of Mother Elosia, who had tended her in Otey. She had been with Bercy's caravan ever since then, and in another day their journey to the imperial city of Bindir would be done. Now that they were almost there, she felt a curious reluctance to actually complete the journey. It had been so long since She had sworn so arrogantly to bring her brother back to Sharteyn, and so many things had changed. If she failed to find Janos, the past five years of strife and wandering meant nothing. If against all odds she succeeded in bringing him back, would a throne still await him? And for her, would Sharteyn still be home?

Tara put the stopper back into the pot of salve and Shanna roused herself.

"It does feel better. You do this as if you've been at it for years."

"I have been--" Tara looked up with a shy smile. "The Mothers pledge no maiden until after her rite of passage, but I was an orphan, left in their care. I've been studying with the healers since I was five. Come back to me tomorrow and--"

Outside, a man screamed.

Shanna's own blade was already in her fist and her other hand sweeping aside the doorflap when she heard the first clangor of metal. She pounded across packed earth, blessing the Goddess that she was still wearing her riveted leather brigandine and mail. A tongue of flame licked up the side of a wagon; shadowshapes danced across the yard and she swerved, sword coming up to guard as light flared on metal. Steel chimed; she let trained reflexes guide her arm in another parry while she tried to see.

Wrapped furs made her opponent look larger--not a soldier, then. He swore in a southland accent as Shanna nicked him, then came swinging in again. A quick slice across his throat silenced the cursing. She heard Bercy giving angry orders, then three more shapes came between her and the light.

Chai! By the burning wagon--to me! Silent wings bore the falcon through the darkness in answer to Shanna's mental call. One man screamed as the bird struck and his blade clattered across the ground.

They must be bandits--escaped slaves and masterless men--they plagued the Empire, but what were they doing so close to Bindir? And more kept coming. She was being driven toward the horse-lines. Someone had cut the picket ropes, and drumming horses drowned out men's cries. Shanna glimpsed her mare, Calur, and whistled. The horse's head came up and she checked, turning. Bercy and her sons were battling back to back. Shanna struggled to reach them, but another group of yelling bandits ran between.

"Bercy, get Calur!" she cried. Then something struck her unprotected head, and she fell down into the dark.