Stormshadow E-Book

Stephanie A. Cain

• Herausgeber: Stephanie A. Cain
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Princess Azmei of Tamnen has a decision to make, and she doesn’t like either option: marry Prince Vistaren of Amethir–a man she’s never met–or let her kingdom’s war with Strid go on with no end in sight. Seeing no alternative, she agrees to meet Prince Vistaren, with the caveat that the marriage treaty won’t be ratified until then.Azmei knows she is sailing into a precarious situation. After all, the correspondence she’s traded with Vistaren doesn’t guarantee he’ll be a man she can respect or love. She can’t stand the thought of seeing her generation decimated by the bloody conflict with neighboring Strid. Yet while she has sworn to serve her brother, the heir to Tamnen’s throne, Azmei isn’t certain this is the best way to do so.What Azmei doesn’t know is that her new friend, Orya, is not who she seems to be, and that Prince Vistaren has secrets of his own. And on top of that, there are those who will stop at nothing to prevent the alliance between Tamnen and Amethir…There is a storm on the horizon, and its shadow may grow to cover the whole world.

Leseprobe

Also by Stephanie A. Cain

Storms in Amethir

Stormshadow

Watch for more at Stephanie A. Cain’s site.

Stormshadow

Storms in Amethir : Book two

Stephanie A. Cain

STORMSHADOW

Storms in Amethir: Book Two

Copyright 2014 Stephanie A. Cain

All Rights Reserved.

Cover art by Phuoc Quan.

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ISBN: 978-0-9903758-0-7

First Electronic Edition, May 2014

Published by Cathartes Press

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

About the Author

DEDICATION

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Dedicated to Joe Rosenbaum,

because many years ago I promised I would.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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I must offer my thanks first and foremost to my incomparable critique partners: Laura VanArendonk Baugh, J. Decker Payne, and Jillian Storm. Their input has been invaluable through the process of writing and revising this novella.

Further thanks are due to my parents, who have always encouraged me to pursue my passions, and to my best friend Tiffany, who will buy this even though she doesn't read fantasy. My wonderful coworkers at the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum in Crawfordsville, Indiana, have been incredibly patient about listening to me blather about the indie publishing process. I can always count on Amanda, Deb, and Larry for sanity-saving Dari-Licious runs when things get too crazy.

I am also grateful to the talented Phuoc Quan, whose amazing cover art pleases me more every time I look at it.

PART ONE - TAMNEN

CHAPTER ONE

"Come, one last match," Azmei pleaded, looking up at her brother. "Think of how long it might be before we ever see each other again."

She had waylaid him after breakfast, knowing he had responsibilities—but she had responsibilities too, after all. Besides, she was leaving in a fortnight, perhaps forever, and Razem was travelling east to take command at the front. They might never see each other again.

Razem's stern expression melted. "You know exactly how impossible it is to resist you when you look at someone like that, don't you?" He scowled at her trousers and plain shirt, the sword and dagger hanging from her belt. "You planned this."

"Of course I did." Azmei was unrepentant. "We haven't tested our blades against each other in ages, and this might be our last chance, at least until after I'm an old, married matron. I want to see if I've grown better than you in the past year."

"Small chance of that, shortling," he teased, and ruffled her hair. "Come along, then, let's find an empty ring."

Azmei felt like skipping as they made their way to the training yards. Once upon a time, she and Razem had fought practice matches every few weeks. She had always longed to beat her brother, but it never happened. She had just reached the point where she could wear him down and score a touch on him when Razem began training with the professional warriors of their army. After that, he didn't have much time for Azmei's recreational swordplay. Princes were expected to prove their valor in warfare, and the bloody conflict over the Kreyden District would give him that opportunity. It had been at least a year since Razem had seen Azmei fight.