Twisted Brand - Clare London.pdf - Clare London - SilverWitch

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

4760 Preston Road

Suite 244-149

Frisco, TX 75034

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the

authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,

business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Twisted Brand

Cover Art by Joanna H. Krupa

Cover Design by Mara McKennen

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is

illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon

conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No

part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. To

request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite

244-149, Frisco, TX 75034

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Released in the United States of America

June, 2008

eBook edition available in Adobe PDF, MobiPocket and MS Reader formats.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-9817372-7-0

~with many, many thanks to my gorgeous,

loyal and ever patient support team of

friends, listeners and sounding boards,

Jessica, Stephanie, Julie, Kathy,

Pauline and Leanne~

Twisted Brand | 1

CHAPTER 1

HE sword came down with a heavy thud on my breastplate, just

as I turned. I heard its whistle through the air, the hiss of its

tempered metal, and saw the glint of its thick blade from the

corner of my eye. My avoidance was purely instinctive, for there were

distractions all around me – the noise of men shouting; loud grunts of

both pain and anger; the clang of sword upon sword; the rip of cloth

and the hiss of hot blood on the sanded floor of the platform. And

rising above all that, the undulating roar of the crowd down in the

Arena, provoking and protesting in rhythm with the ebb and flow of

their favorite Guard’s progress up the Battle Horse.

The sudden turn threw me a little off balance and I dropped to

one knee, wincing. The Silver Captain behind me was one I didn’t

know personally, but I could see immediately that he lacked experience

of battle. The sudden gleam of triumph in his eyes was barely hidden

under the brim of his ceremonial helmet, and I knew that he was a fool.

A soldier at his feet – especially one who had been a Gold Warrior –

was no measure of his victory. I lowered my shoulders as if in

weariness and waited for him to lean over me. He thought he would

place his sword on my Mistress’s badge – the glinting triangle of

polished metal at the shoulder clasp of my body armor – and that would

signify his win. His thoughts were full of pride and excitement at the

chance of bringing down a soldier of the Queen-Elect’s own attacking

force. Like I said, he was a fool.

I twisted under his body’s shadow, startling him. His

instinctive reaction was to follow my movement, turning sharply to the

side away from his sword hand. The move was ill-considered and very

regrettable – for him, that was. His back bore the full brunt of the hot

sun’s heat, even at this late time of day, and his gaze was temporarily

Twisted Brand - Clare London.pdf

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