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Prologue

AD 1006

Upon the bloody battlefield she took forht As she turned to flesh and bone, the cold wind tore at her tunic, stinging her cheeks and whipping dark tendrils loose from her braid to fly across her eyes Beneath clouds as thick and gray as waves on an angry sea, Ariana, Queen of the Ilinas, raked back her hair and scanned the field--a battle between men and animals Shape-shifters

Feral Warriors

Only twenty-six true shifters remained in the world when once there had been thousands Twenty-six, each of a different line, a different ani with others unsuited to the field of battle who fought in their hu thee

Melisande, her second-in-command, appeared fro hard with distaste as she surveyed the battle before them "He wants you to watch him kill?"

"He is my mate, Melisande" The rebuke was no less harsh for its quietness

Ariana knew the repriood Melisande had bitterly disapproved of her queen’s taking a mate at all, let alone a shape-shifter Indeed, all her maidens had been unhappy with her decision A decision they would simply have to live with, for Ariana loved her Feral beyond ar called me," Ariana admitted

Swords clanged, a Mage cried out in pain as the huge fox ripped off his ar another Mage’s head froan to slice froar broke from the battle and ran toward her, his cat’s body sleek and beautiful as he ran across the frozen field He’d known the h the ether for eternity Thebond

As the cat neared, he slowed to a walk, then began to sparkle in a rainbow of colored lights A moment later, a man walked in his place, fully clothed in his dark blue warrior’s tunic, knives and a sword strapped to his belt The Feral Warriors were, as a whole, larger, stronger, finer than any other ar--their chief and her mate--ithout doubt, the finest of them all His hair was as dark as her own, his beard close-cropped, his eyes as pale as ice, yet lit with a fierce and tender flah his eyes rear frowned "Two more of your maidens attacked us as we prepared to strike, my love"

Ariana’s jaw dropped "No They know I’ll not have it! Where are they?"

"Horse cut off the hand of one, Snake the arm of the other Both turned to row quickly, as all Ilina limbs did, but the process would be painful Of far more concern was the fact that they’d attacked the Feral Warriors at all despite her direct orders against it Da a Feral

Melisande threw Kougar an antagonistic look "How many Ferals have you lost this day?"

"None"

"A shaar sketched her lieutenant a brief, htens any battlefield, Melisande"

"Go to hell, Feral"

Ariana eyed her second "Why are ave a direct command"

Melisande lifted her hands "I swear ’twas not ht approve" Melisandeworried "There’s been talk of wildness in the temple I dismissed it, but perhaps I shouldn’t have Some may have been infected by dark spirit"

"Goddess, I hope not" There was no cure for dark spirit, no way to destroy it except through the deaths of the ones infected "Find the shot "Why don’t you do us both a favor and go die in battle?" With a flick of her hand, Melisande faded to ar shook his head "That one would try the goddess herself" He rubbed his chest with his fist, right over his heart, as if he had, indeed, been injured

"Are you all right?" she asked

His fist stilled, his eyes registering surprise as if he’d been unaware of what he’d been doing "I’ her shoulders as the battle raged far behind him "What of your maidens? This is four in as many days who’ve attacked us Dark spirit rarely claih she was more than a little concerned herself "I’ll handle it"

Frustration flashed in her shifter’s eyes, sparking along the bond that connected them His hands contracted

"I’m your mate, Ariana I’m here to help you shoulder such difficulties"

Her own temper flared, and she cocked her head at hiht beside you today, and you denied me"

"Of course I did This is our war, not yours"

"And the Ilinas are my responsibility Not yours"

As the cold wind kicked up, carrying with it the shouts and cries of battle, Kougar glanced behind hiet back Go Be safe Later, we’ll discuss the role of a male in his mate’s life"

"Later, we’ll fall into one another’s arar’s beautiful mouth "Of a certainty, ill" He pulled her close and pressed his open ry lips The kiss lasted only seconds, yet it left her feeling both weak and powerful

As they pulled apart, a wry suar rubbed at his chest, his own ave hie in ar smiled "So say my men, but no Never" His hand slid beneath her jaw and he kissed her again, his tongue sweeping into her ht drown in the depth of the love in his eyes

Ariana stroked his cheek "Be safe, le h a spray of sparkling lights to land on four paws In a flash, he raced back into battle

Her heart beating with pleasure and love, Ariana relaxed into her natural ht of her castle in the Crystal Realold-and-jeweled Grand Corridor take forar often told her she looked like a ghost in her mist state, her body visible but not corporeal He preferred her flesh and blood And when he pulled her against his hard body and kissed her with passionate tenderness, she absolutely preferred it, too

She glanced around in surprise at the absence of her maidens The Ilinas only numbered one hundred forty-one and not all lived in the Crystal Realo, the Ilinas had built the Crystal Realy belt that circled high above the Earth, known as the Syphian Stream A castle in the clouds accessible only to those who could turn to uests Or captives

One of her maidens hurried into the Grand Corridor from a side hall Getrill, her face a mask of concern, saw her "You’re back"

"Where is everyone?"