Peace Flower is a short fantasy story set in a time of war and change. Shoru is descended from a long line of sorceresses, once valued for their skills. How they are viewed in the future, depends on the battle’s outcome.
Peace Flower is available as part of AnAnthology of Those Who Walk Among Us, and also as a stand alone title at Smashwords, Kobo, Kindle, iTunes, and Nook.
First Pages: Peace Flower
Shoru fell amidst the fighting. Her
basket flew from her hand and disappeared beneath booted feet and metal-shod
hooves. The peonies were trampled and the scent of crushed herbs mingled with
the smell of blood.
She knew better than to scramble after
them and curled against the step that had made her stumble. Someone leapt over
her, using her back to reach the doorway. She heard the jingle of spurs as they
passed.
Swords clashed above her and another set
of boots danced their way through the measured steps of a swordsman’s shuffle.
Shoru had no choice but to stay where she was until the fight was over.
“Death to all invaders,” the one upon
the step yelled.
“And so say all of us,” his opponent
rumbled in reply.
Shoru did not stay to ponder. The boots
moved sideways, metal scraped on bone and blood fell in a warm shower.
“You’ve killed me.”
The swordsman’s voice sounded suddenly
young. His opponent turned away and met another attack with a savage parry.
Shoru heard his answer as she ran for the corner of the building.
“And so must all invaders die.”
Around the corner, in the lee of a barricaded
doorway, Shoru regretted the loss of her basket. The herbs would have to be
gathered again, the peonies more so.
END EXTRACT
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