Robin D Owens - Sorceress of Faith

Selected praisefor Robin D. Owens

RobinD. Owensprovides a wonderful, gripping mix of passion, exotic futuristicsettings and edgy suspense.

NewYork Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz on Heart Duel

Likea well-played symphony, Guardian of Honor resonates in the hearts ofthose fortunate enough to read it.

HuntressReviews

Fanswill gobble up Guardian of Honor and still be hungry for more.

TheBest Reviews

RobinOwens blends medieval history, a richly layered magical world and finecharacterizations to weave a spell-binding story in Guardian of Honor.

BookLoons

ROBIN D. OWENS

SORCERESS OFFAITH

TheUsual Suspects: Kay Bergstrom (Cassie Miles), Liz Roadifer, Janet Lane, SharonMignerey (www.sharonmignerey.com), Steven Moores, Judy Stringer, Anne Tupler,Sue Hornick, Alice Kober, Teresa Luthye, Peggy Waide (www.peggywaide.com),Giselle McKenzie

To Kay
Who encouraged and supported me from the
beginning and continues to do so
my stories would be so much less without you

Contents

Boulder,Colorado

Latespring, early morning

She was running,running, running. Marian wished the passages were narrower, twistier, becausethe thing that chased her was huge and deadly. With each breath putrid airseared her lungs. The caverns corridors oozed slime .

Shestumbled, clutched the plastic ball holding her hamster close. Looking down ather cross-trainer shoes in horror, she saw the laces were untied. She alwaystied them in perfect double bows .

Avibration hit her back. The monsters breath. Stitch cramping her side, sheused terror for a burst of speed and reached narrow upward stairs. Fresher air,laden with blood instead of poisonous acid, fouled her nostrils. She climbed,thinking the thing behind her could flow up the stairs. It wanted her blood,her guts, her brains .

Bumpingfrom side to side, scraping skin raw, protecting her pet, she jumped up thesteps and burst out onto a wide ledge of rock. With agility she didnt know shehad, she pivoted, avoiding the edge, hit the cliff face. Leaned into it.Gulping night air, she felt the thing brush past her, and fall screaming .

Shecouldnt stop herself from looking down. Saw something worse than the hugeshattered body of the monster that had hunted her. Her younger brother Andrewwas surrounded by chanting black-robed druids who looked like deathpersonified. Some of the druids held scythes, some gongs, some chimes .

ProneAndrew was, more pale than hed ever been in life. Shrieking, Nooooo! she putthe ball between her feet, lifted her arms as if she could call thunder thatwould set his heart to thumping again, push his blood; lightning that wouldnail his soul into his body, fire the spark of life .

Awet chuckle came next to her, freezing her blood. Slowly she turned her head tosee a cowled figure with gleaming red eyes, a face not quite human but whichmight have been a mans, once. He opened his mouth wide, and it got larger andlarger, ready to swallow her whole. She raised her hands, fingertips arcingblue fire

MarianHarasta jolted from the dream, covered in clammy sweat. Morning light streamedthrough the high windows of her garden apartment and she gasped in relief.

Beforeshe could exhale, the chimes sounded, rippling through her nerves and echoingin her mind. Then the gong reverberated, arching her body off the bed. Hervision blurred and distant chanting rushed in her ears. She was bowed for onelong moment before she fell back onto the bed, panting.

Firstthe nightmare. Now the sounds. For the past months, dreams and auditoryhallucinations had peppered her lifesleeping and waking. She steadied herselfwith even breathing. She would figure out what was happening to her. Shed hada full physical the week before, and a psychological evaluation, too. And shewas perfectly fine.

Thestrangeness had started with sounds, then the dreams, then an itchy feeling asif she were a butterfly escaping from a constrictive cocoon, ready to stretchher wings. The notion was more than a little scary because her academic careerwas on track and her life tidy and under control. Except for Andrew, her halfbrother with progressive-remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

Brrrrinnng . The telephone.She flung off her covers and stumbled from bed, staggering to the phone chargeron the kitchen counter. She had to blink a couple of times to read the callerID. Her mother, Candace. Hell. The relationship with her mother, too, was outof Marians control. She let voice mail answer.

Marianwiped her face on the sleeve of her flannel nightgown, pondering options tounderstand, then fix, her problems. She couldnt discuss this with her academicprofessors of Comparative Religion and Philosophy, or her advisor shepardingher through her doctorate. Her university profs would not understand. Shedidnt want any oddness attached to her spotless reputation as she planned on aprofessional career.

Sincethe problem wasnt physical or psychological, shed considered psychicphenomena. Since shed been fascinated by alternative spiritualities for years,she thought she might find help there.

Shedexamined all the notes from all the classes shed taken outside theuniversityNew Age classes that fed her thirst for knowledgesearching foranswers. Somewhere there was a solution for what plagued her and she wouldfind it.

Asshe padded to the bathroom, she checked on her hamster, Tuck, curled in hiscage in the alcove. A half-chewed piece of carrot was within paw reach. All waswell in his small world.

Marianonly wished it were the same for her. She worked hard to keep her life inorder, and usually succeeded, but lately

Inthe shower as water slicked away sweat, she decided to call Golden Raven. Thelady leaned more to Native American beliefs than Marian did, but she was moreopen-minded than many and would listen without judging. She might know ofinstances similar to Marians experiences. That would be a good step incontrolling the weirdness that had invaded her life.

Yes,she muttered as she dressed for her work-study job. I need Golden Raven. Shewent to the telephone. Should she call Golden Raven or Candace? Glancing at theclock, she thought it might be too early for Golden Raven. If Marian didntphone Candace back, her mothers mood would turn nasty and her demands wouldescalate. Inhaling deeply, Marian called the residence of Candaces sixthhusband, a mansion in an old, upscale area of Denver.

Candacestone was sharp. Well, Marian, its good you called. Papers rustled in thebackground. Since Candace didnt launch into speech, Marian figured her motherwas multitasking.

Excellent.Maybe they could get through a conversation without damaging each other. Whatdo you want, Mother? asked Marian.

Hmm?Oh, yes, Marian. You must come down here to Denver for a fund-raiser tomorrownight, Friday, 7:30 p.m. Cocktails and dinner.

Why,Mother? Marian was deeply entrenched in academia now; shed never be a personwho could enhance her mothers status in any way. Thank God.

Candaceheaved an exasperated sigh. Trenton Philbert III remarried a month ago. Awoman who runs one of the largest occult shops in Denver. Why he married such acreature, no one knows. I just learned he and his new wife will be atthe benefit. Trenton dotes on the woman and his contribution is necessary forus to meet our goal.