The Sharing Knife - Beguilement Part 31

"I did say I wouldn"t abandon you," Dag observed, his eyes a brighter gold in this light than the beads on the ends of her marriage cord.

Fawn turned back in her saddle for one last look up the hill. "You didn"t have to do it this way."

"No. I didn"t." The eyes crinkled. "Think about it, Spark."

Attempting to exchange a kiss from the backs of two variously tall and differently paced horses resulted in a sort of promissory sideswipe, but it was fully satisfactory in intent. They turned their mounts onto the river road.

It was all a perfect opposite to her first flight from home. Then she had gone in secret, in the dark, alone, afraid, angry, afoot, all her meager possessions in a thin blanket rolled on her back. Even the direction was reversed: south, instead of north as now.

In only one aspect were the journeys the same. Each felt like a leap into the utterly unknown.

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, LOIS MCMASTER BUJOLD burst on to the scene in 1986 with Shards of Honor, Shards of Honor, the first of her tremendously popular Vorkosigan Saga novels. She has received numerous accolades and prizes, including two Nebula Awards for Best Novel the first of her tremendously popular Vorkosigan Saga novels. She has received numerous accolades and prizes, including two Nebula Awards for Best Novel (Falling Free (Falling Free and and Paladin of Souls), Paladin of Souls), four Hugo Awards for Best Novel four Hugo Awards for Best Novel (Paladin of Souls, The Vor Game, Barrayar, (Paladin of Souls, The Vor Game, Barrayar, and and Mirror Dance), Mirror Dance), as well as the Hugo as well as the Hugo and and Nebula Awards for her novella Nebula Awards for her novella The Mountains of Mourning The Mountains of Mourning-she has, in fact, won more Hugo Awards for Best Novel than any other author with the exception of Robert A.

Heinlein. The mother of two, Bujold lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ALSO BY LOIS MCMASTER BUJOLD.

The Spirit Ring Falling Free Shards of Honor Barrayar The Warrior's Apprentice The Vor Game Cetaganda Ethan of Athos Borders of Infinity Brothers in Arms Mirror Dance Memory Komarr A Civil Campaign Diplomatic Immunity The Curse of Chalion Paladin of Souls The Hallowed Hunt