Dindi Book 2 – Excerpt

I’ve started work on Book 2. Finally. Here’s an excerpt.

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CHAPTER ONE

Rough stone bit Kavio’s back. Men and women in black masks, Deathsworn, bound his arms and legs to the megalith.

The mountain air, too thin, too cold, parched his throat. His captors had given him scant food or water. The ceremony was being held on a stony promontory of overlooking the Valley of the Aelfae. If he strained his eyes, Kavio imagined he could see the torches lit in his home tribehold, on a mesa in the center of the valley. Above, the stars glared in their millions like the shattered bones of a defeated army.

One man in a black mask checked the knots, then leaned close to Kavio.

“I know you think highly of yourself, Kavio,” said the man in black. “But the truth is, you’re worth more to this world dead than alive. This is your last chance to do as we demand.”

Kavio spat at him, not deigning to reply.

A Deathsworn woman put a torch to a pyramid of logs and pitch set on the promontory in front of Kavio. The wood burst into flame.. To the music of drum and flute, the Deathsworn commenced to cavort around the bonfire. No other human dancers would have dared to dance in a circle, as they did, or wear the masks of of cursed animals — crows, rattlesnakes, vultures — as they wore over their costumes of black hide, black feathers, and blackened human bones.

The men and women carried thorn switches, stone knives, or smoldering sticks. Each time a Deathsworn dancer passed by Kavio, the Deathsworn lashed Kavio’s naked body. Kavio’s private vow not to scream broke down under the frenzy of gashes, burns and blows. He howled and writhed in vain against the rock, nearly tearing his own arms from their sockets in his thrashing. The pain allowed him no escape.