Veronica Dale

“A richly-imagined tale of the struggle between the persistence of goodness and the corruption of power within the heart of a single youth—an absorbing follow-up to Blood Seed, the first book in the series.” ---Debra Doyle, PhD, co-author of Knight's Wyrd, winner of the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award

A small group of resistors races against a deadly poison to save the lives of twin brothers, the only ones with the power to challenge a vicious despot’s rising malice. In a journey of risk, heartbreak and courage, a divided community learns what it takes to be forged into one.

What is “the shadow” in these stories? It’s what lurks in the dark, and it’s different for everyone.
• For Isabel, it’s the whisper from the basement that invites her to come on down.
• For second-grader Emma, it’s the tortured spirit that has haunted her family for generations.
• For Deacon William, it’s the damaged android that frightens visitors in the retreat house halls.
All ten short stories in this collection are about how the different characters deal with what they find in the dark. Two of these stories received recognition from Writer’s Digest and others won awards or were published.

Sheft—maligned, hunted, chosen.
Mariat—the woman determined to save him.

"A potent mix of fantasy, romance, and intrigue." D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review