These are six paragraphs from my upcoming book, The Swords of Gregara – Honora. I hope you like them. I’m giving one commentor a copy of the first in the series, The Swords of Gregara – Jenala, in either paperback or Kindle egift. For another commentor I have a $5 Starbucks card.

“Oww” a woman’s voice awash with pain reached his ears.

“You disappoint me, Honora. You continue to try to escape me. When will you learn?” asked a whiney voiced man.

The whip struck flesh and the woman moaned but didn’t scream. She didn’t scream.

When he woke again he was not alone. Chained across the room from him, hung by her wrists, was a woman. He could see the lash marks on her back. Lash upon lash, new over old. They obstructed the beautiful tattoo of a dragon on her back.

Crawling to her he released her hands from the chains holding her up. She collapsed in a heap on the floor. He crawled back to his side of the room as darkness overtook him once more.

*****

The dried blood on her back cracked with each movement, but she worked through the pain as she stretched. Breathed deep and accepted the pain. Her sword weighed heavier in her hand than usual. More evidence of the lashing two nights ago. She looked down at the unconscious man at her feet. A new recruit. A Zolthor like herself. Another reason Perdor punished her for her attempted escape, her sixth try in as many months.