And with that, she whirled and leaped upward, transforming in the blink of an eye into a massive, winged green dragon and bursting through the roof of the chamber with an explosion of shattered nullstone, dirt, and splintered wood.
* * *
Raina sat up, disoriented. Diffused sunlight streamed down upon her. She’d been in an underground chamber. And then she’d been in a place of shadows and light, a place of spirits.
Gawaine’s familiar, beloved face swam before her. He was smiling.
“Oh no.” She sighed. “Tell me you aren’t dead, too.”
“I’m not. I live, thanks to you and your foolish sacrifice.”
“I don’t understand…” If he was alive and she had passed beyond the Veil, how were they communicating?
“You’re alive, Raina. My sister, Hemlocke, brought you back.”
“How?”
“She’s a dragon. Things like death and time are no obstacle to her. She willed you back into your body.”
“Why?”
Gawaine’s mouth curved in a sardonic smile. “Because she knows how I feel about you and knows you to be a useful weakness.”
She frowned. Her mind was still fuzzy, and she wasn’t following his reasoning.
Gawaine elaborated. “As long as you live, you are my one point of vulnerability. You are linked to Hemlocke now. She can harm you or destroy you any time she wishes, and she can hold that over me.”
“I’m sorry—”
“Never be sorry that you live. I owe my sister a debt of gratitude I can never repay, and I would have it no other way.”
He gathered her into a fierce hug made all the sweeter for being entirely real.
“You’re truly back?” she murmured against his neck. “And you’re well and whole? We got it right?”
“Right enough. I still need to regain quite a bit of strength. But we’ve got time now.” His arms tightened around her, and he murmured low, for her ears only, “All the time in the world.”
Raina sighed and laid her head on his chest, reveling in the slow, steady beat of his heart. They’d done it. They’d woken the Sleeping King.
TOR BOOKS BY
CINDY DEES AND BILL FLIPPIN
The Sleeping King
The Dreaming Hunt
The Wandering War
Praise for Cindy Dees
Dees does a terrific job of advancing the overall
series while lending her unique talent to her
vibrant individual contribution.”
—RT Book Reviews on The 9-Month Bodyguard
“A solid, suspenseful plot, tormented, vulnerable characters, and beautiful, compelling writing
will keep you turning the pages.”
—RT Book Reviews on Deadly Sight
“Dees brings readers into an action-packed
world with superhuman operatives.… This is
a book you can’t put down.”
—RT Book Reviews on Flash of Death
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
CINDY DEES is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fifty suspense and thriller novels. She also draws upon her twenty-plus years of live-action role-playing experience to write epic fantasy novels. She has participated in the Dragon Crest world since 1996. You can sign up for email updates here.
BILL FLIPPIN is the creator of Dragon Crest. In 1995, he turned his fictional world into a national live-action role-playing game, with ongoing Dragon Crest events and campaigns all over the United States. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Tor Books by Cindy Dees and Bill Flippin
Praise for Cindy Dees
About the Authors
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously.
THE WANDERING WAR
Copyright © 2018 by Cindy Dees and Bill Flippin
All rights reserved.
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates
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New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
e-ISBN 9781466821309
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First Edition: February 2018