Sasha

Published 2009 by Pyr®, an imprint of Prometheus Books

Sasha: A Trial of Blood and Steel
. Copyright © 2009 by Joel Shepherd. Maps copyright © Kinart. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, digital, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or conveyed via the Internet or a Web site without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Cover illustration © David Palumbo

Inquiries should be addressed to
Pyr
59 John Glenn Drive
Amherst, New York 14228–2119
VOICE: 716–691–0133, ext. 210
FAX: 716–691–0137
WWW.PYRSF.COM

13  12 11 10 09      5  4  3  2  1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Shepherd, Joel.
        Sasha : a trial of blood and steel / Joel Shepherd.
                p. cm.
        ISBN 978–1–59102–787–4 (paperback)
        ISBN 978–1–61592–632–9 (e-book)
        Originally published: Australia and New Zealand : Hachette Livre Australia Pty Ltd., 2007.

Printed in the United States on acid-free paper

Lenayin

Valhanan

Sasha……………………. former Princess of Lenayin

Kessligh Cronenverdt……warrior, former Commander of Armies

Peg………………………Sasha's horse

Terjellyn…………………. Kessligh's horse

Teriyan……………………leather worker

Lynette……………………Teriyan's daughter

Jaegar……………………headman of Baerlyn town

Andreyis…………………Sasha's friend

Lord Kumaryn Tathys……Great Lord of Valhanan

Tarynt……………………councilman of Yule village

Tyree

Jaryd Nyvar………………heir to Great Lordship of Tyree

Lord Aystin Nyvar………. Jaryd's father, Great Lord of Tyree

Captain Tyrun…………. Commander of Tyree's Falcon Guard

Lieutenant Reynan Pelyn….. Falcon Guardsman

Lord Tymeth Pelyn………Tyree noble

Sergeant Garys…………. Falcon Guardsman

Tarryn………………. Jaryd's younger brother

Wyndal………………Jaryd's brother

Lord Redyk……………Tyree noble

Lord Paramys…………. Tyree noble

Lord Arastyn………….. Tyree noble

Galyndry…………….. Jaryd's sister

Pyter Pelyn……………. nephew of Lord Pelyn

Rhyst Angyvar…………. Tyree noble youth

Baen-Tar

Damon………………. Prince of Lenayin

Torvaal Lenayin…………King of Lenayin

Krystoff………………. Prince of Lenayin,
deceased

Koenyg………………. Prince of Lenayin, heir to the throne

Wylfred………………. Prince of Lenayin

Wyna Telgar……………Koenyg's wife

Sofy…………………. Princess of Lenayin

Marya…………………Princess of Lenayin, married in Torovan

Petryna………………. Princess of Lenayin, married

Alythia………………. Princess of Lenayin

Myklas………………. Prince of Lenayin

Queen Shenai………….. Queen of Lenayin,
deceased

Anyse…………………Sofy's maid

Archbishop Dalryn……….. Lenay archbishop

Hadryn

Lord Rashyd Telgar………. Great Lord of Hadryn,
deceased

Lord Usyn Telgar…………. Rashyd Telgar's son, Great Lord of Hadryn

Farys Varan…………….. Hadryn noble

Lord Udys Varan…………. Hadryn noble

Heryd Ansyn……………. Hadryn noble

Martyn Ansyn……………Hadryn noble

Taneryn

Lord Krayliss……………Great Lord of Taneryn

Captain Akryd……………Taneryn soldier

Udalyn

Daryd Yuvenar……………Udalyn boy

Rysha…………………. Daryd's younger sister

Essey………………….. Udalyn horse

Chief Askar………………Udalyn chief

Banneryd

Captain Tyrblanc………….. Banneryd Black Storm captain

Lord Cyan……………….. Great Lord of Banneryd

Corporal Veln…………….. Black Storm soldier

Isfayen

Lord Faras……………….. Great Lord of Isfayen

Neysh

Lord Aynsfar………………Neysh noble,
deceased

Lord Parabys………………Great Lord of Neysh

Ranash

Lord Rydysh………………. Great Lord of Ranash

Bacosh

Duke Stefhan………………. Larosan duke

Master Piet…………………Larosan bard

Saalshen

Rhillian………………….. serrin leader in Petrodor

Aisha……………………. female serrin

Errollyn………………….. male serrin, archer

Terel…………………….. male serrin

Tassi…………………….. female serrin

Others

Jurellyn………………….. senior Lenay scout

Aiden…………………. Nasi-Keth from Petrodor, Kessligh's friend

Historical Figures

Hyathon the Warrior………….. Goeren-yai mythical hero

Markield………………….. Cherrovan warlord

Leyvaan of Rhodaan…………. Leyvaan the Fool, King of Bacosh

Tharyn Askar……………….. great Udalyn chieftain

Essyn Telgar……………….. Hadryn chief

Soros Lenayin………………. former king, head of Liberation army of old

Chayden Lenayin……………. former king, Soros's son

Tullamayne…………………Goeren-yai storyteller

S
ASHA CIRCLED
, a light shift and slide of soft boots on compacted earth. The point of her wooden stanch marked the circle's centre, effortlessly extended from her two-fisted grip. Opposite, Teriyan the leather worker matched her motion, stanch likewise unwavering, bare arms knotted with hard muscle. Sasha's eyes beheld his form without true focus. She watched his centre, not the face, nor the feet, nor especially the wooden training blade in his strong, calloused hands.

An intricate tattoo of flowing black lines rippled upon Teriyan's bicep as his arm flexed. Thick red hair stirred in a gust of wind, tangled where it fell long and partly braided down his back. High above, an eagle called, launched to flight from the row of pines on the northern ridge overlooking the Baerlyn valley of central Valhanan province. The westerly sun was fading above the ridge, settling among the pines, casting long, looming shadows. The valley's entire length was alive with golden light, gleaming off the wood-shingled roofs of the houses that lined the central road, and brightening the green pastures to either side. Nearby, several young horses frolicked, an exuberance of hooves and gleaming manes and tails. From a nearby circle, there came an eruption of yells above the repeated clash of wooden blades. Then a striking thud, and a pause for breath.

Of all of this, Sasha was aware. And when Teriyan's lunging attack came, she deflected and countered with two fast, slashing strokes, and smacked her old friend hard across the belly.

Teriyan cursed, good-naturedly, and readjusted the protective banda that laced firmly about his torso. “What'd I do?” he asked, with the air of a man long since resigned to his fate.

Sasha shrugged, backing away with a light, balanced poise. “You attacked,” she said simply.