These were Clizia’s final words to him as she sent him from hiding, whispered with urgency—words that wormed their way into his brain. It was a charge she had given him so many times that the words repeated themselves now as he slipped through the winter chill, in search of his victim. They were his mantra, the inviolable commands of that old woman…
But suddenly Fluken was talking to him, as well—and his friend’s voice was accusatory and bitter and filled with venom.
Must you always do what she says? Must you always listen to others when I am the only one who matters? I am your friend—your only real friend. I tell you what you must do to become whole again, Tavo! It is your sister who has betrayed you. Your sister, who has abandoned you. She must pay as your parents paid, if you are ever to find peace in your life. For revenge must be exacted, Tarsha must die!
Tarsha, Tarsha, Tarsha—right there in front of him, walking next to the tall, black-cloaked figure. Easily reached, quickly dispatched. Plenty of time then for the Druid…
He was almost to them, and he had still not decided. Should he kill him or her first? Druid or sister? The old woman’s words mingled with Fluken’s. He glanced away from his sister, searching for his friend—just for a moment—then quickly shifted his focus back again. Tarsha and the Druid were six feet away, but his sister had moved to the Druid’s other side and was farther from him than before. Or was she? He blinked, confused.
He was suddenly enraged. He acted instinctively. Two quick steps brought him right behind Tarsha.
Then he whipped his arm around with all the force he could muster, and buried the black iron of the Stiehl in his sister’s back.
For Lisa,
Our Beloved Daughter,
Child of Nature,
Taken Too Soon
BY TERRY BROOKS
SHANNARA
SHANNARA
First King of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara
THE HERITAGE OF SHANNARA
The Scions of Shannara
The Druid of Shannara
The Elf Queen of Shannara
The Talismans of Shannara
THE VOYAGE OF THE JERLE SHANNARA
Ilse Witch
Antrax
Morgawr
HIGH DRUID OF SHANNARA
Jarka Ruus
Tanequil
Straken
THE DARK LEGACY OF SHANNARA
Wards of Faerie
Bloodfire Quest
Witch Wraith
THE DEFENDERS OF SHANNARA
The High Druid’s Blade
The Darkling Child
The Sorcerer’s Daughter
THE FALL OF SHANNARA
The Black Elfstone
PRE-SHANNARA
GENESIS OF SHANNARA
Armageddon’s Children
The Elves of Cintra
The Gypsy Morph
LEGENDS OF SHANNARA
Bearers of the Black Stuff
The Measure of the Magic
The World of Shannara
THE MAGIC KINGDOM OF LANDOVER
Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!
The Black Unicorn
Wizard at Large
The Tangle Box
Witches’ Brew
A Princess of Landover
THE WORD AND THE VOID
Running with the Demon
A Knight of the Word
Angel Fire East
Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TERRY BROOKS is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books, including the Dark Legacy of Shannara adventures Wards of Faerie, Bloodfire Quest, and Witch Wraith; the Legends of Shannara novels Bearers of the Black Stuff and The Measure of the Magic; the Genesis of Shannara trilogy: Armageddon’s Children, The Elves of Cintra, and The Gypsy Morph; The Sword of Shannara; the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy: Ilse Witch, Antrax, and Morgawr; the High Druid of Shannara trilogy: Jarka Ruus, Tanequil, and Straken; the nonfiction book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life; and the novel based upon the screenplay and story by George Lucas, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. His novels Running with the Demon and A Knight of the Word were selected by the Rocky Mountain News as two of the best science fiction/fantasy novels of the twentieth century. The author lives with his wife, Judine, in the Pacific Northwest.
shannara.com
terrybrooks.net
Facebook.com/​authorterrybrooks
Twitter: @officialbrooks
Instagram: @officialterrybrooks
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