Voice Of Crow

Praise for

JERI SMITH-READY’S

EYES

OF

CROW

Book one in the Aspect of Crow series

“A spellbinding plot and smooth-flowing narrative draw the

reader into a world of myth and magic…. Lovers of fantasy are about to embark on a great new series.” —Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“Smith-Ready’s Eyes of Crow is just the first installment in what could be an entertaining and profoundly moving series. Jean M. Auel meets Mercedes Lackey.” —Barnes & Noble Explorations

“Mystical, magical, romantic, suspenseful and

action-packed, Eyes of Crow is an excellent example of what a fantasy novel should be.” —Coffee Time Romance

“The first installment in this magical series is an emotional,

engaging, and appealing fantasy. Smith-Ready is a born storyteller.” —Book Loons

“Jeri Smith-Ready’s lyrical prose brings to life unforgettable characters and a poignant story that haunted me long after

I finished the novel…. Highly recommended.”

—Catherine Asaro, bestselling and Nebula Award-winning author of The Dawn Star

“Eyes of Crow draws the reader in one subtle thread at a time, catching them in a complex, beautiful world they may never want to retreat from.”

—C.E. Murphy, author of Coyote Dreams

“Ms. Smith-Ready has woven an exquisite tapestry of

a world filled with texture and richness. Beware, reader! You may never want to return….” —P.C. Cast, bestselling author of Divine by Blood

Voice of Crow

Jeri Smith-Ready

www.mirabooks.co.uk

Dear Reader,

An intriguing challenge of writing a trilogy with a core love story is how to continue after the happy ending of book one. Things never stay perfect—not in real life, and certainly not in the world of the Reawakened.

In Eyes of Crow Rhia found the courage, with Marek’s help, to accept her Aspect so she could aid her people in their hour of greatest need. Marek himself had to overcome his past to regain full Wolf powers and prove he was worthy of this sacred responsibility.

But doesn’t it always seem that in solving one problem within ourselves, we create another, opposite problem? Even strengths like bravery and loyalty can turn into fatal flaws. Each of us is a work in progress. But when someone loves us for who we are, we can do anything, be anything. It gives us the ultimate freedom to be ourselves—and even recreate ourselves, if necessary.

That’s why I enjoy following a hero and heroine throughout a series. In Voice of Crow Rhia and Marek’s world takes them to the end of their strength and makes them grow and change in ways they couldn’t have imagined a year ago. But their bond will never break, right down to the last moment of the next book, The Reawakened, and beyond.

Best regards,

Jeri Smith-Ready

To Aunt Maria, because I promised

Many thanks to my family, for indulging a little girl’s

love of nature that would provide the lifeblood of the Aspect of Crow series.

Much gratitude goes out to my critiquers, for their

invaluable insights: Cecilia Ready, Terri Prizzi, Stephanie Smith and especially Rob Staeger and Beth Venart for giving me the “tough love” every author needs. Kudos to the hardworking folks behind the scenes at LUNA who helped bring the book to life: Tracy Farrell, Mary-Theresa Hussey, Tara Parsons, Adam Wilson, Amy Jones, Kathleen Oudit, Maureen Stead, Don Lucey, as well as artist Chad Michael Ward of Digital Apocalypse Studios.

Thanks to my editor, Stacy Boyd, for her unshakeable

support; and my agent, Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd., who keeps me sane in a crazy world. I wouldn’t trade either of them for all the coffee in Colombia.

Thanks most of all to my husband, Christian Ready,

for his love and inspiration, and for putting up with my bloodshot eyes, bad hair and dubious clothing choices during Revision Month.

In the torchlight surrounding the camp of a hundred Kalindons, Rhia could see the rope burns on Marek’s neck.

The man who would soon be her husband slept quietly for the first time in several nights. Perhaps exhaustion had stolen his nightmares, or at least his body’s ability to manifest them in twitches and starts.

The humid air draped over her like a second skin. Far above, the breeze murmured through the pines and spruces, but did not deign to descend to the ground.

She kicked off the covers of the bedroll, rolled her sleeves up to her shoulders and spread her limbs to dissipate the heat. To no avail. Summer’s strength had reached even the high mountain forest near Kalindos.

Whispers came. Rhia’s muscles jerked as if she’d been stabbed with a pin. Not again. She covered her ears, as if that would help. Please let me sleep.

But the voices of the dead would strengthen in her dreams, rumbles of discontent forming incoherent words. When she was awake they would whisper, or even silence when she spoke out loud or sang a distracting tune. Her traveling companions resented the latter, since her crooning voice was as melodic as that of her Guardian Spirit.

Crow.

Only a few months had passed since the Spirit had bestowed her with His Aspect. Yet she had borne these dark gifts for a decade—since she was eight—when she first heard Crow come to carry a soul to the Other Side.