An Evening's Truce: Shieldsister, #1

By Roz P. Garrett

Some lovers have bad ideas. Some lovers are bad ideas.

Mercenary Captain Belisare doesn't trust the magic in her veins. She's seen magic do too many horrible things for that. 

Her fickle lover, Gio, can't accept her not using her power. 

When the crew questions her attack plan for their next job, Gio has the answer. Magic will make everything about the plan easier, if he can just convince her of it.

Even in the afterglow of his seductive reasoning, Belisare refuses to rehash the old argument. She's out of options and faced with disbanding a crew that's become her family.

When her suppressed magic slips its leash in the night and ensares the camp, it's up to Gio to bring her back to herself. But after this latest argument, is their connection strong enough, or will the magic he wanted her to use tear them apart for good?

The first installment of the Shieldsister fantasy romance series, An Evening's Truce is appropriate for fans of KUSHIEL'S DART and OGLAF. This romance is certainly NSFW.

Content Warning: Steamy love scenes, occasionally naughty language, and busty ladies in armor wielding swords. Intended for mature audiences.​
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bellicose Books
• Release date: Oct 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386918202

Book preview

COPYRIGHT

A BELLICOSE BOOKS ebook.

First published in the United States in 2018 by BELLICOSE BOOKS

Ebook first published in the United States in 2018 by BELLICOSE BOOKS

This ebook published in the United States in 2018 by BELLICOSE BOOKS

Copyright © BELLICOSE BOOKS 2018

All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

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, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor to be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Cover design by Plumstone Book Covers.

Editing by LaVerne Clarke Editing.

ASIN: B07JMXXVZW

ePub ISBN: 978-1-386918-20-2

DEDICATION

To M, E, KV, J, and L for coming with me for this.

CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT

DEDICATION

A Note About This Volume

AN EVENING’S TRUCE

LIKED THIS? WANT MORE?

LEXICON

RACES

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THE SHIELDSISTER SERIES

A TROUBLED ACCORD, AVAILABLE NOW

A Note About This Volume

Dear Reader,

If you encounter unfamiliar terms while reading this story, please refer to the Lexicon at the back of the book.

If you encounter characters you cannot remember the name of (or are just curious for a little more insight), please refer to the Dramatis Personae at the back of the book.

If you’re unsure about what these characters are, there’s a section on Races at the back of the book.

These bits of knowledge may enhance your reading experience.

Please enjoy them.

-Roz

AN EVENING’S TRUCE

Not a single member of the little knot of Wulthgart mercenaries under Belisare’s command was enthusiastic about their upcoming contract. The new recruits were skeptical about the plan itself, while the seasoned members of her unit were more distasteful of the kind of work being done.

They were camped a ways back on the rocky plateaus above Hammerfall Pass, where they would carry out the plan and abduct the noble’s son named in the contract. Their vantage point stood out in sharp contrast to the forested area to the northeast and the level, tamed area to the west. The stone itself was pale – more devoid of color than it was gray. The Hammerfall Highlands had a history to them, which was little surprise considering how different they were to the surrounding area.

Belisare didn’t spend much time troubled by histories and only knew that these stone highlands were said to be the place where a goddess or god of some sort had struck down a hammer from above. The reason for the rocky strip of land was unimportant. It would not help the matter at hand to be able to pin the origin of the place on this or that god, or some long dead hero.

Rather, the matter at hand was settling the mood of the lads about the contract. They had all agreed before she had signed on to it, but consensus could be a tricky thing to maintain as time went on.

It didn’t help that the contract came to them late enough in the season that winter had come to the Midlands. Neither was it in the favor of the harmony of the discussion being had around the central fire that even the enchantments sewn into their tents could not keep everything dry in the winter rains that fell around them.

"It’s not our kind of work, is all I’m saying," Luka said, folding her arms across her chest. One of the archers and a vaikin, she was slender. Her short-cropped hair was dusted with the rain, but she seemed unbothered by the dampness. She was bare of armor to the waist, with no more than a cloth shawl around her shoulders against the elements.

"But it is work, Ajit retorted, gritting his teeth. Her Warden and second-in-command was out of his leathers with a thick wool cloak around him against the chill. His copper-red curls peeked out, framing his pale face. In the flickering light of the fire, the faint blue tattoos on his cheeks almost seemed to move. And that’s more important than what the work is."

One need not be terribly observant to see that his patience had left him in the course of the discussion. He didn’t like when she was challenged, especially after an agreement had been reached. Belisare was always thankful for her second’s loyalty, but his usual steady calm was absent and that could lead to trouble.

She watched the exchanges quietly, with her fingers hooked into her pockets. The discussion had not yet truly descended into an argument, but tempers among them were pushing it in that direction.

It’ll mean enough coin to send us to winter camp with supplies, Batts said, still falling on the side of the contract rather than the weather. He was rain-damp, which meant that his plaited hair and beard were darkened from their usual russet brown to an almost black. It gave the short, stelkin man a more forbidding look than his usual jovial nature allowed outside of battle.

We’d make it to winter camp either way, Basset sniped at Batts. Unlike her brother, Basset had her leather hood pulled up to keep her fine blond hair dry. Only the tips of her braids were damp where they peeked out against her broad chest.

With the children to care for? Batts asked, jerking his head in the direction of the tents.

At that, the eyes of all six of her seasoned lads turned to look in the direction of the tents where the new recruits were crouched or sprawled, working on their gear or catching sleep before the night’s watch.

The Captain’s never missed our payroll before, Cord said. They were the youngest of the seasoned crew. Their silver hair was held back from their face by two braids high on their temples, and the soft glow that came from it gave Belisare the hint that somewhere past the clouds the sun was beginning to set.

There was one figure among the little knot of them that kept silent throughout the discussion. Across the fire, standing with his arms tucked behind his back stood Gio. He attended meetings like this one but rarely spoke up during them. Given the relationship between him and Belisare, his opinion was rarely counted during any discussion regarding consensus. That was his own fault. If they were off-again he was likely to