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Starborn

Page 43

by Lucy Hounsom


  Brégenne watched it wheel away onwards into the east, casting an alien shadow on the ground. There was no doubt in her mind where the bird had come from. The scouts of Acre had found them at last.

  EPILOGUE

  … The mountain fades and the morning sky is as grey as a wolfhound’s coat. His eyes are failing, as his life ebbs, so he follows them into darkness. Sorrow, too, has no place here, in the last rich seconds of existence.

  In his memory, her face is frightened. I ran away from them, she says, skin flushed red as her unbound hair. Are you running too?

  He cannot remember. Is he hurt? she asks, sitting close, tracing the dark scars on his face with her eyes. Yes, he answers, many years ago. Why is she running?

  Anger and tears spill down her cheeks. Tomorrow my life will be decided for me, she tells him. He watches her fists curl, as she trembles in outrage, in fear.

  Only you can decide, he tells her, and she beats the ground. No! The still-drowsy night birds are startled and there’s a flurry of wings overhead. No, the Ceremony decides, she says. My true name and calling are given me and so my choice is taken away.

  He already knows her true name. He will tell her, if she wants. She gazes at him, astonished and suspicious, yet still curious. She nods slowly.

  You are called Reena, he says, and a small sigh tumbles from her lips. The words scare her, he sees, but she draws nearer. Her coarse clothes rasp pleasantly. And who are you, she asks, to tell me this?

  I don’t remember, he answers and it is the truth. He tells her of the shadow that hunts him, a shadow that descends upon his mind and twists it so that he cannot think. He has evaded it, but eventually it will claim him once more. Please, he says, suddenly afraid. Stay with me until it comes.

  It won’t come, she tells him, setting his head upon her shoulder. He knows she is wrong, but doesn’t say so. Her hair smells of wind and her skin of her run through the night. He feels her heart reaching up to him, strong beats in her chest.

  They lie on the forest floor, face to face. His scars hold no horror for her; neither does her youth for him. The night opens around them. None of this is real, she says. None of this is real.

  He curls a lock of her hair around his fingers.

  Tell me, she whispers, what does Reena mean?

  It means, he says, that your hair is beautiful like flame. It means that you come alone through darkness. It means that you found me, as no one ever has.

  Her eyes are liquid, grey-blue.

  It means a colour, he whispers, as he holds her. The brilliant rim of the setting sun. The sands of a valley I will never walk again.

  Praise for Starborn

  ‘Evocative, original worldbuilding and a wonderfully feisty heroine: top marks to Lucy Hounsom’

  KAREN MILLER

  ‘A brave heroine, a perilous destiny, and an intriguing world full of myth and mystery make for an enthralling read’

  GAIL Z. MARTIN

  ‘I thought it was great, reminding me of Trudi Canavan; it had me turning pages way into the night, which is not good at my age! What a mix: immersive worldbuilding, secret societies, a flawed and hugely likeable protagonist, and awesome magic. There’s a lot to like here, but be warned, this book will seriously damage your sleep’

  JOHN GWYNNE

  ‘Has all the elements to become a modern classic of the genre. It’s essentially a coming-of-age story that breaks out into a wide-screen fantasy extravaganza with huge stakes’

  Independent on Sunday

  ‘For those readers with a yearning for a novel with a Trudi Canavan/David Eddings-type vibe, but with a contemporary twist, Starborn may be just the ticket’

  SFFWorld.com

  ‘An exciting new high fantasy story … the story moves along at a brisk pace’

  SFBook.com

  ‘A genuinely impressive debut, and Lucy Hounsom is definitely one to watch’

  thebookbag.co.uk

  Starborn

  Lucy Hounsom works for Waterstones and has a BA in English and Creative Writing from Royal Holloway. She went on to complete an MA in Creative Writing under Andrew Motion in 2010. Lucy lives in Devon.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  This book would not exist without the support of two exceptional people. Huge thanks to my agent and earliest champion, Veronique Baxter – your initial enthusiasm and professional guidance set me on the path of my dreams. And to my editor, Bella Pagan – not only did you take a chance on a new author, but you worked tirelessly to make Starborn the best book it could be. Thank you for your trust and for sharing your vision with me.

  Many thanks to everyone at Team Tor and Pan Macmillan – you’ve made this the ride of my life and I’m so grateful for all that you’ve done. From design to rights to copyediting, you’ve been behind me and my book every step of the way.

  I’ve met many new faces on this journey, both online and in person, and all of them have been supportive, encouraging and ever willing to share advice with a newbie. Thanks to fellow Tor author Liz de Jager for being an informative whirlwind of fun, to Jen Williams and Max Edwards for laughs, Edward Cox for hugs and Ewa and Nazia for showing me the ropes.

  Thank you to those people who read all or part of Starborn in one of its previous lives and provided me with feedback. Since this was undoubtedly a painful experience, I’d like to acknowledge Cheryl Coppell, Alashiya Gordes, Mikey Gwilliams, M. J. Starling, and the brilliant writers on my Creative Writing MA: Emma Chapman, Tom Feltham, Liz Gifford, Carolina Gonzalez-Carvajal, Kat Gordon, Liza Klaussmann and Rebecca Lloyd James. Thanks also to those Royal Holloway tutors who pointed me in the right direction: Adam Roberts, Susanna Jones and Andrew Motion.

  I’ll soon have been indulging my literary obsession at Waterstones for five years – and five years is far too short a time to work among such excellent and admirable folk. To my colleagues at Exeter Roman Gate: don’t go changing. Special thanks to Paul, account sales partner-in-crime, for his musical education and for laughs as plentiful as Papa’s coffees. Warmest thanks to all of Waterstones for supporting me and my writing.

  This is my first book and I’d be remiss not to mention the authors who inspired me as a teenager and continue to inspire me still: you filled my head with possibilities and transported me to realms far beyond my ability to reach alone. Because of you, I never needed a Relic to show me my calling. And if you’ve kept with me so far, dear reader, this one’s for you: thank you for choosing to enter my world. I hope I manage to tempt you out of yours for a time, and that when you return, you’ll have stories of your own to tell.

  Finally, thank you to my family: you have known me the longest and have stood beside me at the helm through all weathers. Here’s to the voyages we’ve yet to make.

  First published 2015 by Tor

  This electronic edition published 2016 by Pan Books

  an imprint of Pan Macmillan

  20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR

  Associated companies throughout the world

  www.panmacmillan.com

  ISBN 978-1-4472-6851-2

  Copyright © Lucy Hounsom, 2015

  Jacket images © Shutterstock,

  Main figure © Colin Thomas

  The right of Lucy Hounsom to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Extract from Labyrinths, Selected Stories and Other Writings by Jorge Luis Borges translated by James Irby reprinted by permission of Pollinger Limited (www.pollingerltd.com) on behalf of the Estate of Jorge Luis Borges.

  Pan Macmillan does not have any control over, or any responsibility for, any author or third party websites referred to in or on this book.

  You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who d
oes any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Map artwork © Hemesh Alles

  Visit www.panmacmillan.com to read more about all our books and to buy them. You will also find features, author interviews and news of any author events, and you can sign up for e-newsletters so that you’re always first to hear about our new releases.

 

 

 


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