#SweetSat Sample 7.14.2012

This excerpt is taken from Moons' Kiss by Kimberly K. Comeau, available in print and ebook from Amazon.com, Smashwords, and other book retailers.

Manerra stepped around Kayarra, but rapidly approaching footfalls shifted their attention to the trail. Kayarra stepped into the weeds bordering the field as a rider overtook Draytel’s group at a gallop and passed Aya without slowing.

"Do you recognize the rider?" Manerra asked.

"No," Aya answered, voice tense. He started walking. Manerra fell into step beside him, and Kayarra hurried to catch up.

The rider plunged recklessly through the crowded yard, and for an awful moment, Kayarra thought the rider intended to run the shuren against the wall of the main house. She leapt from the animal before it stopped moving and ran for the door.

"Aya—" Manerra said.

"I know." Aya quickened pace.

They hadn't yet reached the smoke of the nearest cookfire when the house door burst open. A woman with white hair left the building at a run, headed toward the corner of the house. Behind her, slower, stumbled the rider, who reached for the reins of her still-heaving mount.

The white-haired woman collided with a man leading a shuren toward the front of the house. The man caught her waist before she rebounded, lifted her off her feet, and heaved her onto shurenback.

The lady swung around and upright, slapped reins to her mount, and leaned low over the shuren's neck as it bolted. 

Aya dodged sideways into the path of the oncoming rider. "Lady Sheron!" he lifted his arms and shouted.

Sheron jerked upright, her face an expression of shock. The shuren brushed past Aya as Sheron fought to halt it. "Shon regis!" she cried, brought the shuren around, and angled toward Aya, who ran to meet her. The shuren danced sideways, spooked by Aya's rush.

Sheron leaned down, speaking rapidly. Kayarra couldn’t understand what she said. Manerra started toward them just as Aya reached up, pulled Sheron from her mount, and took her place with a leap. He nudged the shuren toward Manerra, shouted, "Find Denassa and Shurna. Ride with escort. Bring Sheron to the House of Moons." Aya turned the sidestepping shuren toward the forest trail and slapped her hard.