Beyond the Night.pdf

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Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

512 Forest Lake Drive

Warner Robins, Georgia 31093

Beyond the Night

Cover by Anne Cain

ISBN: 1-59998-456-3

www.samhainpublishing.com

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever

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First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: July 2007

Beyond the Night

Sharon Long

Dedication

To Jess. We had a great year. Thanks for everything. You will be missed!

Beyond the Night

Prologue

Outside the lost city of Pagoria

1817

Sir Roderick Castleton fled as if the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels. He

stumbled forward in the darkness, his hands sweeping against the damp walls of the

tunnel in a desperate attempt to right himself. Sweat poured from his face, and his breath

tore from his mouth in tortured rasps.

Again, he fell but he scrambled up, throwing himself farther down the passageway.

Just a few more feet.

The narrow tunnel fell away to a small clearing, but he didn’t stop. He ran for the

crevice in the face of the rock, the last obstacle in his bid for freedom.

He slid sideways, scooting along the rough surface, ignoring the painful abrasions.

He was so close. He could feel it. Freedom. Safety. The jagged edges protruding from the

walls snagged his clothing as though holding him back, preventing his flight. The

mountain itself seemed to tremble in anger.

He burst out of the crevice, nearly shouting his exultation. He had made it! He

sucked in huge mouthfuls of air as he sought to control his pounding heart. His hand

groped for the ancient bracelet tucked safely in his pocket.

He grinned and threw his fist into the air. “I won! I’ve done it.”

The clear, star-filled sky yawned broadly before him, touching the earth in the

distance. He turned south, hurrying across the mountain meadow.

As he put more distance between him and the sacred city, the sky grew blacker. One

by one, the stars disappeared, replaced by an ominous, suffocating cape of doom. With

each step, his chest became more lead-filled, his feet clumsy, slow.

The air swirled eerily around him, thin tendrils of smoke shooting through the air.

Evil. His first thought was overwhelming evil. But no, he was evil, not this presence.

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