Forgotten Truth - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Dawn Cook is the author of First Truth, Hidden Truth, Forgotten Truth, and Lost Truth.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Praise for First Truth

“A beautifully told, simple story that looks unblinkingly at how prejudice unnecessarily reinforces misconceptions, misunderstandings, and hatred.” —Booklist

 
“The author excels at demonstrating the tension between the farmers and plainsmen with Alissa’s and Strell’s stereotypical attitudes toward each other upon first meeting . . . With an almost claustrophobic setting and a small cast of characters, this novel is an admirable effort . . . An entertaining read.” —Kliatt

 
“A refreshing, humorous take on the coming-of-age quest. The plot tightly builds empathy for the characters even as it makes fun of their foibles.” —Romantic Times

 
“Though First Truth may be Dawn Cook’s debut novel, readers will place this excellent tale on their keeper shelf.”

—BookBrowser

 
“A fun book, sure to appeal to fans (like me) of Tamora Pierce or Robin McKinley. With characters to cheer for, vicious villains, and attack birds, First Truth has everything I need in a good read. I look forward to Alissa’s next adventure.” —Patricia Briggs, author of Dragon Blood

 
“In her beguiling debut, Cook has woven together magical threads.” —Deborah Chester, author of The Queen’s Gambit

 
And don’t miss Hidden Truth

Ace Books by Dawn Cook

FIRST TRUTH
HIDDEN TRUTH
FORGOTTEN TRUTH

If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

 
 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

 
FORGOTTEN TRUTH

 
An Ace Book / published by arrangement with
the author

 
PRINTING HISTORY Ace mass market edition / December 2003

 
Copyright © 2003 by Dawn Cook.

 
All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without
permission. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via
the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the
publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only
authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage
electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s
rights is appreciated.
For information address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

ISBN: 9781440619557

 
ACE®
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ACE and the “A” design
are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

For Tim

1

Alissa’s throat tightened at the sight of the updraft, a deeper blue against the washed-out autumn sky. It rose like a column of shimmering heat from the open field of grass. Beneath her was the icy cool of the surrounding forest. Tops of individual trees were lost in a blur of damp pine smell from her speed. The wind slipping over her felt and sounded like gray silk, but instead of her usual pleasure, she felt only a coming dread.

“See it?” Beast said in her thoughts. “What’s going to happen when we find it?”

“We go up,” Alissa thought back, swallowing nervously. “The sun’s setting, and I have a lesson tonight. Perhaps we should stop. It’s getting hard to see the updrafts.”

“It is not. We’ve been at this since sun-high. It’s not that hard, Alissa.” The voice in her thoughts gave the impression of an aggravated sigh. “We’re almost there. What do you do when you reach it?”

“I—uh—cup my wings about it and turn into a rising curve?”

“Yes.”

Alissa’s long tail made an exasperated twitch. She was sure Beast had done it. Alissa wouldn’t have minded, but it shifted their momentum, and Alissa gasped. Beast said nothing as she impatiently abandoned this pass and angled Alissa back to the forest. Beside her came a faint chitter as Talon, Alissa’s pet kestrel, protested at the sharp shift of direction. The bird had accompanied her all afternoon as if in encouragement.

“Beast,” Alissa asked, “why are we bothering? I don’t care you do all the flying.”

“I’ve seen your teacher watch you when we fly. He knows something is wrong. Someday he might realize it isn’t you who is flying but me.” Beast turned Alissa back to the updraft. “Look sharp. I’m not going to help you this time.”

“Beast?” Alissa thought, concerned as she took control over the gentle glide Beast had left her in, but the voice didn’t answer. Alissa eyed the approaching updraft, knowing from countless passes she had a moment to gather her courage. She glanced forward to the Hold. The nearly abandoned fortress nestled into the rock of the mountain. Behind the peak was a steep drop. The setting sun had beaten upon the sheer rock face all afternoon until the wave of heat streaming from it was so strong, it was almost purple to her raku eyes.

Beast had sported them in the windy violence earlier, showing Alissa the glorious possibilities to be found in updrafts before settling down to try to teach Alissa to fly on her own. The heavy upwelling of energy behind the Hold made the updraft over the fallow fields look like a washbasin in comparison to the sea, but even so it scared Alissa silly, making her long fingers tingle down to the tips of her savage claws.

Cup my wings and ease into it, she thought, her lips pulling back from her long canines as she felt Beast’s thoughts turn impatient.

“Not so stiff, Alissa,” her feral consciousness complained. “Tear my dame’s wings to shreds, why don’t you trust the wind? It’s more faithful than the most loyal mate.”

“Mate?” Alissa thought, embarrassed. Distracted, she slammed into the updraft unprepared. The wheat-scented wind caught her wings, shocking her with...