Under Duress

Fleeing from the carnage wrought on her village by winter-starved trolls and gnolls, the elven archer Aleisha ar-Sumeraeveral comes across a barbarian trapper's fire at dusk in the snow-draped forest of the northlands. Kos of Tirvik has no inkling he is about to be entranced to her cause. Nor that their quest will take them far from home, and could end in betrayal and war between their races. But unknowingly they are already caught in the web of mightier plans. Klundutha Dmitru has roused his tribe to invade the gnollven lands, and is on the march southward. Meanwhile blackling elven warrior-mage Larase of Ryalduen is hatching his own dark schemes for the war he foresees coming near... and hoping having his own demons to contend with is about to literally come true. A novel about journeys of many sorts, and choices and obligations and honour, and how even the best intentions can find themselves tested under duress.