P c cast goddess summo.., p.1
P. C. Cast - Goddess Summoning 06, page 1
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Warrior Rising
By
P. C. Cast
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Contents
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
EPILOGUE
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PRAISE FOR
Goddess of Love
"Sexy, charming, and fun, Goddess of Love is the fantasy romance of the year! You will fall in love with this book. (I did!)”
—Susan Grant
“Touching, clever, and an excellent heiress to the Goddess Summoning series. Cast’s ability to subvert misogynistic mythology… and reaffirm what makes women wonderful, is always worth celebrating… I bestow my snarky blessings on this book.”
—SmartBitchesTrashyBooks.com
“Cast is back… and the gods and goddesses have never been more sympathetic or amusing than they are in this truly delightful novel.”
—Romantic Times (4 stars)
"Scorchingly sensual, utterly delicious! P. C. Cast is a true master of her craft.”
—Gena Showalter, New York Times bestselling author of The Darkest Night
“Ms. Cast has taken mythology, Cinderella, a bit of Shakespeare, and a dash of Shaw and mixed them with her own style of comedy for a winning read that is as heartwarming as it is funny.”
—Huntress Reviews
“As always with Ms. Cast’s Goddess sagas, the blending of mythology and the modern world feels smooth and effortless… delightful.”
—Midwest Book Review
Goddess of the Rose
"P. C. Cast [is] well-known for her blending of mythological tales and romance… [A] beautiful adult fairy tale… Readers will be enchanted.”
—The Best Reviews
“Outstanding… magic, myth, and romance with a decidedly modern twist. Her imagination and storytelling abilities are true gifts to the genre.”
—Romantic Times
Goddess of Light
“A charmer… Cast continues her unique brand of delightfully mixing a modern-day romance with a mythological legend… creative.”
—Midwest Book Review
"Pure enjoyment… Anything can [happen] when gods and mortals mix.”
—Rendezvous (Rosebud of the Month)
“A fanciful mix of mythology and romance with a dash of humor for good measure… engages and entertains… lovely.”
—Romance Reviews Today
Goddess of Spring
A Holt Medallion Finalist
“One of the top romantic fantasy mythologists today.”
—Midwest Book Review
“As always, there’s a dash of humor and lots of meltingly hot sex.”
—Affaire de Coeur
“Gorgeous Technicolor detail.”
—The Romance Reader
“Enchanting… lovely.”
—The Romance Readers Connection
“A veritable feast for readers who just can’t get enough fantasy dished up with their romance. Mythology has never been so fun!”
—Romance Reviews Today
Goddess of the Sea
“Captivating—poignant, funny, erotic! Lovely characters, wonderful romance, constant action, and a truly whimsical fantasy makes Ms. Cast’s novel hard to put down… delightful. A great read.”
—The Best Reviews
“A fun combination of myth, girl power, and sweet romance [with] a bit of suspense. A must-read… a romance that celebrates the magic of being a woman.”
—Affaire de Coeur
“Without doubt, one of the most innovative fantasy romances I’ve read. From beginning to end, the surprises in P. C. Cast’s new page-turner never stopped. Its poignancy resonates with both whimsy and fantasy, leaving the reader with a childlike believability in the impossible. I loved it!”
—Sharon Sala, New York Times bestselling author of Cut Throa
“Vivid and colorful… splendid blend of fantasy, history, intrigue, and passion… outstanding. Watch out for this author, she’s sure to rise to the top of the romantic fantasy genre.”
—Rendezvous
"Suspense, fantasy, time travel, all topped off with a very healthy dollop of romance… The good news is that this is just the beginning… in the Goddess Summoning series.”
—Romance Reviews Today
Goddess by Mistake
“A witty retelling of the Beauty and the Beast myth with a dash of Celtic lore and a twist of ‘You go, girlfriend!’ ”
—Bibliora.com
“A mythic world of humor and verve.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A high-spirited fantasy romp, wickedly funny and filled with action. P. C. Cast turns traditional fantasy elements inside out for a story you won’t soon forget. Highly recommended!”
—K. D. Wentworth, author of The Course of Empire
“I hated for it to end.”
—Romance Under the Rainbow
“A funny, sexy heroine… the story is well-written, rich with secondary characters, and peppered with humorous dialogue. In the battle of good against evil, modern conveniences against ancient culture, and a bit of Beauty and the Beast tossed in, readers will enjoy being transported into this fantasy world.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“If you like your fantasy novels tongue-in-cheek, you will enjoy Goddess by Mistake, the debut novel by an Oklahoma high school teacher with a vivid imagination and a wicked sense of humor.”
—The Romance Reader
“Sassy… big points for originality, style, humor, and sheer exuberance of storytelling… a wild ride and a rollicking good time all around.”
—All About Romance
“A fun read.”
—Christopher Moore, author of Spirit House
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The Goddess Summoning Series by P. C. Cast
GODDESS OF THE SEA
GODDESS OF SPRING
GODDESS OF LIGHT
GODDESS OF THE ROSE
GODDESS OF LOVE
WARRIOR RISING
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BERKLEY SENSATION, NEW YORK
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THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
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Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
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. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Copyright © 2008 by P. C. Cast
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
BERKLEY SENSATION is an imprint of The Berkley Publishing Group
BERKLEY SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cast, P. C.
Warrior rising / P. C. Cast.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN: 1-
1. Young women—Fiction. 2. Transmigration—Fiction. 3. Goddesses—Fiction. 4. Achilles (Greek mythology)—Fiction. 5. Trojan War—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3603.A869.W37 2008
813’.6—dc22
2007046579
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This one is for friends everywhere!
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always I’d like to thank my agent and friend, Meredith Bernstein. Your consistent belief in me means more than I can express with these few words.
Thank you to my new Berkley editor, Wendy McCurdy, who made the scary process of changing editors practically painless. You are a pleasure to work with!
And a big THANK-YOU to all the fans of my Goddess Summoning series who have sent wonderful letters sharing with me how much my books entertain and empower you. Hope you enjoy this trip to my version of the Trojan War!
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PROLOGUE
Thetis of the Silver Feet rose from the depths of the hidden cove. Her son was already there, awaiting her arrival. With that odd, almost preternatural sense of calm that had been his to command even as a babe, he stood on the beach staring with quiet intensity at the distant, watery horizon. He had not yet noticed her, so she took the opportunity to study him carefully.
Though he had barely lived sixteen summers he more closely resembled the man and warrior he would become than the child she’d held at her bosom what seemed but a moment ago. He was magnificent—her golden eaglet, her pride, her heart—her Achilles. And today her soul wept for what Zeus’s oracle had revealed to her. Thetis wished she could deny the truth of it or even simply run from the choices the great god had revealed. But she, too, was a deity, born of the water, daughter of Nereus, an ancient sea god, and she knew all too well that the prophecies of the gods could not be avoided—that to run from them left only chaos and heartbreak and ruined lives in the wake of consequences. Fate could not be avoided, so it must be endured.
At least Achilles had been given a choice.
The small splinter of hope that thought gave Thetis was short-lived. It worked itself free of her heart as she continued to gaze at the wondrous man her son was becoming.
Before his conception the oracle had foretold that her son would be greater than his father—thus freeing her of the tiresome courtships of Zeus and Apollo. Neither god would ever have suffered a son to outshine him. She had eventually married Peleus, King of the Myrmidons. A slight smile touched her shapely pink lips. Peleus had desired her so desperately that compared to her smooth, white thighs the oracle’s predictions were inconsequential. Thetis tossed back her silver-blond hair. She hadn’t, of course, been able to settle permanently with a mortal, king or not, but she did think of him fondly and often. Perhaps she would visit him later that night. He always welcomed her joyously into his bed and she would need the distraction of passion after hearing Achilles’ choice. Sadly she knew her son too well; what the oracle at Dodona had prophesied for him would, indeed, come to pass. Thetis drew in a deep breath and readied herself.
“Achilles!” she called to him.
His response was instantaneous. He turned toward her with a dazzling smile and a formal bow so deep and respectful that Hera herself would have been pleased.
“Mother, what news from Dodona and Zeus’s oracle?”
Thetis glided to him, extending her soft hand. “Not even a hello for your mother? Are oracles and prophecies all you care about, my son?”
Achilles’ blue eyes, which were the exact color of the turquoise depths in which his mother had been born, sparkled with mischievous humor. “Forgive me great goddess of the sea!” He took her hand, kissed it fondly, then tucked it around his already well-muscled arm as he led her from the warm Aegean waters. “And how is your health, Mother? Has it changed in the two days since last I saw you?”
She pushed at his shoulder, which felt even more rocklike than it had two days before when they’d taken lunch together in this very cove. “My health is perfect, as you very well know. And I am but a lowly sea goddess, not one of the Divine Twelve, so there’s no need to flatter me as such. As you also know very well.”
Achilles bent and kissed her quickly on her cheek. “You are my goddess, Mother, and more divine to me than any of the Twelve.”
Instead of replying with her usual good-natured banter Thetis met her son’s sparkling eyes and said sharply, “Do not jest about the gods. Were I to usurp one of the Twelve Olympians, even just in your mind, it would be a grave insult and my hubris could be punished severely.”
Achilles frowned. “What has happened, Mother?”
Thetis sighed and unwound herself from her son’s arm. Silently she walked to a chair-sized rock and sat. Then she looked up at her son. Where he was standing, with the sea at his back and the sun caressing his youthful body with its golden rays, he seemed for an instant like a gilded statue of himself, like something a great people—perhaps in the distant future—would erect of him to memorialize the remembered exploits of a warrior whose life had blazed like a comet and then burned out much too soon.
A shiver passed through Thetis’s body.
“Mother?” Achilles repeated. He began to walk toward her, but her upraised hand stayed him.
“This will be easier if you remain there.” Then she wouldn’t be tempted to clutch him to her as if he were still a babe, and beg him to be wise… to consider… Thetis drew another deep breath. When she finally spoke, her voice was emotionless, as if she were an oracle herself. “Zeus’s oracle presented two choices for you, Achilles.” She closed her eyes and recited: “One path to the future will lead to a long, prosperous life. The Myrmidons will flourish under your rule. You will have a fruitful wife who will bear you many sons and daughters. You will know peace and tranquility and love. Your long life will be full and rich and you will die quietly in your bed when your beard is white, surrounded by those who love you. You will be deeply mourned, but eventually your name will be forgotten as just a speck in the countless sands of history.” Thetis drew another deep breath and continued, still not opening her eyes.
“Another path to the future will lead to acclaim that will outshine all other kings and warriors. You will lead the Myrmidons in battle with a red ferocity that will burn everything before you. Your fire will rage hot and high so that your name will be remembered for thousands of years in lands past the edge of the world. But like a fire that burns too hot too quickly, you will be consumed, and never see the close of thirty summers. Rage will destroy your life. You will only glimpse peace and love and tranquility—you will never know them.” Thetis paused long enough to ready herself for what she knew she would see, and then she opened her eyes.
Achilles was already blazing. She’d known it when the oracle had spoken her son’s choices, but she couldn’t help the small hope she’d nurtured. Now, like a snuffed candle, hope was extinguished.
“You must choose, my son, but take your time. Reason carefully. Remember, once your choice is made, Zeus had decreed your fate and your path will be set.”
Achilles’ grin was young and untamed. “I already know my choice, Mother!” He lifted his arms to the sky, threw back his head, and shouted his decision to Olympus as a fierce prayer to the gods. “Divine Zeus, I honor you for the choices you have given me. I choose the life of a warrior and eternal fame!” At that instant the heavens above him were split by a deafening crack of thunder and a massive lightning bolt, jagged and glowing, shot from the sky into Achilles’ body, driving the boy to his knees and filling him with a red, raw power that literally changed his visage, hardening the smooth cheeks. It seemed he actually grew, becoming taller and broader, becoming more of what he had once been. His eyes glowed with the rust color of old blood and his lips pulled back from his teeth in a feral snarl as, once again, he shouted his decision in a voice unrecognizable as his own, “I choose the life of a warrior and eternal fame!”
