Excerpt of ?ire's Captive Moon by Sandi Layne

Another invader appeared, and the two of them towered so far over her that Charis rose to her knees, trying to balance herself with her hands as the surface beneath her shifted. Her stomach clenched in nausea and fear. What had happened?

"You're a slave, Healer," came a barely familiar voice, low to the ship's deck. "So am I. Believe me, I did everything I could to make sure it wouldn't happen."

A slave? "No," she whispered, shaking her head in abject denial.

"Yes." It was the son of Branieucc. She met his eyes, and they were deeply compassionate, sorrowful and resentful. "Yes. The Ostmen have taken us. You have, apparently, been claimed by Agnarr." Cowan inclined his head towards her captor, the man who'd murdered Devin and Devlin.

"No!" she moaned, dropping her head. "No, it can't be. We . . ." Then a face flashed before her eyes. Aislinn. Charis's breath came fast and dry to her throat and she swallowed. "Cowan?" One purpose had her leaning forward to keep her voice as low as possible. "Did they find the children?"

"Children?" Cowan's eyes darted back and forth and Charis watched only his face, for the future of her people rested with Aislinn and the children. "No, I saw no children," he whispered, his expression carefully blank.

"Oh . . ." Relief swamped her and she collapsed again on the deck.