Anthology

“The Topaz Desert”
in Lace and Blade
by Catherine Asaro

Publisher: Norilana Books

ISBN 10: 1-934169-91-9
ISBN 13: 978-1-934169-91-9

Price of Book: TBD

Release Date: February 14, 2008

Also Written by Author: The Ruby Dice

Hometown: Columbia, MD

www.CatherineAsaro.net

Tanzi is a mage—but a mage in hiding. To use her magic—no matter the reason—would earn her severe punishment. When she uses that magic to comfort a child, she is accused of sorcery by the town jeweler, the child’s father. Her magic helps her escape, but then she realizes she has no- where to go and nothing but the ragged clothing on her back. She doesn’t even have her shoes.

Battered and half frozen to death, she is “rescued” by oily trade merchant, Izad, whose goal is to sell her back to jeweler Arv, from whom she had so desperately sought to escape. But when Izad stops to sell goods to the miner, Zebb, Tanzi begs him to let her stay with him, rather than allow the merchant to sell her back to her tormentor.

For Zebb, life in the topaz desert consists of little more than the back-breaking mining of rocks—and the excruciating loneliness that is his constant companion. Why would a woman who looks like a goddess—perhaps is a goddess—choose to stay with the likes of him? And would Tanzi find herself in even worse danger at the hands of this unknown giant of a miner?

Lace and Blade, an anthology of sexy, elegant, swashbuckling romantic fantasy, launches the Leda imprint of Norilana Books. Catherine Asaro’s story is set in the same magical world and is also a tie-in to The Fire Opal and The Night Bird, her current and upcoming Luna books.

www.CatherineAsaro.net