Forge of the Mindslayers: Blade of the Flame Book 2 (44 page)

“I know where we can get one,” the vampire said.

“Is it swift? We shall have need of a fast vessel,” Nathifa cautioned.

“Don’t worry. This ship
is
fast.” Makala grinned. “Fast as the wind.”

In an icy throne room far to the north, a bleached-white claw with long black nails stroked the smooth dome of an obsidian skull—one that was an exact match for Espial—and laughter brittle as ancient bones defiled the air.

Tim Waggoner’s novels include
Pandora Drive
and
Like Death
(Leisure Books),
A Nightmare on Elm Street: Protégé
(Black Flame),
Godfire: The Orchard of Dreams, Godfire: Heart’s Wound, Necropolis
(Five Star),
Exalted: A Shadow Over Heaven’s Eye, Dark Ages: Gangrel
(White Wolf),
Defender: Hyperswarm
(I-Books), and
The Harmony Society
(Prime Books). He is also the author of the short story collection
All Too Surreal
(Prime Books). He is the author of two books in the D
RAGONLANCE
®: T
HE
N
EW
A
DVENTURES
series,
Temple of the Dragonslayer
and
Return of the Sorceress
(Wizards of the Coast), as well as many novels and short stories for teens and adults. He’s published close to eighty short stories of horror and fantasy, and his articles on writing have appeared in
Writer’s Digest, Writers’ Journal
, and other publications.

He teaches creative writing at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. Visit him on the web at
www.timwaggoner.com
.