Such a Daring Endeavor (44 page)

Doing the right thing means turning his back on everything he knows.

Talon Haraway was born to be a leader. Strong, confident, and skilled, at seventeen he commands the Arcaian army without thought, expecting results and getting them. When a new set of recruits arrives in Valadir, the last thing Talon expects is to have one of them redefine what he always thought he wanted. Now with pressure from his Arcaian leader and surrogate father, Tyrus Blinnsdale, Talon must decide who he wants to be and where his loyalty lies before it's too late. 

This page is always hard to write because I owe so much to so many people, it's hard to name them all! 

My mom has been with me every inch of the way, from helping think things through, to enduring random phone calls, to chatting on messenger about anything and everything writing that would drive anyone else nuts. She has stuck with me; she is my best friend, my confidant, my free therapy. I love you, Mom! 

My husband Duane has been incredibly supportive while I've ventured on the road of publishing. Even when I was getting rejections on my query letters, even when I thought I should give up (and he wouldn't let me!), and especially when I decided to self-publish, that man of mine has been right there cheering me on. 

To my friends and beta readers willing to read the thick, mess-filled first drafts of this book, Danette Hansen and Emily R. King. And Angie Cothran, for cramming a final read-through in last minute. Thank you for your insights and help! 

To Amber Argyle for being a ninja-writer-and-friend extraordinaire! Here's to retail therapy, to writer's retreats, to long drives and good chats. You and your friendship have helped me in more ways than you know! 

Charity West is the most AMAZING editor. She has the plot-eyes of a death hawk and took a figurative scalpel to this manuscript. She made me dig deep to strengthen this story, and it's only the better because of her. 

To so many other friends, writer and otherwise. Elizabeth Briggs, Morgan Shamy, Anne Pfeffer, Rebecca Lamoreaux, I wish I could name you all. So many of you are so supportive and have made a huge impact in my life. I love you. I hug you. I squish your cheeks. 

And to my sweet boys. You keep me on my toes, you make my life so much better. I love you.

And finally, to my Heavenly Father. I think all good things come from God, and I know He has blessed me to be able to develop and share my talents. May He bless you as well. 

I'm a mother, a musician, and I squee over all things pink and sparkly. I write books about doors that shouldn't be opened and enchanted tears that shouldn't be shed. I'm the proud wife of a farmer, and we live in a dinky Idaho farm town where the chances of getting stuck in tractor-induced traffic jams are highly likely. I believe anything can be made better with a good attitude and maybe a book packed away for those just-in-case times.
  

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Also By Cortney Pearson:

"I read this book fast with a pumping heart. Expect cliffhangers and cold chills. Don't expect to get much sleep! Highly recommended."

-Anne, a reviewer

Copyright © 2016 Cortney Pearson

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, printing, recording, or otherwise—without the prior permission of the author, except for use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, incidents, or events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Edited by Charity West

Cover Design by Najla Qamber Designs

Map Artwork by Angie Cothran

Author Photo by Clayton Photography + Design

Find Cortney on the web!
http://www.cortneypearson.com