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Back Rosemarked
Chapters (58)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Part One
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Part Two: Three Months Later
  11. Chapter Six
  12. Chapter Seven
  13. Chapter Eight
  14. Chapter Nine
  15. Chapter Ten
  16. Chapter Eleven
  17. Chapter Twelve
  18. Chapter Thirteen
  19. Chapter Fourteen
  20. Chapter Fifteen
  21. Chapter Sixteen
  22. Chapter Seventeen
  23. Chapter Eighteen
  24. Chapter Nineteen
  25. Chapter Twenty
  26. Chapter Twenty-one
  27. Part Three
  28. Chapter Twenty-two
  29. Chapter Twenty-three
  30. Chapter Twenty-four
  31. Chapter Twenty-five
  32. Chapter Twenty-six
  33. Chapter Twenty-seven
  34. Chapter Twenty-eight
  35. Chapter Twenty-nine
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-one
  38. Chapter Thirty-two
  39. Chapter Thirty-three
  40. Chapter Thirty-four
  41. Chapter Thirty-five
  42. Chapter Thirty-six
  43. Chapter Thirty-seven
  44. Chapter Thirty-eight
  45. Chapter Thirty-nine
  46. Chapter Forty
  47. Chapter Forty-one
  48. Chapter Forty-two
  49. Chapter Forty-three
  50. Chapter Forty-four
  51. Chapter Forty-five
  52. Chapter Forty-six
  53. Chapter Forty-seven
  54. Chapter Forty-eight
  55. Epilogue
  56. Acknowledgments
  57. About the Author
  58. Keep Reading for a Sneak Peek at Umbertouched

Also, she smells better. Though some of her potions could rival Walgash’s post-training musk. I make a silent resolution that the next time I see her, I’ll tell her that her gift brought me victory.

One of Neju’s Guard steps forward. “Commander Arxa of the Amparan Empire,” he calls.

The slap of sandals hitting dirt echoes across the field as three hundred soldiers snap to attention. Then there’s only the sound of Arxa’s footsteps as he walks to the front.

“Swear fealty to the emperor,” he commands.

We salute a portrait of an older man with a silver crown, purple robes, graying hair, and a long gray beard. “Long live Emperor Kurosh,” we say with one voice. I look at the emperor’s face with interest. So this is the man we all serve. I wonder if he deserves it.

Arxa sweeps his gaze over us, and we all stand a little straighter. “There are one hundred men in Neju’s Guard. We will take fifty more with this trial. You may drop out of the testing at any time and return to your current posts without shame. Every soldier in Ampara is a priest of Neju, and every soldier carries the pride of the empire. But if you decide to put up your sword to be tested, then do your best at the tasks set before you. Neju will be watching, as will I.”

We answer his words with a stomp and a shout. Then one of Neju’s Guard takes Arxa’s place. “We will divide you into units, and you will complete the task at each station.”

We disperse then. Naudar mouths “Good luck” to me as he goes off with another group. I’m in a set of sixty men, all strangers to me, and we’re led to a corner of the training field.

A lanky soldier barks directions at us. “This is a footrace around the border of the field. You will don your armor and carry your sword and shield. Races will be run in groups of ten.”

A knot of worry forms in my stomach. I don’t need Zivah to tell me that I’m still weak from my illness. I shuffle forward, and we watch the first group take off. My gear is heavy, and I’m already sweating underneath it. I’m glad we drew this station first instead of later when the sun’s higher in the sky.