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THE STORY/THE HEROINE.
Healdin comes to the aid of Roj, a young horseman of the high desert who is pursued by fierce, ageless warriors. In time, the warriors come to believe that Roj can lead them to an awesome power, the Root of Glory.
Long ago, Roj’s people stole and lost this great power. But before the Root vanished, its light pierced mortal hearts, leaving the people and their offspring wounded with a yearning for it that nothing else can satisfy. Now some mortals seek to find and reclaim the power. So do the ageless enemies of the King, man-eating rebels who refer to the Root as “the Great Valuable.” These hulking rebels say that some of the Root’s energy remains on those who encounter it.
Healdin is an emissary of the King. She learns of Roj’s gift with a rare breed of horse, the Spotted Stallions, and she seeks the young man’s help. She believes Roj can hasten the coming of a champion to retrieve the Root of Glory and triumph against the king’s enemies.
Among Roj’s people, Healdin becomes known as a healer and a beauty who captivates men. They don’t know that she was alive generations ago when their ancestors first entered the Dry Lands.
Healdin is the keeper of her own secret power, and she will suffer much to protect Roj.
“Veteran reporter Robert Digitale uses his journalistic skills to tell a compelling fantasy of ancient feuds and warriors who must rethink their old ways. He introduces a new kind of hero and women who use their wit and magic to offer a different world.”
