The Swan Maiden A Novel [Paperback]

USJules Watson was born in Western Australia to English parents. After gaining degrees in archaeology and public relations, she worked as a freelance writer in both Australia and England. Jules and her Scottish husband divided their time between the U.K. and Australia before finally settling in the wild Highlands of Scotland. She is the author of the Dalriada trilogy—The White Mare, The Dawn Stag,andThe Song of the North—a series of historical epics set in ancient Scotland about the wars between the Celts and the invading Romans.Kirkus ReviewsnamedThe White Mareamong the top ten science fiction/fantasy releases of 2005, andThe Song of the Northwas featured as a “Hot Read” in theKirkusspecial science fiction/fantasy edition of 2008.Chapter One


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Leaf-fall

She was silver, an iridescence that arced along its trajectory like a falling star. The eagle hovered against the sky, wing-tips spread, and Deirdre imagined her spirit as a net that would capture it in a glittering sling of light.

Her body still lay in trance by the fire and she had to sum- mon immense focus to keep sending soul-breath along the thread that joined spirit and body. Now let the light sink in. It was Levarcham’s sibilant whisper, chanted into her ear. Her teacher’s will flowed beneath her, a current pushing her forward . . . upward.

The druid had fasted and sung with her for days, striking the drum until the sonorous pulse rang through both their bodies. Levarcham had endured the spasms and nausea of the herbs, all to fuse her energy with Deirdre and give her this fleeting chance of sacred flight.

The determination to stay focused on the soul-cord and the eagle at the same time was a keen pain, honed over moons of torturous practice. Deirdre was exhausted. It would be easier to fall back into her body. But she would not fail or waver.

Her own frustration had providedlC+