"Death Marked"

Leah Cypess is the author of the acclaimed Mistwood and its companion, Nightspell.

Cypess applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel Death Marked, the sequel & conclusion to Death Sworn, and reported the following:

From Page 69:

A red line ran up Cyn's arms -- barely more than a scratch, a trickle of blood forming a thin dash against the back of her wrist.

"Very good," Karyn said. "Did any of you see how he did that?"

"By being ten times more powerful than Cyn?" Lis suggested.

Cyn narrowed her eyes at her sister. Then she glanced at Karyn and shrugged. "That would be my guess, too."
...

"Next," Karyn said, "Ileni can spar with me."

Danger prickled up Ileni's spine, but the magic surging through her wiped it out. She was fairly sure she could show these sorcerers a trick or two. Rehearsing a spell in her mind, she stepped forward.

I think page 69 is somewhat representative of the book -- Ileni's relationship with the imperial sorcerers, and her feelings about the magic she might possibly reclaim, form a large part of the book. Page 69 forms part of her introduction to both the new people and the new possibilities... but in the calm beginning, before all the conflicts come to a head.

Visit Leah Cypess's website.

The Page 69 Test: Death Sworn.

--Marshal Zeringue