A band of slavers murdered my mother. Forced to sail for Araby with an exiled warrior from the East and a peasant girl closer than blood, I learned Subak from my husband-in-name to protect me from raiders of the sands and the secrets of the caliph's court. A strange dagger pursues me through tiger-haunted dreams. I will live until I face the sword that killed my mother and find justice for her blood, for I must return to my father's side and take up the keys of my stronghold. To keep her friends from a lingering death, stronghold daughter Kyrin Cieri, keeper of the keys, must take up justice against hate, and a dagger against her master's sword. And forfeit ever returning to her people. If she can pay the price the falcon dagger demands . . . Falcon Heart, the first book in an epic young adult fantasy series, is an adventure where Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel meets Stephen Lawhead's King Raven trilogy. Falcon Flight, Chronicle II, is coming soon. Discover the magic, the legend of Kyrin Cieri, who adventures with her mother's strange falcon dagger from Britain to Arabia and back. Excerpt: Seliam ran in, swinging. His blade would cut her in half. She evaded the edge by a hair, screaming defiancé in his ear, and struck. The falcon slid clean from his stomach to his back. She followed the blade and slid her other arm about his neck from behind. Her dagger tip pricked his spine. With bated breath, the crowd waited for his belly to spill. His body arched back, Seliam wavered, his blade loose in his hand, his breath wrenching hollow through him. Ali leaned back in his chair, and Sirius struck his knee with a curse. Shema put her hand over her eyes. Kyrin shouted, “Yield!” Seliam fell limp. She staggered, unable to hold him with one arm, but unwilling to slide the falcon in her sash. Her hand quivered at his back. She had reversed the blade. If she killed him, she broke Ali’s wager. Her falcon’s blunt haft sped toward his temple. Sliding to drop onto his knees, Seliam unfolded with a snap. His oiled skin defeated her wild swipe. He whipped around and his blade tip raked her ankle as she sprang back. Kyrin shook her leg; it burned, but he had not cut the tendon. He crouched, wary, his sword guarding. Ali yelled, “Bring him down!” It should have been finished; she could have killed Seliam. All knew it. The white receded from his face, his burned-corn hair lank with sweat. He feinted, and studied her sideslip with passionless eyes, every sense focused. His eyes were slits, his mouth tight and bloodless. He meant to kill her. And their masters meant to let him try. “Never take your eyes off your enemy.” I won’t, my father. Kyrin slid into Seliam’s reach, and retreated. He followed with a cross-body slash, a moth to the flame of her body. He missed, then thrust one-handed for her stomach. She side stepped and sprang. They thudded together. She aimed a stroke under his arm. His elbow slammed into her dagger hand as he desperately pulled back to shield his ribs. The falcon dropped from her fingers, her fumbling hands captured his wrist. She kicked at his front leg; it gave. She spun him about, his sword falling free. She took him to the stones with the dull smack of flesh on rock. And landed with her knees in his back. This Arab would learn the cost of treachery. Crossover: Find the Eternal, the Adventure