Bonds of Ascension

A warrior striving for greatness. A past that refuses to be silenced. In the harsh desert, where faulty decisions cost lives, Lu is haunted by the clan's poor choices in the past. She is desperate to qualify as an Elite Warrior, a crucial step toward leadership and preventing further bloodshed.

But first, she must excel at the warrior trials, and combat expertise alone is not enough. Lu must also be chosen by an animal companion of exceptional prowess, and she has already set her sights on the best. But now the animals have become uneasy in her presence.

With her future uncertain, Lu is tasked with an unwelcome duty: escorting the retired clan leader she holds responsible for the tragedy that destroyed her family. But Lu is not the only one with lingering grievances...

This novella is a prequel and can be read as a standalone story before or after Strands of Time and Magic.