This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
Copyright (c) 1998 by Mercedes Lackey
"Fiddler Fair," in Magic in Ithkar 3 (Tor 1989) "Balance" and "Dragon's Teeth," in Bardic Voices One (Hypatia Press 1988) (HC), in Spellsingers (DAW 1988) (PB); "Dance Track," in Alternate Heroes, Mike Resnick, ed. (Bantam Spectra 1989); "Last Rights," in Dinosaur Fantastic, Martin Greenberg, ed. (DAW 1993); "Jihad," in Alternate Warriors, Mike Resnick, ed. (Tor 1993); "Dumb Feast," in Christmas Ghosts, Mike Resnick, ed. (DAW 1993); "Small Print" in Deals with the Devil, Mike Resnick, ed. (DAW 1994); "The Cup and the Caldron," in Grails of Light (DAW); "Once and Future," in Excalibur!, Martin Greenberg, ed. (Warner Aspect 1995); "Enemy of My Enemy," Friends of the Horseclans, Robert Adams, ed. (NAL 1989)
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.
A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
ISBN: 0-671-87866-2
Cover art by Clyde Caldwell
First printing, April 1998
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Typeset by Windhaven Press, Auburn, NH
Printed in the United States of America