by Duncan Lay
Behind them, the sound of children’s laughter filled the air. They looked around to see Hild, Mai and Cheijun sitting in a circle, making a flower magically dance between them.
‘Skies above — which one’s doing that?’ Caelin gasped.
‘Does it matter?’ Asami said with a smile.
‘Not any more,’ Sendatsu said, laughing and holding her close.
THE END
Author’s Note
Many of the place names in the Empire of Bones series are real names, to be found in the pages of history or even on today’s maps. However, the fictional towns and villages named in this series bear no relation to their real counterparts.
There are also several historical hints and notes, from the Chinese repeating crossbow to the Welsh flag and anthem. Again, there is no intention to make this, or them, real.
This is not only a work of fiction, it is a work of fantasy.
Acknowledgements
A book does not end up on the shelves without a great deal of work by a great many people. I need to thank my beta reader Belinda Lay, agent Sophie Hamley, publisher Rochelle Fernandez, editor Kate Burnitt, copy-editor Kylie Mason, proofreader Annabel Adair and designer Darren Holt. Without their help, advice and eagle eyes, Wall of Spears would not be the same book. My name is on the cover yet they all helped to make it better and stronger, as well as hide flaws, correct mistakes and eliminate my talent for repeating key words and phrases.
About the Author
An interview with legendary American fantasy writer Raymond E Feist inspired Duncan Lay to try his hand at fantasy writing. He writes on the train, while commuting from his Central Coast home to his other job as Masthead Chief of The Sunday Telegraph. This is his second fantasy trilogy.
Connect with Duncan Lay at:
duncanlay.blogspot.com
facebook.com/duncan.lay
Twitter @DuncanLay
Books by Duncan Lay
THE DRAGON SWORD HISTORIES
The Wounded Guardian (1)
The Risen Queen (2)
The Radiant Child (3)
EMPIRE OF BONES
Bridge of Swords (1)
Valley of Shields (2)
Wall of Spears (3)
Copyright
HarperVoyager
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
First published in Australia in 2014
This edition published in 2014
by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
harpercollins.com.au
Copyright © Duncan Lay 2014
The right of Duncan Lay to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
HarperCollinsPublishers
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Lay, Duncan, author.
Wall of spears / Duncan Lay.
ISBN: 978 0 7322 9420 5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978 0 7304 9699 1 (epub)
Lay, Duncan. Empire of bones; 3.
Fantasy fiction.
A823.4
Cover design by Darren Holt, HarperCollins Design Studio
Cover images by shutterstock.com
Map by Darren Holt, HarperCollins Design Studio
Author photograph by Anthony Reginato