The Tear of Chronos
In the year of the forked serpent¸ Kurval came from beyond the sea¸ slew King Orkol and became King of Azakoria.
On the day of his coronation¸ Kurval consults the oracle in the temple of the goddess Ashvarya¸ where he is supposed to gaze into a magical jewel called the Tear of Chronos¸ hoping for a vision of the future.
But before Kurval can receive his vision¸ a young woman named Stella suddenly appears in a flash of light in the inner sanctum. Not only is Stella a deadringer for the goddess¸ she also wears the Tear of Chronos around her neck.
Can Stella help Kurval retain the throne he's barely won? And is she truly a goddess or just an imposter?
The new sword and sorcery adventure by two-time Hugo finalist Cora Buhlert and her occasional alter ego¸ 1930s pulp writer Richard Blakemore. This is a novelette of 13500 words or approx. 45 print pages in the Kurval sword and sorcery series¸ but may be read as a standalone. Includes an introduction and afterword.