Kiss of the Dragonfly

Marked for an ancestor's crime, she's the key to a tyrant's ambition.

Petra Drakhorn, sixteen year-old goatherd, is determined to raid draken nests with the men of her clan. Better that than the marriage into an allied clan that upland tradition demands. But her path isn't hers to choose. Her flawless birthmark, a genetic brand for an ancestor's crime, makes her the living key to a powerful weapon--and to the ambitions of a tyrant.

When his treachery threatens to destroy her clan, Petra must find a way to stop him. With her staff and gun, a false-bred mule, and three unwanted companions, she sets out to do just that. But to succeed, she'll have to evade the ancient sentient weapon he sends to hunt her, and beard the draken who killed her brother.

Set in the moss-softened rubble of the apocalypse, Kiss of the Dragonfly is a hopeful tale of warring clans, gene-edited witches, weaponized corpses, and one girl's determination to choose her own path.

An SF/Fantasy blend that goes well with coffee, chocolate, or mulled wine. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Thick skin here; comments and suggestions welcome.