Conquered

by Rebecca Cunningham

The technologically advanced world of Reikah has recently implemented a space exploration program and is assembling their discovered worlds into a growing alliance under their leadership. Taran Ar-Nau, nephew to Reikah’s leader, has been appointed command of the exploratory team upon the retirement of the former commander. He soon stumbles upon the tiny world of Laren, a beautiful, uncivilized wilderness inhabited by a small group of people who live simply from the land and what their powerful god provides. Among these people is the mysterious and resentful Shauni-Mir, a woman who shares a strong spiritual bond with the god of this world. Shauni-Mir immediately launches a desperate battle of wills against Taran to keep his people from ultimately destroying Laren with their colonization. And almost from the beginning Taran feels a battle growing deep within his soul; a battle between duty and desire. Although it is his solemn duty to notify his world of all exploratory discoveries, he cannot deny the pull on his heart from this wonderful and fragile place, and most of all from the alluring Shauni-Mir.But as the passage of time reveals a darker side of his birth world and brings pain and suffering upon the world of Laren and its people, Taran knows that ultimately a fixed decision would have to be made. But could he abandon his entire family, and the world of his birth, for the woman and the other world that he loves? On the other hand, how could he possibly consider turning his back on Shauni-Mir and Laren?

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 8, 2011