Key to Liberty

ChroMagic Series Book Four

by Piers Anthony

Shortly after the planet Charm was colonized 1,000 years ago, Earth finally suffered World War III. Almost everyone was destroyed and those remaining fell into a barbarian society when technology was lost. To prevent future wars, Earth's women took control and governed with a more sensible approach.

Over the next thousand years, Earth rebuilt itself to an advanced technological power again and now needed more resources for its continued existence and growth. To fulfill their needs, Earth's lost colonies must be found and brought back under control.

Now Earth has sent a ship with a planet-busting bomb to reclaim the colony Charm, and it appears that the only way Havoc and his planet can survive the invasion is if his children are sacrificed as hostages.

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About the Author

Piers Anthony

Piers Anthony is one of the world's most prolific and popular authors. His fantasy Xanth novels have been read and loved by millions of readers around the world, and have been on the New York Times Best Seller list twenty-one times. Although Piers is mostly known for fantasy and science fiction, he has written several novels in other genres as well, including historical fiction, martial arts, and horror. Piers lives with his wife in a secluded woods hidden deep in Central Florida.

Reviews

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His portraits of aliens and their societies is one of his great strengths as a science fiction writer. —20th Century Science Fiction Writers

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"I loved the book. I didn't want to see it end ... It's quite worth reading."
—David McGrath, Multum in Parvo

"Piers Anthony is one of those authors who can perform magic with the ordinary … [He] is a craftsman, and, like a skilled furniture builder who can make a chair much more than a place to sit, makes a book more than words to read."
—A Reader's Guide to Science Fiction

"His portraits of aliens and their societies is one of his great strengths as a science fiction writer."
—20th Century Science Fiction Writers

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Desperation!

    "Havoc, go while you can," Ennui said.

    Hoard whirled and struck her. She managed to block it partly with one arm, but the force of the blow knocked her to the floor. She fell with a cry. She wasn't being much of a heroine.

    Havoc grabbed the bars and strained, meaning to rip them apart. But they bent only slightly, and more fire drove him back. He had become vulnerable.

    Hoard nodded. "You're prisoner. You don't have enough magic left to get out." He considered. "But you might be faking some, so I think I'll just leave you in there for a while, and you can watch me with this bitch. I want you to suffer before you die."

    She couldn't look, but felt Havoc's mind as he strained at the bars again, exhausting his last strength. His thoughts faded as he lost not only his magic but his physical resources. She realized that he had sent all he had left to her, to help her fight back. Now he was unconscious.

    She was on her own—and she lacked the power to fight off Hoard's brutal brawn. She could not stop him.

    She wrapped her arms around his neck and hauled it down to her face, but it was no kiss she was trying for. She angled her head and bit him, aiming for the windpipe and jugular vein and clamping down. She got her teeth in his throat angled off-center over one buried carotid artery, but had a fair mouthful of his neck.

    Hoard thrashed, moving her about. Her teeth dug in. Blood leaked from his throat and trickled into her mouth.

    Belatedly he remembered to use his magic. Suddenly there was an explosion of light and heat around them. It burned the skin of her arms and made her hair frizzle, but she absolutely refused to let go of anything.

    There was a hiss as something reptilian slithered toward her head. She wanted to flee it, but maintained iron control; it might bite her to death, but not before she bit Hoard to death.

    Water surged up around her body and head, threatening to drown her. She reminded herself that it could be illusion, in which case it wouldn't really smother her. If it was real, it would get him too, because she was holding his face down as low as hers, beside her head. Regardless, she refused to let go. This was her last chance to be a heroine and she wasn't going to waste it. She hung on, determined to die in style. To take him with her.

    Bright little stars and planets appeared, whirling around her head. The chamber seemed to spin like a whirlpool, curling down into some awful abyss. Void—they were spiraling into the stellar black hole! Utter doom. Still she clung.