Between the golden age of Greece and the grandeur that was Rome, there was the rise of Macedonia. In this brief breath of history, the burgeoning kingdom is fighting its way out of chaos, and creating the platform for a conquest that will forever change the world. But, behind every great king there are great minds. Deakon Korydon, officer of the sacred Companion Cavalry, trainer of the greatest military force in history, and personal friend to Phillip II, has grown weary of the diet of constant conquest and hungers for more in life. Kera Berenyse, ex-princess and political prisoner, was groomed for queendom but lives as a slave in the bathhouse for the entertainment of Phillip's Companion Officers. Deake yearns for love, but Kera, of necessity, must shun it. The gods have fated them to be together, but do they possess the courage required to win the ultimate battle of loving versus living, to save not only themselves, but the future glory of Macedonia? Lushly described, The Companion is packed with raw, honest emotion and a scorching sensuality that will leave you breathless. "WELL," HE SAID, STANDING up after what seemed a long time, "it's a good thing I am not a tiger." Kera smiled at him, a little ruefully, as he sauntered closer. "Why is that?" she wondered aloud, no longer afraid. "I've seen what they can do to their prey." He came to a halt right in front of her, still butted against the edge of the table, so that she had to crane her neck a bit to look at him. Her voice dried up in her throat and a small thrill ran through her as he let his gaze openly rove over her face and shoulders. Again, he leaned forward and placed his arms to either side of her, penning her to the table, but this time the gesture held seductive promise rather than menacing threat. "They tend to select the larger kills." Kera was suddenly, and for the first time, pleasantly aware of her unusual height. Captivated, her gaze nervously flicked down to his lips as his face started its slow descent, tilting to her left. She watched, transfixed as his mouth passed hers by on its course to her throat. She turned her head slightly, almost involuntarily, and was confronted by the smooth, tan skin of his shoulder. Kera's breath quickened as she realized she was bent slightly backward over the table and had not the slightest desire to fight this man. As if reading her mind, he continued, "When they catch them, they bite and hold them right here, until there is no longer a fight left." His lips were so close to the spot where her pulse beat at the base of her throat that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. Deake smiled and inhaled deeply, gliding the tip of his nose up along the length of her neck to just behind her ear. She shivered slightly in response. His voice was a soft purr behind her ear as he nuzzled her. "At which point, he eats her slowly..." Between the golden age of Greece and the grandeur that was Rome, there was the rise of Macedonia. In this brief breath of history, the burgeoning kingdom is fighting its way out of chaos, and creating the platform for a conquest that will forever change the world. But, behind every great king there are great minds. Deakon Korydon, officer of the sacred Companion Cavalry, trainer of the greatest military force in history, and personal friend to Phillip II, has grown weary of the diet of constant conquest and hungers for more in life. Kera Berenyse, ex-princess and political prisoner, was groomed for queendom but lives as a slave in the bathhouse for the entertainment of Phillip's Companion Officers. Deake yearns for love, but Kera, of necessity, must shun it. The gods have fated them to be together, but do they possess the courage required to win the ultimate battle of loving versus living, to save not only themselves, but the future glory of Macedonia? Lushly described, The Companion is packed with raw, honest emotion and a scorching sensuality that will leave you breathless. Megan Creel holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Texas College of Fine Arts. She is an avid collector of conversations and viewpoints. She talks to herself, her friends, her pets, and even the lichen and mycelium that grow in the garden and in the woods. Her greatest delight is when these encounters spawn entire integrated universes of conversation, at which point she writes a book to get it all out of her head.