Contest and excerpt #2 from Dancing with Fate

As I said in my earlier post, I've republished my novella Dancing with Fate, in both e-book format and print (The  print cover is shown here, the main picture was designed by the Talented Miss Mae.

All you have to do to win a free download today is to leave a comment.  

If you can't wait, you can purchase it here at a special price. (Don't worry, should you be the winner, I'll offer you a copy of one of my other books.)

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53249

USE COUPON No.EV52N at checkout to purchase for 99c (coupon good until Monday 3rd October)

PRINT COPY AVAILABLE AT AMAZON

Here's another excerpt, from early on in the story.

Terpsichore was content. She'd travelled the length of Cymru and inspired men and women to dance again. Whenever she came across a receptive individual, she'd given her gift and they in turn encouraged others to dance. The shadows of war had lifted for a while, and once more, the land was filled with music and the delight of movement. She'd finished her task. Of course, the time would come when Cymru would again need to rise up against her oppressors and the hills would echo with the sound of fighting. Wales, land of song, would once more know sorrow. However, Terpsichore had chosen those she inspired with care. The music of Wales would not die again. This time, they would not let her down. The joy of the dance would remain whatever befell these people. Her mission completed, she could return to Olympus.

The sound of the waterfall behind her caught her attention. Oh, how she missed the spring of Hippocrene, created when Pegasus struck the rock of the Helicon Mountain with his hoof and the crystal water poured forth. Beautiful as this country was, it would be good to be home. She turned and gazed at the water tumbling down the mountainside in a frenzy of white froth, the spray catching the rays cast by Helios, making rainbows dance in the clear air. The water called to her—she was, after all, like her sisters, a water nymph. She longed to immerse herself in its cooling spray, to be as one with the living water.

"What harm can it do? Cleanse yourself—rid your body of the dust of Earth before returning to Olympus. "

The voice in her mind was all too familiar. "Dionysus! What are you doing here? Get out of my mind"

"Certainly, dear sister, would you prefer me to materialize in all my glory?"

Before she could answer, he appeared, seated upon a rock, his ever-present maenads fawning at his feet.

He held out a goblet of wine. "You seem in poor spirits, sister. Have a drink; it will put you in a better humor."

"My humor’s  fine, Dionysus. I'm about to go home. I don't need any of your wine." She turned her head away from the sight of the maenads drunkenly running their hands over his body.

All at once, the purity of the day seemed tainted. How had he found her? Was it he who had eavesdropped upon her conversation with Apollo? She sighed. Somehow, she did not think so. Dionysus in his state of permanent intoxication could hardly have moved so stealthily, nor concealed his retinue of women followers.

Dionysus hiccupped loudly, causing the vines around his neck to bounce and rustle. Again, he held out the goblet of wine. "Oh, we are 'Miss Prim and Proper' today, aren't we? Go on, lighten up, take a sip, it won't hurt you." He learned toward her, his handsome, if somewhat effeminate features wearing an innocent expression that belied the glint in his blue eyes. "After all, you wouldn't want to upset your brother, would you?"