A Feral Darkness

SHE SHOULD HAVE LOCKED THE DOOR

When she was a little girl, Brenna Fallon naively invoked an ancient Celtic deity to save a beloved pet—and inadvertently anchored the new-found power to a spring on her family’s farm, thus creating a door between two realities.

Years later, Brenna discovers the terrible potential of that gateway when a devastating plague unfolds abruptly around her. To survive, she must depend on her wits, a stranger she doesn’t trust, and a mysterious stray dog who becomes more than just a faithful companion as Brenna struggles to drive back the threat of a modern Black Death.

Welded into one by a desperate sacrifice, woman, man and dog face the feral darkness together.

“Once again, Durgin takes readers on a fascinating journey into the fantastic. Her people are real, her narrative grasp superb—and her animals, as always, could walk right off the page and into our hearts. In fact, I think I see “Druid” lying in front of my hearth!” —Jennifer Roberson, author and Cardigan Welsh Corgi breeder

Praise for Doranna Durgin’s Other Fantasy Novels:

“. . . a pure joy to read.” —A.C. Crispin, author of V, Sarek, the “Starbridge” Series, etc.

“. . . first rate . . . the maturity of its vision and the skill of its crafting are startling . . . .” —Dragon

“. . . a rare, shimmering aura of mystic legend.” —Romantic Times

Cover art by Larry Elmore

Paperback

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, June 2001

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 0-671-31994-9

A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
https://www.baen.com

Typeset by Brilliant Press
Auburn, NH

Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webwrights.com

This is Jag's book

Runes, like our own words, can differ in interpretation depending on context.

With thanks to:

John Forth-Finnegan of Canine Specialties, Peter Braggins of the Greece Animal Control, Martyn Miller DVM, Gretchen Wood of the Greece Humane Society, the Anti-Animal Fighting Task Force of Monroe County, Tom Haverly at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Reverend Marie Sheldon, Donna & Tara Defendorf (who might well recognize the barn), Morgan Ryan, Anne Bishop, my family, Jennifer who put up with my fits of creative angst, and (deep breath) Judith!