Karnic’s hands shot out and grasped both shoulders of the First Minister. Excruciating pain shot through Larst as he gasped for breath.

“What are you doing?” he croaked weakly. “You are hurting me.”

“Not for long,” Karnic said softly with a smirk on his face. “I cannot allow you to receive those shields tomorrow. They would make it impossible for me to assume your body. Thank you for telling me the story of your life, Larst. No one will ever doubt that I am really you.”

The First Minister’s body stiffened, and Karnic’s body disappeared in a puff of smoke. Karnic’s clothes floated to the floor and landed in a heap. The new Larst grabbed the bookshelf and eased his body erect. He stretched cautiously as the feeling of his new body took hold of him.

For several minutes, Larst stood still, holding the bookshelf for support. Finally, he smiled and stretched with excitement. The First Minister bent down and scooped up the old clothes of the historian. He walked to the fireplace and threw the garments into the fire. He strode to the desk and sat in the luxurious leather chair and reviewed the papers on the desk. He knew when new guards would relieve the Imperial Guards outside the room. Until then he had to remain in the office so that no one would notice that Karnic had never left the room.

Chapter 2

The Weapon Called Food

Mistake gazed at the enormous canyon as she rode along its western rim. She felt her body shudder involuntarily as she rode close to the edge and tried to peer into its depths to see the bottom. She shook her head in awe.

“It is called the Wound of Kaltara,” HawkShadow declared. “God created it when he lost faith in the Sakovans.”

“Impossible,” Mistake said softly as she looked at the enormous gash in the surface of the planet. “It must be over a league to the other rim. Is that a river at the bottom?”