Page. Tamora Pierce

      

      PAGE

      BOOK 2 OF THE PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL QUARTET

      Tamora Pierce

       Copyright

      HarperVoyager

      An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

      1 London Bridge Street

      London SE1 9GF

       www.harpercollins.co.uk

      First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2019

      Copyright © Tamora Pierce 2000

      Map copyright © Isidre Mones 2017

      Jacket design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

      Tamora Pierce asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

      A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

      This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

      All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

      Source ISBN: 9780008304225

      Ebook Edition © September 2019 ISBN: 9780008304232

      Version: 2019-06-25

       PRAISE FOR TAMORA PIERCE

      ‘Tamora Pierce didn’t just blaze a trail. Her heroines cut a swathe through the fantasy world with wit, strength, and savvy. Pierce is the real lioness, and we’re all just running to keep pace.’

      LEIGH BARDUGO, #1 New York Times bestselling author

      ‘Tamora Pierce creates epic worlds populated by girls and women of bravery, heart, and strength. Her work inspired a generation of writers and continues to inspire us.’

      HOLLY BLACK, #1 New York Times bestselling author

      ‘Tamora Pierce’s books shaped me not only as a young writer but also as a young woman. Her complex, unforgettable heroines and vibrant, intricate worlds blazed a trail for young adult fantasy – and I get to write what I love today because of the path she forged throughout her career. She is a pillar, an icon, and an inspiration.’

      SARAH J. MAAS, #1 New York Times bestselling author

      ‘I take more comfort from and as great pleasure in Tamora Pierce’s Tortall novels as I do from Game of Thrones.’

       Washington Post

      ‘Tamora Pierce and her brilliant heroines didn’t just break down barriers; they smashed them with magical fire.’

      KATHERINE ARDEN, author of The Bear and the Nightingale

       Dedication

       To Julia Niederhut Muche

      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

Copyright

Praise for Tamora Pierce

Dedication

Map

Autumn to Midwinter Festival, in the 14th year of the reign of Jonathan IV and Thayet, his Queen, 453 H.E. (Human Era)

Chapter 1: Page Keladry

Chapter 2: Adjustments

Chapter 3: Brawl

       Chapter 4: Woman Talk

       Chapter 5: Midwinter Service

       Late Winter–Early Spring 454

       Chapter 6: More Changes

       Summer 454

       Chapter 7: Hill Country

       Chapter 8: Messages

       Autumn 454–Winter 455

       Chapter 9: Autumn Adjustments

       Chapter 10: The Squires Return

       Spring 455

       Chapter 11: Unpleasant Realities

       Summer 455–Spring 456

       Chapter 12: Vanishing Year

       Chapter 13: The Test

       Chapter 14: Needle

       Chapter