The Red Wyvern
(The Dragon Mage, Book 1)
by Katharine Kerr

Description:
On a misty lakeshore, a lost huntsman encounters a magic-touched realm. In a stark Northlands settlement, a peasant girl hears whispered omens, and a sorceress bargains with astral beings. All three are caught in a cauldron of fate and magic that has simmered for many lifetimes. For long ago, in a Deverry torn by civil war, young Lillorigga seeks to shield her dawning powers from her cruel mother Merodda's manipulation. Mistress of a magic that, untamed, could kill her, Lilli brings her terrifying visions under the kindlier tutelage of the mysterious dweomermaster, Nevyn. But soon she must choose between her own clan and the true king who fights to claim his rightful throne, between sanctuary and blood feud, loyalty and love. Little does she dream that the slaughter she invites, and the malevolence she defies, could stalk her across the ages. . . twisting and twining the strands of timeless destinies.