Fadiyah flung herself into the air and down, dodging a strike by that crude iron arm as her blades sang across its surface. Sparks flew and the air filled with the bitter taste of metal, but all she left were shallow scratches across its shell. It swung another blow and she somersaulted back, flicking out the blades again, this time leaving a deep gouge on the shovel hand. But the machine pressed on unperturbed, lumbering towards her, arms jerking and swinging…
‘The Sand Dancer’, my Arabian action fantasy of magic through dance and daring rebellion, is being reprinted next month in 9 Tales from Elsewhere #6. Originally printed in the Ways of Magic anthology, if you missed it then you now have another chance to read this story, alongside eight more by other science fiction and fantasy authors. It’s available to pre-order now on Kindle for only $2.99.