A Clawed and Feathered Spell — Catherine Linka

Good thoughts. Good words. Good deeds.
Paridun knows what the Wise Lord expects of him, but on the night of the feast of Mehregân, Paridun's bad choices hurt and anger everyone in his village. Desperate to prove he is worthy of their trust, he asks to drink haoma. The bitter juice judges the person who drinks it, giving them strength if they are of good mind, or striking them dead if they are not. But when Paridun drinks the haoma, he is changed in a way no one expected, and he must save not only himself, but his people as well.