Trying to recall fantasy book about twin brother and sister assassins forced to share a body

Question

I read this book in the 90's. As I recall it centered around brother-sister twin assassins; after the brother's body was taken over or killed, the sister scooped up the brother's essence and they "live" together in her mind as she searches for a way to get her brother's body back.

I thought it may have been a Mercedes Lackey title, as I remember the book's cover being in her style, but I can't seem to find it as one of her books. The background world had some fantasy elements but I don't remember much. I remember a passage in the book about the hero being frustrated that her broken wrist would never be as strong as an unbroken wrist. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

This sounds like Fifth Quarter by Tanya Huff.

It was published in 1995 and the blurb matches your description:

• brother and sister assassins

• brother body is stolen and his spirit is forced to share sister's body

• hunting for brother's body

It has been a long time since I read it, so I don't know if it has the bit regarding the broken wrist. The cover art is a similar style to Mercedes Lackey's works, so that is another match.

This is the second book of the series but the first with these characters.