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Frostborn: The Dwarven Prince (Frostborn #12)

Page 33

by Jonathan Moeller


  Those who fail the Testing are never seen again.

  And now the Magisters of the Conclave have come to take Rachaelis to undertake the Testing. And there she shall face perils to both her body and her sanity.

  And creatures that yearn to devour her soul.

  If Rachaelis survives the Testing, she will face even more dangerous foes. The demons of the astral world watch the world of mortal men, desiring to rule it for themselves.

  And some Adepts of the Conclave are eager to help them.

  Read The Testing for free. Rachelis's trials continue in The Assassins, The Blood Shaman, The High Demon, The Burning Child, The Outlaw Adept, The Black Paladin, and The Tomb of Baligant. Read the entire series in The Third Soul Omnibus One and The Third Soul Omnibus Two.

  The Frostborn Series

  A thousand years ago, the last grandson of Arthur Pendragon led the survivors of Britain through a magical gate to a new world, a world of magic and high elves, of orcs and kobolds and stranger, darker creatures. Now the descendants of the exiles rule a mighty kingdom, peaceful and prosperous under the rule of the High King.

  But a shadow threatens to devour the kingdom.

  RIDMARK ARBAN was once a Swordbearer, a knight of renown. Now he is a branded outcast, stripped of his sword, and despised as a traitor.

  But he alone sees the danger to come. The Frostborn shall return, and unless they are stopped, they will cover all the world in ice and a neverending winter.

  CALLIANDE awakens in the darkness, her memories gone, and creatures of terrible power hunting her.

  For she alone holds the secret that can save the world…or destroy it utterly.

  The secret of the Frostborn.

  Read Frostborn: The First Quest, followed by Frostborn: The Gray Knight, Frostborn: The Eightfold Knife, Frostborn: The Undying Wizard, Frostborn: The Master Thief, Frostborn: The Iron Tower, Frostborn: The Dark Warden, Frostborn: The Gorgon Spirit, Frostborn: The Broken Mage, Frostborn: The World Gate, Frostborn: The High Lords, Frostborn: The False King, and Frostborn: The Dwarven Prince, and the prequel novel Frostborn: The Knight Quests along with the short stories The Orc's Tale, The Mage's Tale, The Thief's Tale, The Assassin's Tale, The Paladins's Tale, The Knight's Tale, The Soldier's Tale, and The Soldier's Tale. Read the first three books combined in Frostborn Omnibus One.

  Mask of the Demonsouled Trilogy

  MAZAEL CRAVENLOCK has prevailed over terrible foes and now rules the Grim Marches with firm justice. Yet ancient evils are stirring in the shadows, freed at last by Mazael's own hand. Unless Mazael fights with all his strength, the world will fall.

  SIGALDRA is the last holdmistress of the Jutai nation, the final defender of her people. Now the darkness comes to devour the final remnant of Sigaldra's home and family. Even Sigaldra's courage may not be enough to turn aside the darkness.

  Read Mask of Swords, Mask of Dragons, and Mask of Spells along with the short stories The Ransom Knight, The Bronze Knight, The Serpent Knight, and The Rune Knight.

  The Tower of Endless Worlds

  THOMAS WYCLIFFE just wants to finish his dissertation in peace and quiet. So when a man in a black robe appears in his closet, claiming to be the last of the Warlocks, Wycliffe figures it is a bad joke.

  But he soon realizes the last of the Warlocks can give him power beyond imagining.

  And all it will cost is his soul.

  SIMON WESTER needs a job. Badly. So when a rich and powerful Senator offers him employment, he jumps at the chance. Sure, Simon expects to find some corruption, some shady deals.

  He doesn't expect to find black magic.

  LIAM MASTERE is a Knight of the Sacred Blade, defender of the mortal races. But can swords stand against guns? As bullets and bombs destroy his kingdom, Liam must risk everything to save his homeland's one chance of salvation.

  By daring the horrors of the Tower of Endless Worlds…

  Read The Tower of Endless Worlds for free. The saga of the Tower continues in A Knight of the Sacred Blade, A Wizard of the White Council, and The Destroyer of Worlds.

  Cloak Games

  In 2013, a gate to another world opened, and Elves used their magic to conquer Earth, crushing all resistance before them.

  Three hundred years after the Conquest, the exiled Elven High Queen rules an orderly but stagnant Earth, with humanity forced to fight in the High Queen’s war against the traitors on the Elven homeworld.

  Nadia Moran doesn’t care about that. She doesn’t care about the High Queen, or the Rebels seeking to overthrow her. All she cares about is getting her baby brother the treatments he needs to recover from his potentially fatal disease…and those treatments have a steep price.

  Fortunately, Nadia has magic of her own, and she’s a very, very good thief.

  Unfortunately, the powerful Elven lord Morvilind has a hold on Nadia. If she doesn’t follow his commands, her brother is going to die.

  Of course, given how dangerous Morvilind’s missions are, Nadia might not live long enough to see her brother’s death…

  Read Cloak Games: Thief Trap, Cloak Games: Frost Fever, Cloak Games: Rebel Fist, and Cloak Games: Shadow Jump, along with the short story Wraith Wolf.

  About the Author

  Standing over six feet tall, USA Today bestselling author Jonathan Moeller has the piercing blue eyes of a Conan of Cimmeria, the bronze-colored hair of a Visigothic warrior-king, and the stern visage of a captain of men, none of which are useful in his career as a computer repairman, alas.

  He has written the DEMONSOULED series of sword-and-sorcery novels, and continues to write THE GHOSTS sequence about assassin and spy Caina Amalas, the COMPUTER BEGINNER'S GUIDE series of computer books, and numerous other works. His books have sold over a half million copies worldwide.

  Visit his website at:

  http://www.jonathanmoeller.com

  Visit his technology blog at:

  http://www.computerbeginnersguides.com

  Contact him at:

  jmcontact@jonathanmoeller.com

  You can sign up for his email newsletter here, or watch for news on his Facebook page or Twitter feed.

  Glossary of Characters

  ACCOLON: The son of Sir Arandar and grandson of the High King.

  ARDRHYTHAIN: The last archmage of the high elves, and the founder of the Order of the Magistri and the Order of the Soulblade.

  AELIA LICINIUS ARBAN: The eldest daughter of Gareth Licinius, and the late wife of Ridmark Arban. Killed at Castra Marcaine by Mhalek.

  AGRIMNALAZUR: An urdmordar, slain by Ridmark Arban in Urd Arowyn.

  ANTENORA: A former apprentice of the last Keeper of Avalon upon Old Earth, cursed by Mordred Pendragon’s dark magic to live forever until she finds redemption. Now the apprentice of Calliande of Tarlion.

  ARANDAR PENDRAGON: A Knight of the Order of the Soulblade and current bearer of the soulblade Heartwarden. The bastard son of the High King Uthanaric Pendragon, and the father of Accolon and Nyvane. Plague killed his wife Isolde. Currently the Prince Regent of the loyalist army of Andomhaim.

  ARLMAGNAVA: A Frostborn woman, a Seeker of the Order of the Inquisition of the Dominion of the High Lords, the military Order of the Frostborn devoted to spying and recruitment of allies.

  AXAZAMAR: The King of Khald Tormen and older brother of Narzaxar.

  AZAKHUN: A dwarven Taalmak of Khald Tormen. Caius baptized him into the faith of the Dominus Christus in the Vale of Stone Death.

  THE ARTIFICER: A dark elven noble and wizard, formerly the apprentice of the Warden. His spirit was bound to the Iron Tower. Defeated by Ridmark and his companions.

  AVENTINE ROCARN: A knight in service to Tarrabus Carhaine.

  BORS DURIUS: A son of Dux Kors Durius of Durandis.

  CADWALL GWYRDRAGON: The Prince of Cintarra, the largest city in Andomhaim.

  CAIUS: A dwarven noble of Khald Tormen and a friar of the mendicant orders. The first of the dwarven kindred to convert to the church of the Dominus Christus.

/>   CALAZON: A dwarven stonescribe and advisor to Prince Narzaxar.

  CALLIANDE: The Keeper of Tarlion, the guardian of the realm of Andomhaim against the powers of dark magic. The daughter of Joanna and Joachim, and the former student of the Magistrius Marius and the Keeper Ruth.

  CAMORAK: A Magistrius in service to Joram Agramore of Dun Licinia. Prone to drunkenness and boorish comments, but nonetheless a skilled healer.

  CARADOG LORDAC: A knight in service to Tarrabus Carhaine.

  CLAUDIUS AGRELL: A knight in service to Tarrabus Carhaine, serving as Constable of Castra Carhaine.

  CONSTANTINE LICINIUS: The son of Gareth Licinius, and a Swordbearer, wielder of the soulblade Brightherald.

  CORBANIC LAMORUS: A vassal of the High King, and current Comes of Coldinium. Now serves as Constable of Tarlion, defending the city from Tarrabus Carhaine.

  CORTIN LAMORUS: A knight and the son of Corbanic Lamorus.

  CROWLACHT: A headman of the orcish kingdom of Rhaluusk and a warrior of King Ulakhamar. Fought alongside Ridmark and his friends at the Iron Tower.

  CURZONAR: A Prince of the Range, son of the Red King Turcontar and the First Queen Raszema.

  THE CUTTER: An urdhracos bound to the service of the Sculptor.

  DAGMA: Sister of Jager, and seneschal of the keep of Dun Licinia.

  DECIMUS: A man-at-arms under the command of Sir Ector Naxius.

  DIETER: Husband of Dagma, Jager’s sister. A skilled carpenter.

  ECTOR NAXIUS: A knight in service to Dux Sebastian of Caertigris. Familiar with the manetaurs, the tygrai, and the Range.

  GARETH LICINIUS: The Dux of the Northerland, and father of Constantine, Imaria, and Aelia.

  GAVIN: A young man from the village of Aranaeus in the Wilderland, now a Swordbearer and the wielder of the soulblade Truthseeker.

  GOTHALINZUR: An urdmordar, slain by Ridmark Arban at the village of Victrix.

  IMARIA LICINIUS SHADOWBEARER: The youngest daughter of Gareth Licinius, and a former Magistria of the Order. The new bearer of Incariel’s shadow after the death of Tymandain Shadowbearer.

  JAGER: A bold halfling thief and merchant, married to Queen Mara of the Nightmane Forest. Serves as her Prince Consort.

  JORAM AGRAMORE: A knight and vassal of Dux Gareth Licinius. Currently serves as the Comes of Dun Licinia.

  KADIUS: A decurion of men-at-arms in the army of Arandar Pendragon.

  KAJALDRAKTHOR: A Frostborn warrior, and Lord Commander of the Order of the Vanguard. Leader of the Frostborn forces in Andomhaim.

  KALDRAINE PENDRAGON: The eldest son of High King Uthanaric Pendragon and heir to the realm of Andomhaim. Murdered during the battle of Dun Calpurnia.

  KALOMARUS: The legendary Dragon Knight, who disappeared after the first defeat of the Frostborn.

  KHARLACHT: An orcish warrior of Vhaluusk and follower of Ridmark Arban.

  KORS DURIUS: The Dux of Durandis, Andomhaim’s western march against the mountains of Kothluusk.

  KURASTUS: A Magistrius and the Master of the Order of the Magistri.

  KURDULKAR: A manetaur Prince of the Range and a follower of the shadow of Incariel. Killed by Ridmark Arban.

  LEOGRANCE ARBAN: The Dux of Taliand, and the father of Ridmark Arban and Tormark Arban.

  LINUS RILLON: A knight of Tarrabus Carhaine and one of the Enlightened of Incariel. Killed by Accolon in self-defense.

  MALZURAXIS: A dwarven scout of Khald Tormen.

  MARA: The daughter of the Traveler, the dark elven lord of Nightmane Forest. Now rules as the Queen of Nightmane Forest.

  MARCAST TETRICUS: A knight formerly in service to the garrison of the Iron Tower, now opposed to Tarrabus Carhaine.

  MARHAND: A Swordbearer, and Master of the Order of the Soulblade. Carries the soulblade Torchbrand.

  MARIUS: Known as the Watcher, Calliande’s former teacher in the magic of the Magistri. Watched over her in spirit form after she awakened in the Tower of Vigilance without her memories.

  MARTELLAR: A manetaur khalath in service to Prince Curzonar.

  MHALEK: Orcish warlord and shaman who believed himself a god. Defeated at Black Mountain, and the killer of Aelia Licinius Arban.

  MIRIAM: The sister of Arandar’s late wife Isolde. Her husband died in the same plague that killed Isolde.

  MORIGNA: A sorceress of the Wilderland, and former lover of Ridmark. Murdered by Imaria Licinius and the Weaver at Dun Licinia.

  MOURNACHT: A Mhorite orcish warlord and shaman, later subverted into the service of Tymandain Shadowbearer. Killed by Ridmark Arban near Dun Licinia.

  NARAXZANAR: The former king of Khald Tormen, father of Axazamar and Narzaxar.

  NARZAXAR: The younger brother of King Axazamar of Khald Tormen and the Taalakdaz (chancellor) of the dwarven court.

  NYVANE: The daughter of Sir Arandar and granddaughter of the High King.

  PAUL TALLMANE: A vassal of Tarrabus Carhaine, member of the Enlightened of Incariel, and Constable of the Iron Tower. Defeated by Ridmark Arban and killed by Jager at the Iron Tower.

  QHAZULAK: An Anathgrimm orc. Champion of Nightmane Forest, and Lord Captain of the Queen’s Guard.

  RALAKAHR: A manetaur khalath in service to Prince Kurdulkar of the Range. Killed by Ridmark Arban.

  RASZEMA: The First Queen of the manetaurs, and senior wife of Red King Turcontar.

  RHOGRIMNALAZUR: An urdmordar, slain by Ridmark Arban and his companions in the ruins of Urd Cystaanl.

  RHYANNIS: A high elven bladeweaver. Owes her life to Ridmark Arban.

  RIDMARK ARBAN: Known as the Gray Knight, the youngest son of Dux Leogrance Arban of Taliand. Expelled from the Order of the Swordbearers and branded for cowardice upon his left cheek. The widower of Aelia Licinius Arban.

  RJALMANDRAKUR: A Frostborn noble, Lord Commander of the Order of the Vanguard, the military Order of the Dominion of the High Lords devoted to quickly subjugating new worlds. Killed by Ridmark during the battle of Dun Calpurnia.

  RUTH: The former Keeper of Andomhaim who took Calliande as an apprentice.

  SEBASTIAN AURELIUS: The Dux of Caertigris, the eastern march of the High Kingdom.

  THE SCULPTOR: A dark elven lord and wizard. Creator of many of the dark elves' war beasts.

  TAGRIMN VOLARUS: A knight and vassal of Dux Gareth Licinius, and the lord of Mourning Keep in the southern hills of the Northerland.

  TARRABUS CARHAINE: The Dux of Caerdracon and the an Initiated of the Seventh Circle of the Enlightened of Incariel. Also the leader of the Enlightened of Incariel. Now claims to be the High King of Andomhaim by right of conquest.

  TAZEMAZAR: An arbiter of the manetaurs.

  TORMARK ARBAN: The eldest son of Leogrance Arban, and the heir to the duxarchate of Taliand. Ridmark Arban’s oldest brother.

  THE TRAVELER: The dark elven prince of Nightmane Forest, and creator and master of the Anathgrimm. Killed by his daughter Mara in Khald Azalar.

  TURCONTAR: The Red King of the manetaur kindred.

  ULAKHAMAR: The king of the orcish kingdom of Rhaluusk and a vassal of the High King.

  UTHANARIC PENDRAGON: The High King of Andomhaim, and the heir of Arthur Pendragon. The bearer of the soulblade Excalibur and the Pendragon Crown. Murdered during the battle of Dun Calpurnia.

  VHORSHALA: A priestess of the ghost orcs.

  THE WARDEN: The lord of Urd Morlemoch, and widely regarded as the greatest wizard ever produced by the dark elves. Trapped in Urd Morlemoch since the arrival of the urdmordar fifteen thousand years ago.

  THE WEAVER: Formerly a Magistrius named Toridan. Now a powerful Enlightened of Incariel capable of changing form quickly.

  TOMIA ARBAN: The wife of Leogrance Arban, and the mother of Tormark Arban and Ridmark Arban. Died of illness when Ridmark was a child.

  ZHORLACHT: A warrior and wizard of the Anathgrimm orcs. Formerly a priest of the Traveler, and now an advisor of Queen Mara.

  ZOTHAL - A tygrai Imryr in service to the arbiter Tazemazar and the First Queen Raszema.
/>   ZUGLACHT: An orcish wizard and the ruler of the town Shakaboth.

  Glossary of Locations

  ANDOMHAIM: The realm of the High King, founded by Malahan Pendragon, the grandson of Arthur Pendragon of Britain, when he fled the fall of Arthur’s realm through a magical gate to another world.

  ARANAEUS: A village of the Wilderland, birthplace of Gavin. Formerly ruled by the cult of the urdmordar Agrimnalazur.

  BASTOTH: The capital city of the manetaurs and the seat of the Red King of the Range.

  THE BLACK MOUNTAIN: A mountain of peculiar black stone north of Dun Licinia. Sacred to both the dark elves and the dvargir.

  CAERDRACON: A duxarchate in central Andomhaim, one of the wealthiest and most powerful of the realm.

  CAERTIGRIS: The eastern march of Andomhaim, bordering on the lands of the manetaurs.

  CALVUS: A duxarchate in central Andomhaim.

  CASTRA CARHAINE: The stronghold and seat of Dux Tarrabus Carhaine of Caerdracon.

 

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