Jerya clapped her hands. “It’s time to go to Northbridge now.”
Yithiere and the little girls were already leaving. Yithiere said, “I’ll keep Iriss safe.”
The others were slower. Jant was horrified. “I won’t go! I can’t leave the Palace. I’ll stay in my rooms, thank you very much.”
Quietly, Shanasee said, “Father.”
“I’m too old to hurry!” Jant snapped.
Jerya studied Shanasee. Then she said, “Shan… an hour isn’t enough time. I know what you did before. Against Benjen. How you held him down. Nobody but you had the strength.”
The older woman met her gaze. She was trembling all over. “No! Didn’t I do enough? Haven’t I given enough?”
Jerya bit her lip until she tasted blood. Then, with exquisite, painful care, she said, “Darkness is coming. It will swallow the city. We will all be lost within it.”
Shanasee twitched. Then she said, “No.” She clutched at Cara beside her and then pushed her away. “Go.”
Jerya turned her gaze onto Jant. “Seandri, take Jant and go. Carry him.” She loved him because he didn’t argue. Jant did, but when Seandri scooped him up, he only turned his dark eyes to Shanasee.
“Come with us, Shan, my darling.”
In a liquid voice, Shanasee said, “How can he tell everybody? How can the bridges hold enough people? I have held a nightmare inside me for so long, Father. Cara! Take my painting.”
Cara’s expression was frustrated, bitter. She appealed silently to Jerya, who said, “We won’t fail. Go. Don’t make her worry for you.” Something flared in Cara’s eyes and then she fled.
Seandri bent to kiss Jerya on the cheek, over Jant. “I will worry. Leave soon. We need you.”
He carried Jant away, the old man feebly pounding his shoulder, calling, “Dammit, leave me! I’m old!” Then it was just Shanasee and Jerya in the Hall. They faced each other. Shanasee’s eyes were wide and frightened.
Jerya said, “It’s our place to protect them.” She almost hated herself.
Shanasee drew in a ragged breath. “I know.”
Gingerly, Jerya took Shanasee’s arm in her own, and together they walked to Starset Tower. She set a lamp on the table at the base of the stairs. “Darkness is coming, Shanasee,” she repeated.
“I know!” Shanasee snapped. Then she gasped, “Please, stay with me, help me, I can’t do this. Don’t make me. Let the sleeping ones die. I can paint! Isn’t that enough?”
And now, when it was least useful, tears welled up in Jerya’s eyes. “I love you, Shan. Pell built this tower. You’ll survive here. You can save so many and the darkness won’t take you.”
“But it will,” she whispered. “I’ll be lost in it. Stay with me.”
Jerya hesitated, wondering if this terrible pain in her heart was why her father had eidolon twins. They needed her on the other side of the bridge. There would be chaos without a firm hand to restore order. Somebody had to keep Yithiere and Jant, without their Regents, stable. Somebody had to keep everybody calm.
“You don’t know what it’s like,” Shanasee whispered.
The tears overflowed. Surely this was why her father had split himself. “Show me,” she said and picked up the lamp again.
When the night turned to grey dawn, it broke on panicked people in the streets, fleeing to the south side of the river. Jerya and Shanasee sat in the tower, looking out the window. Beyond the city was a wall of darkness, held at bay by five flames. Each one was the size of Starset and danced like a candle flame. Was it five eidolons or one? Jerya couldn’t tell. It’d only taken one to trap Benjen….
She held Shanasee’s hand and hoped. She wondered if her sister was alive. As the grey turned to golden dawn, Shanasee said clearly, “I never thought it’d feel like this. Like mud.” An eidolon flame flickered out. Another one died and another. The final two flared and bent towards each other, as the ooze crept around them. Then Shanasee slumped, the flames blinked out, and the flowing darkness swallowed the city.
Jerya sat in the silence after the roaring of rocks and mud faded away and wondered what happened to her tears again. She sent a bird into the dawn to find her uncles. Then she wiped drool away from Shanasee’s mouth and she waited.
Here ends Citadel of the Sky, Book 1 of The Thrones of the Firstborn pentalogy
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Thank you for reading Citadel of the Sky! If you’d like to know when the next book is available, you can sign up for my announce-only list at http://www.dreamfarmer.net/.
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The next book in the Thrones of the Firstborn series is Green Wild. It should be available in spring of 2016.
Dramatis Personae
The main of our story takes place in Lor Seleni, the heart of Ceria from which all strength springs forth.
The Royal Family
The following is an incomplete listing of The Scions of the Royal Blood, Protectors of Ceria and Wardens of the Holy Mount, in order of succession:
His Royal Majesty, King Shonathan II, blessed with a perfect memory. Represented by a mirror.
Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess Jerya, his eldest daughter. Represented by a hawk.
Her Serene Highness, the Princess Tiana, his younger daughter. Represented by lightning.
His Highness, Prince Yithiere, younger brother of the King. Represented by a wolf.
His Highness, Prince Cathay, the King’s nephew. Represented by a hunting cat.
Her Highness, Princess Gisen, the King’s niece. Represented by a white horse.
His Highness, Prince Jant, uncle to the King. Represented by a fox.
Her Highness, Princess Shanasee, the King’s cousin. Represented by a candleflame.
His Highness, Prince Seandri, the King’s cousin. Represented by a red stag.
Lady Kiar Suan, a natural daughter of the Royal Blood. Represented by a sword and shield.
The Regency Court
Antecedents and Counselors
The Regency Court manages the day to day life of the Royal Blood, among many other tasks.
His Excellency, Chancellor Bryn Hale
Her Ladyship, Iriss Bascomb, Regent to Princess Jerya
Her Ladyship, Lisette Conra, Regent to the Princess Tiana
Lady Yevonne Huar, Regent to Princess Gisen
Her Ladyship, Cara Mistonte, Regent to Princess Shanasee
His Lordship, Harthen Byerres, Regent to Prince Seandri
Her Highness Lady Juline Ingae, wife of Prince Jant and mother of Princess Shanasee
His Highness Lord Jaime Eircede, widower of Princess Rinta and father of Princess Gisen
Her Highness Lady Siana Calain, widow of Prince Pell and mother of Prince Cathay
Her Majesty, Queen Annis, dwelling at the Hypana Ducal Court
The Justiciar’s Court
Lawmakers from the Six Duchies
Lord Terrence Aubin of Borzee, land of tumbled hills and crashing cliffs, along the western coast
Lord Donatien Wichard of Kanura, mountain land rising from the Telamic Sea
Lady Rosalyn Scott of Ardoza, fair southern land of wine and silk
Lord Millard Bellamont of Ingae, the richest farmland in all of Ceria
Lord Warrane Dunstan of Dalein, the northern orchards
Lord Jasper Gueran of Hypana, the forestlands farthest north
Keepers of the Flame of Faith
His Grace, Dorian III, Magister of the Citadel of the Sky
Gone But Not Forgotten
The Blood bastard, Benjen Black, great-uncle to the current King, who twice brought a Blight to Ceria and once saved it.
The first King, Shin Savanyel, given dominion over Ceria by the Firstborn
King Math III, Shonathan’s elder brother, who died fighting Benjen
&n
bsp; Prince Benjin, his infant son, kidnapped and murdered by Benjen Black at the start of his second Blight
Prince Pell, Shonathan’s younger brother, an architect
Princess Rinta, Shonathan’s younger sister, a librarian
Princess Viani, aunt of the current King, a famous beauty, and well-favored with the Royal magic.
Lord Tomas Ferya, the Crown Regent, recently departed in an upsetting way
Lord Zavien Eircede, a Regent for Prince Yithiere
Lord Geoseph Yarzee, a Regent for Prince Jant
Lord Sennic Ardoza, a Regent for Prince Cathay
Natina Suan, mother of Lady Kiar
‘
Acknowledgments
This book would not exist without the efforts and contributions of many, many people:
My wonderful editor who said "you don't need to list me" yet did most of the heavy lifting, and my husband, who did the rest.
My cover artist, Ravven Kitsune.
As well: Cathy Maginn, Stacy and Neil Laughlin, Michelle Curtis, my little brother Nathan Fall, the marvelous Jason Rogers (phantom reviewer extraordinaire), Carl Rigney, Rachel Cotterill, Robin D. Owens, Leah Weaver, Robert Maughan, Karen, Sara Harville, Althea Clark, Catherine Sharp, Max Kaehn, Lori Lum, Kayla I.,Trip Space-Parasite, Dina S Willner, Christine Chen, Michael Brewer, Deborah Donoghue, Rick Saada, Ted Butler, Brian Fried, Don, Beth & Meghan Ferris, Beth aka Scifibookcat, Holly Tidd, TRS, Gunnar Högberg, Christopher Sarnowski, SwordFire, Noel Thingvall, Gretchen, Catie Murphy, Candice Bailey, Mikaela Lind, Patrick Reitz, Sarah Brown, April Steenburgh, Tom Ladegard, Angie Mathues, Camille R Lofters, Michael Stevens, Suzanne or Zanne, Helene Wecker, Franklin Nacobo Krause, Christie V. Howard, Kristina Zimmermann, Kalen "Zuki" Boley, Rachel Gollub, Jeff Jensen, Mayer Turkin, Robert Early, Tasha Turner Lennhoff, Paul Knappenberger, Sarah B, Katherine Malloy, Chad Bowden, Cesar Cesarotti, Kisha Delain, Kathleen T Hanrahan, along with other friends, Hadites, word warriors and anonymous supporters.
And then there's Kay Perry who's in it for the fudge.
About the Author
As an Air Force kid, Chrysoula went to twelve schools in twelve years and spent a lot of time wondering what made people tick. Books, it turned out, helped with that question. These days she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, which includes many small and demanding creatures who fight over her attention. Citadel Of The Sky is her fifth book.
For more information, find her online
@chrysoula
chrysoula.tzavelas
www.dreamfarmer.net
[email protected]
Also by Chrysoula Tzavelas
Senyaza Series
Matchbox Girls
Infinity Key
Wolf Interval
Etiquette of Exiles
Divinity Circuit
Guardians of the Precipice
Nightlights
Citadel of the Sky (Thrones of the Firstborn Book 1) Page 32
