Ghost in the Razor
Page 30
Cassander suspected it had made her even more dangerous.
“Oh, but this one is a fool,” said Kalgri. “He ought to listen to his nagataaru more. Can I kill him for you, father?”
“I,” said Callatas, rage in his voice, “am not your father.”
“But you are, father dearest,” said Kalgri. “You put the Voice into me, after all. You are my father and the Voice is my mother. Or maybe the Voice was my father and you were my mother.” She let out an unsteady giggle that had not a hint of sanity to it. “Oh, but I like talking more this time around. I don’t think the Voice put my brain back together quite the way it should have.” She shivered again. “But I think I’m going to enjoy killing even more.”
Cassander looked at her. He had never seen anyone talk to Callatas like that, and clearly the Grand Master was reluctant to do anything about it. Anyone else would have been killed at once for such impertinence.
“You will not speak to me so in front of guests,” said Callatas.
“As you wish,” said Kalgri. “But you shouldn’t care what they think, father.” She waved a hand at Rolukhan. “This one is a fool.” Rolukhan scowled, but Kalgri paid him no further heed. “And this one…well, this one is an Umbarian. A foreigner. Why do we care what he thinks?”
“My lady Kalgri,” said Cassander, an idea coming to him. “May I pose a question?”
Again came that unsteady, unsettling giggle. “My lady? So polite. Such a courteous tongue you have. Lord Cassander.”
“You said you would keep the name of Kalgri until you solve a problem,” said Cassander. “Might I ask what that is?”
Kalgri went motionless, and for a moment shadow and purple fire pulsed in her gaze.
“The problem,” she whispered, “is that Caina Amalas is still alive.”
“Ah,” said Callatas with satisfaction.
“She hurt me, father,” Kalgri said. Somehow that cold fury was even more disturbing that her giggling. “She wounded me! No one has ever hurt me that much. Not the valikarion of old, not the loremasters of Iramis, not even that wretched stormdancer Lord Cassander had me hunt. No one! I am going to kill her.” Her lips pulled back from her teeth in a snarl. “I am going to make her suffer. I am going to destroy everything she loves in front of her. And then, only then, only after I have gorged myself upon her agony, only after there is no possible way left in which I can hurt her, only then will I kill her.”
Rolukhan edged back. He was frightened of the Huntress. As well he should be. The Red Huntress was a terrible weapon, an irresistible force of carnage and destruction.
And Cassander knew just where to point that weapon.
“My lady Kalgri,” he said. “I believe that we should talk.”
THE END
Thank you for reading GHOST IN THE RAZOR. Look for Caina's next adventure, GHOST IN THE INFERNO, to appear in mid 2015. If you liked the book, please consider leaving a review at your ebook site of choice. To receive immediate notification of new releases, sign up for my newsletter, or watch for news on my Facebook page.
Other books by the author
The Demonsouled Saga
MAZAEL CRAVENLOCK is a wandering knight, fearless in battle and masterful with a sword.
Yet he has a dark secret. He is Demonsouled, the son of the ancient and cruel Old Demon, and his tainted blood grants him superhuman strength and speed. Yet with the power comes terrible, inhuman rage, and Mazael must struggle to keep the fury from devouring him.
But he dare not turn aside from the strength of his blood, for he will need it to face terrible foes.
The priests of the San-keth plot and scheme in the shadows, pulling lords and kingdoms upon their strings. The serpent priests desire to overthrow the realms of men and enslave humanity. Unless Mazael stops them, they shall force all nations to bow before the serpent god.
The Malrag hordes are coming, vast armies of terrible, inhuman beasts, filled with a lust for cruelty and torment. The Malrags care nothing for conquest or treasure, only slaughter. And the human realms are ripe for the harvest. Only a warrior of Mazael’s power can hope to defeat them.
The Dominiar Order and the Justiciar Order were once noble and respected, dedicated to fighting the powers of dark magic. Now they are corrupt and cynical, and scheme only for power and glory. They will kill anyone who stands in their way.
To defeat these foes, Mazael will need all the strength of his Demonsouled blood.
Yet he faces a far more terrible foe.
For centuries the Old Demon has manipulated kings and lords. Now he shall seize the power of the Demonsouled for himself, and become the a god of torment and tyranny.
Unless Mazael can stop him.
Read Demonsouled for free. Mazael's adventures continue in Soul of Tyrants, Soul of Serpents, Soul of Dragons, Soul of Sorcery, Soul of Skulls, and Soul of Swords, along with the short stories The Wandering Knight, The Tournament Knight, and The Dragon's Shadow. Get the first three books bundled together in Demonsouled Omnibus One.
The Ghosts Series
Once CAINA AMALAS was the shy daughter of a minor nobleman, content to spend her days in her father’s library.
Then sorcery and murder and her mother’s treachery tore her life apart.
Now she is a nightfighter of the Ghosts, an elite agent of the spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar. She is a master of disguise and infiltration, of stealth and the shadows.
And she will need all those skills to defend the Empire and stay alive.
Corrupt lords scheme and plot in the shadows, desiring to pull down the Emperor and rule the Empire for their own profit and glory. Slave traders lurk on the fringes of the Empire, ready to seize unwary commoners and sell them into servitude in distant lands. Yet both slave traders and cruel lords must beware the Ghosts.
The Magisterium, the Imperial brotherhood of sorcerers, believe themselves the rightful masters of the Empire. With their arcane sciences, they plan to overthrow the Empire and enslave the commoners, ruling all of mankind for their own benefit. Only the Ghosts stand in the path of their sinister plans.
And the Moroaica, the ancient sorceress of legend and terror, waits in the shadows, preparing to launch a war upon the gods themselves. She will make the gods pay for the suffering of mankind...even if she must destroy the world to do it.
Caina Amalas of the Ghosts opposes these mighty enemies, but the cost might be more than she can bear.
Read Child of the Ghosts for free. Caina's adventures continue in Ghost in the Flames, Ghost in the Blood, Ghost in the Storm, Ghost in the Stone, Ghost in the Forge, Ghost in the Ashes, Ghost in the Mask, and Ghost in the Surge, along with the short stories Ghost Aria, Ghost Claws, Ghost Omens, The Fall of Kyrace, Ghost Thorns, Ghost Undying and Ghost Dagger. Get the first three books bundled together in The Ghosts Omnibus One.
The Ghost Exile Series
Caina Amalas was a nightfighter of the Ghosts, the spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar, and through her boldness and cunning saved the Empire and the world from sorcerous annihilation.
But the victory cost her everything.
Now she is exiled and alone in the city of Istarinmul, far from her home and friends. Yet a centuries-old darkness now stirs in Istarinmul, eager to devour the city and the world itself.
And Caina is the only one that stands in its way...
Read Ghost in the Cowl, Ghost in the Maze, Ghost in the Hunt, and Ghost in the Razor, along with the short stories Ghost Sword, Ghost Price, Ghost Relics, Ghost Keeper and Ghost Nails.
The Third Soul
RACHAELIS MORULAN is an Initiate of the Conclave, the powerful order of mighty mages. But to become a full Adept of the Conclave, she must first survive the Testing. Those who survive the Testing never speak of the trials they endured.
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 s
anity.
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, and Frostborn: The Dark Warden along with the short stories The Orc's Tale, The Mage's Tale, The Thief's Tale, The Assassin's Tale, and The Paladins's Tale.
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 along with the short story The Ransom 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.
About the Author
Standing over six feet tall, 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.
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.
Table of Contents
Description
Chapter 1: The Artist
Chapter 2: The Knight of Wind and Air
Chapter 3: Failures
Chapter 4: Sifting
Chapter 5: Kindred
Chapter 6: Razor
Chapter 7: A Little Test
Chapter 8: Mathematically Pleasing
Chapter 9: Exiles
Chapter 10: Destiny
Chapter 11: Rolling The Dice
Chapter 12: Old Enemies
Chapter 13: Embers
Chapter 14: Traps
Chapter 15: Disguises
Chapter 16: Blood and Hellfire
Chapter 17: Dark Sword
Chapter 18: Decision
Chapter 19: Burn Me
Chapter 20: The Silver Fire Is Your Only Salvation
Chapter 21: The Secret
Epilogue
Other books by the author
About the Author
Table of Contents
Description
Chapter 1: The Artist
Chapter 2: The Knight of Wind and Air
Chapter 3: Failures
Chapter 4: Sifting
Chapter 5: Kindred
Chapter 6: Razor
Chapter 7: A Little Test
Chapter 8: Mathematically Pleasing
Chapter 9: Exiles
Chapter 10: Destiny
Chapter 11: Rolling The Dice
Chapter 12: Old Enemies
Chapter 13: Embers
Chapter 14: Traps
Chapter 15: Disguises
Chapter 16: Blood and Hellfire
Chapter 17: Dark Sword
Chapter 18: Decision
Chapter 19: Burn Me
Chapter 20: The Silver Fire Is Your Only Salvation
Chapter 21: The Secret
Epilogue
Other books by the author
About the Author