Obsolym’s mouth dropped open.
“When we returned to the Chateau D’Rex yesterday and confronted her, she admitted that she had wanted Ryentar to be rex all along. Rex Lorien was merciful, and wise, in not ordering more killings. He disinherited his brother, but created him as High Holder Regial in Montagne, but forbid him ever to return to L’Excelsis on pain of death. Lady Asarya is accompanying him under the same strictures. The only surviving senior officer of the armies, although he has a broken arm and a broken leg, is Marshal Wilkorn. He is providing a company to escort the lady and the High Holder to Montagne. They should be out of the Chateau D’Rex by eighth glass. Oh … and Rex Lorien has signed the tariff proclamation and sent it to the High Council. They will accept it.”
Alastar was well aware that he had bent the truth in places and that he had left out the worst parts of Asarya’s treachery, but he’d told enough, and bringing in what Ryel had done would only damage Chelia and weaken Lorien. Certainly what he had told was true in spirit, if not in every single fact, as far as he’d been able to determine, because the ability to determine some of those facts died with those who had lived them.
For several moments, the dining room was silent.
“Ahem…” Obsolym cleared his throat. “As the oldest, if not most senior maitre in ability, I’d like to say that Maitre Alastar has managed to guide us through a most dangerous situation. He deserves our support and thanks.”
“He does indeed,” added Akoryt.
Several others murmured what appeared to be approving words, although Alastar could not make them out. As the words died away, he spoke again. “We have a Collegium to rebuild, and, as before, Maitre Alyna will be in charge of that … starting in about two quints.”
Alyna glanced at him.
“Oh … and there’s one other thing.” Alastar found he didn’t quite have the words at hand, not the eloquent ones he’d planned. “Maitre Alyna has consented to marry me. As soon as practicable.”
“About time for both of you,” said Obsolym.
Alastar found himself blushing and tongue-tied.
EPILOGUE
Alyna held a large leather case in her hands as she stepped into the private study that had become both of theirs. She looked toward the study desk.
“You can put it there,” said Alastar. “What is it?”
“You’ll see.” After lifting the top of the case and easing it back, she drew out a finely worked brass instrument of some kind, consisting of a small brass telescope slightly over a third of a yard in length, set above a circular brass plate. That plate was in turn mounted so that it could swivel both up and down, with brackets set on each side of another brass plate, this one a half circle. At the bottom of the half circle was some form of mounting bracket.
“What is it? Where did you get it?”
“It’s a very good telescope diopter. Zaeryl sent it.” She smiled. “There was a note saying that if I was going to survey avenues that he’d have to pay for, I needed better tools.” She smiled more broadly. “He also said it was my belated wedding gift, since I’d proved I had no interest in jewels or finery.”
“Quite a gift.” Especially since it likely cost more than jewels or finery.
“The note was the best part.”
“Oh? What did he say?”
“Quite a number of things, some of which you can read … a little later.” She smiled broadly. “Actually, you could read them now, but I’ll make you wait … a glass or two, anyway. He said that I’d proved I didn’t need a husband and then went and married the most powerful man in Solidar to spite everyone. He also said that Vaelora would have been proud.”
“I thought he said you weren’t supposed to speak about her,” Alastar teased.
“To others. That doesn’t include family, and since you’re family…” She slipped her arms around him.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
L. E. Modesitt, Jr., lives in Cedar City, Utah. He has a website at www.lemodesittjr.com. Sign up for email updates here.
Tor Books by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Imager Portfolio
Imager
Imager’s Challenge
Imager’s Intrigue
Scholar
Princeps
Imager’s Battalion
Antiagon Fire
Rex Regis
Madness in Solidar
The Corean Chronicles
Legacies
Darknesses
Scepters
Alector’s Choice
Cadmian’s Choice
Soarer’s Choice
The Lord-Protector’s Daughter
Lady-Protector
The Saga of Recluce
The Magic of Recluce
The Towers of the Sunset
The Magic Engineer
The Order War
The Death of Chaos
Fall of Angels
The Chaos Balance
The White Order
Colors of Chaos
Magi’i of Cyador
Scion of Cyador
Wellspring of Chaos
Ordermaster
Natural Ordermage
Mage-Guard of Hamor
Arms-Commander
Cyador’s Heirs
Heritage of Cyador
The Spellsong Cycle
The Soprano Sorceress
The Spellsong War
Darksong Rising
The Shadow Sorceress
Shadowsinger
The Ecolitan Matter
Empire & Ecolitan (comprising The Ecolitan Operation and The Ecologic Secession)
Ecolitan Prime (comprising The Ecologic Envoy and The Ecolitan Enigma)
The Forever Hero (comprising Dawn for a Distant Earth, The Silent Warrior, and In Endless Twilight)
Timegods’ World (comprising Timediver’s Dawn and The Timegod)
The Ghost Books
Of Tangible Ghosts
The Ghost of the Revelator
Ghost of the White Nights
Ghosts of Columbia (comprising Of Tangible Ghosts and The Ghost of the Revelator)
The Hammer of Darkness
The Green Progression
The Parafaith War
Adiamante
Gravity Dreams
The Octagonal Raven
Archform: Beauty
The Ethos Effect
Flash
The Eternity Artifact
The Elysium Commission
Viewpoints Critical
Haze
Empress of Eternity
The One-Eyed Man
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Characters
Map of Lydar
Prologue (1)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Prologue (2)
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Prologue (3)
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Cha
pter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Epilogue
About the Author
Tor Books by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
MADNESS IN SOLIDAR: THE NINTH BOOK OF THE IMAGER PORTFOLIO
Copyright © 2015 by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Donato Giancola
Map by Jon Lansberg
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
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Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected].
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-0-7653-7985-6 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-7061-1 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466870611
First Edition: March 2015
Madness in Solidar Page 55
