by Tom Lloyd
‘Hush your throat or I’ll pluck more feathers out. We have a game to play here in Scree, friends to find and friends to lose. Lure them all here and let the drama unfold as it will. We take our bows when the performance is done.’
PROLOGUE: PART 2
In the half-light of the long corridor a shadow moved. Only the listless swish of the thin white drapes covering the tall arched windows at one end disturbed the quiet. A wrought-iron railing decorated with vine leaves separated the corridor from the open hallway below, but the heavy afternoon heat had stifled all activity within the palace; that too seemed shrouded in silence. Even the servants had found cooler corners, where they dozed wearily.
The guard sighed inwardly. The heat was oppressive enough even without the heavy leather and iron of his uniform. Rivulets of sweat ran down his arms and over his scalp and prickled hot in his crotch. His head sagged, eyelids drooping as the corridor before him blurred into grey emptiness.
The shadow drifted behind him, sliding smoothly over the wall but never actually touching the soldier. As it hovered against the white door next to where the guard stood, the profile of a blank face showed, imprisoned within the door’s border, then the shadow eased into the dark crack between door and jamb and gently disappeared into the cool shade of the room beyond.
As outside, all was still within, except for the gentle movement of drapes at the open window, through which came a wisp of a breeze. A huge four-poster bed, curtains of green and gold tied at each post, dominated the room. The shadow ignored the bed and its occupants, who lay across the linen sheets, barely covered. It ignored the ornate basket-hilt rapier hanging on a chair-back beside an axe, the blade of which was perforated by glowing red-edged runes, and moved to the far corner of the room, where a small spiral staircase took it up to a circular mezzanine no more than four yards across. A small, elegant desk stood at the centre. Eight thin apertures cut into the stone gave a view of the room below. Hanging from the wall were a number of two-foot-high purple slate tablets. There were eleven in total, each covered by a green velvet cloth embroidered with a bee with wings spread and the name of a city. The shadow ignored the nearest and glided around the desk to reach the cloth that bore the word ‘Scree’. It raised a long finger that tapered into a cruel claw and began to trace through the air in front of the covered tablet. A faint scraping broke the quiet.
The shadow finished its writing and looked through a stone slit at the couple slumbering on the enormous bed.‘Come and join the performance, my friend,’ it murmured as it twitched the cloth slightly askew. ‘Yours is a starring role.’
Then the shadow spread its unsubstantial fingers and gave a sharp twist through the air. A muted crack echoed around the room. The deed done, the shadow retraced its movements, pausing momentarily at the bed where the two figures still slept, legs entangled despite the heat. One ethereal finger caressed the man’s cheek before pausing over an eyelid that gave a tiny twitch.
‘And what if I were to blind you now, O mighty king? Render you unable to behold this nation you love so? But I shall not; there are sights I would have you see before the end.’
The heavy summer silence returned to the room as the shadow slipped towards the door and out into the twilight of the corridor, then faded into nothing.
King Emin scowled at the tablet, pulling his shirt to order and tucking it in to his breeches as he did so.
‘Come back to bed,’ purred Queen Oterness from the bed, stroking the slight bump of her belly. One sharp-eyed old countess had noticed it already and there had been a sudden surge of speculation at court that an heir to the throne might at last be on the way. The royal couple were keeping quiet for now - the pregnancy was in its early stages and the queen feared her age might cause difficulties - but in the meantime that small swelling had restored her husband’s precarious affection.
‘Unfortunately, I cannot,’ Emin muttered in reply. He didn’t take his eyes off the tablet as he reached out a hand and tugged the bell-pull that hung above the desk.
‘Oh, charming,’ muttered his queen. ‘My husband is too busy to entertain his wife, so he sends for his bodyguard to finish the job.’
Emin’s glare stopped the queen short and she pulled the sheets to cover her naked body. It was too hot for a shift, even if Coran was joining them, and she was too comfortable to leave the indentation she had shared with Emin but a minute before.
‘I’m sorry, Emin, you know I didn’t mean that in spite - but whatever is wrong? I’ve not seen you so angry in years - what’s the news?’
Coran jerked open the door and hurried in before the king had time to answer his wife. The white-eye glanced at the bed and bowed his head even as his eyes followed the linen-covered curves of the queen’s body. The white-eye was barely dressed himself, wearing only a long shirt tied at the waist by the sword-belt he was still in the process of buckling.
Oterness looked at the livid scars on Coran’s knee; he glowered at her and hurried up the spiral stair. He had barely reached the top stair when Emin reached out a finger and pointed to the uncovered tablet.
‘Summon the Brotherhood. We ride for Scree.’
Coran stared at the slate board, unspeaking, until Emin indicated they should go back downstairs. The white-eye touched his knee, running a finger over the ugly scarring there. His face darkening with fury, he followed his king.
Queen Oterness watched the two men, a shiver running down her spine as she wondered what was affecting them so.
Then Coren spoke, his voice trembling with hatred. ‘Ilumene,’ he said.
The blood drained from her face. All was explained in that one word. Before King Emin reached for his clothes he took his queen’s hand and squeezed her fingers. Her other hand fell protectively to her belly, trembling. When she touched the skin below her navel she could feel rough scars, and she could still trace a name with her fingers. The tattoo she’d put there only hid the name from sight; the scar remained.
‘And where we find Ilumene, Rojak will be close at hand,’ Emin told her. ‘And they will both pay.’
Cast List
• Afasin White-eye general of the Knights of the Temples
• Alterr Goddess of the Night Sky and Greater Moon and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Amanas, Quitin Keymaster of the Heraldic Library of Tirah
• Amavoq Goddess of the Forest, patron of the Yeetatchen tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Antern, Count Advisor to King Emin
• Anviss God of Woods, also known as the God of Lonely Places
• Aracnan An immortal of unknown origin
• Aryn Bwr Battle-name of the last king of the elves who led their rebellion against the Gods, his true name having been excised from history
• Asenn Goddess of Rain and Snow, daughter of Lliot
• Atro White-eye Lord or the Farlan before Lord Bahl
• Azaer A shadow
• Bahl White-eye Lord of the Farlan
• Belarannar Goddess of the Earth and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Berard, Captain Commander of the garrison of Ghorent
• Brandt, Commander Commander of the Narkang City Watch, younger brother of Suzerain Toquin
• Carel (Carelfolden), Betyn A former Farlan Palace Guard sergeant, now mercenary
• Cerrat A novice chaplain in the cult of Nartis
• Cerse, Sir Colonel of the Tirah Palace Guard legion
• Certinse, Knight-Cardinal Commander of the Knights of the Temples, younger brother of Suzerain Tildek and Farlan by birth
• Certinse, Sir Dirass Knight of the Palace Guard. Third son of Suzerain Tildek
• Certinse, Cardinal Younger brother of Suzerain Tildek, Duchess Lomin and Knight-Cardinal Certinse
• Chalat White-eye Lord of the Chetse tribe
• Charr White-eye Krann to Lord Chalat
• Chirialt, Dermeness Farlan mage
• Chotech,
General Member of the Knights of the Temples
• Coadech, Suzerain Lord of Narkang’s most easterly suzerainty
• Coran White-eye bodyguard of King Emin
• Cosep, A Farlan Swordmaster
• Creyl, Sir Advisor to King Emin
• Daran, Mistress Chaperone for Tila Introl
• Death Chief of the Gods and head of the Upper Cirle of the pantheon
• Dedev, Borl Farlan ranger
• Destech Lieutenant of the mercenary Tochet
• Dev, General Chate Highest ranked of Chetse generals and Commander of the Ten Thousand
• Deyl,Morten Chief Councillor of the Public Assembly of Narkang
• Diolis, General Member of the Knights of the Temples
• Disten, Cardinal Famous member of the cardinal branch of the Farlan Cult of Nartis
• Dle, Norimin Chief Librarian of the College of Magic of Narkang
• Doranei Member of the Brotherhood, King Emin’s personal agents
• Elierl, General Brinn Farlan general posted to Lomin
• Eraliave Elven general who predated the Wars of the Houses
• Farlan, Deliss Famous Farlan king and father of Kasi Farlan
• Farlan, Kasi Legendary prince of the Farlan in whose image white-eyes were created and after whom the lesser moon was named
• Fedei, Wisten The Seer of Ghorent
• Fordan, Leren Suzerain of the Fordan shire of the Farlan
• Fordell, Invriss A mage from Lomin
• Forell, Duchess A high ranking member of the White Circle
• Genedel A dragon
• Gerrint Chetse soldier of the Lion Legion - adjutant to General Dev
• Gort, Jebehl General of the Knights of the Temples and member of its ruling council
• Grast, Deverk Former Lord of the Menin who instigated the Long March to their current home and tried to wipe out the Litse tribe
• Horen, Councillor Head of the town council of Ghorent
• Ilit God of the Wind, Patron of the Litse tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Ineh Deceased white-eye lover of Lord Bahl
• Inoth Goddess of the Western Seas, as eldest child of Lliot she replaced him in the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Introl, Anad Gatekeeper of the Tirah, member of the city council and father of Tila Introl
• Introl, Tila personal maid to the Krann Isak
• Isak White-eye chosen to be Krann to Lord Bahl
• Jeil Farlan ranger
• Karkarn God of War and Destruction, patron of the Menin tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Kerin Commander of the Swordmasters and Knight-Defender of Tirah
• Kinbe, Count Farlan nobleman from Lomin
• Kulet Former white-eye sergeant in the Palace Guard
• Lady, The Common name of Fate, Goddess of Luck
• Lahk, General White-eye general commanding the forces around Tirah
• Larat God of Magic and Manipulation and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Larim White-eye Chosen of Larat and Krann to Lord Salen
• Leferna, Priata The commander of White Circle forces in Tor Milist
• Legana A devotee of the Lady and Farlan agent
• Leitah Goddess of Wisdom and Learning, sister to Larat, who died in the Great War
• Lesarl, Chief Steward Principal advisor to the Lord of the Farlan
• Lliot God of Water who died during the Age of Myths. His domain was divided up among his five children: Inoth, Turist, Shoso, Vasle and Asenn
• Lomin, Duchess Wife of Duke Lomin, mother to Scion Lomin, sister to Cardinal Certinse, Knight-Cardinal Certinse
• Lomin, Duke Respected but aging ruler of the Farlan city of Lomin
• Lomin, Scion Karlat Son of Duke Lomin and grandson of Suzerain Certinse
• Malich, Cordein A necromancer from Embere
• Mihn ab Netren ab Felith - wanderer from the coast north of the Great Forest
• Morghien Drifter of Embere descent, known as the man of many spirits
• Nartis God of the Night, Storms and Hunters, patron of the Farlan tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Nemarse, Duke Duke of Raland
• Nerlos, Marshal Farlan noble whose castle defends the southern route to Tirah
• Nostil, Velere Eldest son of the last elven king, Aryn Bwr
• Ortof-Greyl, Major Member of the Knights of the Temples
• Salen Menin White-eye, Chosen of the God Larat
• Seliasei Aspect of Vasle that now possesses Morghien
• Semar Past Lord of the Farlan who designed and built the Tower of Semar
• Sempes, Duke Ruler of the Farlan city of Perlir
• Shalstik Elven prophet who spoke of Aryn Bwr’s return
• Sheredal Spreader of the Frost, an Aspect of the Goddess Asenn
• Shoso God of Northern Seas, son of Lliot
• Shotir God of Healing and Forgiveness
• Solsis, Count Farlan nobleman from Lomin
• Sorodoch Chetse mage-smith
• Styrax, Kohrad White-eye son of Lord Styrax
• Styrax, Lord Kastan White-eye Lord of the Menin
• Tebran, Suzerain Kehed Farlan nobleman
• Tildek, Suzerain Esh Farlan nobleman, father of Sir Dirass Certinse, elder brother of Knight-Cardinal Certinse, Cardinal Certinse and the Duchess of Lomin
• Thonal, King Emin King of Narkang and the Three Cities
• Thonal, Queen Oterness Queen of Narkang
• Tohl, Marshal Dorik Member of the original Brotherhood criminal gang
• Torl, Suzerain Farlan nobleman
• Tochet Chetse mercenary, former General of the Eastern Tunnels
• Triena Goddess of Romantic Love and Fidelity, part of the linked Goddesses who together cover all the aspects of love
• Tsatach God of Fire and the Sun, patron of the Chetse tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
• Turist God of the Southern Seas until he was killed during the Great War
• Vasle God of Rivers and Inland Seas
• Veil Member of the Brotherhood, King Emin’s personal agents
• Vener, Telith General of the Knights of the Temples
• Veren First God of the Beasts, killed during the Great War
• Verliq Mage and academic who founded a small nation in the east before Lord Styrax conquered it
• Versijt, Lord Aliax Famous Yeetatchen ruler who almost conquered the Farlan
• Vesna, Count Evanelial Famous Farlan soldier from Anvee
• Vilan, Count Farlan nobleman from Tori
• Volah, Suzerain Abse Farlan nobleman
• Volah, Scion Sohn Farlan nobleman
• Vrerr, Duke Ruler of Tor Milist
• Vrest God of the Beasts and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon, formerly an Aspect of Veren before Veren’s death
• Vrill, Duke Anote Menin white-eye general
• Vukotic, Prince Koezh Ruler of the Vukotic tribe, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle
• Vukotic, Prince Vorizh Younger brother of Koezh, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle and subsequently driven insane
• Vukotic, Princess Zhia Youngest of the Vukotic family, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle
