Queen of Fire

by Anthony Ryan

  “Alucius told me he loved me,” Alornis said, drawing his gaze. She held her blanket tight, blinking as the wind drove tears from her eyes, tracing across her pale skin like molten silver. “The freed slave came to me with a message, his last message. He said he loved me and begged forgiveness for not telling me sooner. He said he had done many things he regretted, but that was the worst. And he told me not to hate, Vaelin. He said there was sufficient hate in this world and he wanted to look at me from the Beyond and see at least one soul untouched by it. But I couldn’t … They killed him, and I hated them, and I burned them.”

  “You did what we all did, sister,” he said. “You, the queen, Reva, Frentis … Alucius and Caenis … The woman I would have married. We won a war that needed winning.”

  He looked down at the stone and withdrew his hand. His thoughts were full of many things as he raised the hammer, many faces, some gone, some still living, all changed or damaged. He thought of the battles he had fought and the brothers he had lost, and he thought of Dahrena. You are my Beyond now. For me to endure, so must you.

  The first blow drove the central peg deep enough to split the stone down to its base. It fell apart, thumping heavily onto the deck. He raised the hammer and brought it down, again and again, heaving with tireless fury as a cloud of black dust rose around him. Some drifted away on the wind but for the most part it settled into a pile on the deck, glittering in the fast rising sun. When the last fragment had been pounded to powder he ordered it all gathered up in the canvas and cast over the side. The stain of it roiled their wake, lingering for only seconds before fading completely as they sailed on, carried home by the westerly winds.

  APPENDIX

  Dramatis Personae

  THE UNIFIED REALM

  The Court of Queen Lyrna Al Nieren

  Lyrna Al Nieren—Queen of the Unified Realm

  Iltis Al Adral—Sword of the Realm, Lord Protector of the Queen’s Person

  Benten Al Grey Gull—Sword of the Realm, Protector of the Queen’s Person

  Orena Al Vardrian—lady to the queen

  Murel Al Harten—lady to the queen

  Hollun—brother of the Fourth Order and Keeper of the Queen’s Purse

  The Queen’s Host

  Vaelin Al Sorna—Tower Lord of the Northern Reaches and Battle Lord of the Queen’s Host

  Alornis Al Sorna—artist and sister to Vaelin, later Lady Artificer to Queen Lyrna

  Dahrena Al Myrna—First Counsel to the North Tower

  Caenis Al Nysa—brother of the Sixth Order, Sword of the Realm and Lord Marshal of the Thirty-fifth Regiment of Foot; later Aspect of the Seventh Order

  Count Marven—commander of the Nilsaelin contingent of the Queen’s Host

  Adal Zenu—captain of the North Guard, later Lord Marshal and Sword of the Realm

  Kehlan—healer and brother of the Fifth Order

  Orven Al Melna—captain of the Third Company, King’s Mounted Guard; later Lord Marshal and Sword of the Realm, husband to Insha ka Forna

  Insha ka Forna (Steel in Moonlight)—Eorhil warrior, wife to Orven

  Harlick—brother of the Seventh Order, Archivist of the North Tower; later First Librarian to the Great Library of the Unified Realm

  Nortah Al Sendahl—friend to Vaelin, later Lord Marshal of the Queen’s Daggers and Sword of the Realm

  Snowdance—war-cat

  Sanesh Poltar—war chief to the Eorhil Sil

  Wisdom—sage elder to the Eorhil Sil

  Ultin—mine foreman at Reaver’s Gulch, later captain of the First Battalion of the Army of the North

  Davern—shipwright and sergeant in the Army of the North, later Master of the Queen’s Yard

  Furelah—guardswoman in the Queen’s Daggers

  Atheran Ell-Nestra—Meldenean sea captain and Shield of the Isles, later Fleet Lord to Queen Lyrna

  Carval Ell-Nurin—Ship Lord and captain of the Red Falcon

  Cara—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point

  Lorkan—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point

  Marken—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point

  Weaver—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point

  Cumbrael

  Reva Mustor—Lady Governess of Cumbrael

  Lady Veliss—Honoured Counsel to the Lady Governess

  Arentes Varnor—Lord Commander of the City Guard

  Bren Antesh—Lord Commander of Archers

  The Reader—leader of the Church of the World Father

  Ellese Brahdor—orphan and ward of the Lady Governess

  Allern Varesh—guardsman to House Mustor

  Varinshold

  Darnel Linel—Fief Lord of Renfael, Volarian vassal

  Alucius Al Hestian—poet, friend to Alornis and Vaelin, son to Lakrhil

  Lakrhil Al Hestian—father to Alucius, Battle Lord to Darnel

  Elera Al Mendah—Aspect of the Fifth Order

  Dendrish Hendrahl—Aspect of the Third Order

  Benril Lernial—renowned artist and brother of the Third Order

  Mirvek Korvin—commander of the Volarian garrison

  Twenty-Seven—Kuritai, guard to Alucius

  Cresia—sister of the Seventh Order

  Inehla—sister of the Seventh Order

  Rhelkin—brother of the Seventh Order

  Renfaelin Border

  Frentis—brother of the Sixth Order, friend to Vaelin, known as the Red Brother

  Davoka—warrior of the Black River Clan, Servant of the Mountain, friend to Lyrna, fighter in the Red Brother’s company

  Sollis—sword-master and Brother Commander of the Sixth Order

  Rensial—horse-master and brother of the Sixth Order

  Hughlin Banders—knight and Baron of Renfael

  Ulice—illegitimate daughter to Banders

  Arendil—son to Ulice and Darnel, heir to Fief Lordship of Renfael, fighter in the Red Brother’s company

  Ermund Lewen—knight and chief retainer to Banders

  Draker—former outlaw, fighter in the Red Brother’s company

  Illian Al Jervin—escaped slave and fighter in the Red Brother’s company

  Thirty-Four—former numbered slave and torturer, fighter in the Red Brother’s company

  Ivern—brother of the Sixth Order, stationed at the Skellan Pass

  Slasher—faith-hound and friend to Frentis

  Blacktooth—faith-hound and friend to Illian

  Others

  Wise Bear—shaman to the Bear People

  Kiral—Lonak huntress of the Black River Clan and sister to Davoka

  Alturk—Lonak Tahlessa of the Grey Hawk Clan

  Verniers Alishe Someren—Imperial Chronicler to the court of Emperor Aluran

  Fornella Av Entril Av Tokrev—Volarian captive, sister to Arklev Entril

  Belorath—Meldenean captain of the Sea Sabre

  Lekran—warrior of the Rotha, later fighter in the Red Brother’s company

  THE ALPIRAN EMPIRE

  Aluran Maxtor Selsus—Emperor

  Emeren Nasur Ailers—former ward to the Emperor

  Iveles Maxtor Seliesen—son to Emeren

  Neliesen Nester Hevren—captain in the Imperial Guard

  Merulin Nester Velsus—Imperial Prosecutor

  Horon Nester Everen—High Commander of Imperial Forces

  Raulen—gaoler to the palace dungeons

  THE VOLARIAN EMPIRE

  Arklev Entril—member of the Volarian Ruling Council, holder of the Treasurer’s Seat

  Lorvek Irlav—member of the Volarian Ruling Council, holder of the Slaver’s Seat

  Varulek Tovrin—Master of the Great Volarian Arena and Overseer of Garisai

  Lieza—slave

  Hirkran of the Red Axe—champion to the Othra mountain tribe

  THE ICE

  Whale Killer—leader of the Wolf People, husband to Many Wings

  Many Wings—shamaness to the Wolf People, wife to Whale Killer

  Astorek Anvir, also “Long Knife”—shaman to the
Wolf People, adopted son of Whale Killer and Many Wings