Part 51 (1/2)
”No, you must listen.” Agony washed across his face, but he fought through it, forcing the words out. ”The monk, Bryce, still lives within the Mordant. He spies on the Mordant. He knows his plans. Somehow he spoke to me while I was trapped in the chamber.” He flashed a weak smile. ”And the Mordant thought I was no threat.”
A sob escaped her. ”You spoiled his plans, my love.”
Someone handed Kath a water flask. She held it to his lips. Her gaze traveled the length of his body. Every dagger wept blood, as if the spell keeping him alive was broken. Tears crowded her eyes, but she held them at bay, determined to be brave for him.
”You must listen. You must remember.” His voice trailed to a whisper.
She huddled close, her ear bent to his words.
A flood of warnings poured out of him, dark tidings and grim plans. He spoke of Lanverness, and the Octagon, and the Kiralynn monastery. He told her about a dark sword and a hallway carved like demons. He warned her of Taals that looked like ogres and dwarves that could sniff magic. Some of the warnings made little sense, a confusing jumble of images, but she listened to it all, struggling to memorize every detail.
Finally his words trailed to silence and his eyes closed.
Fear gripped her throat; she thought he was gone. ”Duncan, don't leave me!” She cradled his head, willing him to live.
His eyes opened, full of light, and he smiled up at her. ”I'll never leave you. But you must promise me two things.”
”Anything.”
A spasm of pain crossed his face, but his eyes remained opened. ”You must put an end the Mordant. I've learned that evil is real and it must be stopped.”
Hate boiled within her, an easy promise to make. ”I promise.”
His hand gripped hers. ”And you must promise to live.”
Tears crowded her eyes.
”Promise me.” His voice sank to a whisper. ”Promise me and I'll wait for you on the edge of the Light.”
Her heartbeat quickened. ”You'll wait for me?”
”Yes.”
”I promise.”
He smiled up at her...and then he was gone.
”NO!” She stared up at the heavens, challenging the G.o.ds with her cry. ”Heal him! Heal him or I will not forgive you!”
Seagulls roiled overhead, screeching a mournful cry...but no miracle came.
”Svala!” The word was a murmur coming from a thousand voices. The courtyard was crowded with her army, a thousand tattooed faces staring at her. They drew their swords and knelt. They'd gained a great victory...but she'd lost her heart. Kath closed her eyes and the world dissolved into tears.
APPENDIX.
CASTLEGARD.
Three hundred years after the War of Wizards decimated the kingdoms of Erdhe, a group of knights banded together to protect the southern kingdoms from the ravages of the north. They claimed Castlegard, the great mage-stone castle left empty after the War of Wizards, as the seat of their power. Adopting the shape of the great castle as their symbol, they became known as the Octagon Knights.
To bolster their cause, the knights were ceded land running along the length of the Dragon Spine Mountains. Stretching from Castlegard all the way to the Western Ocean, this land became known as the Domain. A series of castles, keeps, and walls were built along the Dragon Spines, allowing the knights to control the mountain pa.s.ses and deny access to the southern kingdoms. The Domain also includes the only iron ore mine in all of Erdhe to yield blue ore, the rare ore required to forge the knights' fabled blue steel swords.
As a sworn brotherhood of elite knights, the candidates forsake their lineage and their past when they win their maroon cloaks. Their symbol is a maroon octagon emblazoned on a silver s.h.i.+eld.
KING URSUS ANVRIL, King of Castlegard and the Knights of the Octagon, Lord of the Domain, hero of the Battle of Raven Pa.s.s, bearer of a great blue sword named Honor's Edge.
-his wife, QUEEN PHYLA, died giving birth to their only daughter.
-their children: PRINCE ULRICH, First-born son of the king, a sworn knight of the maroon, commander of the wall at Raven Pa.s.s, bearer of a great blue sword named Mordbane PRINCE GRIFFIN, Second-born son of the king, a sworn knight of the maroon, commander of Dymtower.
PRINCE G.o.dFREY, Third-born son of the king, a sworn knight of the maroon, commander of s.h.i.+eldhold PRINCE TRISTAN, Fourth-born son of the king, a sworn knight of the maroon, slain while leading a patrol into the steppes PRINCE LIONEL, Fifth-born son of the king, a sworn knight of the maroon, commander of Cragnoth Keep, slain by Trask.
PRINCESS KATHERINE, Sixth child of the king, also known as the Imp or Little Sister or Kath. As a female, the Octagon symbol of Castlegard is forbidden to her. Instead she uses the Anvril's ancient heraldic symbol of a red hawk attacking with talons outstretched on a field of white.
-his sworn knights and retainers:.
SIR OSBOURNE, The Knight Marshal of the Octagon, right hand of the King, a one-eyed man with a scar-crossed face, he wields a saber as his weapon of first choice, but then takes up Sir Tyrone's great sword from the signal tower of Cragnoth Keep.
SIR LOTHAR, knight-captain of the Salt Tower, wields a battleaxe, close friend to the knight marshal SIR BORIS, knight-captain of Holdfast Keep SIR DALT, knight-captain of Ice Tower.
SIR GRAVIS, knight-captain of Sword Keep SIR ABRAX, knight of the maroon, champion of the sword, guard to King Ursus, he wields a blue steel sword named Protector SIR RANNOCK, knight of the maroon, champion of the morning star SIR ODIS, knight of the maroon, champion of the lance.