Ascendant's Rite (The Moontide Quartet) by David Hair

Author:David Hair [Hair, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781780872063
Amazon: 1780872062
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
Published: 2015-11-05T05:00:00+00:00

INTERLUDE

The Vexations of Emperor Constant (Part 5)

On Monarchy

What is a king? Someone not just bred and raised to reign over others, but divinely ordained to do so? Or is he a despot clinging grimly to power, hammering down those who threaten him? Or is he just a figurehead, someone the truly powerful can agree upon for stability’s sake, so that they can get on with their own agendas?

ORDO COSTRUO COLLEGIATE, HEBUSALIM, 884

Pallas, Rondelmar, on the continent of Yuros

Summer 927

1 Year until the Moontide

The room fell silent, and for a few seconds, everyone looked reflective, their gaze turned inwards. The Plan had been laid out: the cards were on the table and they were more or less in agreement. This was the culmination of months of preparation, secret meetings between individuals, and no little wining and dining. Gurvon Gyle picked up his goblet, noticed with considerable disappointment that it was empty and put it back down again. He needed something considerably stronger than watered wine.

If there really were gods, any now listening to us would be appalled, he thought as he silently reviewed the meeting.

I’m going to seize Javon, then hand it over to the Dorobon. He smiled privately at that. Well, maybe. He could sense opportunities there. The Rondian Empire underestimates Javon; they think that just because the Dorobon seized it once, it’ll be easy. They forget that the Dorobon also lost Javon. Perhaps we can capitalise on that. Elena will have a view. He shied away from thinking about Elena. Their relationship wasn’t what it once was.

After Javon, we send the Duke of Argundy into a trap. He wondered if they could rely on Rashid Mubarak to fulfil his side of the bargain; he suspected more likely Echor would just be weakened. There was no way the Keshi would be able to defeat a trained Rondian army.

It’s Naxius and his soul-stealing that worries me. What a Hel of a thing! Naxius is dangerous . . .

And then this final act: the destruction of the Leviathan Bridge. Even though he and Belonius Vult had conceived the whole plan, he was still stunned at the immensity of it. To destroy the Ordo Costruo’s great construction was one thing, but to also lift the ocean floor and restore the isthmus? That would be truly astounding. The world would be so profoundly changed he could scarcely encompass it.

His eyes roved the room, assessing what each stood to gain.

Belonius Vult, his friend – well, so-called. Bel was an adept courtier, and was no doubt already angling for a bigger role. After all, the emperor would be requiring some special envoys and legates as the Crusade began.

For Tomas Betillon and Kaltus Korion it was another chance to plunder the East and fatten already bulging treasuries. But will Korion be content to remain subservient to a young – and immature – emperor? he wondered.

Calan Dubrayle played his hand close to his chest, but the treasurer had revealed hitherto unsuspected links to Belonius too. Wars were notorious

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