Frostborn: The False King by Jonathan Moeller

Author:Jonathan Moeller [Moeller, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Azure Flame Media, LLC
Published: 2016-07-03T22:00:00+00:00

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“You are troubled,” said Caius.

“Is it that obvious?” said Calliande.

The column had stopped for the night, the tygrai raising tents in neat rows, the manetaurs roaming outside the camp. Calliande had settled near a campfire, her staff across her knees as she stared into the flames. Nearby Kharlacht and Gavin practiced their swordplay together as Antenora watched, while Ector and his men busied themselves preparing dinner. The sun faded to the west, six of the thirteen moons appearing in the sky amongst countless stars.

She wasn’t sure where Ridmark had gone.

“Not even remotely,” said Caius, The shadows from the fire made him look even older, as if his face had been carved from gray stone. “You are the Keeper of Andomhaim, wise and powerful, and anyone who looks at you will see that.”

“Except you, it seems,” said Calliande with a little smile. “What do you see?”

“Wisdom and power,” said Caius.

“Then I have nothing to worry about,” said Calliande.

“But also doubt,” said Caius.

“Yes,” said Calliande. “Everyone has doubts.”

“What do you doubt?” said Caius.

Calliande let out a breath. “Everything.”

“That is understandable,” said Caius. He poked at the fire with a stick, sending a spray of embers into the night.

“Why?” said Calliande. “Because of my many failures?”

“I would hardly say that you have failed,” said Caius.

“I prepared the Order of the Vigilant to watch for the Frostborn, and I failed them. I set out to stop the return of the Frostborn, and I failed,” said Calliande. “I tried to save Uthanaric and denounce Tarrabus, and I failed. I tried to reunify the realm, and so far we’ve managed to take Caerdracon and nothing else.”

Caius pondered that for a moment, tapping the fire with the stick.

“If you had not founded the Order of the Vigilant,” said Caius, “likely Shadowbearer would have corrupted or killed your successors. If not for your efforts, we would not be having this conversation.”

“Yes, because I would have died centuries ago,” said Calliande.

“True,” said Caius. “And there would have been no one at all to stop Tymandain Shadowbearer. He would have opened the world gate on the day of the omen of blue fire, and the Frostborn would have swarmed across the Northerland in a week. No one would have been prepared to fight them, and no one would have anticipated Tarrabus’s treachery. We have suffered defeats, yes, but not a total defeat. Everything would have been lost if you had not acted.”

“More would have been saved,” said Calliande, “if I had acted sooner.”

“How?” said Caius.

“If I had realized that Shadowbearer’s mantle could be passed,” said Calliande, “Imaria would not have become the new Shadowbearer, and the gate would not have opened. If I had secured the empty soulstone better. Maybe if I had forced Ardrhythain to take the damned thing after Urd Morlemoch. The high elves refuse to involve themselves in the affairs of other kindreds, but maybe if I had made him listen. Or if I had made Uthanaric listen, he might still be alive.”

“Not even Ardrhythain realized that the mantle of Shadowbearer could be passed,” said Caius, “and Uthanaric made his choices.

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