The Crimson Queen by Hutson Alec

Author:Hutson, Alec [Hutson, Alec]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2016-12-03T05:00:00+00:00

Herath.

Jan’s first glimpse of the Crimson Queen’s city came as he crested a hilltop that had been scarred by fire, the trees that usually pressed close to the road and would have blocked his view reduced to blackened stumps. He reined to a halt, his horse whinnying in thanks at this unexpected reprieve. Jan patted the sweat-damp mane, rummaging in his saddlebags for some oats. They’d spent the past several days laboring up and down the hills that rippled out from where the Bones had sunk their roots deep in the world’s roof, and his horse had earned a well-deserved rest when they finally reached the city on the Derravin. Not so much longer now.

Herath was a distant smudge crusting the edge of a dark bay; it had outgrown its old walls, as buildings spread in almost organic-looking arms from the shore and pushed into the surrounding forest. To the north the stain of habitation crept up a steep slope until it brushed against the walls of a mighty fortress. That must be Saltstone, the ancient seat of power for House d’Kara. Jan’s gaze lingered on the jagged crenellations that soared stark and imposing against the cloudless sky. It was no wonder that the family that had built this keep centuries ago had managed to unite these notoriously fractious lands under their banner. He squinted, imagining he could see something. Was she standing on the battlements even now, slim white fingers resting on cold stone, a sea-breeze tangling her red curls as she watched these faraway hills?

His fascination with her had only grown during his long journey west. A young woman who had fashioned her small kingdom into an empire. A queen who had thrived without a king beside her, as once was common in his lost home, the doomed holdfast of Nes Vaneth. And perhaps most compelling – she was a sorceress that even ancient, immortal Alyanna feared to confront directly.

A black speck floated in the unblemished sky, some large bird. He remembered the old Min-Ceruthan superstitions – if that was an eagle riding the wind, good fortune would follow him into the city. A raven and he should hurriedly find some luck elsewhere, as disaster was threatening. And if it was a seagull, he might as well turn his horse around right now. Of course, seagulls couldn’t be as much of an ill-omen in coastal Herath as they were in the land-locked mountains of his homeland. Perhaps eagles were what was rare here, and glimpsing one of those majestic birds was considered unlucky instead.

Jan watched the speck for a long time, until it spiraled down to the distant ocean and vanished. Definitely a seagull.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.