The Dagger's Path by Larke Glenda

Author:Larke, Glenda [Larke, Glenda]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2015-01-13T08:00:00+00:00

It was dark by the time Saker had finished telling Juster his adventures since they’d last met. The remains of their evening meal littered the desk in the captain’s cabin, although in truth, Saker had not eaten much. He’d said very little about Piper, but he’d omitted nothing else of importance.

Lord Juster swirled brandy in a goblet of blown glass and shook his head in disbelief. “If anyone else had told me this tale, I wouldn’t have believed a word of it.”

“If I hadn’t experienced much of it, I wouldn’t have believed it either.” Saker took a sip from his own goblet, thinking how typical it was of Juster. He may have been on board a ship in a foreign land, but he still surrounded himself with his luxuries.

“So, Piper is the twin sister of the heir to the Basalt Throne.”

Saker spluttered over his brandy. “What?”

“Oh, come now, Saker. It’s obvious. Did you really think I wouldn’t guess? Why else would Sorrel have a baby who’s not her own? Let me see if I have it right. Princess Mathilda gave birth to twins. Sorrel, at the Princess’s request, spirited the firstborn away because of Lowmeer’s superstitions about devil-kin twins.”

Saker said nothing.

“Just as well Piper was a girl. You want my opinion? There’s no such being as A’Va. But I think there’s a good chance that the Prime of Ardrone, the oh-so-despicable Valerian Fox, is in the service of something or someone not remotely connected to Va. I’d call it sorcery.”

Saker waved a hand in acknowledgement.

“But that’s not all,” Juster added. “We have sorcerous plumes and daggers that swim and alien witchery and pox knows what else, and, according to Mistress Sorrel, a possibility that Fox fathered the heir to Lowmeer.” He shook his head. “On one level, all this sounds absurd. But on another–do you know how worrying all of it is?”

“Indeed, which is why I have told you. Will you consider either taking Ardhi and me to the Summer Seas, or alternatively will you take Sorrel to Vavala? The Va-cherished Hemisphere could well be in jeopardy from two threats from different sources. I don’t know which is the greatest danger. I do know that I don’t have any choice. Va-forsaken magic is sending me to the Summer Seas, whether I like it or not. I also know that it must surely be important the Pontifect deals with the whole problem of Piper and her brother to ensure that the devil-kin never sits on the throne of Lowmeer. I’m asking for your help.”

“I’m already doing what I do best. And if I understand your story correctly, it appears to me that Sorrel or Piper–or both–is being drawn, by magic, to the Va-forsaken Hemisphere. At least, that’s what Ardhi believes, right?”

“Yes. Rot it, Juster, I don’t know what I should be doing. Sometimes I feel Va-forsaken myself! I struggle constantly against this Chenderawasi magic, and I remain caught up in its web. Will you help us?”

“Have you any idea what you’re asking of me?” He sipped his brandy.

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.