Raymond E. Feist - Serpentwar Saga 4 - Shards of a Broken C

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The Author asserts the moral right to

be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book

is available from the British Library

ISBN 0 00 224654 6

Printed and bound in Australia by

Griffin Press Pty Ltd, Netley, South Australia

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,

in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior

permission of the publishers.

To jon and Anita Everson,

who were with me from the start.

Acknowledgments

as is ALwAys the case, I am indebted to many people for the creation

for being the best first reader anyone can ask for.

And for all of those out there who send me letters of praise or

complaint,

who let me know someone out there is reading the work. Time

does not permit me to answer most of them, but they all get read.

And to Sean Tate, who thought up the character of Malar.

Character List

AcAmA-leader of the eldar, in the Elf Queen's court

ADELiN-elf in Elvandar

AGLARANNA-Elf Queen in Elvandar, wife of Tomas, mother of Calin

and Calis

AKEE-Hadati hillman

AKiER-Licutenant on Royal Bulldog

ALETA-young desciple in Temple of Arch-Indar

AsHAm iBiN AL-TuK-Keshian General

AVERY, RUPERT "Roo"-merchant of Krondor

AVERY, KARLi-wife of Roo

BOYSE-Captain of Duko's forces

B~-Duke of Silden

CALHERN, THomAs-acting Lieutenant of Palace Guard

CALiN-elf heir to the throne of Elvandar, half-brother to Calis, son

Aglaranna and King Aidan

CALis-"The Eagle of Krondor," special agent of the Prince of Krondor,

Duke of the Court, son of Aglaranna and Tomas, half brother to Calin

CHALmEs-ruling magician at Stardock

CHAPAc-twin brother of Tilac, son of EWa

ENARES, MALAR servant discovered in wilderness

ERLAND-brother to the King and uncle to Prince Patrick

FADAwAH-former general commanding the Emerald Queen's Army,

self-styled "King of the Bitter Sea"

FRANCINE "FRANCIE "-daughter of the Duke of Silden

GREYLOCK, OWEN-Knight-Marshal of the Prince's Army

HAMMOND-Lieutenant in King's Army

HERBERT OF RUTHERWOOD-scribe in Port Vykor

JAcoBY, HELEN-widow of Randolph Jacoby, mother of Natally and

Willem

JALLOM-Captain of Duko's army

JAmiSON, JAmeS "Jimmy"-elder son of Arutha, grandson of James

JAMeSON, DASHEL "DASH" -younger son of Arutha, grandson of James

KAHiL-Fadawah's intelligence chief

KALEID-ruling magician at Stardock

LELAND-son of Richard of Mukerlic

LiviA-daughter of Lord Vasarius

MAcKEY-Sergeant of Palace Guard

MATAK-old soldier in Duko's command

MiLo-owner of the Inn of the Pintail in Ravensburg, father of Rosalyn

MiR~A-magician and ally of Calis and Pug

NAKOR THE ISALANi-gambler, magic-user, friend of Pug

NmwiNi-Captain of captured Quegan ship

NoRDAN-General in Fadawah's army

ROSALYN Milo s daughter, wife of Rudolph, mother of Gerd

RUDOLPH-baker in Ravensburg, husband of Rosalyn, stepfather to Gerd

RUNCOR-Captain of Duko's army

RYANA-dragon shape-changer, friend of Tomas and Pug

SHATI, JADow-Lieutenant in Erik's company

SHO Pi-former companion of Erik and Roo, student of Nakor

SONGTI-Captain of Duko's army

STYLEs-Captain of Royal Bulldog

SUBAi-captain

of the Royal Krondorian Pathfinders

TALWIN-spy for Arutha

TILAC-twin brother of Chapac, son of Ellia

T~R, GUSTAF-prisoner with Dash, later Constable

TOMAS-Warleader of Elvandar, husband of Aglaranna, father of Calis,

inheritor of the powers of Ashen-Shugar

TRMA-female thief, Daymaster of the Mockers

TUPPIN, JoHN-thief with lumpy face, leader of Krondor's "bashers"

VASARIUS-Quegan noble and merchant

VON DARKMOOR, MATHILDA-BaroneSS

of Darkmoor, grandmother to

Gerd

VON DArkmoOR, GERD-Baron of Darkmoor, son of Rosalyn and Stefan

von Darkmoor, nephew to Erik

VON DARKMOOR, ERIK-Captain of the Crimson Eagles

WINDELL-Captain in Krondor

TANCRED, BK. II, CH. I

Prologue

THE GENERAL KNOCKED.

"Enter," said the self-styled King of the Bitter Sea as he looked up

from a hastily scribbled note just handed him by his Captain of

Intelligence,

Kahil.

General Nordan entered and shook off the snow from his cloak. "You

found us a cold land to rule, Majesty," he said with a smile. He gave

Kahil the briefest nod of greeting.

Fadawah, former Commanding General of the Army of the Emerald

Queen, now ruler of the City of Ylith and the surrounding

countryside,

said, "At least it's a cold land with food and firewood." He waved in

vague fashion to the south. "We're still getting stragglers in from

as far

away as Darkmoor who paint a bleak picture about conditions

throughout

the Western Realm."

Nordan motioned to a chair and Fadawah nodded. while old companions,

they observed the formalities, as Fadawah prepared to launch

his spring campaign. The General still wore the ritual scars on his

cheeks,

marks given him when swearing loyalty to the Pantathians. He had

considered

attempting to find a witch or healing priest who could remove

them, for when he had finally realized that the Pantathians were as

much

dupes as he was, he had killed their remaining high priest. As far as

Fadawah was concerned, he was no longer bound to anyone. He was his

own man, and he was in a rich land with an army. But Kahil had

reminded

them, and now controlled all the lands from Ylith south past

Quester's

View, north to the outskirts of Zun, west to the city of Natal, which

was

now occupied by more of his own men than their own pitiful defenses.

He had also captured Hawk's Hollow, a small town, but one giving him

control of a vital pass through the mountains to the east.

"Some of the men don't like the idea of staying," said Nordan. The

stocky soldier rubbed his bearded chin, and cleared his throat.

"They're

talking of finding a ship and going back across the sea."

"To what?" asked Fadawah. "To a land burned out and overrun by

barbarians from the grasslands? Besides the dwarven stronghold in the

Ratn'gari Mountains and some surviving Jehsandi in the North, what is

there left of civilization? Did we leave a city standing. Is there

anything

there to support us?" Fadawah scratched his head. He wore a single

long

fall of hair and shaved the rest of his head, another sign of his

devotion

to the Emerald Queen's dark powers. "Tell any of the men who are

talking

this way that come spring, if they can find a ship and take it,

they're free

to leave." He looked off into space, as if seeing something in the

air. "I

want no one here who isn't ready to serve me. We're going to have a

serious fight on our hands."

"The Kingdom?"

Fadawah said, "You don't think they're going to sit idly by and not

attempt to regain their lands, do you?"

"No, but they were terribly mauled at Krondor and Darkmoor. The

prisoners tell us they don't have much of an army left to put in the

field."

the estate house of the Earl of Ylith, dead by all reports along with

the

Duke of Yabon and the Earl of LaMut. "If our information is right, we

face a boy up in LaMut." He rubbed his chin. "We need to take LaMut

as soon as the spring thaw begins, and I want Yabon in our grasp by

midsummer. " He smiled. "Send a message to the leader in Natal . . .

" He

turned to Kahil. "What's his title?"

"The First Councilor," supplied his Captain of Intelligence.

SHARDS OF A BROKEN CROWN

"Send the First Councilor our thanks for his hospitality in providing

billets for our men this winter, and send him some gold. A thousand

pieces

should do."

"A thousand?" asked Nordan.

"We have it. And we'll get more. Then withdraw our men and bring

them here." He looked at his old friend. "That will at least keep the

First

Councilor on our good side until we return to Natal, take and keep

it."

He pointed to the map. "I want Duko and his men down in Krondor

by then."

Nordan raised an eyebrow in curiosity.'

Fadawah said, "Duko makes me uneasy. He's an ambitious man."

He frowned. "It was only chance that put you and me first and second

on the Pantathian's roles, else we could be taking orders from Duko."

Nordan nodded. "But he's a good leader, and he's always obeyed

without question."

reoccupy

Krondor and move back toward the old battle line. What's that place?"

"Nightmare Ridge."

"Well named." Fadawah sighed. "I'm not a greedy man. Being King

of the Bitter Sea is enough. We'll let the Kingdom of the Isles keep

their

Darkmoor and the lands to the east." Then he smiled. "For now."

"But first we must retake Krondor."

Fadawah said, "No, first we must make them think

Krondor.

we want to retake

These Kingdom nobles are not stupid, they are not self-consumed

like those of our homeland." He remembered how shocked the

Priest-King of Lananda had been when Fadawah and his army had refused

to heed his order to leave his city. "These are smart men, duty-bound

men; they will come at us, and they will come hard. We must

expect that.

"No, let them think Krondor is the prize, and when they realize we

are firm in Yabon, perhaps they will negotiate, or perhaps not, but

either

way, once we have control of Yabon, we are here for good. Let Duko

get

punished lest he become ambitious."

Raymond E. ifeist

Nordan stood. "If you permit, I'll tell the men those who wish to

leave in the spring may."

Fadawah waved his permission.

your design in putting Nordan down in Sarth.

Fadawah said, "Design?"

Kahil leaned over, putting his arm around Fadawah's shoulder, and

he whispered, "Put all your disloyal commanders to the south, to

insure

that when the enemy exacts their price for our conquest, those we can

most afford to lose pay it."

Fadawah's eyes became unfocused, as if he was listening to something

in the distance. "Yes, that is wise."

Kahil said, "You need to surround yourself with those who can be

trusted, those who are loyal beyond a doubt. You need to return the

Immortals to a place of prominence."

"No!" said Fadawah. "Those madmen served dark powers-"

Kahil interrupted. "Not dark powers, Majesty, but vast powers. Powers

that can insure your rule not only in Yabon, but in Krondor, too."

"Krondor?" asked Fadawah.

Kahil clapped his hands twice, and the door swung open. Two warriors,

each with ritual scars on his cheeks that matched Fadawah's, entered,

and Kahil said, "Guard the King with your lives."

Fadawah repeated, "Krondor."

Kahil rose and departed, closing the door behind him. A faint smile

passed across his face before he turned and left upon his next task,

following

Nordan and marking those men for death who displayed even the

smallest hint of disloyalty.

Fadawah looked at the two soldiers and motioned for them to stand

away from him. The scars on their faces reminded him of the dark and

distant time he was caught up in the magic of the Emerald Queen and

the lost months when the demon had ruled her army. He hated feeling

used and would kill anyone who again attempted to use him as the

Emerald

Queen had.

He moved to the map on the wall and began to plan his spring

campaign.

the city, then knee deep mud stalled wagons carrying needed supplies.

Now it was icy again, but at least Dash was thankful there was

currently

no snow. The sky was clear, the late afternoon-sun hinting at

warmth that wasn't really there. Dash knew it was his mood as much as

the weather, but this particular winter seemed to have lasted longer

than

any in his young life.

The sounds of the city carried through the still, icy air as the day

wound down. With luck the new gate would be finished before sunset,

and an extra modicum of security would be added to the sum of things

that needed to be done yesterday.

Dash was tired, fatigued beyond anything he could remember in his

twenty years of life. Part of it was from the seemingly endless list

of things

that needed attention, and the rest was from worry; his brother Jimmy

was overdue.

Jimmy was acting the part of exploring officer, a scout behind enemy

lines. Prince Patrick of Krondor had decided to move hard and fast

against

a threat of Keshian expansion into the southern flank of the Kingdom

the spring. That meant that the retaking of lands lost during the

invasion

the previous summer would be left to Owen Greylock, Knight-Marshal of

Krondor, and Erik von Darkmoor, Knight-Captain of the Crimson Eagles,

an elite mobile force of handpicked men.

Which had meant the Prince needed information on what the invaders

were doing between Darkmoor and Krondor. And Jimmy had volunteered

to go see what was going on.

He was now three days overdue.

Dash had come to the edge of the patrolled area, a series of burned-

out

walls that marked the western edge of the foulbourgh of DI~oor.

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135798642Copyright(DRaymondE.Feist1998TheAuthorassertsthemoralrighttobeidentifiedastheauthorofthisworkAcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibraryISBN0002246546PrintedandboundinAustraliabyGriffinPressPtyLtd,Netley,SouthAustraliaAllrightsreserved.NOpartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,...

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