The Uncrowned King Read online

  “THE CHOSEN ARE SCATTERED. . . .

  I can only find Torvan; the rest are dead or blind or deaf. He says, ‘Why did you have to leave?’ and I feel it, the weight of those words, and he grabs my hand and drags me to The Terafin’s Council chambers.

  “She’s dead. There are three knives in her body and she lies across the Council table. Gabriel looks up when I enter the room; there is fighting, of course, the war for succession. He is aloof from it, but bleeding anyway. And he says, ‘You left her to die.’

  “The Terafin sits up. Her eyes are dead eyes. Her wounds don’t bleed. And her voice—it’s not her voice. Her head rolls awkwardly on her shoulders as she turns in my direction. She says, ‘Another lesson. The hardest lesson. There will be blood on your hands no matter what you choose.

  “‘There will always be blood on your hands. Glory in it, or weep at it, as you choose—but when you choose who must die, choose wisely.’

  “And before I can answer, before I can ask a question, she gestures and the—and the—city rises.”

  “The Shining City.” Avandar’s voice.

  “Yes. And the screaming starts. . . .”

  The Finest in Fantasy from MICHELLE WEST

  THE SUN SWORD:

  THE BROKEN CROWN (Book One)

  THE UNCROWNED KING (Book Two)

  THE SHINING COURT (Book Three)

  SEA OF SORROWS (Book Four)

  THE RIVEN SHIELD (Book Five)

  THE SUN SWORD (Book Six)

  THE SACRED HUNT:

  HUNTER’S OATH (Book One)

  HUNTER’S DEATH (Book Two)

  The

  Uncrowned King

  The Sun Sword: Book Two

  Michelle West

  DAW BOOKS, INC.

  DONALD A. WOLLHEIM, FOUNDER

  375 Hudson Street. New York. NY 10014

  ELIZABETH R. WOLLHEIM

  SHEILA E. GILBERT

  PUBLISHERS

  Copyright © 1998 by Michelle Sagara.

  All Rights Reserved.

  Cover art by Jody Lee.

  For color prints of Jody Lee’s paintings, please contact:

  The Cerridwen Enterprise

  P.O. Box 10161

  Kansas City, MO 64111

  Phone: 1-800-825-1281

  DAW Book Collectors No. 1097.

  DAW Books are distributed by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious.

  Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

  First Printing, September, 1998

  DAW TRADEMARK REGISTERED

  U.S. PAT. OFF. AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES

  —MARCA REGISTRADA

  HECHO EN U.S.A.

  This is for my mother and my father,

  because I don’t say thank you often enough.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Sheila Gilbert has been patient above and beyond the call of duty for this book. It was late and although I plead unusual circumstances, it certainly wasn’t her fault.

  The usual suspects were also extremely helpful—and I’d particularly like to thank Kate Elliott and Tanya Huff because it’s always nice (my penchant for understatement is showing here) to have someone to call when I’ve hit the middle-of-the-book-and-I-hate-every-word stretch of the novel.

  Annagarian Ranks

  Tyr’agar

  Ruler of the Dominion

  Tyr’agnate

  Ruler of one of the five Terreans of the Dominion

  Tyr

  The Tyr’agar or one of the four Tyr’agnate

  Tyran

  Personal bodyguard (oathguard) of a Tyr

  Tor’agar

  A noble in service to a Tyr

  Tor’agnate

  A noble in service to a Tor’agar; least of noble ranks

  Tor

  A Tor’agar or Tor’agnate

  Toran

  Personal bodyguard (oathguard) of a Tor

  Ser

  A clansman

  Serra

  The primary wife and legitimate daughters of a clansman

  kai

  The holder or first in line to the clan title

  par

  The brother of the first in line; the direct son of the title holder

  Dramatis Personae

  ESSALIEYAN

  AVANTARI (The Palace)

  The Royals

  King Reymalyn: the Justice-born King

  King Cormalyn: the Wisdom-born King

  Queen Marieyan (an’Cormalyn)

  Queen Siodonay The Fair (an’Reymalyn)

  Prince Reymar: son of the Queen Siodonay & Reymaris

  Prince Cormar: son of the Queen Mareiyan & Cormaris

  Princess Mirialyn ACormaris: daughter of Queen Marieyan & King Cormalyn

  The Non-Royals

  Duvari: the Lord of the Compact; leader of the Astari

  Devon ATerafin: member of the Astari and of House Terafin

  Commander Sivari: former King’s Champion (at the Summer Games)

  The Hostages

  Ser Valedan kai di’Leonne (Raverra): the heir to the Sword of The Dominion

  Serra Marlena en’Leonne: Valedan’s mother; born a slave; granted honorific “Serra” because her son has been recognized and claimed as legitimate

  Ser Fillipo par di’Callesta (Averda): brother to the Tyr’agnate of Averda

  Serra Tara di’Callesta: his Serra

  Michaele di’Callesta: oldest son

  Frederick di’Callesta: youngest son

  Andrea en’Callesta: his concubine

  Ser Kyro di’Lorenza (Sorgassa): the oldest of the hostages

  Serra Helena di’Lorenza: the only wife he has; he has taken no others

  Ser Gregori di’Lorenza: his son

  Ser Mauro di’Garradi (Oerta)

  Serra Alina di’Lamberto (Mancorvo)

  Imperial Army

  The Eagle: Commander Bruce Allen. Commands the First Army

  The Hawk: Commander Berriliya. Commands the Second Army

  The Kestrel: Commander Kalakar. Commands the Third Army & the Ospreys

  THE TEN:

  Kalakar

  Ellora: The Kalakar.

  Verrus Korama: her closest friend and counselor

  Verrus Vernon Loris: friend and counselor

  The Ospreys:

  Primus Duarte: leader

  Alexis (Sentrus or Decarus)

  Auralis (Sentrus or Decarus)

  Fiara (Sentrus)

  Cook (Sentr
us)

  Sanderson (Decarus)

  Berriliya

  Devran: The Berriliya

  Terafin

  Amarais: The Terafin

  Morretz: her Domicis

  Jewel ATerafin: part of her House Council; also seer-born

  Avandar: Jewel’s Domicis

  THE ORDER OF KNOWLEDGE

  Meralonne APhaniel: Member of the Council of the Magi; first circle mage

  Sigurne Mellifas: Member of the Council of the Magi; first circle mage

  SENNIEL COLLEGE

  Solran Marten: Bardmaster of Senniel College

  Kallandras: Master Bard of Senniel

  ANNAGAR

  The Tor Leonne

  General Allesso par di’Marente - par to Corano; General to the former Tyr

  General Baredan kai di’Navarre: General to the former Tyr; loyal to Leonne.

  Widan Cortano di’Alexes: the Sword’s Edge

  Lord Isladar of the kin: the link between the Shining Court and the Dominion

  THE CLANS

  Callesta

  Ramiro kai di’Callesta: the Tyr

  Karro di Callesta: Tyran; half-brother (concubine’s son); the oldest of the Tyran

  Mikko di Callesta: Tyran; half-brother (concubine’s son)

  Garrardi

  Eduardo kai di’Garrardi: the Tyr’agnate of the Terrean of Oerta

  Lamberto

  Mareo kai di’Lamberto: the Tyr’agnate of Mancorvo

  Serra Donna en’Lamberto: his Serra

  Galen kai di’Lamberto: the kai (former par)

  Leonne

  Markaso kai di’Leonne: the Tyr’agar

  Serra Amanita en’Leonne: the Tyr’agar’s Serra

  Illara kai di’Leonne: the heir

  Serra Diora en’Leonne: also Serra Diora di’Marano

  Ser Illara’s concubines:

  Faida en’Leonne: Oathwife to Diora

  Ruatha en’Leonne: Oathwife to Diora

  Dierdre en’Leonne: Oathwife to Diora

  Lorenza

  Jarrani kai di’Lorenza: the Tyr’agnate of Sorgassa

  Hectore kai di’Lorenza: the kai

  Marano

  Adano kai di’Marano: Tor’agar to Mareo kai di’Lamberto

  Sendari par di’Marano: his brother; Widan

  Serra Fiona en’Marano: Sendari’s wife

  Ser Artano: Sendari’s oldest son

  Serra Diora di’Marano: Sendari’s only child by his first wife

  Sendari’s concubines:

  Alana en’Marano: the oldest of Sendari’s wives

  Illana en’Marano

  Illia en’Marano

  Lissa en’Marano: given to the healer-born

  Serra Teresa di’Marano: sister to Adano and Sendari

  Caveras

  Ser Laonis di’Caveras: healer-born; his wife is Lissa en’Caveras.

  THE RADANN

  Radann Fredero kai el’Sol: the ruler of the Radann

  Jevri el’Sol: his loyal servitor

  Radann Samiel par el’Sol: youngest of the Hand of God

  Radann Peder par el’Sol

  Marakas par el’Sol: contemporary of Fredero

  Samadar par el’Sol: the oldest of the par el’Sol

  THE VOYANI

  Arkosa

  Evallen of the Arkosa Voyani: the woman who ruled the Voyani clan

  Margret of the Arkosa Voyani: her chosen “heir”

  Havalla

  Yollana of the Havalla Voyani: ruler of the clan

  AIDAN: I

  8th of Lattan, 427 AA

  Averalaan, Hundred Holdings

  Men were fighting in the distance.

  It made the people who trudged their way to and from the Common, laden with baskets and awkward panniers, stop a moment beneath the cover of the trees for which the holdings were famous. Those trees towered at a height great enough to give little relief from sun’s light this early in the day, and they were as thick around the base as a small knot of men, which meant they were easy enough to hide behind. That no one did said more about the demands of the festival season than anyone’s bravery.

  Swordplay was something to stay clear of, no question.

  An older woman shouted into the thick of the crowd. Aidan recognized her, although he didn’t know her name; he bought the odd curiosity from her in the Common when he had money. These days, though, that was never.

  A tall man made his way through the crowd at the sound of her hawkish voice, and this man, Aidan did know; he was Primus Telarus of the magisterial guards, a regular man with slightly broader shoulders and a squarer jaw than most, but with gray hair that grew in a fringe around what was otherwise almost black. Like his dad, except for the hair.

  “Over there,” the woman said. “Can’t you hear it? There’s swords being used!”

  Primus Telarus bent down, said something to the woman. Made her angrier, from the look of it, but a lot less frightened.

  “Damned foreigners, who do they think they are? There are rules in this city!”

  Whoever they were, they kept on fighting.

  Magisterial guards, in the streets in somewhat larger numbers than usual because of the approaching Festival season, didn’t even blink an eye. Whatever the swordplay was, they knew about it, and they didn’t much care. The Common’s regular merchants were made skittish by the influx of cartwheeling hawkers and peddlers, keen to stake claim to good ground as the travelers—and they were legion—made their way to Averalaan for the Kings’ Challenge. The magisterians were here to prevent the skittishness from developing into something uglier and more permanent. People were decent when it was easy to be decent, and when it was hard—well, that’s what guards were for.

  That they didn’t blink twice at the sound of swordplay probably meant that someone had gotten a permit for it. You had to have a lot of money for that, but at this time of year, there was money in plenty to be found—in everyone’s pockets but Aidan’s. It was the Challenge season. Merchants from as far away as the Dominion’s deserts on one side, the winter principalities on the other, came in droves, almost like the cattle that was sold and traded for in the Common.

  You could see people tossing sharp daggers in a circle that started and ended with their hands; you could see them sword-dancing; you could see them throwing torches, lit with orange fire; hells, you could see them eating fire, here. Off the thoroughfare, which was as wide as any in the hundred holdings, there were tents and wagons—old wagons, fine as the best carpenters and wainwrights together could make—and in them, the future waited, if you had the coin. ’Course, if you didn’t, men with bigger muscles than brains waited instead, and usually in a bad temper; Aidan strayed close enough to admire the wagons, but not close enough to be noticed—and in this crowd, that was actually fairly easy.

  The Challenge festival was in the air, in the smell of food and ale and sweat. But the air carried other things as well: voices as perfect as those of the bards of Senniel College, and often Morniel College as well—the Morniel bards were known to be fond of ale over fine wine, good company over the gatherings of the pretentious patriciate.

  You could hear almost anything if you listened hard enough. Even swords. Especially swords.

  Aidan knew it was high summer, and he knew that the champions would soon be here, to try their luck, and then their skill, in a test the Kings set. He glanced at the shadows on the ground, then slapped himself on the forehead; there weren’t any that he could easily see. No one could, there were too many feet in the way. Still, sun was low across the eastern sky. Morning, mid-morning at the latest. Tomorrow was when they’d start. The tents were up in the Common—he could see the poles and
the flags, but he wasn’t allowed anywhere near the tents themselves. No one was.

  Kings’ guards were all over the place, securing this and that and barking out orders as if they were selling them. The magisterians didn’t much like it, and Aidan couldn’t say he blamed them; having a bunch of people whose only real claim to power seemed to be an extra sword up either side of a magisterial crest suddenly become top dog in your holding—well, he couldn’t see liking it all that much either.

  But he wasn’t a magisterian; he was just Aidan, and this was the best time of the year, even with the heat. Because—there, there in the distance—there was fighting. Clearer than bard’s song.

  Of course, he couldn’t actually see the fight, not yet; he approached it, breath held, feet light against stone and packed dirt. He didn’t need vision to know it was something tremendous—a clash of long steel swords, slide of metal against metal that daggers were too short for, a silence that was free from the sounds of anger, of ugliness. You couldn’t drink and fight like that. You couldn’t just swing a large fist, pick up a ladle or a tureen, lash out with a heavy foot. Swords like that meant you had to be special. He knew it. He’d seen it before.

  Seen it when he was younger, before his father’s foot had gotten trapped by a turning wheel in one of the wainwright’s wagons and gotten all twisted up. Had twisted him all up.

  It hadn’t been so long that he couldn’t remember when his father had been a whole man, when his strength had gone into moving things, lifting things, learning to make them.

  But it had been long enough that the memory of the one man, strong and certain and silent, made the reality seem so much worse. If you started out at the bottom, the bottom was all you knew. But if you fell, it was different. Hurt more, for one. And things had been good. They had.

  I won’t be like that. Something bad happens to me, and I won’t be like that. I’ll just die. I’ll die first. Aidan couldn’t understand why people were so afraid of dying. You went to Mandaros, is all. Everyone who ever listened to one of the Mother’s priestesses knew it. His mother had known it too. She hadn’t been afraid of death.