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Back Copper Chain Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. CONTENTS
  5. MAP
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

She helped Tharis drink her medicine and rubbed the old woman’s hands, feeling her own shoulders ache, but knowing she was bringing relief. Finally she heard footsteps and Eudora entered the small house.

‘I am sorry for being late, priestess. Lord Nilus was hosting another group of consuls.’ The pretty but careworn servant looked exhausted.

‘It’s fine,’ Sophia said without pausing. ‘She’s improving. Aren’t you, Tharis?’

‘It is better.’ The old woman nodded.

‘Thank you, priestess,’ Eudora said. She watched Sophia for a time. ‘I have some news. Something unusual happened two days ago.’

Sophia looked up sharply. ‘Something to do with my father?’

‘No . . . It was something else. A strange man visited Lord Nilus.’

‘Strange?’ Sophia asked. ‘In what way?’

‘A hunchback. Is that what it’s called?’ Eudora bent forward, ducking her head into her shoulders and stooping.

Sophia frowned. ‘I understand what you mean. Go on.’

‘He wore odd clothing: trousers and a tunic with buttons down the front. He was pale, with dark hair and thick eyebrows. He spoke with an accent I have never heard before.’

‘A foreigner?’ Sophia wondered what business he had with the first consul, but then her father had occasionally met with representatives from Tanus or Sarsica. ‘That’s not strange in itself. What did they discuss?’

‘He arrived late at night and asked to see Lord Nilus. He then said something to him, and suddenly Lord Nilus asked everyone to leave the villa, even the servants. We had to wait out on the terrace while they spoke. When his visitor left, Nilus seemed pleased.’ Eudora shrugged. ‘It was probably nothing.’

‘Probably,’ Sophia mused. ‘See what you can overhear. I’ll return next week.’

She didn’t want to read too much into it. But then again, anything that made Nilus pleased could be something to be worried about.

23

23

With just one week remaining until his wedding, Dion knew he should be focusing on the rituals and festivities, and the presentation of his new queen to his people, but instead all he could think about was the painting.

It was late at night, and he again stood in the banqueting hall, crouched in front of the wooden panel, staring at the dragons. He examined the distant glowing arch. The descendants of Aleuthea had returned and claimed Malakai, which was close to the site of the sunken city. What did it all portend?

‘Dion.’

He glanced up to see his tall, gray-haired uncle approaching. He was surprised to hear himself addressed by his first name, something Glaukos did only when he was being gravely serious.

When he saw Glaukos’s expression, Dion straightened, immediately concerned. His uncle’s face was as white as a sheet. In all the time he’d known him, Dion had never seen him look so disconcerted.

‘Dion . . .’ Glaukos said again. His mouth worked soundlessly.

‘Uncle?’ Dion rushed to his side. ‘What is it?’