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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

The city of Verai, capital of Shadria, was larger and far more sprawling than Malakai. It grew from a hazy collection of manmade structures to a thriving metropolis of ziggurats and temples, with perfectly formed canals surrounded by markets and houses, and palm groves seeming to fill every vacant space. Palemon saw a great curved harbor opening up onto the Shadrian Passage, and then he noticed something that made him frown. He ordered the dragon to fly toward it.

He was now low enough that there was little chance his winged steed would be mistaken for a bird, but his thoughts were far from the reaction in Verai as a dragon swooped overhead. He’d seen something worth investigating. Circling over the bustling city, slowly descending, he peered down as the slanted rays of the setting sun cast a reddish glow on the land below and the shoreline of the harbor came sharply into view.

Palemon scanned the long beach, where dozens upon dozens of landing barges rested side by side. Workers and crews scurried about, apparently preparing the vessels for departure. His intuition told him that only something momentous would cause so many landing craft to make preparations at once.

A worker dropped the barrel he was carrying and pointed up. Soon everyone was staring up at the dragon, transfixed at the sight of this magnificent black-winged creature soaring just a few hundred feet above.

Back up! Palemon ordered. Take me across the passage.

He felt pressure push him down into his seat as the dragon’s wings pounded the air, climbing the sky until it was flying just below the pillow-like clouds. Leaving Verai behind, Palemon watched the ripples of ocean waves speeding past. It took time to cross the water, and he could sense the dragon flagging, its thoughts becoming filled with despair and exhaustion, but he ordered it on regardless.

A new stretch of barren coastline took form: the land of Ilea. Palemon was approaching the far side of the Shadrian Passage. Hugging the shore was a dark mass, like a congregation of ants.

Take me closer.

Palemon kept his distance as he soared overhead, but he knew without a doubt that he was looking at an army. Ilean orange-and-yellow banners snapped in the breeze; the colors were everywhere, and the army encampment was immense. Lean galleys bobbed on the waves, ready to carry the commanders’ orders to Verai. Several men paced the rocky shoreline, making plans and gazing to the west expectantly. The landing barges would come any day.

And Palemon knew what the Ilean king, Kargan, wanted. He wanted to regain the city that Palemon had claimed as his own.

That’s enough, Palemon commanded. Back to Malakai.

32

32

Chloe struggled to hold onto the plank, wondering how much time had passed, wondering when her strength would give out.