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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

Speeding through the air, the orbs of fire rolled over and over before striking the barges’ polished timbers in showers of sparks. Flame licked the decks in the wake of every salvo. The dragon riders swept over the nearest vessels and then flew up, choosing their next targets before descending once again.

More coiled flames shot from iron claws. An inferno soon raged below, following the harbor’s arc, as ship after ship was set aflame.

Palemon ordered his dragon to slow and hovered just above a barge’s deck, touching his sword to the rolled-up sailcloth horizontal to the mast. Bringing on his fury and channeling to his sword – the weapon he’d brought across the sea, once carried by Palemon the First – he felt savage triumph as the steel began to glow and then flame ignited the sailcloth. He climbed into the sky again, directing the dragon to fly on to the next ship.

He ignited three more and then ascended to a lofty height, watching as his magi rained their power onto the landing craft. They all knew not to leave a single vessel untouched, and he nodded in satisfaction, looking on as ship after ship blazed, checking along the line, scanning to see if any were missed. When Zara came to join him, he raised his sword again and the riders once more brought their dragons into a wedge formation.

Palemon smiled. The Ilean king, Kargan, may have powerful armies, but if he couldn’t transport them across the Shadrian Passage, he would never be able to attack Malakai by land.

Kargan would have no choice. He was a former naval commander. Ilea’s fleet was the largest in the world. He would come by sea.

And Palemon needed a fleet of his own.

He lifted his glowing sword and pointed back in the direction of Malakai.

36

36

Kargan, King of Kings, ruler of the Ilean Empire, paced the terrace outside his audience chamber, occasionally glancing out at the harbor, other times glaring at the towering man who stood with his hands hooked into his trousers, his broad face expressionless as always.

‘This is taking far too long,’ Kargan said. He swept his arms to indicate the sky, where just a handful of clouds drifted in the breeze. ‘Surely this is fair enough weather?’

‘The Shadrian Passage is windy,’ Javid said. ‘The general must choose his time, and make the crossing with care, or you will lose ships and, more importantly, men.’

‘I would gladly lose a barge or two if it meant we recaptured Malakai swiftly.’ Kargan’s eyes narrowed. ‘The treasury is running low. My soldiers get paid by the day. Do I need to explain the situation further?’

‘You think General Rhian is being overcautious?’ Javid asked.

Kargan scratched his beard. ‘It’s possible. Perhaps I should have given command to Dhuma. He showed leadership in bringing so many men home.’ He finally made a decision. ‘Time is running out. Come with me.’