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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

‘We’ll begin with three days and then we’ll see.’

‘Three days . . . Three days . . .’ she mused, before calling behind her again. ‘Goran! Where’s that tea?’

‘I said I’m coming!’

‘Where are you from?’ She rubbed her chin, pondering. ‘I can’t place your accents.’

‘From Myana,’ Chloe said.

‘The Sarsican capital? By Helios, that’s a long way away. Travel by ship, did you? What brings you to Malakai’—her brow creased slightly—‘all alone?’

‘We’re both merchant’s daughters,’ Chloe said. ‘Traveling with our fathers. I’m Chloe, this is Liana.’ She couldn’t see any harm in using their real names; no one knew them in Malakai. ‘We’ve had enough of sleeping aboard, so we convinced our fathers to let us stay in the city while they conduct their business.’ She smiled. ‘They’ll be checking up on us now and then.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’ The plump woman harrumphed.

She appraised them for a time, looking at Chloe and then studying Liana. She peered into Liana’s face, her eyes widening slightly, and then a man entered with a tray bearing two cups of steaming tea.

Goran was the woman’s opposite: skinny and elegantly dressed, with thinning hair and a sharp nose. He cast a quick glance at his new guests, but kept his head down, obviously subservient, patiently holding out the tray.

‘My husband always takes his time,’ the woman said with a smile and a shrug. ‘Here you go.’ She passed a cup of tea to each of them. ‘Now, my name is Madam Tomkin. May I ask how you plan to pay?’

Chloe handed Madam Tomkin one of her Phalesian silver eagles. Moving to stand in the light, the woman examined the coin.

‘Yes, this will do fine. Fine, fine.’ The plump woman hesitated. ‘Listen, I don’t mean to speak out of turn, but the city can be a dangerous place these days, especially for foreigners.’ She nodded at Chloe. ‘You’ll fit in all right.’ She then looked meaningfully at Liana. ‘But your friend might want to stay in her room.’

Chloe and Liana exchanged glances. ‘Thank you,’ Chloe said. ‘We’ll take your advice.’

‘Glad to hear it.’ Madam Tomkin brightened. ‘Now, make yourselves at home. My house is yours. Take your time. Finish your tea. My husband will then show you your room.’

38

38

Kyphos entered the audience chamber to find Palemon brooding and staring out the window, hands clasped behind his back as he pondered the empty blue canvas of the sea.

‘Sire.’

‘Eh?’ Palemon spoke without taking his eyes off the horizon. ‘What is it?’

‘I have something for you.’