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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

Dion sighed, but he nodded. ‘I’ll give them a proper welcome.’

With so much to attend to in Xanthos, perhaps Cob had been right and he shouldn’t have gone in person to Malakai.

But something told him that he hadn’t seen the last of King Palemon.

11

11

Palemon sat on the ebony throne while Kyphos stood beside him. Gathered around them, dressed in a motley array of pelts from the great cats, were the seven clan leaders who’d helped capture Malakai. They’d all become rich men after their conquest of the city, but then the news came that they’d all been expecting.

‘Word is that the king of Ilea is amassing a huge army,’ Alfad said. A dark-skinned warrior with ritual scars on his face, he was the leader of Clan Matanu, and generally spoke for the group. ‘How can we hold out against such a strong force?’

The other clan leaders nodded gravely.

Palemon leaned forward, sweeping his gaze over the assembled headmen. ‘Have you forgotten the wind summoned by the sorceress? Since then, with access to the city’s resources, we have constructed more weapons of silver, copper, and iron for the dozen sorcerers she leads. Believe me when I say that you have seen only a small part of what our magi are capable of. Not only do we have the gods on our side, but each of our warriors is worth a hundred of Ilea’s.’ He spoke with certainty. ‘No matter how many men they have, we will defeat them.’

‘King Palemon . . .’ Alfad hesitated. ‘We would like your permission to return to our wives, daughters, and mothers in the desert.’

Kyphos spoke up. ‘You all gave your oaths to serve your king.’

‘And we intend to fulfill our oaths,’ Alfad said. ‘Of course we do. There are a dozen more tribes who will now join us. We can return with hundreds more warriors.’

‘And tell me, Alfad,’ Kyphos said. ‘This return. Will it take place before or after the arrival of the Ileans?’

‘We will return as soon as we can,’ Alfad said, spreading his hands. A chorus of assent from the other clan leaders greeted his words. ‘We will remain only long enough to check on our families and organize a meeting of headmen.’

Kyphos glared at Alfad. ‘You didn’t answer my quest—’

‘I will grant your request. You may leave,’ Palemon interrupted.

Kyphos scowled, but he didn’t open his mouth. Where Zara concerned herself with magic, it was his role to worry about their fighting forces.

‘Thank you, King Palemon.’ Alfad bowed, and the other six clan leaders all bowed, smiling and murmuring their appreciation. ‘We will return as soon as we can.’

‘I understand,’ Palemon said. ‘Go, all of you. Go with my blessing. Take your plunder with you.’

‘Great King . . . Thank you.’

Palemon waved them away.

As soon as the clan leaders had left, Kyphos’s eyes narrowed. ‘Sire, we need them.’