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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

‘I will walk you back,’ he said. ‘There are some matters we must discuss.’ Her teacher spoke as he led her over the rocky ground. ‘Tell me, have you had any visions?’

‘Visions?’

‘Like flashes of memory, but things you haven’t experienced yourself. Images of the future.’

‘No.’ She shook her head emphatically. ‘Why?’

‘If you do, you must tell us.’

‘Visions of the future? You want to know if I can do the things the Oracle does?’

He hesitated. ‘Yes. The Oracle is very old, ancient in fact. The Source gives her the ability to live for many years, provided she does not leave her cave. But eventually she will die, and we hope that before that day comes, the gods will provide us with a replacement. This is one of the reasons we came for you. The abilities of the Oracle are akin to the fire within a sorcerer.’

‘I haven’t seen anything.’

‘If you do . . .’

‘I will tell you.’

His expression was inscrutable. ‘Good.’

13

13

The large galley bobbed in the waves as two sailors jumped into the water and hoisted Lord Philippos onto their shoulders, carrying him to the dry sand.

‘King?’ a soft feminine voice called from the vessel.

Dion turned to see a young woman of about his own age smiling as she gazed at him. He couldn’t help returning her bright smile; she could only be Philippos’s daughter, Isobel. She put her arms out imploringly.

‘Allow me,’ Dion murmured to the two bearers.

Leaving the shore and plunging into the shallows, he headed out into the water himself and took her offered hand, helping her glide into his arms. Easily carrying her slight weight to the shore, he set her gently down.

‘Thank you, King Dion.’

‘Welcome to my city, lady,’ Dion said.

‘I’m happy to be here.’

Isobel was slim and willowy, nearly as tall as him, with long blonde hair formed into a multitude of twists that cascaded down her back. Undeniably pretty, she had bright blue eyes, high cheekbones, and a small mouth, with a dimpled chin and a determined set to her sharp jaw. She wore a light-green chiton and a delicate gold necklace with a symbol of a dolphin.

As he drank in her features, she gave him another slight smile, lowering her gaze before moving away. Realizing he was staring, Dion tore his eyes off her and turned to greet her father.

Philippos, a wealthy Phalesian landowner, was young to be Isobel’s father – barely in his forties and a striking man, with his daughter’s high cheekbones, narrow face, and sharp-looking eyes. He had oiled dark hair, which suggested Isobel got her blonde hair from her mother, and wore a rich white tunic.

‘Lord Philippos,’ Dion said. ‘We are looking forward to hosting you in Xanthos. Everyone says you are the next first consul of Phalesia.’

Philippos grinned broadly and gave a small bow. ‘One can never say with elections.’