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Back Oath of Fealty Save as PDF
Contents ( 92)
  1. What Has Gone Before
  2. CHAPTER ONE
  4. Vérella
  5. Duke’s Stronghold, North Marches, seven days later
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  8. CHAPTER THREE
  10. Vérella, the palace
  11. CHAPTER FOUR
  13. CHAPTER FIVE
  15. CHAPTER SIX
  17. Vérella, two days later
  18. CHAPTER SEVEN
  20. Chaya
  21. CHAPTER EIGHT
  23. CHAPTER NINE
  25. CHAPTER TEN
  27. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  29. CHAPTER TWELVE
  31. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  33. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  35. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  37. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  39. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  41. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  43. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  45. CHAPTER TWENTY
  47. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  49. Valdaire
  50. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  52. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  54. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  56. Chaya
  57. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  59. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  61. Cortes Vonja, Aarenis
  62. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  64. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  66. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  68. CHAPTER THIRTY
  70. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  72. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  74. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  76. Cortes Vonja
  77. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  79. Vérella
  80. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  82. Verrakai Holding
  83. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  85. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  87. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  89. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  91. CHAPTER FORTY

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Dorrin Verrakai rode into Harway at the head of her cohort, still wearing Phelan’s maroon and white. She had briefed Selfer on what she expected, and on what her new powers were. She told him what Paks and the Knight-Commander had said about the melding of her years of military experience with the magery, about Falk’s blessing. Selfer nodded, though he said little; she thought he was less worried than before about the magery. She repeated what she’d told Kieri, that in their last session, she had held an entire Field of Falk motionless at once and stopped arrows in flight so they hung in the air.

In the market square, forty Royal Guard Light Cavalry awaited her, all muffled in fur-lined cloaks against the cold. The commander introduced himself as Sir Valthan Destvaorn.

“My lord—lady Duke,” he said. “It is the prince’s wish that I give you his messages; I have arranged lodging for you and your soldiers.”

“Thank you,” Dorrin said. She did not dismount; it had been a hard, cold ride that day and she longed for a hot drink and something soft to sit on.

“Are these the same as battled for Duke—the king—on the way to Lyonya?” he asked.

“They are indeed,” Dorrin said.

He looked them over, his expression wary. “They are the former Duke’s troops, are they not? Mercenaries?”

“Indeed. And my cohort these many years. And at the moment, tired and cold, so let us proceed to lodging, where I will be pleased to explain more, if you wish.”

“Oh … certainly …” He wheeled his horse in line with hers and pointed with his crop. “That way, away from the river.”

The inn he had chosen was the largest, with ample stabling for their mounts and pack animals. Selfer took charge of settling the animals and the troops; Dorrin followed Sir Valthan into the common room and through to a private parlor.

As she hung up her cloak and warmed herself at the fire, he ordered in a pitcher of sib and sweet cakes hot from the oven.

“Since the prince wrote you,” he said, when he returned, “we have captured those Verrakaien in Vérella. You know the Duke and his brother who attended court there are dead. The kirgan and a younger boy are in custody, as well as those Verrakaien in the royal service, and a few others visiting in the homes of loyal lords. But we have not captured other Verrakaien we know of, and we do not have a complete list. We have blockaded the roads that enter Verrakai lands, but after the first attempt to enter and arrest those at Verrakai House resulted in loss of that patrol—”

“What happened?”

“We found bodies just inside Verrakai boundary stones,” Valthan said, grimacing. “And were ordered to wait until the new Duke—you—arrived before trying again. We’d heard all of Liart’s priests were killed in the battle you were in—”