Chapters (44)
- Cover
- OTHER BOOKS BY STEPHEN R. DONALDSON
- Dedication
- PROLOGUE
- PART ONE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- PART TWO
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- PART THREE
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- PART FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- EPILOGUE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- What’s next onyour reading list?
When the King heard Magister Avail speak in his mind, he knew that he had done enough for Amika. Instead, he had a new problem. Rile’s unnatural servants had crossed from Amika into Belleger, hundreds or thousands of them. Bifalt now had a third army to face, and he did not have enough men to meet even one of them.
According to Magister Avail, the fanged strangers had massed near Belleger’s northern border, apparently waiting for new orders. That was fortunate. Bifalt would not have to contrive an immediate response. And the hundreds or thousands of invaders were far to the east. Perhaps they waited to support Rile’s march on the library. Whatever their purpose, they would not endanger the evacuation of the Open Hand.
Rubbing his forehead, King Bifalt put the fanged horde out of his mind. He had more immediate concerns.
General Klamath had returned to the Open Hand a day after King Bifalt. On his ride to the city, Klamath had passed Second Captain Hegels and his collection of Magisters: nearly fifty wielders of wind and drought. The General and Hegels had spoken at length. When Klamath reached Belleger’s Fist, he was able to assure Bifalt that Hegels understood his task.
After that, the King and General Klamath saw little of each other. The readiness and supply of the army, and the reports from First Captain Matt in the south, consumed Klamath’s attention. To avoid a duty that daunted him, King Bifalt concentrated on the efforts to prepare the Open Hand for its defense and evacuation.
Some of those tasks belonged to the Land-Captain. Erepos was having wagons made as fast as the carpenters and wheelwrights could work. Bifalt intended to empty the city of food, leaving nothing that would serve the enemy. The more perishable provisions would go to Amika to help feed the sudden influx of Bellegerins. The staples along with mountains of winter gear would be sent eastward for the army on its way to the library.
When the King was satisfied with the Land-Captain’s progress, he spent a while watching Prince Lome’s beleaguered efforts to organize the flight of the city’s inhabitants. Supported by Malder’s armor, weapons, and weight of muscle, Lome was having some success despite his bitterness. Bifalt moved on.