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“So noill be your song, as the Mahlessa commands”

“And what does she coreat distance, far to the east It’s a very old tune, and very lonely, sung by a man who cannot die, a man you have met”

“His nae of a boy who once offered him shelter froe”

Erlin It all tu into the stored face when he came to share the truth about Davern’s father Erlin, Rellis, Hetril, he’s got a hundred naun with only one That day at the fair as he stared at the puppet show“Kerlis,” he said in a whisper “Kerlis the Faithless Cursed to the ever death for denying the Departed”

“A legend,” Kiral said “My people have another story They tell of a man who offended Mirshak, God of the Black Lands, and was cursed to craft a story without ending”

“You knohere to find hi is bright with purpose when it touches hi whatever co that stole my body”

“Where?”

Her scar twisted as she gave an apologetic grimace “Across the ice”

CHAPTER THREE

Frentis

She pauses to survey the Council before taking her seat, twenty men in fine red robes seated around a perfectly circular table The council cha been hauled to this height by the strength of a hundred slaves working the intricate pulleys that trace the length of this h they are, no Council- soformalities as Arklev intones the for of this, the eight hundred and twenty-fifth year of the e aith their unnatural speed as he drones on, introducing each member in turn, until finally he comes to her

“and newly ascended to the Slaver’s Seat, Council, ah, Woman”

“I am to be recorded as silance at the scribes

Arklev falters for a moment but recovers with admirable fortitude “As you wish Now, to our first order of business”

“The only order of business,” she interrupts “The war This council has no other business until it is concluded”

Another Council-man stirs, a silver-haired dullard whose name she can’t trouble herself to recall “But, there are pressing matters froht,” she says “Crops fail and people starve Have any surplus slaves killed to husband supplies until it abates All very sad but survivable, our current ins, “the invasion has not progressed according to plan”

“It’s been a“That preening dolt Tokrev orchestrated his own death and defeat with more efficiency than any of his victories Sorry about your sister by the way”

“My sister yet lives and I have no doubt as to her facility for continued survival And we still hold their capital”

“No” She reaches out to pluck a grape fro the sweetness Although not entirely to her liking, this shell does possess an io, we don’t Mirvek lies dead along with his command The Unified Realm is lost to us”

She enjoys the shocked silence aledy,” one of thely youthful appearance She reo, husband to soht to ask if the e was a success

“But,” the handsorace of defeat is hard to bear, surely this ather strength, await a suitable opportunity to launch another attempt”