“Alucius told me he loved me,” Alornis said, drawing his gaze. She held her blanket tight, blinking as the wind drove tears from her eyes, tracing across her pale skin like molten silver. “The freed slave came to me with a message, his last message. He said he loved me and begged forgiveness for not telling me sooner. He said he had done many things he regretted, but that was the worst. And he told me not to hate, Vaelin. He said there was sufficient hate in this world and he wanted to look at me from the Beyond and see at least one soul untouched by it. But I couldn’t … They killed him, and I hated them, and I burned them.”
“You did what we all did, sister,” he said. “You, the queen, Reva, Frentis … Alucius and Caenis … The woman I would have married. We won a war that needed winning.”
He looked down at the stone and withdrew his hand. His thoughts were full of many things as he raised the hammer, many faces, some gone, some still living, all changed or damaged. He thought of the battles he had fought and the brothers he had lost, and he thought of Dahrena. You are my Beyond now. For me to endure, so must you.
The first blow drove the central peg deep enough to split the stone down to its base. It fell apart, thumping heavily onto the deck. He raised the hammer and brought it down, again and again, heaving with tireless fury as a cloud of black dust rose around him. Some drifted away on the wind but for the most part it settled into a pile on the deck, glittering in the fast rising sun. When the last fragment had been pounded to powder he ordered it all gathered up in the canvas and cast over the side. The stain of it roiled their wake, lingering for only seconds before fading completely as they sailed on, carried home by the westerly winds.
APPENDIX
Dramatis Personae
THE UNIFIED REALM
The Court of Queen Lyrna Al Nieren
Lyrna Al Nieren—Queen of the Unified Realm
Iltis Al Adral—Sword of the Realm, Lord Protector of the Queen’s Person
Benten Al Grey Gull—Sword of the Realm, Protector of the Queen’s Person
Orena Al Vardrian—lady to the queen
Murel Al Harten—lady to the queen
Hollun—brother of the Fourth Order and Keeper of the Queen’s Purse
The Queen’s Host
Vaelin Al Sorna—Tower Lord of the Northern Reaches and Battle Lord of the Queen’s Host
Alornis Al Sorna—artist and sister to Vaelin, later Lady Artificer to Queen Lyrna
Dahrena Al Myrna—First Counsel to the North Tower
Caenis Al Nysa—brother of the Sixth Order, Sword of the Realm and Lord Marshal of the Thirty-fifth Regiment of Foot; later Aspect of the Seventh Order
Count Marven—commander of the Nilsaelin contingent of the Queen’s Host
Adal Zenu—captain of the North Guard, later Lord Marshal and Sword of the Realm
Kehlan—healer and brother of the Fifth Order
Orven Al Melna—captain of the Third Company, King’s Mounted Guard; later Lord Marshal and Sword of the Realm, husband to Insha ka Forna
Insha ka Forna (Steel in Moonlight)—Eorhil warrior, wife to Orven
Harlick—brother of the Seventh Order, Archivist of the North Tower; later First Librarian to the Great Library of the Unified Realm
Nortah Al Sendahl—friend to Vaelin, later Lord Marshal of the Queen’s Daggers and Sword of the Realm
Sanesh Poltar—war chief to the Eorhil Sil
Wisdom—sage elder to the Eorhil Sil
Ultin—mine foreman at Reaver’s Gulch, later captain of the First Battalion of the Army of the North
Davern—shipwright and sergeant in the Army of the North, later Master of the Queen’s Yard
Furelah—guardswoman in the Queen’s Daggers
Atheran Ell-Nestra—Meldenean sea captain and Shield of the Isles, later Fleet Lord to Queen Lyrna
Carval Ell-Nurin—Ship Lord and captain of the Red Falcon
Cara—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point
Lorkan—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point
Marken—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point
Weaver—gifted resident of Nehrin’s Point
Cumbrael
Reva Mustor—Lady Governess of Cumbrael
Lady Veliss—Honoured Counsel to the Lady Governess
Arentes Varnor—Lord Commander of the City Guard
Bren Antesh—Lord Commander of Archers
The Reader—leader of the Church of the World Father
Ellese Brahdor—orphan and ward of the Lady Governess
Allern Varesh—guardsman to House Mustor
Varinshold
Darnel Linel—Fief Lord of Renfael, Volarian vassal
Alucius Al Hestian—poet, friend to Alornis and Vaelin, son to Lakrhil
Lakrhil Al Hestian—father to Alucius, Battle Lord to Darnel
Elera Al Mendah—Aspect of the Fifth Order
Dendrish Hendrahl—Aspect of the Third Order
Mirvek Korvin—commander of the Volarian garrison
Twenty-Seven—Kuritai, guard to Alucius
Cresia—sister of the Seventh Order
Inehla—sister of the Seventh Order
Rhelkin—brother of the Seventh Order
Renfaelin Border
Frentis—brother of the Sixth Order, friend to Vaelin, known as the Red Brother
Davoka—warrior of the Black River Clan, Servant of the Mountain, friend to Lyrna, fighter in the Red Brother’s company
Sollis—sword-master and Brother Commander of the Sixth Order
Rensial—horse-master and brother of the Sixth Order
Hughlin Banders—knight and Baron of Renfael
Ulice—illegitimate daughter to Banders
Arendil—son to Ulice and Darnel, heir to Fief Lordship of Renfael, fighter in the Red Brother’s company
Ermund Lewen—knight and chief retainer to Banders
Draker—former outlaw, fighter in the Red Brother’s company
Illian Al Jervin—escaped slave and fighter in the Red Brother’s company
Thirty-Four—former numbered slave and torturer, fighter in the Red Brother’s company
Ivern—brother of the Sixth Order, stationed at the Skellan Pass
Slasher—faith-hound and friend to Frentis
Blacktooth—faith-hound and friend to Illian
Others
Wise Bear—shaman to the Bear People
Kiral—Lonak huntress of the Black River Clan and sister to Davoka
Alturk—Lonak Tahlessa of the Grey Hawk Clan
Verniers Alishe Someren—Imperial Chronicler to the court of Emperor Aluran
Belorath—Meldenean captain of the Sea Sabre
Lekran—warrior of the Rotha, later fighter in the Red Brother’s company
THE ALPIRAN EMPIRE
Aluran Maxtor Selsus—Emperor
Emeren Nasur Ailers—former ward to the Emperor
Iveles Maxtor Seliesen—son to Emeren
Neliesen Nester Hevren—captain in the Imperial Guard
Merulin Nester Velsus—Imperial Prosecutor
Horon Nester Everen—High Commander of Imperial Forces
Raulen—gaoler to the palace dungeons
THE VOLARIAN EMPIRE
Arklev Entril—member of the Volarian Ruling Council, holder of the Treasurer’s Seat
Lorvek Irlav—member of the Volarian Ruling Council, holder of the Slaver’s Seat
Varulek Tovrin—Master of the Great Volarian Arena and Overseer of Garisai
Lieza—slave
Hirkran of the Red Axe—champion to the Othra mountain tribe
THE ICE
Whale Killer—leader of the Wolf People, husband to Many Wings
Many Wings—shamaness to the Wolf People, wife to Whale Killer
Astorek Anvir, also “Long Knife”—shaman to the
Wolf People, adopted son of Whale Killer and Many Wings