'I suppose you worked that out right away.' Feeling a little stupid, Bran resolved not to ask any more questions.
'Alas no,' said Talus. 'Throughout this whole affair my heels have dragged in the dirt. The years have made me slow, Bran, so slow that I missed my own chance to make right the past.'
'Ah—this is about you and Mishina, isn't it?'
'Are you asking me to tell you my tale now, Bran?'
'You promised you would. "Before we next make landfall," you said.'
Talus put down his paddle and took up station in the prow. The dugout wallowed in the sea's heavy swell, but the outriggers kept it stable. The boat was fast and light, responsive to Bran's every move. He'd already fallen in love with it.
'Indeed I did. But, if I begin, will I be able to finish? It is a long story, Bran. I want to be sure you will still be here for the end.'
'What do you mean?'
'Think back to that night on the clifftop when we first looked down on Creyak. You told me you wanted to turn back. You told me you wanted to go home.'
'I suppose I did.'
'Is that how you feel now?'
'No.'
'Then I will ask you this.' He turned to face Bran. His face was the same gold as the shingle on the beach. 'Do you still wish to come with me to the top of the world, where the northlight touches the snow and many strange things may be possible?'
Bran tried to imagine this faraway place that Talus had described to him so many times before. But all he could conjure was the red glow of Lethriel's hair floating in the darkness of the cave. He thought about the story he'd told her there: a tale of lost love and falling stars. His story.
'More than ever before,' he whispered.
'Then ask me once again the question you asked on the cliff.' Bran had to think hard. He remembered the dying fire, and the distant screams from the island. He remembered the northlight fading from the sky.
Finally he remembered what he'd said.
'Is it true that love survives death?'
Talus smoothed his scalp with the palm of his hand and gazed at the crisp northern horizon.
About the Author
Graham Edwards was born in England near Glastonbury Tor and now lives in Nottingham (it wasn’t such a big leap from King Arthur to Robin Hood). His formative years were spent on England’s Jurassic Coast making disturbing Super-8 films. And drawing spaceships. And writing. Art college in London led to a career as a graphic designer and animator. He’s also worked as a scriptwriter and multimedia producer for theme parks and visitor centres.
Graham’s first novel Dragoncharm was directly inspired by Watership Down. If Richard Adams could write an epic adventure about rabbits, why not do the same for dragons? Dragoncharm and its sequels all received nominations for Best Novel in the British Fantasy Awards. Later novels include Stone & Sky, in which Graham explores the dizzying heights of a world-sized wall, travels in time and plays with fairies.
Graham’s short fiction has been published in US magazines and collected for various anthologies. One of the stories – Girl in Pieces – made the longlist for the Nebula Awards. The String City Mysteries, a series of novelettes about a hard-boiled detective who just happens to work in a parallel dimension, is currently available as a set of ebooks. He’s also written a number of novels, both crime and fantasy, in collaboration with book packagers Working Partners Two. These are under pseudonym, so there’s a chance you’ve read one of his books without even realising it.
Also by the Author
Dragon Saga
Dragoncharm
Dragonstorm
Dragonflame
Stone Trilogy
Stone & Sky
Stone & Sea
Stone & Sun
Table of Contents
TALUS AND THE FROZEN KING
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
About the Author
Also by the Author