Adrian Tchaikovsky - The Scarab Path (Shadows of the Apt, Book 5)

The Scarab Path

Shadows of the Apt Book 3

Adrian Tchaikovsky

To Val Patchett, who taught me much of the writers art

Acknowledgments

Again, I couldnt have done it without Simon Kavanagh, constant fount ofcautions and advice, Peter Lavery of the masterful pencil and wine glass inequal measures, Julie Crisp and Chloe Healy and everyone else at Tor, and JonSullivan for his sterling work on the covers. I should also thank Lou Anders ofPyr for all his help and support across the water. Furthermore, anyone whoturns up at signings, conventions, or posts on www.shadowsoftheapt.com, is also entitledto no small measure of thanks.

For thebetter edification of the reader, there is a complete cast list at the back ofthe book, as well as a complete cast list for the series on the website.

People

Accius Vekken Ant-kinden ambassador

Achaeos Moth-kinden, lover of Cheerwell, deceased

Akneth Khanaphir Beetle-kinden tax gatherer

Amnon Khanaphir Beetle-kinden, First Soldier of Khanaphes

Angved Wasp-kinden engineer

Arianna Spider-kinden former agent, Stenwolds lover

Berjek Gripshod Beetle-kinden scholar

Brugan Wasp-kinden Lord General of the Rekef

Cheerwell Maker(Che) Beetle-kinden scholar, niece of Stenwold

Corolly Vastern Beetle-kinden Rekef agent

Corcoran Solarnese Beetle-kinden factor for the Iron Glove

Dannec Wasp-kinden Rekef officer

Dariandrephos(Drephos) halfbreed artificer, former Imperial officer

Dariset Khanaphir Beetle-kinden soldier

Ethmet Khanaphir Beetle-kinden, First Minister of Khanaphes

Faighl Solarnese Beetle-kinden Iron Glove guard

The Fisher Khanaphir halfbreed information broker

Genraki Scorpion-kinden warrior

Gjegevey Woodlouse-kinden advisor to the Empress

Gram Wasp-kinden Rekef agent

Hakkon halfbreed helmsman with the Iron Glove

Halmir Khanaphir Beetle-kinden soldier

Harbir theArranger Khanaphir Beetle-kinden assassin

Helmess Broiler Beetle-kinden statesman, enemy of Stenwold

Hrathen halfbreed Rekef agent

Jakal Scorpion-kinden, Warlord of the Many of Nem

Jodry Drillen Beetle-kinden statesman, ally of Stenwold

Jons Allanbridge Beetle-kinden aviator

Kham KhanaphirBeetle-kinden soldier

Kadro Fly-kinden scholar

Kovalin Scorpion-kinden chieftain

Malius Vekken Ant-kinden ambassador

Marger Wasp-kinden Rekef officer

Mannerly Gorget(Manny) Beetle-kinden scholar

Meyr MoleCricket-kinden Iron Glove factor

Mother halfbreed Fir eater

Osgan Wasp-kinden supply officer

Parrols Beetle-kinden aviator

Petri Coggen Beetle-kinden scholar, Kadros assistant

Praeda Rakespear Beetle-kinden scholar

Pravoc Wasp-kinden colonel

Ptasmon Khanaphir Beetle-kinden soldier

Seda Wasp-kinden Empress

Stenwold Maker Beetle-kinden statesman

Sulvec Wasp-kinden Rekef officer

Tathbir Khanaphir Beetle-kinden Minister

Te Berro Fly-kinden spy, former Rekef agent

Te RalloAlla-Maani (Trallo) Fly-kinden caravan master

Te ScholaTaki-Amre (Taki) Fly-kinden aviatrix

Tegrec Wasp-kinden ambassador from Tharn to the Empire

Teuthete Mantis-kinden Chosen

Thalric Wasp-kinden Regent of the Empire, former Rekef officer

Tirado Fly-kinden Iron Glove messenger

Tisamon Mantis-kinden Weaponsmaster, deceased

Totho halfbreed artificer, leader of the Iron Glove

Tynisa halfbreed Weaponsmaster, daughter of Tisamon

Vargen Wasp-kinden governor of Tyrshaan

Vollen Wasp-kinden Rekef agent

Places

Alim forest, source of the river Jamail

Capitas chief city of the Wasp Empire

Chasme city on the Exalsee, noted for its mercenary artificers

Collegium Beetle-kinden city in the Lowlands, noted for its academics

Commonweal Dragonfly state north of the Lowlands, part-occupied by the Empire

Darakyon forest, formerly Mantis-kinden hold and, until recently, haunted

Exalsee inland sea east of the Lowlands

Helleron Beetle-kinden city in the Lowlands, noted for its merchants

Jamail river running from the Forest Alim to Khanaphes

Khanaphes Beetle-kinden city far to the east of the Exalsee

Maynes Ant-kinden city, formerly occupied by the Empire

Myna Beetle-kinden city, formerly occupied by the Empire

Ostrander Ant-kinden outpost on the Exalsee

Porta Rabi Solarnese outpost on the Sunroad Sea

Sarn Ant-kinden city allied with Collegium

Shalk Fly-kinden city in the Empire

Solarno Spider-ruled city on the Exalsee

Sonn Beetle-kinden city in the Empire

Spiderlands wide expanse south of the Lowlands, ruled by the Spider-kinden

Szar Bee-kinden city, formerly occupied by the Empire

Tark Ant-kinden city, formerly occupied by the Empire

Three CityAlliance coalition of Myna, Szar and Maynes

Tyrshaan Bee-kinden city in the Empire

Vek Ant-kinden city, traditional enemies of Collegium

Zafir Khanaphir city on the Jamail

Organizations and things

Assembly governing body of Collegium, elected

Consortium of theHonest the mercantile arm of the Empire

Great College academic establishment at the heart of Collegium

Iron Glove a merchant house trading out of Chasme

Mercers agents of the Commonweals Monarch

Rekef Inlander the Imperial secret service arm devoted to internal security

Rekef Outlander the Imperial secret service arm devoted to external security

Scriptora the seat of Khanaphir government

Skryres the magi-rulers of the Moth-kinden

Speaker the leader of the Assembly

Twelve-year War the campaign waged against the Commonweal by the Wasp Empire.

Summary

The war that the Wasp Empire brought against all thecities of the Lowlands has ended in a stalemate and an uneasy truce.

The Mantis-kinden weaponsmaster Tisamon, in his dying moments,destroyed the Shadow Box that held all the darkness of the Forest Darakyon andthe twisted history of his race. In the same clash, the Emperor himself died,as did the Mosquito-kinden Uctebri, who had sought to use the Box to make theEmperors sister, Seda, an immortal puppet-queen. Now Seda has become Empressof a people never ruled by a woman before, and while she tries to hold ontopower, the rest of the world is safe from Imperial ambition.

At Sedas side is Thalric, once an his so-calledofficer in theRekef, the Imperial secret service, and then a fugitive on the run from his ownpeople. His war record is one of dubious deeds done for both sides, but heprovides Seda with a male figurehead while she rebuilds her Empire.

In Collegium, Stenwold Maker works on preparing his city for areturn of hostilities that he sees as inevitable. Reminders of the toll thatthe war took are all around him, though. As well as Tisamon himself, it is theloss of the Moth-kinden, Achaeos, that cuts most deeply. Dying of his injuriesduring a ritual that invoked the power of the Darakyon, Achaeos left behind twowomen whose lives are shattered by his death. One is Stenwolds nieceCheerwell, Achaeoss lover. The other is Tisamons daughter, Tynisa, who gavehim the wound that eventually killed him.

The Road to Khanaphes

He was Kadro, Master Kadro of the Great College of the city of Collegium,which was half a world away and no help to him now. A little Fly-kinden man,long hair going grey and face unshaven, waiting for the pitchest dark beforebeginning his work. Oh, I have striven all my life againstthe way my race is seen . The perception of Fly-kinden as thieves, asrogues, as a feckless, rootless underclass in any city you cared to name. Hehad thought that he was beyond that, Master Kadro the antiquarian andhistorian, who had stood before a class of twenty avid scholars and propoundedhis learning. He had stood on a box, certainly, so as to be seen over thelectern, but he had stood there nonetheless.