Jennifer Fallon - Lord of the Shadows (The Second Sons Trilogy, Book 3)

Lord Of The Shadows

Book 3 Of The Second Sons Trilogy

Jennifer Fallon

Bantam Books

LORD OF THE SHADOWS

A Bantam Spectra Book / June 2004

Published by Bantam Dell

A Division of Random House, Inc.

New York, New York

All rights reserved

Copyright 2003 by Jennifer Fallon

Originally published by HarperCollins Australia, 2003

Cover illustration 2004 by John Taylor Dismukes

Cover design by Jamie S. Warren Youll

For David, and as always, Adele Robinson

Acknowledgements

We have some interesting discussions in my house, usually late at night and frequently incomprehensible to the casual observer. We talk, argue and agonize over worlds that dont exist and the people who populate them as if they are real. It is not possible to quantify the value of these discussions when it comes to populating the world of Ranadon.

I wish to thank my son David for the idea of diamond blades and for reminding me that sometimes you have to take a risk to change the world you live in. I cannot thank my daughters enough: Amanda, for being my sounding board and for providing so many bright ideas that it would be impossible to list them all; and TJ, for her constant reading of draft after draft of this series and for reminding me that some stories are too big to tell in a single volume.

I must also thank Peter Jackson for his help in defining the world of Ranadon, and Doug Standish for working out the physics of Ranadons solar system. If there are mistakes or inconsistencies, they are totally mine, because I kept rearranging the universe to suit my imagination instead of the other way round.

Special thanks must go to the gang from Kabana Kids Klub, especially Ella Sullivan for keeping me on the straight and narrow regarding the geology of Ranadon, and Erika Rockstorm, for her assistance in ironing out some details of this world. I must also thank Ryan Kelly for his advice, his mathematical prowess, and for helping Dirk appear so clever, and Stephanie Sullivan, Analee (Woodie) Wood, Fi Simpson and Alison Dijs for being such economically viable (it sounded better than cheap) proofreaders.

Once again, I have Dave English to thank for helping me look like I know something about ships and sailing, and my good friends John and Toni-Maree Elferink for knowing way too much about the human body and what happens when you do terrible things to it.

I would also like to acknowledge Fiona McLennan and the Phantophiles from the Voyager Online community for their enthusiasm and support, for keeping my spirits up and for providing quite a few of the names that crop up throughout the series.

Last but not least, I wish to thank Lyn Tranter for her help and support, and the staff at ALM for being so wonderfully patient with my eccentricities and Stephanie Smith for giving me so much leeway with the story, when all she wanted was for me to tidy up the last chapter a bit...

Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days

Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays...

The Rubiyt of Omar Khyyam

(translation by Edward J. Fitzgerald, 1859)

PART ONE

THE WILL OF THE GODDESS

Chapter 1

Neris Veran was waiting as Tia climbed the goat path up to his cave overlooking the pirate settlement of Mil. His eyes were bright and he was unnaturally alert, a sure sign hed recently taken another dose of poppy-dust. He must have been waiting for her since he spied her crossing the bay. It was raining, but it didnt seem to bother the madman. His thin shirt was soaked, his ragged, unkempt hair plastered to his head.

Wheres Dirk? he asked as soon as she stepped onto the rocky ledge.

Cant we go inside, Neris?

Wheres Dirk? he repeated stubbornly. And why is everybody suddenly back in Mil?

Tia glanced over her shoulder through the rain at the ships anchored below them. It was an unusual sight, all the pirate ships in port at the same time. She hadnt thought Neris would realize it, though.

Lets go inside, Neris, she insisted. Im not going to stand out here in the rain being interrogated by you.

Its only water, Neris said, turning his face upward. He let the rain fall on his closed eyes for a few moments, and then he looked back at Tia and grinned. Youre always complaining I dont wash often enough.

Come on, Neris, she urged. Youll catch your death if you stay out here.

How do you know?

Tia hurried across the ledge. He turned to watch her sheltering in the entrance of the cave, looking quite irritated. You row across here in a downpour and thats perfectly all right for you, but if I stand in it, Im being foolish! Suppose I want to catch my death? Suppose Im too cowardly to take my own life so Im standing here in the rain, tempting fate, daring her to take me?

Tia sighed impatiently. There was no reasoning with him when he started asking questions like that.

Did you want to hear about Dirk or not? she called to him over the steady patter of raindrops, hoping that would entice him to come in out of the rain. She didnt wait for his answer. Instead, shivering a little in her wet clothes, Tia hurried over to the small fire in the cave and began to coax it back to life.

So where is Dirk? Neris asked her again as he stepped into the cave, shaking his head like a dog, showering everything within reach with a fine spray of raindrops.

In Avacas, Tia replied shortly as she tended the fire. Hes joined the Shadowdancers.

Neris didnt reply.

Tia turned to look at him. Did you hear what I said? Dirk Provin has betrayed us. Hes joined Belagren and Antonov. He made a deal with the High Priestess, handed me over to them as part of it, Neris, just to save his own stupid neck.

Neris nodded, walked to the bed and sat down, oblivious to the fact that he was soaking the bed with his wet clothes.

He betrayed me without so much as a flicker of remorse, Neris.

Her fathers expression was thoughtful, rather than upset. He was taking the news far better than she anticipated. Where was the rage? The feelings of grief and torment over Dirks unconscionable betrayal? Tia had felt little else since Omaxin, when shed heard Dirk inform the High Priestess Belagren that he was ready and willing to join her.

Arent you going to say something?

Id like some tea.

I meant about Dirk.

I know. But Id still like some tea. What did you do?

When he betrayed me? I shot him.

Well, you never did have much of a sense of humor.

Neris! This is nothing to joke about! He sent a message to Reithan. He told him he was going to tell Antonov the route through the delta.

That would be logical.

Logical! Are you Tia was going to ask: Are you crazy ?

As her fathers insanity was a well established fact, it seemed a rather pointless question. Neris, are you listening to me? Dont you understand what hes done?

Better than you, probably.

Dirk Provin has betrayed us. He handed your only daughter over to the High Priestess to be tortured and killed. I thought youd be upset.

Im a little surprised, Neris conceded. But why would I be upset? Anyway, as you obviously havent been tortured and killed, why should I waste time worrying that you might have been?

Tia cursed under her breath as she moved the kettle over the fire. I dont know, Neris. Why would I think you might be upset? Perhaps because, thanks to Dirk Provin, were all likely to be dead in six weeks?

Is that supposed to frighten me? Ive been trying to work up the courage to kill myself for more than twenty years, Tia.