The Ruin of Kings (A Chorus of Dragons)

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by Jenn Lyons


  witch—anyone using magic who has not received formal, official training and licensing; although technically gender-neutral, usually only applied to women

  X

  Xalome (ZAL-o-may)—a dragon, associated with souls

  Xaltorath (zal-tor-OTH)—a demon prince, who can only be summoned through the sacrifice of a family member; self-associated with lust and war

  Y

  Ynis (y-NIS)—a god-king who once ruled the area now known as Khorvesh; associated with death and snakes

  Ynisthana (y-NIS-than-AY)—an island in the Desolation chain, used as a training grounds by the Black Brotherhood

  Yor (Yor)—one of Quur’s dominions, the most recently added

  Z

  Zherias (ZER-e-as)—a large island to the southwest of Quur. Independent from Quur, and anxious to stay that way; famous for their skill at piracy and trade

  ADDENDUM II: THE ROYAL HOUSES

  House D’Aramarin

  Gem: Emerald

  Heraldic device: Kraken

  Eyes: Green

  Monopoly: The Gatekeepers. Transportation and teleportation.

  House D’Evelin

  Gem: Amethyst

  Heraldic device: Cyclone

  Eyes: Violet

  Monopoly: The Junk Boys. Sewage, garbage, water treatment, brewing.

  House D’Erinwa

  Gem: Jacinth

  Heraldic device: Elephant

  Eyes: Amber

  Monopoly: The Octagon. Slavery, private mercenaries.

  House D’Jorax

  Gem: Opal

  Heraldic device: Lightning

  Eyes: Multicolored green/purple, or red/blue (artificial)

  Monopoly: Revelers. Minstrels and entertainers, courtesans, velvet.

  House D’Kaje

  Gem: Topaz

  Heraldic device: Crocodile

  Eyes: Yellow

  Monopoly: Lamplighters, chandlers, cuisine.

  House D’Kard

  Gem: Jade

  Heraldic device: Spider

  Eyes: Dark green (artificial)

  Monopoly: Masons, builders, carpentry, crafts.

  House D’Laakar

  Gem: Aquamarine

  Heraldic device: Two fish

  Eyes: Turquoise

  Monopoly: The Ice Men. Refrigeration, food preservation, air-cooling.

  House D’Lorus

  Gem: Onyx

  Heraldic device: Flower

  Eyes: Black

  Monopoly: The Binders. Magic, education, scholarly research, book- and mapmaking.

  House D’Moló

  Gem: Chrysoberyl

  Heraldic device: Jaguar

  Eyes: Cat’s eyes (artificial)

  Monopoly: Animal husbandry, leatherworking, weaving, tailoring.

  House D’Mon

  Gem: Blue sapphire

  Heraldic device: Hawk

  Eyes: Blue

  Monopoly: The Blue Houses. Healing and medical arts.

  House D’Nofra

  Gem: Carnelian

  Heraldic device: Tower

  Eyes: Wolf-like (artificial)

  Monopoly: Crops, herbs, spices, teas, coffee.

  House D’Talus

  Gem: Ruby

  Heraldic device: Lion

  Eyes: Red

  Monopoly: The Red Men. Smelting, mining, and all metal craft.

  ADDENDUM III: PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

  While there is no single hard rule to the pronunciation of names, a few common rules widely exist. Note that these guidelines are primarily for Quuros names. People from outside the Empire, or people from conquered nations, may have other pronunciation rules.

  1.  A single vowel at the end of a name is pronounced with a hard sound. For example, Alshena is pronounced al-shen-AY.

  2.  Vowels at the end with accents break this rule. Sallí, for example, is pronounced sal-LEE, not sal-LI. Norà is pronounced with a soft a.

  3.  Two vowels together in the middle of a word make the first vowel hard while the second becomes silent. For example: Khaemezra is pronounced kay-mez-RAY.

  4.  If two vowels are at the end of a word, only the vowel just after the consonant is made hard, but the second vowel is still pronounced. Example: Morea is pronounced mor-E-ah.

  5.  “C” is pronounced with a hard “k” sound.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jenn Lyons lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, three cats, and a nearly infinite number of opinions on anything from Sumerian mythology to the correct way to make a martini. She is a video game producer by day, and spends her evenings writing fantasy. A longtime devotee of storytelling, she traces her geek roots back to playing first edition Dungeons & Dragons in grade school and reading her way from A to Z in the school’s library. The Ruin of Kings is her first novel. You can sign up for email updates here.

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  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Map

  Part I: A Dialog Between a Jailer and Her Prisoner

  1. The Slave Auction

  2. The Kazivar House

  3. The Black Brotherhood

  4. Butterbelly

  5. Leaving Kishna-Farriga

  6. The Rook’s Father

  7. The Misery

  8. The Angel’s Bargain

  9. Souls and Stones

  10. Demon in the Streets

  11. The Coming Storm

  12. Behind the Veil

  13. The Determined Wizard

  14. Bedtime Stories

  15. The Zherias Maw

  16. The General’s Reward

  17. Waking the Old Man

  18. What Jarith Found

  19. Dream of a Goddess

  20. Valathea

  21. The Island of Ynisthana

  22. A Golden Hawk

  23. Morning Service

  24. The Hawk’s Talon

  25. Into the Jungle

  26. Unhappy Reunion

  27. Sister Kalindra

  28. The Finest Healers

  29. Teraeth’s Return

  30. Family Reunion

  31. Tyentso at the Beach

  32. Lady Miya

  33. The Dragon’s Due

  34. Promises

  35. Red Flags

  36. Testing the Lock

  37. The New Tutor

  38. The High Lord

  39. In Search of Music

  40. Interlude in an Abattoir

  41. Refusal

  42. The Younger Son

  43. The Dragon’s Deal

  44. Fencing Lessons

  45. Riscoria Tea

  46. The Crypt

  47. The Mother of Trees

  48. Family Dinner

  49. Critical Lessons

  50. The Lord Heir’s Wife

  51. The Rock Garden

  52. Dark Streaks

  53. Speed Training

  54. The Carriage Ride

  55. The Pale Lady’s Judgment

  56. The Octagon

  57. Ghost Walk

  58. The Price of Freedom

  59. Kharas Gulgoth

  60. The Invitation

  61. Guardians of the Cage

  62. The Gryphon Ring

  63. Tea with Death

  64. The D’Lorus Fete

  65. Hangover Cures

  66. The Game

  67. The Destruction of Ynisthana

  68. The Lion’s Den

  69. The Wayward Son

  70. The Raven Returns

  71. The Trip Home

  72. The New Year’s Festival

/>   73. Returning to the Red Sword

  74. Thefts and Murders

  75. Confrontations

  76. Betrayal

  77. Gadrith’s Way

  78. The Lighthouse at Shadrag Gor

  Part II. The Sundering

  79. Beginning Demonology

  80. The Blue Palace

  81. The Borderlands

  82. A Meeting of Wizards

  83. Xaltorath’s Daughter

  84. The D’lorus Duel

  85. Death’s Front

  86. Returning

  87. The Breaking of Oaths

  88. Miya’s Gift

  89. Parting

  90. Final Notes

  Addendum I: Glossary

  Addendum II: The Royal Houses

  Addendum III: P Pronunciation Guide

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  THE RUIN OF KINGS

  Copyright © 2019 by Jenn Lyons

  All rights reserved.

  Map by Jenn Lyons

  Cover art by Lars West

  Cover design by Jamie Stafford-Hill

  A Tor Book

  Published by Tom Doherty Associates

  175 Fifth Avenue

  New York, NY 10010

  www.tor-forge.com

  Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

  Names: Lyons, Jenn, 1970– author.

  Title: The ruin of kings / Jenn Lyons.

  Description: First edition. | New York: Tor, 2019. | “A Tom Doherty Associates book.”

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018045774 | ISBN 9781250175489 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781250175496 (ebook)

  Subjects: | GSAFD: Fantasy fiction.

  Classification: LCC PS3612.Y57525 R85 2019 | DDC 813/.6—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018045774

  eISBN 9781250175496

  Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].

  First Edition: February 2019

  *It seems Talon was serious about that “magic rock,” for it records the words spoken by its holder. I could have fabricated the other side of the conversation, but the gist seems clear enough through context and so I have let the words fall where they may.

  †Having known Doltari slaves, I can only assume the auctioneer was blind. Then again, perhaps the good citizens of Kishna-Farriga have become experts at accepting the labels given to slaves without question.

  *I have heard a great many theories to the effect that the Free States are a vassal of some other nation. So Doltar believes the Free States are in league with the Manol and the Manol believes the Free States are in league with Zherias, and of course Quur thinks the Free States are Doltari and thus must be protected by the Manol. If large-scale war ever breaks out, I fear it will go poorly for these Free States people trapped in the middle.

  *There is no record to indicate that Relos Var has claim to a noble title or order of merit. On the other hand, there’s scarcely any record of Relos Var at all. The earliest mention of that name I have been able to locate is from the book History of the Raenena Conquest by Cilmar Shallrin, which mentions the name once. Since that book was published five hundred years ago, the idea that this might be the same person is troubling.

  *This is … so wrong. So wrong. The odd number alone should have been the giveaway. This is what happens when you neglect to have a proper education. Two worlds. Just two. Magic is not a “realm”; it is a metaphysical river separating two parallel shores.

  *Having personally met Relos Var on several occasions, including at public baths, I have to say that I have never been able to figure out where the man keeps his talismans either—or if he even wears any. Relos Var has the power and aura of someone who wears a great many talismans without seeming to wear any at all.

  *I find it highly unlikely his real name is Kihrin, but without confirmation from his birth mother, it would be difficult to know for certain. Perhaps Kihrin is a misspelling.

  †“Found a witch in the City today, a burglar in the process of robbing a mansion through the use of her witch gift. While questioning her, she revealed that she was something called a ‘Key.’ Must investigate if there’s a secret organized group practicing illegal magecraft right under the noses of royalty.” —Journal of Kolban Simus, Watchman, found under his pillow after his body was discovered. His death was ruled a suicide.

  *Aidin Novirin, a merchant of minor means associated with the Gatekeepers. After returning from personal business, he reported a burglary to the Watchmen, but said he could not determine what, if anything, had been stolen.

  *Oh, how I lament the lack of education in the world. This is nothing but superstition.

  *A flattering observation, but you and I both know perfectly well that his lack of vanity had nothing to do with monastic discipline. Thank the gods for the house servants, or I likely would have starved to death before he remembered that children need regular meals and baths.

  †Far better names than their legal ones, in my opinion.

  *Whose mind, I wonder? I find it highly unlikely that the demon wasn’t fully aware that Rook was in the house the entire time. So, it seems quite possible that he pulled the information, not from the prisoner but from Kihrin himself.

  *There is a pattern to the people that Talon impersonates in these dialogs. They tend to fall into two categories: those she has eaten and those she has spent long periods of time around, such as Kihrin. Clearly she’s been using her telepathic abilities to learn a great many secrets.

  *Besides the Dana Jewels, one of the only recorded sales of a star tear was from a retired Quuros military officer named Duvos. He somehow acquired one and traded it to House D’Kard in exchange for the construction of what is now Sileemkha Palace in Khorvesh. By such standards, this exchange is rather extravagant: just a single star tear would have been an adequate stand-in for one million ords.

  *One presumes not literally.

  *Every record of dues or fees paid to House D’Erinwa lists this particular pawnshop owner’s name as … Butterbelly. I can find no record of any other identity.

  †The Temple of Light is dedicated to the Vishai Mysteries, which are considered something of a heterodox faith dedicated to a solar deity named Selanol, who dies and is resurrected with the passing seasons. The religion is extremely popular in Eamithon and looked at oddly everywhere else.

  *The implication here is that the Shadowdancers are sophisticated enough to train those they find with talent, but not advanced enough to train their students to memorize tenyé signatures. Just enough knowledge to be useful, and not a shred more.

  *It’s not diamond.

  †Harder.

  *“Going south” is a Quuros euphemism for dying. I suspect the saying goes back to Emperor Kandor’s ill-fated attempt at southern expansion into the Manol.

  *This is a common mistake. In fact, the first spell one learns can be quite sophisticated. Not knowing one’s limits is occasionally a marked advantage.

  *Obviously, I am not dead. I also reject the idea that I’m responsible for his situation here. I am at best an accessory.

  *The beds on board an average Zheriaso-built slave ship can comfortably accommodate a person under 5'2" tall. By comparison, the average Quuros is 5'6" tall, the average Zheriaso is 5'8", and the average vané is 6'2" tall. So in answer to the question “Who could possibly find such accommodations comfortable?” the answer is “No one.” This only highlights the desire of Zheriaso slavers to squeeze every possible bit of space, even from their paying passengers.

  *I can’t help but wond
er just what Surdyeh thought would happen on Kihrin’s sixteenth birthday. A more distressing idea: what if it all happened exactly as Surdyeh had originally planned?

  *There are many variations of the Maevanos, but they all follow the same basic story: the hero dies, travels to the underworld, is judged by Thaena, and is allowed to Return to life again. The Archetype of the Dying God, by Qhadri Silorma, plays on this theme in detail—further elaborating a theory in which Thaena is just one part of a cycle of spiritual reincarnation vital to all existence. This is along with goddesses Taja and Tya, each ruling one of three coexisting realms of reality. These conform to Physical, Magical, and Deathly metaphysical states. Silorma’s book is hugely hated by followers of the Goddess of Life, Galava, who object to being pushed aside in favor of the triplet goddesses.

  *I don’t think it should be assumed that Surdyeh wasn’t trained by the Gatekeepers, although it’s possible that the Revelers were responsible for Surdyeh’s musical training. He seems to have known spells that aren’t officially in the Reveler repertoire. Let’s simply say that it would not surprise me to discover Surdyeh had ties to the Gatekeepers, or rather House D’Aramarin.

  *Believed to be named because the road marks the spot where Simillion killed the god-king Ghauras. In fact, it’s so named because it marks the spot where the First Emperor’s murdered, mutilated corpse was put on display by the Court of Gems as an “object lesson” to anyone who would defy them.

 

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