Shapers of Darkness: Book Four of Winds of the Forelands (Winds of the Forelands Tetralogy)

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Shapers of Darkness: Book Four of Winds of the Forelands (Winds of the Forelands Tetralogy) Page 1

by David B. Coe




  “Behind you, my lord!”

  Tebeo spun, his sword arcing downward, intending to cleave his second attacker in half from shoulder to gut. The soldier danced away, avoiding his blade, and the duke allowed his momentum to carry him all the way around so that he faced the other soldier once more.

  The man in front of him lunged forward, sword held high, his dagger hand leveling a killing blow at Tebeo’s side. The duke wrenched himself down and away from both blades, stumbled and fell heavily on his side. Fortunately, one of Dantrielle’s men was there to meet the assault and drive back the Solkaran soldier. It was the second time in the last few moments that Tebeo had needed aid from one of his soldiers just to stay alive.

  The second Solkaran soldier advanced on the duke again, his sword and short blade raised. Tebeo scrambled to his feet and readied his steel, his eyes darting to the left and right. All of his men who were close enough to come to his rescue were engaged in combat. He’d have no help with this fight.

  They struggled for several moments, silent save for the rasp of their breathing. And just as Tebeo managed to wrap his fingers around the hilt of his dagger, he saw the man’s arm fly free, steel glinting in the sunlight like the wing of a dragonfly. Then the arm dangled downward, a blur of steel and mail and flesh, and Tebeo felt a searing pain in his side.

  “If the series continues to maintain its present level of imaginative world-building, superior characterization, and sound prose, the next book too will be as welcome an addition to fantasy collections as this one is.”—Booklist

  TOR BOOKS BY DAVID B. COE

  THE LONTOBYN CHRONICLE

  Children of Amarid

  The Outlanders

  Eagle-Sage

  WINDS OF THE FORELANDS

  Rules of Ascension

  Seeds of Betrayal

  Bonds of Vengeance

  Shapers of Darkness

  Weavers of War

  BOOK FOUR

  OF

  Winds of the Forelands

  The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied so that you can enjoy reading it on your personal devices. This e-book is for your personal use only. You may not print or post this e-book, or make this e-book publicly available in any way. You may not copy, reproduce or upload this e-book, other than to read it on one of your personal devices.

  Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at: us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

  NOTE: If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

  SHAPERS OF DARKNESS:

  BOOK FOUR OF WINDS OF THE FORELANDS

  Copyright © 2005 by David B. Coe

  Excerpt from Weavers of War copyright © 2007 by David B. Coe

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

  Edited by James Frenkel

  Maps by Ellisa Mitchell

  A Tor Book

  Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

  175 Fifth Avenue

  New York, NY 10010

  www.tor.com

  Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-812-59021-0

  ISBN-10: 0-812-59021-X

  First Edition: December 2005

  First Mass Market Edition: February 2007

  Printed in the United States of America

  0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  For Harold and Marjorie Roth,

  with all my thanks for a lifetime of friendship

  Acknowledgments

  Again, many thanks to my wonderful agent, Lucienne Diver; my publisher, Tom Doherty; the great people at Tor Books, in particular David Moench and Fiona Lee; Irene Gallo and her staff; Terry McGarry for her friendship and unbelievably thorough copyediting; my terrific editor and good friend, Jim Frenkel; his editorial assistant, Liz Gorinsky; and his interns, in particular Stosh Jonjak, David Polsky, Michael Gorewitz, and John Payne.

  As always, I’m most grateful to Nancy, Alex, and Erin, who always manage to keep me laughing.

  —D.B.C.

  Characters

  KINGDOM OF EIBITHAR

  City of Kings

  KEARNEY THE FIRST, king of Eibithar, formerly duke of Glyndwr

  LEILIA, queen of Eibithar, formerly duchess of Glyndwr, wife of Kearney

  KEZIAH JA DAFYDD, archminister of Eibithar, formerly first minister of Glyndwr

  GERSHON TRASKER, swordmaster of Eibithar, formerly swordmaster of Glyndwr

  AYLYN THE SECOND, king of Eibithar, formerly duke of Thorald (deceased)

  WENDA JA BAUL, high minister of Eibithar

  PAEGAR JAL BERGET, high minister of Eibithar (deceased)

  DYRE JAL FRINVAL, minister of Eibithar

  House of Curgh

  JAVAN, duke of Curgh

  SHONAH, duchess of Curgh, wife of Javan

  LORD TAVIS OF CURGH, son of Javan and Shonah

  GRINSA JAL ARRIET, formerly a gleaner in Bohdan’s Revel

  FOTIR JAL SALENE, first minister of Curgh

  HAGAN MARCULLET, swordmaster of Curgh

  DARIA MARCULLET, wife of Hagan (deceased)

  XAVER MARCULLET, pledged liege man to Tavis of Curgh, son of Hagan and Daria

  House of Kentigern

  AINDREAS, duke of Kentigern

  IOANNA, duchess of Kentigern, wife of Aindreas

  LADY BRIENNE OF KENTIGERN, daughter of Aindreas and Ioanna (deceased)

  LADY AFFERY OF KENTIGERN, daughter of Aindreas and Ioanna

  LORD ENNIS OF KENTIGERN, son of Aindreas and loanna

  SHURIK JAL MARCINE, formerly first minister of Kentigern (deceased)

  VILLYD TEMSTEN, swordmaster of Kentigern

  House of Galdasten

  RENALD, duke of Galdasten

  ELSPETH, duchess of Galdasten, wife of Renald

  LORD RENALD THE YOUNGER OF GALDASTEN, son of Renald and Elspeth

  LORD ADLER OF GALDASTEN, son of Renald and Elspeth

  LORD RORY OF GALDASTEN, son of Renald and Elspeth

  PILLAD JAL KRENAAR, first minister of Galdasten

  EWAN TRAYLEE, swordmaster of Galdasten

  House of Thorald

  FILIB THE ELDER, duke of Thorald (deceased)

  NERINE, duchess of Thorald, wife of Filib the Elder

  LORD FILIB THE YOUNGER OF THORALD, son of Filib the Elder and Nerine (deceased)

  TOBBAR, duke of Thorald, Filib the Elder’s brother

  MARSTON, thane of Shanstead, Tobbar’s son

  ENID JA KOVAR, first minister of Thorald (deceased)

  XIVLED JAL VISTE (XIV), minister of Shanstead

  House of Glyndwr

  KEARNEY THE YOUNGER, duke of Glyndwr, son of King Kearney the First and Queen Leilia

  House of Heneagh

  WELFYL, duke of Heneagh

  DUNFYL, thane of Cransher, Welfyl’s son

  RAB AVKAR, swordmaster of Heneagh

  House of Tremain

  LATHROP, duke of Tremain

  EVETTA JA RUDEK, first minister of Tremain

&nbs
p; House of Labruinn

  CAIUS, duke of Labruinn

  OTTAH JAL BITHLAN, first minister of Labruinn

  House of Domnall

  SEAMUS, duke of Domnall

  House of Eardley

  ELAM, duke of Eardley

  CERRI JA RONTAF, first minister of Eardley

  KINGDOM OF ANEIRA

  House Solkara (Aneira’s royal house)

  TOMAZ THE NINTH, king of Aneira, duke of Solkara (deceased)

  CARDEN THE THIRD, king of Aneira, duke of Solkara, Tomaz the Ninth’s son, Kalyi’s father (deceased)

  CHOFYA, formerly queen of Aneira, formerly duchess of Solkara, Carden the Third’s wife, Kalyi’s mother

  KALYI, queen of Solkara, daughter of Carden and Chofya

  GRIGOR, marquess of Renbrere, Carden’s younger brother, known as one of the Jackals (deceased)

  HENTHAS, duke of Solkara, Carden and Grigor’s younger brother, known as one of the Jackals

  NUMAR, marquess of Renbrere, regent to Queen Kalyi, Carden, Grigor, and Henthas’s younger brother, known as the Fool

  PRONJED JAL DRENTHE, archminister of Aneira

  TRADDEN GRONTALLE, master of arms of Aneira

  House Dantrielle

  TEBEO, duke of Dantrielle

  PELGIA, duchess of Dantrielle, wife of Tebeo

  LORD TAS OF DANTRIELLE, son of Tebeo and Pelgia

  LADY LAYTSA OF DANTRIELLE, daughter of Tebeo and Pelgia

  LORD SENAON OF DANTRIELLE, son of Tebeo and Pelgia

  EVANTHYA JA YISPAR, first minister of Dantrielle

  BAUSEF DARLESTA, master of arms of Dantrielle

  House Orvinti

  BRALL, duke of Orvinti

  PAZICE, duchess of Orvinti, Brall’s wife

  FETNALLA JA PRANDT, first minister of Orvinti

  TRAEFAN SOGRANO, master of arms of Orvinti

  House Bistari

  CHAGO, duke of Bistari (deceased)

  RIA, duchess of Bistari, wife of Chago

  SILBRON, duke of Bistari, son of Chago and Ria

  House Mertesse

  ROUEL, duke of Mertesse (deceased)

  ROWAN, duke of Mertesse, son of Rouel

  YAELLA JA BANVEL, first minister of Mertesse

  House Noltierre

  BERTIN THE ELDER, duke of Noltierre (deceased)

  BERTIN THE YOUNGER, duke of Noltierre, son of Bertin the Elder

  MEQIV JAL WANAERE, first minister of Noltierre

  House Kett

  ANSIS, duke of Kelt

  House Rassor

  GRESTOS, duke of Rassor

  House Tounstrel

  VIDOR, duke of Tounstrel (deceased)

  VISTAAN, duke of Tounstrel, son of Vidor

  MATRIARCHY OF SANBIRA

  House Yserne

  OLESYA, queen of Sanbira, duchess of Yserne

  ABENI JA KRENTA, archminister of Sanbira

  OHAN DELRASTO, master of arms of Sanbira

  House Curlinte

  DALVIA, duchess of Curlinte (deceased)

  SERTIO, duke of Curlinte, husband of Dalvia, master of arms of Curlinte

  DIANI, duchess of Curlinte, daughter of Dalvia and Sertio

  LORD CYRO OF CURLINTE, son of Dalvia and Sertio, brother of Diani (deceased)

  KREAZUR JAL SYLBE, first minister of Curlinte (deceased)

  House Brugaosa

  EDAMO, duke of Brugaosa

  VANJAD JAL QIEN, first minister of Brugaosa

  House Norinde

  ALAO, duke of Norinde

  FILTEM JAL TORQATTE, first minister of Norinde

  House Macharzo

  NADITIA, duchess of Macharzo

  CRAEFFE JA TREF, first minister of Macharzo

  Other Sanbiri nobles

  VASYONNE, duchess of Listaal

  AJY, duchess of Kinsarta

  RASHEL, duchess of Trescarri

  TAMYRA, duchess of Prentarlo

  EMPIRE OF BRAEDON

  HAREL THE FOURTH, emperor of Braedon, lord of Curtell

  DUSAAN JAL KANIA, high chancellor of Braedon

  URIAD GANJER, master of arms of Braedon

  KAYIV JAL YIVANNE, minister of Braedon

  NITARA JA PLIN, minister of Braedon

  STAVEL JAL MIRAAD, chancellor of Braedon

  B’SERRE JA DOSH, minister of Braedon

  GORLAN JAL AVIARRE, minister of Braedon

  ROV JAL TELSA, minister of Braedon

  BARDYN JAL FENNE, chancellor of Braedon

  THE QIRSI CONSPIRACY

  CRESENNE JA TERBA, formerly a chancellor in the Qirsi movement, formerly a gleaner in Bohdan’s Revel

  BRYNTELLE JA GRINSA, daughter of Cresenne and Grinsa jal Arriet

  JASTANNE JA TRILN, a chancellor in the Qirsi movement, a merchant in Kentigern, and captain of the White Erne

  TIHOD JAL BROSSA, a merchant and captain of the Silver Flame, the man who pays gold to members of the movement (deceased)

  UESTEM JAL SAFHIR, a chancellor in the Qirsi movement, a merchant in Galdasten

  MITTIFAR JAL STEK, member of the Qirsi movement, owner of the White Wave tavern in Galdasten

  CADEL NISTAAD, also called Corbin, an assassin (deceased)

  Shapers

  of

  Darkness

  Chapter

  One

  Curtell, Braedon, year 880, Amon’s Moon waning

  hat did it mean to be a god? Was it simply immortality that separated the great ones from those who lived on Elined’s earth? Was it their power to bend others to their will, their ability to shape the future and remake the world as they desired? Did he not possess those powers as well? Had he not made himself a god?

  Victory would soon be his, and with his triumph would come a new world, one that he had foreseen, a world of his own making. Was that not the highest power? He could not cheat death—Bian would call him to his side eventually. But he would be remembered forever: the Weaver who toppled the Eandi courts and ruled the Forelands as its first Qirsi king. Was that not immortality?

  In these last days before war and conquest and the attainment of all for which he had worked and hungered for so long, he found himself remembering a legend told to him by his father when he was no more than a boy, before anyone had thought to call him high chancellor, or Weaver, or king. It was a tale of four brothers, a story his father said had come from the Southlands, with the first Qirsi invaders, nearly nine centuries ago. He had heard it told since by Eandi living in the Forelands, as if the parable and its moral belonged to them. But he knew the truth.

  According to the tale, the four brothers were soldiers who, as they wandered the land, came across a white stag that had been caught in a hunter’s snare. The beast was more beautiful than any creature the four men had seen before. It stood taller than the greatest mounts of the southern plains, with a coat the color of cream, and ebony antlers as broad across as an eagle’s wings. White stags were said to be enchanted, and they lived under the protection of royal decrees throughout all the kingdoms of the land. Those who dared hunt them not only invited ill fortune by slaying a magical creature, but also risked execution should they be caught.

  Knowing this, the brothers freed the beast, cutting through the snare with their blades. When it was free, the stag bowed to them, and then spoke.

  “You have given me my life, and so I will grant to each of you your heart’s desire,” the creature said. “You need only sleep tonight in this glade and await the first light of dawn.”

  The stag left them then, and the brothers bedded down in the glade.

  In the middle of the night, the oldest of the four awoke to find a warrior standing before him in shining mail, bearing a sword that gleamed in the moonlight. “Come with me,” the warrior said, “and I will make you the greatest swordsman in the land. No enemy will dare stand against you, and bards will sing of your prowess in battle.”

  Believing that the stag had made good on his promise, the first brother followed the warrior from the glade. Once beyond the last
of the trees, however, the warrior vanished as if a spirit and the brother found that the trees would not part to allow him back in.

  Soon after, the second brother awoke to find an old man standing before him in the robes of a king. “Come with me,” the man said, “and you shall rule all the land. Nobles will bow to you and swordsmen will follow you to war. All power shall be yours.” Like his older brother before him, the second brother thought that this was what the stag had promised. He followed the man from the glade, only to find that the old king had been an apparition and the glade was now closed to him.

  A woman came to the third brother, clad in lace, her silken, black hair falling to the small of her back, and her skin gleaming with starlight. She led him from the glade before dissolving into the night like one of Bian’s wraiths.

  The youngest of the four brothers awoke to find a child standing before him. It was a boy, though his hair was long and his face as fine-featured as that of a young girl. In his hands he held glittering gems and gold coins and pearls that seemed to glow from within. “There’s more,” he said, holding out his hands to the youngest brother. “Follow me and you’ll have riches beyond your greatest imaginings.”

  “No,” said the youngest brother. “The white stag told me I had only to await the dawn. And that is what I shall do.”

  The boy begged him to follow, but still the brother refused, and at last the boy left him there.

  When morning came, the stag returned. “You have heeded my words and so earned the rewards you were promised.” Then the boy returned, and with him the warrior, the old king, and the woman. The youngest brother became the greatest warrior the land had ever known, the people made him king, and the woman became his queen. Even his brothers knelt before him, knowing that he had succeeded where they failed. And for the rest of his days he enjoyed fame, power, wealth, and deepest happiness.

  Dusaan had taken the lesson of this tale to heart years ago; he had awaited his own destiny with the patience of the youngest brother. And even as the time of his victory approached, even as the first spoils presented themselves to him—be it in the form of gold from the emperor’s treasury, or the willing gaze of the underminister who would be his queen—he denied himself the pleasure of taking them as his own. He would in time. Qirsar knew he would. The woman in particular would be a prize to be savored. She had sworn that she would give all to his movement. And he knew that she would give all to him as well. He need only ask. She would bear him children. He had imagined others as his queen; he still did. Harel had several wives, and he was no more than a fat fool, an emperor whose grip on power was more tenuous than he could possibly know. If such a man could claim four women as his own, could not the first Qirsi ruler in the history of the Forelands do the same?

 

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