Kingdoms and Chaos (King's Dark Tidings Book 4)
Page 51
Rezkin said, “If not, then he is already mad and will be dead soon enough.”
Frisha said, “Tam is strong. He can handle it. He’ll survive.”
“Perhaps, if it were just the slavers, but he had what you might call a medical condition. If it was not treated weeks ago, then it is too late. He is dead.”
“What medical condition?” she said with a hiccup.
“That is no longer important.”
“Yes, it is!” She shook her finger in his face. “You said Rule 1 is to protect and honor your friends. Tam is your best friend. You have failed. You must go after him.”
Rezkin felt empty as he looked at her. He said, “I have a war to wage. I cannot be everywhere at once.”
“Your BEST friend, Rezkin!”
“I will send a striker to confirm his death and retrieve his body, if possible. Will that make you happy? This is the kind of thing for which they are trained.”
“No! Not good enough. It has to be you. You are the best, and you are responsible for his welfare. If you cannot take care of your best friend, then how do you intend to care for an empire?”
Rezkin looked at Tieran. In that moment, he had an overwhelming urge to kill his cousin, and he did not know why. He looked down at Frisha, and he knew he had failed to bury his anger when it escaped in his voice. “I never wanted an empire. I did all of this for you—for you and him.”
“Then find him!”
Rezkin stared into her deep brown eyes, red and watery with tears. He turned to a very pale Tieran. “You are in charge of the war. I am going to search for a dead man.”
“What? Wait, Rez ...”
Rezkin stormed away before they could assail him again. Just before he reached the corveua, he felt a sharp sting on his neck. His arm felt heavier as he reached up to pluck the tiny, feathered needle from his neck. His first thought was that Connovan was up to his tricks. He furrowed his brow as he spun the dart between his fingers. He had never seen anything like it. The feathers looked exotic, and the miniscule needle was engraved with runes that seemed familiar, but his mind was becoming foggy. He stumbled through the corveua, and his last thought was a call for the shielreyah.
Epilogue
“It worked (eager),” she said, peering at the prostrate man from her perch in the rocks.
“Too quickly, (cautious),” said Entris. “He is almost completely drained. It may succeed in killing him (concerned).”
“Then our presence here will no longer be necessary, and we can go home (impatient).”
He said, “We must deal with this (determined).”
“So, is he, or is he not (impatient)?” she said.
Entris’s emerald eyes glinted in the waning light when he glanced at her. “I would have said no, except the poison worked (confused). What does his aura say (curious)?”
She shook her head. “I cannot tell. I have never seen one so utterly destroyed (disgusted).”
“Perhaps it is because of the Daem’Ahn. I have never seen such a possession (curious).”
She drummed her fingers on her blow tube. “The Daem’Ahn complicates things (frustrated).”
“We will not engage unless he survives (decisive).” Entris looked at her. “For now, we watch and wait. How shall we pass the time (playful)?”
End of Book Four
Rezkin will return in King’s Dark Tidings, Book Five
Characters
Rezkin - Warrior, King of Cael, True King of Ashai
Pride - Rezkin's horse, battle charger
Malcius Jebai - First son of Count Simeon Jebai, Rezkin’s friend
Wesson Seth - Battle mage
Brandt Gerrand - Heir of House Gerrand, friend of the Jebais
Zankai (Kai) Colguerun Tresdian - Ashaiian striker loyal to Rezkin
Yserria Rey - Rezkin's royal guard, swordmaster
Minder Finwy - Priest of the Maker in Channería, Minder Barkal’s assistant
Farson - Rezkin’s former trainer
Palis - Malcius's younger brother
Jimson Bell - Ashaiian Army captain, friend of Rezkin
Brell Millins - Sergeant in the King’s Army (Ashai)
Frisha Souvain-Marcum - Rezkin’s Girl Friend, General Marcum’s niece.
Tieran Nirius - Heir to House Wellinven
Privoth - King of Gendishen
Ionius - King of Channería
Myer Lour - Officer at Drovsk blockade
Fyer Volt - Soldier at Drovsk blockade
Gurrell Yuold - Former chieftain of the Eastern Mountains men
Myerin - Eastern Mountains tribe warrior
Auria - Eastern Mountains Viergnacht Tribe Mother
Olfid - Auria’s husband
Orin - Leader of the White Crescent mercenary company
Kessa - Master Reader from Ashai; captured by Privoth
Tamarin Blackwater - Rezkin's apprentice and friend
Jespia - Healer
Ondrus Hammel - Life mage
Hilith Gadderand - Former thieves' guild leader
Drascon Listh - Ashaiian soldier, Second Lieutenant
Aplin Guel - Apprentice life mage
Ilanet (Netty) - Princess of Channería
Morgessa Freil - Elemental mage; earth and fire
Shiela Jebai - Malcius's sister
Tresq Abertine - Viscount from Sandea
Master Connovan - Fisherman who saved Mistress Levelle
Mistress Levelle - Woman in mourning
Lecillia - Queen Mother of Ashai
Fehrwin - Urhyus's son; Third King of Ashai
Urhyus - Coroleus's son; Second King of Ashai
Geneve - Captain of the Marabelle
Reaylin de Voss - Healer, warrior from Ashai
Oledia - Queen Erisial’s daughter (Lon Lerésh)
Erisial - Queen of Lon Lerésh
Matrianera Gereldina - Woman to whom Yserria’s torque once belonged
Matrianera Telía Anshe - Blonde who helps escort the travers to the Leréshi palace
Matrianera Vielda - Middle-aged Leréshi truthseeker
Celise - Young woman from Lon Lerésh
Nayala - Matrianera of House Tekahl (Lon Lerésh)
Banen - Nayala’s first consort (Lon Lerésh)
Heylin - Nayala’s second consort (Lon Lerésh)
Dayleen - Matrianera in Lon Lerésh
Paksis - Telía’s mother
Ienia - Yserria’s mother
Yenis - Yserria’s aunt
Serunius - Erisial’s consort
Coledon Anshe - Warrior who wants to be claimed by Yserria
Akris - Striker working for the Channerían ambassador in Lon Lerésh
Morlin - Man who attacks Celise
Jennia Leyet - One of Queen’s Council; Morlin’s matrianera
Mik - Leréshi palace guard
Ger - A palace guard
Bruthes - Captain of the Guard of Lon Lerésh
Dorovick - First Consort for House Jesqueli
Hyenth - First Consort for House Mierette
Naltis - Telía’s consort
Hvelia - Ahn'an Ancient of wind
Uspiul - Ahn'an Ancient of water
Deshari Brigalsi - Third Echelon
Gemsbrick - Deshari's champion; master archer
Orina Goldren - Fourth Echelon
Moldovan Esyojo - King of Ferélle
Ondoro - King of Ashai (Bordran's father)
Eyalana - Queen of Ashai (Bordran's mother)
Mandrite - Bordran's brother
Belemnia - Moldovan's wife
Erania - Moldovan's sister
Jonish - Moldovan's brother
Merenia - Moldovan's second daughter
Gereshy - Merenia's son
Boulis - Erania's son
Moyl - Trademaster (Cael)
Uthey - Former mercenary from Gendishen
Wolshina - Leréshi matrianera who wants Yserria to claim her son
Ifigen - Deshari's champion; former royal guard
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br /> Balen - Wolshina's champion
Vannin - Balen's son with former matria
Nolus - Balen's son with former matria
Tinen - Commander of Rezkin's Ferélli royal guard
Carthano - Orina's champion
Dolinar - Mage; Pruari descent; Truthseeker
Malena - Woman in cage on the Isle of Sand
Fiero - Slaver in market on Isle of Sand
Ipon - Slave master in market on Isle of Sand
Lady Askiva - Verrili noblewoman
Barbarus - Stave trader who captured Tam
Arethia - A secrelé of the Adana'Ro
Yerlin Tomwell - Life mage
Mogalay - Leréshi sailor held captive with Tam
Noko Linoni - House Linoni; Fourth Echelon; Yserria's guard; male
Ptelana - Dark-skinned Leréshi woman; Third Echelon; archer; Yserria's guard
Cikayri - Shielreyah
Entris - Mysterious person on the hill
Definitions
Stargazer - Rezkin's ship
Ictali - small, white creatures on Cael
minder - priest of the Temple of the Maker
Collectiare - head of the Temple of the Maker
Purifiers - zealots who hunt mages
White Crescents - mercenary band in Gendishen
overgress - a pantheon in Gendishen
Ahn - Gods
Ahn'an - fae (beings composed of the power of only two gods: Mikayal and Rheina)
Ahn'tep - beings composed of all three gods: Mikayal, Rheina, and Nihko
Daem'Ahn - demons (beings composed of the power of only two gods: Nihko and Rheina)
Rheina - Goddess of the Firmament, the Realm of Life
Mikayal - Goddess of Death, the Afterlife
Nihko - God of the Soul/War
Chiandre - the soul's connection between the physical vessel/body and the Afterlife
Shielreyah - eihelvanan warriors who gave up their spirits to guard the citadel
Drauglics - wild; vicious semi-intelligent creatures
Ukwa - drauglic leader
Dergmyer - Gendishen officer’s rank roughly equivalent to a major.
Myer - Gendishen officer’s rank roughly equivalent to a captain.
Fyer - Gendishen officer’s rank roughly equivalent to a sergeant.
Vimaral plants/animals - plants/animals that have been modified with magic
Marabelle- passenger ship purchased by Rezkin for Cael
Adana'Ro - assassins of Ferélle
Ro - the innocent as defined by the Adana’Ro
Ruk - those who walk in darkness as defined by the Adana’Ro
Matria - a woman who claims a consort in Lon Lerésh
Matrianera - the head of a house in Lon Lerésh
Vuroles – wolf-like desert creatures that hunt in packs
Echelon - governor of a province in Lon Lerésh
Nixie - fresh water spirits, Ahn'an
Mystic - Ashaiian warship that surrendered
Atlandisi - Ferélli warship
Vispania - Ferélli warship
solanias - perpetually blooming vimaral flowers in a variety of colors
About the Author
Kel Kade lives in Texas and has most recently served as an adjunct college faculty member, inspiring young minds and introducing them to the fascinating and very real world of geosciences. Thanks to Kade’s enthusiastic readers and the success of the King’s Dark Tidings series, Kade is now able to pursue the completion of a Ph.D. in geosciences (presently A.B.D.) and create universes spanning space and time, develop criminal empires, plot the downfall of tyrannous rulers, and dive into fantastical mysteries full time.
Growing up, Kade lived a military lifestyle of traveling to and living in new places. These experiences with distinctive cultures and geography instilled in Kade a sense of wanderlust and opened a young mind to the knowledge that the Earth is expansive and wild. A deep interest in science, ancient history, cultural anthropology, art, music, languages, and spirituality is evidenced by the diversity and richness of the places and cultures depicted in Kade’s writing.
Note from the Author
I hope you enjoyed reading this fourth book in the King’s Dark Tidings (KDT) series. Please consider leaving a review or comments so that I can continue to improve and expand upon this ongoing series. Also, visit my website (www.kelkade.com) for updates or find me on Twitter (@Kel_Kade) or Facebook (@read_KelKade). Rezkin will return in King’s Dark Tidings Book Five.