Cadman's Gambit

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Cadman's Gambit Page 41

by D. P. Prior


  “Your mother is going away forever.” Danato crossed one arm over his chest and put his other hand to his jutting chin. “Come, be with her while you can.”

  Lucia breathed heavily with her mouth open. Her mother’s face had looked peaceful before—now it was tortured.

  “Father, come quickly!”

  King Vieri continued to hold Caio in the air, but turned his head to look at his daughter. “Everything is fine, Lucia.”

  “No! There’s a man in here. Muh—Muh—Mother needs you!”

  He lowered the newborn to his chest and waved to the crowd.

  “Father, listen to me!”

  As her father strolled into the chamber, all joy drained from his face. He ran straight to Lucia’s mother, never looking at the black god. The queen’s blood was reddening the holy pool.

  “Don’t you see him?” Lucia asked.

  Her father laid the baby on the stone floor.

  Her mother opened her pained, bloodshot eyes.

  Lord Danato sauntered toward the stairs that led to the attendants below.

  With his hands on his wife’s sweating brow, her father prayed to his god.

  “Lord Danato did this to her!”

  “Get help, Lucia!” Her father wouldn’t take his eyes off his queen’s face.

  Danato stood in the archway between Lucia and the stairs, gazing at her with stony eyes.

  “Lord Danato is there! Don’t you see him?”

  “Stop your nonsense. Get help!”

  Her mother screamed, a harrowing sound Lucia knew she’d never forget.

  The baby cried.

  Her father kept yelling at her.

  Lucia froze. She watched her mother, feeling helpless and mute.

  Danato’s voice boomed, “I am sorry, Lucia. There is a reason for all things.”

  She looked down to avoid the god’s stare and squeezed her eyelids shut. She found the courage to look up again.

  The Black One was gone.

  Vieri pulled the queen’s lifeless body from the pool and squeezed it against his trembling chest. His wailing drowned the holy chamber in woe.

  Lucia’s dreams of an idyllic life flew away from her, sucked into the black god’s tempest of dust.

  Table of Contents

  PROLOGUE

  Praise for The Shader Series

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  MAP OF SAHUL

  MAP OF THE NOUSIAN THEOCRACY

  CADMAN’S GAMBIT

  THE SWORD OF THE ARCHON

  VISITS IN THE NIGHT

  THE BARD OF BROKEN BRIDGE

  THE AURA PLACIDA

  THE SCENT OF IMMORTALITY

  STAGE FRIGHT

  RUJALA

  THE ANCHORITE

  THE STATUE OF EINGANA

  THE GIG

  CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS

  AFTER THE SHOW

  WHERE NOUSIA ENDS

  THE CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG

  THE ORPHAN

  THE MAZE

  RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL

  THE SICARII

  A BROTHER IN ARMS

  THE TEMPLUM OF THE KNOT

  OF EVILS PAST AND PRESENT

  THE SHAMAN AND THE IPSISSIMUS

  TO FIGHT FOR AIN

  THE CHILD IN THE ROAD

  THE AID OF THE FALLEN

  THE BLACK HAND

  THE MEETING

  THE MAWGS BENEATH

  KNOTS

  ILLUSIONS SHATTERED

  MALICIDE

  TO AWAKEN THE LOST

  REJUVENATION

  CONFESSION

  THE DUEL

  CADMAN’S COUP

  PAST GLORIES, PRESENT WOES

  DREAMER’S APPRENTICE

  A TEMPLUM BESIEGED

  THE SUMMONING

  SCREEN 55

  THE COMING TERROR

  THE DEATH OF DEACON SHADER

  THE STORY CONTINUES IN

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