The Malazan Empire Series: (Night of Knives, Return of the Crimson Guard, Stonewielder, Orb Sceptre Throne, Blood and Bone, Assail) (Novels of the Malazan Empire)

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The Malazan Empire Series: (Night of Knives, Return of the Crimson Guard, Stonewielder, Orb Sceptre Throne, Blood and Bone, Assail) (Novels of the Malazan Empire) Page 191

by Ian C. Esslemont


  I’ve gone insane.

  To one side a headland of rock extended out into the sea of light. Thankfully, it held a green-grey hue in contrast to the stark black and white all around. A figure was approaching from that headland, arms out, smiling beneath his moustache: Leoman.

  She set her hands on her hips. ‘Where in Hood’s Realm are we?’

  He gave a maddeningly unconcerned shrug. ‘Not there, I assure you.’

  ‘Then where?’

  He raised his arms, turning full circle. ‘Welcome to what I call … the Shores of Creation.’

  Something told her that the man might be right. ‘And what are we going to do here? How do we get out?’

  Leoman raised a finger. ‘Ah! I was going to ask a fellow … but I’m having a hard time getting his attention.’ He gestured up high into the sky.

  Kiska stared, squinting. ‘Who?’ Then movement – something enormous ponderously shifting above. A giant. And not some Toblakai or Thelomen. A titanic being the size of a mountain straddling the shore. Kiska knew that if she were next to his foot she wouldn’t even be able to see over his toe. And he, or it, was doing something: moving or carrying a huge boulder the size of a fortress …

  Kiska found herself sitting once more on the sands.

  Leoman was sitting next to her. He nodded. ‘Yes. I did that too.’

  She sank her head into her hands. Gods! She was lost! Utterly lost! Her quest to save Tayschrenn a failure! Hadn’t the Queen of Dreams foreseen this? Why did she send her? She was … gods … she was castaway!

  To her horror she felt tears burning up within her eyes and she swiped at them, furious. Beside her Leoman sighed with pleasure and lay back. He folded his arms behind his head.

  She glared at him, snapping, ‘What are you so pleased about?’

  He took a deep calming breath. ‘Kiska, I’ve made a lot of enemies over the course of my life …’

  ‘I’m sure of that,’ she muttered.

  ‘ … and I feared I’d never be free of them all. Yet,’ and he gestured around, ‘here I am! Finally able to sleep utterly at ease. Completely free of fear! What a blessing!’ And he closed his eyes.

  Kiska stared, unbelieving. Now she knew it was worse. It wasn’t that she was castaway. It was that she wasn’t alone. She was with him. This useless, lazy, unmotivated lump.

  She pushed herself up. ‘Well I’m not content to do nothing here. I’m going to find a way out.’

  He made a noncommittal noise, his eyes closed.

  Kiska stalked off. Useless shit! Why should she have to do all the work?

  Behind her, lying on the sand, a smile crept up Leoman’s lips.

  The Shadow priest, Warran, stood alone on a modest slope watching the Liosan army, battered but victorious, come staggering back to their camp. He saw their leader, the ferocious Tiste Liosan woman, another daughter of the Ascendant Osserc, come limping back, supporting her brother L’oric, his nose, mouth and shirt-front dark with blood.

  There. Well. That’s one thing settled, at least!

  He held his hand out and a short walking stick appeared. He leaned upon it. His expression was one of satisfied contemplation.

  ‘Aren’t you done here yet?’ someone asked next to him.

  He looked to the empty sky, then glanced to one side. It was a slim man in a loose dark shirt and trousers, with a rope draped round his neck which he held in both hands. ‘It just so happens that yes, I am.’

  ‘Thank the Ancients – you’ve wasted enough attention here.’

  ‘The creeping loss of Emurlahn is not to be ignored.’ He raised a finger. ‘No one steals from me. Not even a fish.’

  The other furrowed his thin brows, opened his mouth to make a comment, reconsidered. ‘Well, this was never a threat.’

  ‘You are too sure of yourself.’

  ‘My confidence has gotten us where we are.’

  ‘As has my wariness and paranoia!’

  Each glared at the other until Warran’s slit gaze slid aside and he murmured, ‘At least I think so …’

  The other began fading away. ‘We’re too busy for this …’

  Warran let out a tired breath, began thinning into transparency as if wafting away into shreds of shadow. ‘But I was enjoying the unravelling of the Whorl, the desolate landscape, the useless flailing of the Liosan …’

  In moments both were gone.

  Kyle sat on piled cargo amidships of his contracted Katakan trader. The Isle of East Watch passed as a dark jagged hump to the south. The sun warmed him; a welcome relief from the months of bitter, unnaturally intense winter. Shading his gaze, he looked back to Kevil Horn, the southern tip of Fist.

  If he ever returned it would be too soon. He was sick of all these lands and their useless, internecine warfare. Waste, that’s what it was … all a sad waste. He’d return home – if he could find it. He wasn’t exactly sure where it lay. East of Genabackis, he believed. It had been years now and what did he have to show for all his trouble? A weapon that brought him more attention that he wanted, new scars, and painful memories.

  Maybe he’d look up his old friends from the Guard: Stalker and his cousins, Badlands and Coots. See what they were up to. Anything but remain here, in these lands.

  They’d taken his friend. Sleep well, Greymane! You were right not to tell me, or to bring me along. I’d have stayed with you … but then, I can think of worse deaths than falling at the side of a friend. Something, it seems to me, these Korelri understand.

  He reached to his neck to pull out a frayed leather strap and a small amber stone that he rubbed between thumb and forefinger. The words of that last Fistian priest returned to him: Who protects you? It is of the earth!

  Could it be true? Another old fallen friend still with him? The amber stone had come from Ereko, a giant like these Toblakai and Tarthinoe – in fact he’d claimed to be of the race that was their ancestors. And he’d claimed the very earth as his mother. Perhaps he was with him in more than memory …

  He released the stone to gently feel at his ravaged scalp. He had no way of knowing, but he would like to think so. In any case he was free of them all now: free of these Korelri, the Guard, and especially he was free of these damned Malazans. He’d go home where there were only the plains, the animals, and the hunt. It would be good to return to that honest, uncomplicated life.

  He’d had a bellyful of war and death and great powers grinding people underfoot as they groped for advantage – it sickened him. He had nothing but contempt for it and he felt almost weightless now that he was out of their clutches.

  Yes, he’d look up his friends, Stalker and his cousins. They’d come from the lands north of his birth plains. A land of mountains and forests. A land the elders of his clan named … Assail.

  The crew of a fishing boat daring the rich waters south of Malaz Island was astonished when something heavy yanked on one man’s line. A crewman at the side swore he saw something bright flash beneath the boat, but when nothing more occurred they turned to the line. They were fearful, yet it was no longer the season of the Stormriders and so they warily pulled, to see a man’s body entwined in the gut. They heaved him into the boat and were even more astonished when he suddenly took a great shuddering breath and clutched at them.

  ‘Take me to Unta,’ he gasped.

  Talia was sweeping the courtyard of the litter from the spring windstorms. Little Halgin pelted back and forth across the court defeating hordes with his stick sword under the careful eyes of their nanny. Talia was worried; they were expecting a number of foals and she wondered if they had room. And the harvest from last year – not what they’d hoped for. It would be a challenge to make do. She continued sweeping for a time, considering options: selling a few of the horses perhaps, though that was something she would never have imagined less than a year ago.

  There were a lot of things I wouldn’t have imagined less than a year ago.

  Then the silence struck her. She looked up. Little Halgin was standin
g still, peering down the road where some old man was coming, limping carefully along with the help of a tall walking stick.

  Inside, the twins started crying, screeching for their feed.

  But she stared as well, watching. Something. There was something familiar in the shoulders, the head …

  Halgin threw aside his stick to run up the road. Talia took one step to follow but stopped. Halgin was yelling something – a word she couldn’t hear for the roaring in her ears. Then the nanny was there holding her up and the twins were crying. Talia straightened, forced herself to steady her breathing. She urged the nanny inside to calm the twins.

  Down the road the man had thrown aside his stick and Halgin had jumped up into his arms and he carried him now, walking more strongly. Talia almost tried to rearrange her hair but wiped instead at her face. Then he was there before her and she thought she would burst. Oh gods … my prayers. You answered my prayers!

  ‘Look, Mama,’ Halgin said, grinning happily.

  She nodded seriously. ‘Yes, Halgin. I see.’ She cupped his face – so lined and thin! Gods, you have tormented him. His beard so much greyer! She clasped his hands in hers. ‘Rillish Jal Keth. You are home.’

  ‘Yes, Talia,’ he said, his voice thick with emotion. ‘I’m finally home.’

  GLOSSARY

  Adjunct: in the Malazan Imperial hierarchy, an officer selected to stand in for, and represent, any High Fist or sufficiently ranked commander

  Agayla: a witch of Malaz Isle

  Ascendant: a title ascribed to any sufficiently powerful individual. It can only be given, never claimed

  The Chosen: another name for the Stormguard, used mostly within the Korel region

  The Crimson Guard: a mercenary company that has famously sworn a vow of eternal opposition against the Malazan Empire.

  The Fallen One: another name for the entity variously known as the Shattered God and the Crippled God

  Fist: another name for the island east of the Korel archipelago. Also sometimes applied to the entire region.

  Imperial Fist: Malazan Imperial title denoting a commander, military or administrative.

  Jayashul: ‘She who Brings the Dawn’. Daughter of the Ascendant Osserc

  Janzerian Cuirass: a type of branded armour.

  L’oric: a mage, and son of the Ascendant Osserc

  Our Lady the Blessed Saviour: a goddess worshipped in Korel and regions as its one and only true defender and care-giver. Also known as Our Lady, or the Lady

  The Priestess / Sorrow: a Letherii convert to the cult of Dessembrae

  The Star of Unta: Admiral Nok’s flagship

  The Stormguard: a religious military order worshipping the goddess known as Our Lady the Blessed Saviour, and dedicated to the defence of Korel and all lands of its subcontinent

  The Stormriders: a sea-borne race apparently hostile to terrestrial life, currently contained within a body of water known variously as the Ocean of Storms, or Storm Strait. Also known as Riders

  The Stormwall: a discontinuous series of battlements raised along the Korel north coast to defend against the sea-borne Stormriders determined to sweep across the land

  Tiste Liosan: ‘The Children of Light’, people of the Warren of Light, a realm known to some as Kurald Liosan, or Kurald Thryllan

  The Queen of Dreams: an Ascendant, also known as the Enchantress

  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.

  STONEWIELDER

  First published in Great Britain in a limited edition by PS Publishing LLP and by Bantam Press, a division of Transworld Publishers

  Copyright © 2010 by Ian Cameron Esslemont

  All rights reserved.

  A Tor Book

  Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

  175 Fifth Avenue

  New York, NY 10010

  www.tor-forge.com

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

  eISBN 9781429940382

  First eBook Edition : June 2011

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Esslemont, Ian C. (Ian Cameron)

  Stonewielder : a novel of the Malazan empire / Ian C. Esslemont.—1st Tor ed. p. cm.

  “A Tom Doherty Associates book.”

  ISBN 978-0-7653-2984-4 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-0-7653-2985-1 (trade paperback)

  I. Title.

  PS3605.S684S76 2011

  813’.6—dc22

  2011007400

  First Tor Edition: May 2011

  ORB SCEPTRE THRONE

  A NOVEL OF THE MALAZAN EMPIRE

  Ian C. Esslemont

  A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK

  NEW YORK

  For Steve, once again

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  As always, my love and gratitude to Gerri and the boys for their support of my writing, which takes me from them more than I would ever wish.

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  In Darujhistan

  Coll A Council member

  Rallick Nom A retired assassin

  Krute An assassin

  Scholar Ebbin An independent antiquarian/historian

  Humble Measure A native of Cat and rumoured power behind local underworld

  Torvald Nom A native of Darujhistan

  Tiserra Torvald’s wife, and a potter

  Jeshin Lim A Council member

  Redda Orr A Council member

  Barathol Mekhar A smith

  Scillara Barathol’s wife

  Vorcan Radok/ Lady Varada Head of House Nom and onetime Mistress of Daruhistan’s assassins

  Lady Envy A visiting noble lady and mage

  Leff A guard

  Scorch A guard

  Picker A retired Bridgeburner and partner in K’rul’s Bar

  Blend A retired Bridgeburner and partner in K’rul’s Bar

  Spindle A retired Bridgeburner

  Duiker Once the Malazan Empire’s Imperial Historian

  Fisher A bard, a regular at K’rul’s Bar

  Madrun Colourful guard of Nom Manor

  Lazan Door Colourful guard of Nom Manor

  Thurule Lady Envy’s guard

  Studlock/ Studious Lock A castellan

  Of the T’orrud Cabal

  Baruk An alchemist

  Taya A dancing girl and assassin

  Hister A dead necromancer

  Aman An erstwhile shopkeeper

  Derudan A witch

  The Phoenix Inn Regulars

  Meese Proprietor

  Sulty Server

  Scurve Barkeeper

  Jess A new server

  Chud Cook

  Kruppe A thief

  At the Spawns

  Malakai A thief

  Antsy A Malazan veteran

  Jallin ‘Jumper’ A treasure-hunter

  Orchid A young woman

  Corien Lim Son of a noble Darujhistan family

  Of the Seguleh

  Jan Second

  Gall Third

  Palla Sixth

  Lo Eighth

  Oru Eleventh

  Iralt Fifteenth

  Shun Eighteenth

  Ira Twentieth

  Beru Of the Thirtieth

  Horul Of the Hundredth

  Sall Of the Three Hundredth

  Sengen A priest

  At the Shores of Creation

  Leoman/Jheval An agent of the Queen of Dreams

  Kiska An ex-Claw

  Then-aj-Ehliel An inhabitant

  Maker Inhabitant

  Korus A powerful demon

  Then-aj-Ehliel/ Thenaj An inhabitant

  Of the Malazans

  Aragan Ambassador to Darujhistan, commander of Malazan forces in

  Captain Dreshen Harad ’Ul Aide to Aragan

  Fist K’ess Commander of Central Malazan provinces

  Captain Fal-ej Second in command to Fist K’ess


  Fist Steppen Commander of Southern Malazan forces

  Sergeant Hektar Sergeant of the 23rd squad, 3rd Company, 7th Legion, Second Army

  Corporal Little Squad healer

  Bone Saboteur

  Bendan New recruit, Darujhistan native

  Tarat Scout, Rhivi recruit

  Further Players

  Torn Moranth attaché to the Malazans

  Galene A Moranth Silver priestess, member of their governing body

  Yusek An adventurer

  Caladan Brood Warlord of the north, an Ascendant

  Jiwan A new member of the Rhivi ruling council

  Tserig Also known as ‘The Toothless’, an old member of the Rhivi ruling council

  Cull Heel A mercenary most recently of the Confederated Free Cities

  Morn A ghostly visitor to the Spawn

  Darujhistan SCALE

  SOUTH GENABACKIS and environs

  PROLOGUE

  Did we not look out together upon the dark waters of the lake

  And behold there the constellations

  Of both hemispheres at once?

  Love Songs of the Cinnamon Wastes

  THAT DAY OF DISCOVERY BEGAN AS ANY OTHER. HE AROSE BEFORE the dawn and saw to his toilet aware that the toothless hag he kept as camp cook was already up boiling water for the morning tea and mealy porridge. He checked in on the tent of the two guards that he’d hired simply because he thought he ought to have someone around to watch the camp. Both men were asleep; that didn’t strike him as proper guard procedure, but it was the Twins’ own luck he’d found anyone willing to work at all for the poor wages he could offer.

 

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