“She has a point, R’shiel.”
“The High Arrion will support you – she’s your sister isn’t she? There are already Harshini in Greenharbour. With the Sorcerers’ Collective backing you and once it’s known that the demon child has sanctioned your union...”
“The demon child is still a legend in Hythria,” Damin reminded her. “The only way this will work is if you return to Hythria with us. If you want to stop a civil war and want the other Warlords to believe in the demon child, then you’re going to have to show them the demon child.”
“I can’t go to Hythria, Damin. I have to take care of something at the Citadel. Tarja will need my help when he’s recovered and I still have to figure out how I’m going to deal with the Kariens.”
“None of which you will be able to give your full attention to, until Fardohnya and Hythria are at peace,” Damin pointed out, turning her own argument back on her. “What’s the hurry, anyway? It’ll take months before Tarja and the other captains can get the Defenders under their command organised enough to mount an effective resistance. The Citadel is under the control of the Kariens and you’re not going to be able to do anything about that until you’ve destroyed Xaphista. The war in Medalon is over for now.”
“I have to return to the Citadel. You don’t understand...”
“No, you’re the one who doesn’t understand,” Adrina cut in. “You want to change the whole world to suit your liking, then run off on some personal vendetta while the rest of us get killed trying to carry out your orders. Nobody wants to see the Kariens brought to their knees more than I, R’shiel, but Damin is right. If you want us to do this, then you’re going to have to do it with us. Your mission to the Citadel will have to wait.”
R’shiel glanced at the two of them and sighed. They were both such stubborn, strong-willed personalities and she needed this marriage to take place. She would have called on Kalianah to intervene, but Damin was one of Zegarnald’s favourites. The War God would know she was up to something if another god interfered with Damin.
Frustration welling in her, she was forced to concede that they were right. Sending Damin back to Hythria with Adrina as his bride without proof of the demon child’s existence would be akin to a death sentence.
“Very well, I’ll come. But only long enough to convince the Warlords. After that, it’s up to you two.”
Damin glanced at Adrina, who nodded in agreement, although her scowl made it clear that she was less than enthusiastic about the whole idea.
“So, I’m to be the High Princess of Hythria.”
“First a princess of Fardohnya, then Karien and now Hythria,” Damin remarked. “You do get around, Adrina.”
She turned on him angrily and R’shiel left the tent to continue her search for Brak, before she became even more embroiled in their argument.
Damn them, she though as she strode through the camp. Damn them for being so obstinate. Damn them for being right.
Brak had told her once that destiny had a way of catching up with you. Well, maybe it had. But just because it had caught her, didn’t mean she couldn’t make things happen her way. She would bring peace to the south, even if it meant delaying her inevitable confrontation with Loclon. That she would have to face him before this was over was as certain as her destiny was to destroy a god.
Any god... or all of them. It didn’t really matter which...
The trick, R’shiel decided, as she moved through the firelit Defenders’ camp, would be to manage affairs in such a way that nobody realised what was happening until it was too late to stop it.
Glossary
Medalon
AFFIANA — Innkeeper in Testra. Brak’s great-great grand niece.
B’THRIM SNOWBUILDER — Villager from Haven. Elder sister of J’nel.
BASEL — Sergeant of the Defenders stationed on the southern border.
BEK — Prisoner at the Grimfield. Sentenced to five years for arson.
BELDA — Sister of the Blade at the Grimfield.
BERETH — Former Sister of the Blade. Now a pagan.
CRISABELLE CORTANEN — Wife of Wilem Cortanen, Commandant of the Defenders.
DAVYDD TAILORSON — Lieutenant of the Defenders attached to the Intelligence Corps.
DAYAN JENGA — Quartermaster of the Defenders stationed in Bordertown. Younger brother of the Lord Defender.
DENJON — Captain of the Defenders.
DRACO — First Spear of the Sister and ceremonial bodyguard.
FOHLI — Corporal of the Defenders in the Grimfield.
FRANCIL ASHAREN — Sister of the Blade. Member of the Quorum. Longest standing member. Mistress of the Citadel.
GARET WARNER — Commandant of the Defenders. Head of Defender Intelligence and second most senior officer in the Defenders.
GAWN — Captain of the Defenders posted to the southern border.
GEORJ DRAKE — Captain of the Defenders. Tarja’s best friend.
GHARI RODAK — Rebel Lieutenant. Brother of Mandah.
GWENELL — Physic. Sister of the Blade in charge of the Sisterhood’s Infirmary at the Citadel.
HARITH NORTARN — Sister of the Blade. Member of the Quorum. Mistress of Sisterhood.
HEANER — Mistress of the most notorious brothel in the Citadel.
HELLA — Joyhinia’s maid at the Citadel.
HERVE RODAK — A Rebel from Testra. Mandah and Ghari’s cousin.
J’NEL SNOWBUILDER — Died in Haven from complications of childbirth without naming the father of her child.
JACOMINA LAROSSE — Sister of the Blade. Member of the Quorum. Mistress of Enlightenment.
JOYHINIA TENRAGAN — First Sister of the Sisters of the Blade following Mahina’s impeachment.
JUNEE RIVERSON — Probate at the Citadel.
KHIRA — Pagan Rebel and Physic in the Grimfield.
KILENE — Probate at the Citadel.
KORGAN — Deceased. Former Lord Defender. Rumoured to be Tarja’s father.
LENK — Corporal of the Defenders at the Grimfield.
L’RIN — Innkeeper of the Inn of the Hopeless in the Grimfield.
LOCLON — Wain Loclon. Lieutenant of the Defenders and Champion of the Arena. Promoted to Captain following the Purge.
LOUHINA FARCRON — Sister of the Blade. Appointed to the Quorum following Joyhinia’s elevation to First Sister.
LYCREN — Sergeant of the Defenders in the Grimfield.
MAHINA CORTANEN — First Sister. Mother of Wilem.
MANDAH RODAK — Formerly a novice and now a pagan rebel from Medalon. Elder sister of Ghari.
MARIELLE — Prisoner at the Grimfield, sentenced with R’shiel.
MARTA — Probate at the Citadel.
MYSEKIS — Captain of the Defenders stationed in the Grimfield.
NHEAL ALCARNEN — Captain of the Defenders.
PADRIC — Pagan rebel.
PALIN JENGA — Lord Defender. Commander in Chief of the Defenders. Brother of Dayan Jenga and rumoured to be R’shiel’s father.
PENY — Court’esa working for Mistress Heaner.
PROZLAN — Sister of the Blade stationed at the Grimfield, responsible for discipline among the female prisoners.
R’SHIEL — Probate. Daughter of the First Sister.
SUELAN — Sister of the Blade. The First Sister’s Secretary and Harith’s niece.
SUNNY — Sunflower Hopechild. Court’esa from the Citadel who befriends R’shiel on their journey to the Grimfield.
TARJA — Tarjanian Tenragan. Son of the First Sister, Joyhinia. Captain of the Defenders.
TEGGERT — Former convict. Works as a cook in the Commandant’s household in the Grimfield.
UNWIN — Sister of the Blade at the Grimfield in charge of the Grimfield’s Kitchens.
VERKIN — Kriath Verkin. Commandant of Bordetown.
WANDEAR — Probate at the Citadel.
WILEM — Commandant of the Grimfield. Son of Mahina and married to Crisabelle.
WYLBIR — A
rebel. Former sergeant of the Defenders.
ZAC — Prisoner in the Grimfield.
Harshini
BRAK — Lord Brakandaran té Carn. Only other living half-breed Harshini.
DRANYMIRE — Prime Demon bonded to the house of té Ortyn.
GLENANARAN — Harshini sorcerer who leaves Sanctuary to help Brak.
KORANDELLAN TÉ ORTYN — King of the Harshini. Nephew of Lorandranek and brother of Shananara.
LORANDRANEK TÉ ORTYN — Deceased. Former king of the Harshini, driven mad by the task laid on him by the gods.
SHANANARA — Her Royal Highness, Shananara té Ortyn. Daughter of Rorandelan. Sister of Korandellan.
The Gods
BREHN — God of Storms.
CHELTARAN — God of Healing.
DACENDARAN — God of Thieves.
GIMLORIE — God of Music.
JASHIA — God of Fire.
JAKERLON — God of Liars.
JELANNA — Goddess of Fertility.
JONDALUP — God of Chance.
KAELARN — God of the Oceans.
KALIANAH — Goddess of Love.
LEYLANAN — Goddess of the Ironbrook River.
MAERA — Goddess of the Glass River.
PATANAN — God of Good Fortune.
VODEN — God of Green Life.
ZEGARNALD — God of War.
Hythria
ALMODAVAR — Hythrun Raider. Captain of Damin Wolfblade’s Raiders.
CYRUS EAGLESPIKE — Hythrun. Warlord of Dregian Province. Damin Wolfblade’s distant cousin.
DAMIN WOLFBLADE — Warlord of Krakandar and heir to the High Prince’s throne. Son of Princess Marla and nephew of Lernen Wolfblade, High Prince of Hythria.
KALAN — High Arrion of the Sorcerers’ Collective in Hythria. Damin Wolfblade’s half sister, also known as Kalan of Elasapine. She has a twin brother, Narvell Hawksword.
LERNEN WOLFBLADE — High Prince of Hythria. Damin’s uncle. A known pervert with no desire to produce an heir and rather exotic sexual appetites.
MARLA WOLFBLADE — Princess of Hythria. Sister of Lernen Wolfblade and mother of Damin. Married 5 times she is also the mother of Kalan and Narvell Hawksword of Elasapine.
RORIN — Seneschal to the High Arrion of the Sorcerers’ Collective.
SOOTHAN — Captain of a Hythrun fishing boat.
Karien
ARINGARD — Queen of Karien. Married to Jasnoff and mother of Cratyn.
CHARITY — Karien noblewoman. Granddaughter of Baron Lodnan.
CHASTITY — Daughter of Terbolt. Adrina’s Lady-In-Waiting. Formerly betrothed to Cratyn.
CRATYN — Crown Prince of Karien. Son of Jasnoff and Aringard.
DRENDYN — Karien. Earl of Tiler’s Pass. Cratyn’s cousin and nephew of King Jasnoff.
ELFRON — Karien priest sent to the Citadel with Lord Pieter to denounce the Sisterhood’s handling of the pagans.
GARANUS — Karien Priest sent to the Citadel with Terbolt, the Duke of Setenton.
HOPE — Adrina’s Lady-In-Waiting.
JASNOFF — King of Karien. Married to Aringard. Father of Cratyn and uncle to Drendyn.
JAYMES OF KIRKLAND — Karien page attached to Lord Laetho’s retinue. Son of Lord Laetho’s Third Steward, he cannot by knighted due to his common birth.
LORD PIETER — Karien Envoy to Medalon.
MIKEL OF KIRKLAND — Karien page attached to Lord Laetho’s retinue. Jaymes’ younger brother. Appointed as Adrina’s page following his escape from Medalon.
OVERLORD — See Xaphista.
PACIFICA — Adrina’s Lady-In-Waiting.
TERBOLT — Karien. Duke of Setenton and father of Chastity.
VONULUS — Karien Priest appointed as Confessor to Adrina.
XAPHISTA — The Overlord. God of the Kariens.
Fardohnya
ADRINA — Princess of Fardohnya. Eldest legitimate child of King Hablet and his first wife. Adrina’s mother was beheaded for trying to assassinate her husband’s mistress and her illegitimate son Tristan.
CASSANDRA — Princess of Fardohnya. Adrina’s younger sister and second legitimate child of Hablet.
HABLET — King of the Fardohnyans. Has 14 illegitimate sons and thirteen legitimate daughters. He refuses to name his heir hoping one of his wives will give him a legitimate son.
JAPINEL — Fardohnyan tailor, alchemist and con-man.
LECTER TURON — Chamberlain of the Fardohnyan Court. Lector is a eunuch who makes his fortune collecting bribes.
RAVEN — Head of the Assassins’ Guild that operates in Hythria and Fardohnya
TERIAHNA — The Raven. Head of the Assassins’ Guild.
TAMYLAN — Fardohnyan slave raised to serve Adrina. Lover of Tristan on Adrina’s orders.
TRISTAN — Bastard son of King Hablet of Fardohnya. Adrina’s half-brother and Captain of her Guard sent to Karien.
About the Author
Jennifer Fallon was born in Melbourne, Australia, and at the age of 11 moved to the nation’s capital, Canberra, when her father, a senior public servant in the Defence Department, was transferred. She lived in and around Canberra for about eight years. She is the ninth child in a family of 13 girls.
Jennifer has lived in the ‘Top End’ of Australia, the Northern Territory, since 1980, although at present she is based in Melbourne for work commitments. She has two daughters and a son. Over the years, Jennifer has also had 32 foster children. Friends refer to her home as ‘the ashram’ due to the large number of stray teenagers that still inhabit her house at irregular intervals.
Jennifer has worked in a wide variety of occupations and at present is a director of Business Innovations Group Pty Ltd, and the main creative force behind Mr Big, the Web Wizard. She is an accredited workplace trainer and also a partner in the US company CISDesigns. She currently works as a consultant in e-commerce and VoIP and travels around Australia for her work. She is a member of the Business & Professional Women’s Association, the Phenomenal Women of the Web Association and is often in demand as a guest speaker.
Like many other aspiring writers, in 1981 Jennifer wrote a Mills & Boon that dutifully got rejected. (She later burned the manuscript.) She changed to fantasy in 1990 when she decided she would be better writing something for herself, rather than trying to please everyone else. In 1995, Jennifer decided to either get published by the year 2000 or give up writing and get a real job. Her first series, The Demon Child Trilogy, was released in August 2000 and hit the bestseller list the first week it was released.
Her first e-book, Medalon, Book One of The Demon Child Trilogy, was released globally as an e-book by PerfectBound in May 2001.
Visit her website at http://www.jenniferfallon.com
Shananara flung herself into one of the chairs opposite the window. “The Demon Child? That unreliable, spoilt, half-human atheist brat? If that’s who you’re relying on to save us, brother, we are doomed.”
Medalon has surrendered to Karien and Tarja is once more an outlaw. The Defenders are scattered and their only hope for aid is Damin Wolfblade and the vast army of Hythria. But Damin has his own problems to solve first, including false claimants to the throne, civil war... and, of course, Adrina.
R’shiel has finally accepted her destiny, and is searching for answers. But time is running out. She must defeat Xaphista soon, for the Harshini king cannot hide Sanctuary for much longer. But how can she defeat a God?
Medalon and Treason Keep, Books One & Two of The Demon Child Trilogy, were instant bestsellers. This, the final book in the trilogy, is as unpredictable and glorious as its characters.
“Jennifer Fallon is a writer to watch...”
Peter McNamara, 5EBI FM
“Jennifer Fallon captures the reader from the opening paragraph and you can only break from her grasp when you reach the final page.”
Altair
Excerpt from Book Three,
Harshini
Chapter 1
Korandellan té Ortyn, the last King o
f the Harshini, waited until the end of the concert before he left the natural amphitheatre in the centre of Sanctuary to return to his apartment. But first, he congratulated the performers. He admired the clever scenery they had devised, which used a mixture of magic and everyday objects, and graciously thanked them for their efforts. He moved among them, smiling and waving, as the glimmering twilight, that was as close to night as it came in this magical place, descended over the valley. Sanctuary’s tall, elegant white spires towered over the hidden city, touched with silver as evening closed in. The people were trying so desperately hard to be happy. He did his best to seem happy for them in return.
There was a brittle edge to the serenity of Sanctuary these days. An edge that Korandellan, more than any other Harshini, could feel. The happiness here was fragile; the cheerfulness an illusion. The Harshini were running out of time. Quite literally. Only Korandellan knew how close they were to the end.
Perhaps Shananara suspected. She fell in beside him, dressed in the long loose robes that most of the Harshini favoured, which surprised him a little. Shananara had been in and out of Sanctuary a great deal of late, and he was more used to seeing her in Dragon Rider’s leathers. His sister had always been more interested in the comings and goings of the human population than he. With the demon child abroad, and the whole world affected by her presence, Shananara was anxious to know what was happening. Slipping her arm companionably through his, she walked with him back to his quarters, waiting until the doors swung silently shut behind them before she spoke.
“Let me help, Koran.”
The King sighed, letting his shoulders slump and his façade of vitality crumble in her presence. He looked haggard.
“No. You cannot help, Shanan,” he told her, lowering his tall frame into a delicately carved chair near the open doors that led to the balcony. The tinkling sound of the waterfall drifted through the open windows. The evening, as usual, was balmy and clear. “I need your strength for other matters.”
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