Paths of alir

PATHS OF ALIR A Pattern of Shadow & Light Book Three MELISSA MCPHAIL This is a work of fiction The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book Paths of Alir A Pattern of Shadow & Light Book All Rights Reserved Copyright 2014 Melissa McPhail v1.0 This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews Kindle Edition, License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to amazon.com and purchase your own copy Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author Five Strands Publishing Co http://www.FiveStrandsPublishing.com Five Strands Publishing and the “FSP” logo are trademarks belonging to Five Strands Publishing Co Table of Contents Acknowledgments Author's Note Map of Alorin The Strands & their Associated Adepts The Sormitáge Ranks Part One Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One Twenty-Two Twenty-Three Twenty-Four Twenty-Five Twenty-Six Twenty-Seven Twenty-Eight Twenty-Nine Thirty Thirty-One Thirty-Two Thirty-Three Thirty-Four Thirty-Five Part Two Thirty-Six Thirty-Seven Thirty-Eight Thirty-Nine Forty Forty-One Forty-Two Forty-Three Forty-Four Forty-Five Forty-Six Forty-Seven Forty-Eight Forty-Nine Fifty Fifty-One Fifty-Two Fifty-Three Fifty-Four Fifty-Five Fifty-Six Fifty-Seven Fifty-Eight Fifty-Nine Sixty Sixty-One Sixty-Two Sixty-Three Sixty-Four Sixty-Five Epilogue Appendix The Laws of Patterning The Esoterics Dramatis Personae Glossary of Terms Acknowledgments Every novel is a collaborative effort Even if the bulk of the responsibility for its creation lies with the author, the story would’ve been quite different—and lessened in that difference—without the input of loyal friends This novel is dedicated to those early readers, staunch and enthusiastic supporters all Many of your inspiring ideas have found their place in this story, and for them, I’m forever grateful To Heidi and Shon, for your valuable thoughts and observations, and for the many hours you’ve both spent working with me through the difficult moments of what seemed at the time to be plot disasters—my gratitude is unending To all of my beta readers, and my editor, Melissa, I could not have done it without you Thank you Author’s Note As a reader of fantasy, and especially of epic fantasy, I have at times taken issue with authors whose tales have unraveled into so many storylines that the entire length of a book could be expended without ever revisiting some of my favorite characters I’m left, instead, waiting for yet another lengthy span of years to find out what’s become of them I’ve complained and I’ve protested—perhaps even wrongly maligned these authors for their inconsideration, because here I find myself facing a similar branching of paths I suppose it’s an unavoidable aspect of epic fantasy that the tale—being truly epic in scale—necessarily comprises so many characters from disparate kingdoms, so many viewpoints and unique expressions of truth In many cases, and particularly in the case of A Pattern of Shadow & Light, the story couldn’t be told properly without revealing to the reader the important roles each of these many characters played As my fellow authors likely understood, and which I have recently come to learn, were I to keep these story threads from you, dear reader, I would be cheating you How could you grasp the vastness of the threat Malorin’athgul posed to the Balance if I never revealed the troubles the Empress was battling in Agasan, or if I merely breezed over Nico van Amstel’s attempts to claim the Second Vestal’s seat? How could you truly comprehend the Malorin’athgul’s purpose if I denied you the viewpoints of Darshan, Shail and Pelas? Therefore, while I apologize for the continued branching of threads in this third installment of A Pattern of Shadow & Light—for introducing yet more viewpoint characters for you to keep track of—please know I so only that I might give you as complete a view as possible into the conflict the First Lord is attempting to overcome, and ultimately, to his story justice in the telling *** For those of you who’ve been away from Alorin for some time (or a long time), here’s a brief summary of where we left off in The Dagger of Adendigaeth: When we last saw Tanis, he’d said goodbye to the Malorin’athgul Pelas and was once again traveling with the zanthyr Phaedor, heading through the high mountains of Agasan towards a place Phaedor called ‘home.’ Across the Sea of Agasan, an estranged Trell and Alyneri parted desperate ways beneath the arrows of ambush Alyneri made a wild flight with an injured Fynnlar to find help at the First Lord’s sa’reyth, while Trell was delivered to Tal’Shira to be interrogated by Radov’s Consul, the wielder Viernan hal’Jaitar Also coincidentally in Tal’Shira, King Gydryn learns that Radov has been plotting his overthrow in collusion with the Duke of Morwyk and the Prophet Bethamin He willingly offers himself in sacrifice as a necessary diversion and launches his own plan to save his kingdom The truthreader Kjieran van Stone was also in Tal’Shira, waging his own battle against time, hoping to learn the truth of the plot against his king before Dore Madden’s Pattern of Changing binds him eternally to the Prophet Bethamin In his final hours, Kjieran saves King Gydryn from assassination at the hands of hal’Jaitar’s wielder, Kedar—though the king is mortally wounded in the attempt—and then immolates himself on a pyre before Bethamin can claim his soul Gydryn val Lorian is lying beside the pyre of burning tents when he’s found by a mysterious man called Prince Farid and taken away Finally, at the icebound Castle of Tyr’kharta, Ean had just defeated his enemy in Işak’getirmek, only to discover that Işak was actually his eldest brother Sebastian, thought long dead And now the story continues in Paths of Alir, Book Three of A Pattern of Shadow & Light MAP OF ALORIN Loran val Whitney—Duke of Marion and General of the East Killian val Whitney—Heir to Marion Melisande d’Giverny—(deceased) mother to Alyneri Prince Jair—(deceased) Prince of Kandori, father of Alyneri Alyneri d’Giverny—Duchess of Aracine, an Adept Healer Tanis—an Adept truthreader, Melisande’s ward Farshideh—(deceased) a Kandori midwife, Seneschal of Fersthaven Stefan val Tryst—Duke of Morwyk Wilamina—Dowager Countess of Astor Ianthe d’Jesune val Rothschen—Marchioness of Wynne Wilem val Rothschen—Marquess of Wynne The Contessa di Remy—wife of the Agasi Ambassador’s Aide The Seventeen Gods of the Akkad Jai’Gar—the Prime God Azerjaiman—the Wind God Sons of the wind god—North son, Shamal; South son, Asfal; East son, Sherq Daughter of the wind god—West daughter, Qharp Shamash—God of Travelers and the Poor Inanna—Goddess of War Naiadithine—Goddess of Water Enlil—God of Earth and Agriculture Inithiya—Goddess of Restoration (Spirit) Angharad—Goddess of Fortune (Fate) Thalma—Goddess of Luck (Virtue) Huhktu—God of Bones Baharan/Baharani—The two-headed God of Blood/Goddess of Birth Ha’viv—the Trickster God, patron of thieves Glossary of Terms Underlining within definitions denotes words that may be found in this glossary Adendigaeth (aden´– di gay´uth) [Old Alæic] Rebirth, regeneration A festival in celebration of the Winter Solstice lasting varying lengths but traditionally ending on the Longest Night Adept (a´-dept) n [Old Alæic] One born with the instinctive ability to sense and compel one of the five strands of elae A race of such persons, each with attributes intrinsic to the strand of elae that modified them [an adept of the third strand] A Healer, Nodefinder, Truthreader, or Wildling Alir (ah -leer´) n [Agasi] lit: heart-light The path followed by an Adept during the course of his life; also referred to as the path of destiny, especially in the vernacular of the Palmers Indicating either of the two valid paths of elae able to be followed by an Adept inducted into the Vestian Sorceresy See also hal’alir and mor’alir Angiel (ahn gēl´) n [Old Alæic] The Maker’s two blessed children, Cephrael and Epiphany, who were made in the Genesis to watch over His worlds Ascendant n [Cyrenaic ascendere, to climb] A priest or cleric serving the Prophet Bethamin Ascedants are marked by tatooes denoting their rank and function Avieth (ay´ vee uth) n [Old Alæic, bird] A third-strand Wildling race of shapeshifters with the ability to asssume two distinctly separate forms: human and hawk Awaken (ah wā´ ken) v [Old Alæic] Adepts who have Returned awaken to their inherent abilities usually during the transition of puberty but sometimes as early as two years of age Balance (bal´ans) n [