Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations #3-4)

Above her the sheriff’s horse snorted and stomped. Behind her the men of the rebellion wavered. She heard them dropping weapons, discarding shields.

Arista took in a shuddering breath of her own and turned her face toward the sky. She raised one leg, then the other, pushing herself—willing herself—to her feet. As her shaking body rose from the mud, she drew Emery’s sword in a tight fist, lifted the blade above her head, and glared at the sheriff.

She cried in a loud voice, “Don’t—you—dare—break! Hold the line!”





As Hadrian lay on his back, chained and stretched out in the mud, a shadow fell across his face and the rain stopped hitting him. He opened his eyes and, squinting, saw a man outlined in the morning light.

“What in Maribor’s name are you doing here?”

The voice was familiar and Hadrian struggled to see the face lost in the folds of a hooded robe. All around him, rain continued to pour, splashing the mud puddles and grass, forcing him to blink.

The figure standing over him shouted, “Sergeant! Explain what goes on here. Why is this man chained?”

Hadrian could hear boots slogging through the mud. “It’s Commander Parker’s orders, sir.” There was nervousness in his voice.

“I see. Tell me, Sergeant, do you enjoy being human?”

“What’s that, sir?”

“I asked if you liked the human form. For example, do you find it useful to have two hands and two legs?”

“I, ah—well, I don’t think I quite understand your meaning.”

“No, you don’t, but you will if this man isn’t freed immediately.”

“But, Lord Esrahaddon, I can’t. Commander Parker—”

“Leave Parker to me. Get those chains off him, get him out of that mud, and escort him to the house immediately, or I swear you’ll be walking on all fours within the hour, and for the rest of your life.”

“Wizards!” the sergeant grumbled after Esrahaddon had left him. He pulled a key from his belt and struggled to open the mud-caked locks. “Get up,” he ordered.

The sergeant led Hadrian back to the house. The chains were gone but his wrists were still bound by two iron manacles. Hadrian was cold and hungry and felt nearly drowned, but only one thought filled his mind as he watched the sun rising in the east.

Is there still time?

“And what about the wagons on the South Road?” Esrahaddon growled as Hadrian entered. The wizard stood in his familiar robe, which was, at that moment, gray and perfectly dry despite the heavy rain. Esrahaddon looked the same as he had in Dahlgren except for the length of his beard, which now reached to his chest, giving him a more wizardly appearance.

Parker was seated behind his table, a napkin tucked into his collar, another plate of ham and eggs before him.

Does he have the same meal brought to him each morning?

“It’s the mud. They can’t be moved, and I don’t appreciate—” He paused when he spotted Hadrian. “What’s going on? I ordered this man staked. Why are you bringing him here?”

“I ordered it,” Esrahaddon told him. “Sergeant, remove those restraints and fetch his weapons.”

“You?” Parker replied, stunned. “You are here only as an advisor. You forget I’m in command.”

“Of what?” the wizard asked. “A thousand lazy vagabonds? This was an army when I left. I come back and it’s a rabble.”

“It’s the rain. It doesn’t stop.”

“It’s not supposed to stop,” Hadrian burst out in frustration. “I tried to tell you. We need to attack Dermont now. Arista is launching a rebellion this morning in Ratibor. She’ll seal the city so he can’t retreat. We have to engage and defeat Dermont before he’s reinforced by Sir Breckton and the Northern Imperial Army. They will be here any day now. If we don’t attack, Dermont will enter the city and crush the rebellion.”

“What nonsense.” Parker pointed an accusing finger. “This man entered the camp claiming to be a marshal-at-arms who was taking command of my troops.”

“He is, and he will,” the wizard told him.

“He will not! He and the Princess of Melengar are both responsible for the treachery that probably cost Degan his life. And we have had no news of any Northern—”

“Degan is alive, you idiot. Neither Hadrian nor Arista had anything to do with his abduction. Do as this man instructs or everyone will likely be dead or captured by the imperium in two days. You, of course”—the wizard glared at Parker—“will die much sooner.”

Parker’s eyes widened.

“I don’t even know who he is!” Parker exclaimed. “I can’t turn over command to a stranger I know nothing about. How do I know he’s capable? What are his qualifications?”

“Hadrian knows more about combat than any living man.”

“And am I to take your word? The word of a—a—sorcerer?”

“It was on my word that this army was formed—my direction that produced its victories.”

“But you’ve been gone. Things have changed. Degan left me in charge and I don’t think I can—”

Esrahaddon stepped toward the commander. As he did, his robe began to glow. A bloodred radiance filled the interior of the house, making Parker’s face look like a plump beet.

“All right! All right!” Parker shouted abruptly to the sergeant, “Do as he says. What do I care!”

The sergeant unlocked Hadrian’s hands, then exited.

“Now, Parker, make yourself useful for once,” Esrahaddon said. “Go round up the regiment captains. Tell them that they will now be taking their orders from Marshal Blackwater, and have them gather here as soon as possible.”

“Marshal Lord Blackwater,” Hadrian said with a smile.

Esrahaddon rolled his eyes. “Do it now.”

“But—”

“Go!”

Parker grabbed up his cloak and his sword and pulled his boots from under the table. He retreated out the door still holding them.

“Is he going to be a problem?” Hadrian asked, watching the ex-commander hop into the rain, grumbling.

“Parker? No. I just needed to remind him that he’s terrified of me.” Esrahaddon looked at Hadrian. “Marshal Lord Blackwater?”

“Lord Esrahaddon?” he replied, rubbing feeling back into his wrists.

The wizard smiled and nodded. “You still haven’t said what you’re doing here.”

“A job—for Arista Essendon. She hired us to help her contact the Nationalists.”

“And now she has you seizing control of my army.”

“Your army? I thought this was Gaunt’s.”

“So did he. And the moment I’m away, Degan gets himself captured after putting that thing in charge. Royce with you?”

“Was—Arista sent him to contact Alric about invading Warric.”

While eating Parker’s ham and eggs, Hadrian provided Esrahaddon with further details about the rebellion and his plans for attacking Dermont. Just as he had finished the meal, there was a knock on the door. Five officers and the harried-looking sergeant who carried Hadrian’s swords entered.