"Where have you been?" someone screamed up. "When we've been dying, where have you been?"
"When I had my husband's child, I fled my brother's wrath. He sent his men after me, and I was captured. They took my child from me, and I was exiled to the Isle of Ana. I haven't set foot off that barren island in more than twenty years. If you have suffered, then let me tell you, so have I."
The crowd stirred uncertainly.
"Please, return to your homes, before this day becomes a day remembered for darkness. Don't let today be the day your sons and daughters are killed, and the Empire turned to chaos. I understand your anger, but together we will get better, day by day. My son was taken from me. Don't let your children be harmed because rage held sway. My son…" Lady Alise trailed off. "His name was Killian, and I don't know if he's alive or dead."
Rogan saw a strange shape, rising above the sea of people. As one, the heads in the crowd turned to follow.
A man in black garments held his arms stretched out at his sides as he rose into the air. He had hair the colour of fire.
The man continued to rise, until he was high over the surging mass of people.
The crowd looked on in awe.
Rogan's eyes went wide. He looked at Lady Alise. The blood had drained from her face.
Lady Alise turned to Rogan, and he spoke, unable to keep the tremor from his voice.
"Your son has the blood of the ancients in his veins," Rogan said. "He gets it from his father, Lord Aidan, and far back, from the Evermen. Believe me when I tell you. Your son is descended from Evrin Evenstar, the Lord of the Sky."
Lady Alise turned back to the crowd, watching open-mouthed as the young man continued to rise, drawing level with the balcony.
Rogan looked at Killian, and then at Lady Alise. The resemblance was indisputable. "Lady Alise, this is your son."
"Mother?" Killian said. "Is it really you?"
"People of Tingara!" Lady Alise cried. "I am Alise, and the mad Emperor Xenovere was my brother." She held out a trembling hand. "This is my son, Killian!"
In unison, the people below sank to their knees.
A chant began, welling up from the crowd, starting as a murmur and building volume until it became a roar.
Rogan tried to catch what they were saying. Was it "Emperor"? Then the voices built until it was unmistakeable, the roar rising from the great city Seranthia until it could be heard from all quarters.
"Everman!" the crowd roared. "Everman!"
"Everman!"
59
A STIFF wind blew from the west, driving the flotilla of vessels ever onwards. Deep blue ocean stretched out in all directions, an endless expanse of curling waves that made the idea of land seem a dream.
Leading the fleet, the warship Seekrieger lumbered over each crest before plunging into the trough behind it. After so many weeks at sea the men and women aboard were weary. Water and food were both being strictly rationed, while doubts grew among those aboard that their destination even existed.
A man with long black hair tied behind his head stood at the rail with a slim auburn-haired woman. Together they stared into the water, sharing a companionable silence, each thinking their own thoughts.
~
MIRO thought about the vibrant new world they'd discovered across the sea, only to see it ravaged beyond belief. He thought about the events that had brought them to that place.
Tomas's poisoning… Please, let him yet survive to be cured!
Ella's discovery in Toro Marossa's journal; she'd found the mention of islands; who could have known there was a continent out there?
The mutiny aboard the Delphin… Amber's discovery of the caravel, the terrible storm, and their subsequent capture by this very ship.
The dark times: the siege at Wengwai; the horrors perpetuated by Sentar Scythran.
The destruction of Emirald.
Miro had seen a land the size of the Tingaran Empire utterly destroyed within a matter of months. He couldn't let that happen to his homeland.
He thought about his conversations with Emir Volkan. He didn't agree with the way these people had turned their backs on lore, yet some of the discoveries they'd made without it were incredible.
The Veldrins could build bigger, more powerful ships than anyone in the Empire, including the Buchalanti. Their houses, mills, bridges and walls were conceived with a skill and ingenuity that required no builders' runes to withstand the mighty forces of volcanoes and cannon. The alchemists knew about chemicals and the workings of the human body. Black powder gave these people projectile weapons more powerful than any rail-bow.
When the revenants came, it would be with the power of black powder at their disposal. They would bring ships, and they would bring cannon.
Seranthia had its massive Wall. The Petryan capital, had walls around Tlaxor, the tiered city. Ralanast, the great Halrana city, was encircled by walls.
Sarostar, the city of the nine bridges, had no walls.
~