Jim recalled there was some issue with those running Stardock on Pug’s behalf at that time, as well. Whatever the causes, truly, Pug had withdrawn to this island with his family and retainers. He had also begun the Conclave of Shadows, the secret organization that had become a major part of Jim’s life, despite his wishing to have nothing to do with it at the outset.
Reaching the top landing, Jim paused, considering what he would report to Pug. Not only was he bringing intelligence of the most dire sort to the magician’s attention, he was about to make a choice.
The relationship between the Jamison family and the Conclave became strained when Jim’s grandfather had been summoned to the King’s court, eventually rising to the rank of Duke of Rillanon. Jim’s great-uncle Dashel had retired from public service, beginning the family’s merchant presence in Krondor.
At times during his grandfather’s administration of the capital city—and by extension the Kingdom itself—conflicts of interest had arisen between the Conclave and the Kingdom. James of Rillanon, like his grandfather before him, had been steadfast in his loyalty to the Kingdom of the Isles.
Jim reflected it might have been simpler for Jimmy the Hand—in those days the aims of the magicians of Stardock and the Kingdom were more or less in harmony. He wondered if his great-grandfather would have looked at this situation the same way Jim did.
Jim’s father, William Jamison, and his uncle Dasher had both died in border wars with Kesh when Jim was a boy, and his great-uncle Dashel had no surviving sons. By the time he was twenty years of age, James Dasher Jamison was the sole surviving heir to the family, and both his grandfather and great-uncle had marked him.
Jim pushed aside flooding memories of the ruse used by both his forebears to get him to take over control of all crime along the Kingdom’s Bitter Sea coast, and taking charge of the Kingdom’s intelligence services. That he had found a knack for both and had made the criminal activities serve the Kingdom’s intelligence interest hadn’t made wearing two caps at the same time any easier.
And now he was on the verge of donning a third cap, as a fully committed agent of the Conclave. Pushing open the door to the tower’s common room, he wondered if he was making the right choice.
He was confronted with two young women, knitting, while a third was putting wood on a fire in a small fireplace in the opposite wall. A group of three men huddled near the fire speaking in low tones. One young magician recognized him and said, “Jim Dasher, welcome!”
Jim nodded a return greeting and said, “Jason.” He glanced around. “Where is everyone?”
“Scattered,” said Jason, running his hand through his long blond hair, pushing it back from his forehead. “Pug’s sent many of the younger students home or to Stardock, while most of the rest of us have been moved to safe locations.” He indicated the others in the room. “A few of us stay here to keep a lookout for any more trouble, and convey messages. What do you require?”
“I require to speak to Pug,” said Jim, not masking his impatience. He held up a sphere of dull golden metal. “This doesn’t work. I had to take a fast ship from Durban to get here.”
The magician took the sphere and said, “The Tsurani transport spheres…we’ve not had any new ones in years.” He looked at it and his tone was one of regret. “I fear most of the artificers who made them perished on Kelewan. The few who survived…” He shrugged.
Jim knew Jason meant those few were struggling with the rest of the Tsurani survivors on their new home world, or perhaps were living quietly in LaMut. And, without saying as much, implied that if the Conclave had access to newer devices, they would have them. “Most of those we have are decades old, my friend,” Jason said softly.
Feeling a fool, Jim said, “Yes. You’re right. Now, may I speak with Pug?”
“Pug’s not here,” said Jason.
“Where is he?”
As he glanced over at his companions, the young magician’s tone was apologetic. “We don’t know. We haven’t seen him for nearly a month now.”
Jim said, “Then I need to speak with Magnus.” “He’s gone as well,” said Jason. “Come, sit by the fire and rest. We have means of sending word, but it may take some time.”
“By ‘some time,’ do you mean hours or days?” asked Jim, pulling off his leather gauntlets and moving to a stool near the fire.
Jason only shrugged, and Jim felt his frustration return in full. He knew his crew would wait until he either sent word or returned, so he felt little need to move away from the warming fire. Thinking of nothing better to do, he sat back against the cold stones and wondered just where the two magicians might be.
The New York Times bestselling fantasist returns with the second thrilling entry in the Demonwar Saga
“Without question one of the very best writers offantasy adventure practicing today.”
—Science Fiction Chronicle
www.RaymondFeistBooks.com
An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
www.eosbooks.com
About the Author
RAYMOND E. FEISTS previous novels include the Darkwar Saga (Flight of the Nighthawks, Into a Dark Realm, and Wrath of a Mad God); the Conclave of Shadows (Talon of the Silver Hawk, King of Foxes, and Exiles Return); Magician; Silverthorn; Faerie Tale; Prince of the Blood; and The Kings Buccaneer; as well as the four books of the New York Times bestselling Serpentwar Saga (Shadow of a Dark Queen, Rise of a Merchant Prince, Rage of a Demon King, and Shards of a Broken Crown) and the three books of his Riftwar Legacy (Krondor: The Betrayal, Krondor: The Assassins, and Krondor: Tear of the Gods). Feist lives in Southern California.
www.RaymondFeistBooks.com
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.
ALSO BY RAYMOND E. FEIST
THE DARKWAR SAGA
Flight of the Nighthawks
Into a Dark Realm
Wrath of a Mad God
CONCLAVE OF SHADOWS
Talon of the Silver Hawk
King of Foxes
Exiles Return
LEGENDS OF THE RIFTWAR
Honored Enemy
(with William R. Forstchen)
Murder in LaMut
(with Joel Rosenberg)
Jimmy the Hand
(with S. M. Stirling)
THE RIFTWAR LEGACY
Krondor: The Betrayal
Krondor: The Assassins
Krondor: Tear of the Gods
THE SERPENTWAR SAGA
Shadow of a Dark Queen
Rise of a Merchant Prince
Rage of a Demon King
Shards of a Broken Crown
THE EMPIRE TRILOGY
(with Janny Wurts)
Daughter of the Empire
Servant of the Empire
Mistress of the Empire
KRONDORS SONS
Prince of the Blood
The Kings Buccaneer
Faerie Tale
THE RIFTWAR SAGA
Magician
Silverthorn
A Darkness at Sethanon
Credits
Jacket design by Richard L. Aquan
Jacket illustration by Steve Stone
Map designed by Ralph M. Askren, D.V.M.
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the authors imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
RIDES A DREAD LEGION. Copyright 2009 by Raymond E. Feist. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known o
r hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Adobe Digital Edition March 2010 ISBN 978-0-06-200727-8
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
25 Ryde Road (PO Box 321)
Pymble, NSW 2073, Australia
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
55 Avenue Road, Suite 2900
Toronto, ON, M5R, 3L2, Canada
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollinsPublishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
77-85 Fulham Palace Road
London, W6 8JB, UK
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.com
Raymond E. Feist, Rides a Dread Legion Free with Bonus Material
(Series: # )
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends