Kin Strife: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (The Magelands Dominion Book 5), page 1
KIN STRIFE
Christopher Mitchell is the author of the epic fantasy series The Magelands. He studied in Edinburgh before living for several years in the Middle East and Greece, where he taught English. He returned to study classics and Greek tragedy and lives in Fife, Scotland with his wife and their four children.
By Christopher Mitchell
The Magelands Origins
Retreat of the Kell
The Trials of Daphne Holdfast
From the Ashes
The Magelands Epic
The Queen’s Executioner
The Severed City
Needs of the Empire
Sacrifice
Fragile Empire
Storm Mage
Soulwitch Rises
Renegade Gods
The Magelands Eternal Siege
The Mortal Blade
The Dragon’s Blade
The Prince’s Blade
Falls of Iron
Paths of Fire
Gates of Ruin
City of Salve
Red City
City Ascendant
Dragon Eyre Badblood
Dragon Eyre Ashfall
Dragon Eyre Blackrose
Dreams of Kell
God Restrainer
Holdfast Imperium
World’s End
The Magelands Dominion
Serpent Dominion
Demon Witch
Death Seer
Blood Burden
Kin Strife
Tempest’s Edge
Copyright © Christopher Mitchell 2024
Cover by http://www.trifbookdesign.com/
Maps by Irina French
Cover Copyright © Brigdomin Books Ltd 2024
Christopher Mitchell asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems (except for the use of brief quotations in a book review), if you would like permission to use material from the book please contact support@brigdominbooks.com
Brigdomin Books Ltd
First Edition, January 2024
Ebook Edition © January 2024
ISBN 978-1-915978-26-4
To Winnie
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the following for all their support during the writing of the Magelands Dominion - my wife, Lisa Mitchell, who read every chapter as soon as it was drafted and kept me going in the right direction; my parents for their unstinting support; Marilyn Hopwood for reading the books in their early stages; James Aitken for his encouragement; and Grant and Gordon of the Film Club for their support.
Thanks also to my Advance Reader team, for all your help during the last few weeks before publication.
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Zamatans
Lahnos Laimos, Horned Part-Bullan
Leona, Gifted Zamatan Leader
Bauchlie, Zamatan Commander
Saewa, Half-Aucterian Aide
Typan, Council of Five Member
Athyro, Typan’s Aide
Karl Laimos, Lahnos’s Brother
Raba Laimos, Lahnos’s Sister (14)
Jalli Laimos, Lahnos’s Sister (11)
Tenna Laimos, Lahnos’s Sister (10)
Reyn, Part-Bullan
Granny Lupin, Part-Bullan Elder
Aucterians
Cisca, Council of Five Member
Elbannon, Prefect in Tell Hoard
Gallea, Prefect in Tell Hoard
Garan, Blacksmith
Bullan
Efizel, Renegade Bullan Warrior
Gunstians
Farakai, Council of Five Member
Calra, Farakai’s Wife
Arrosa, Gifted Child (8 years old)
Dragons
Sigum Mon Sigel, Friend of Lahnos
Alaxin Mon Malum, Ally of Lady Famula
Lagotte Mon Ternat, Ally of Lord Tegru
Lord Tegru Mon Gahad, Pretender to the Throne
Konran Mon Gahad, Ally of Lady Famula
Noxa Min Konran, Governor of Irlan
Famula Min Gahad, Princess Regent of the Dominion
Tirna Min Gahad, Imprisoned Dragon
Kheran Mon Tirna, Tirna’s young son
Others
Lyla, Demon Witch
Belle, Aucterian Rabbit Hound
Bailey, A God
CONTENTS
Note on the Dominion Calendar
Printable Maps & Notes
1. The Scream
2. Contributing
3. In the Navy
4. Pay Day
5. The Tales Sailors Tell
6. Picking a Side
7. Detecting a Pattern
8. Delayed Reaction
9. The Proposals
10. The Zamatan Coil
11. The Siege of Atzoun
12. Laying out the Evidence
13. Gaining Altitude
14. Return
15. Right to Try
16. Thief Unseen
17. Sins of Omission
18. Thwarted Desire
19. Illuminating the Darkness
20. Counter Strike
21. Retreat
22. One Good Turn
23. As Ruthless Does
24. The Horned God
25. Sheltering from the Cold
26. The Hidden Hand
27. The Doomed World
28. Lacerated
Author’s Notes
The Magelands Series
Receive a FREE Magelands Dominion Short Story
NOTE ON THE DOMINION CALENDAR
Note on the Dominion Calendar
Due to a larger moon, Athumia’s rotation is slower than that of the Earth, adding almost five minutes to each day; while the duration of Athumia’s orbit around its Sun remains the same as the Earth’s. This has brought the Lunar and Solar Calendars into alignment, allowing for Thirteen Months, each containing 28 days – creating a Solar Year of 364 days (with no Leap Day required). In response to this astronomical correspondence, High King Gahad devised the Dominion Calendar by shortening the existing months in the Divine Calendar to 28 days, and adding an extra month at the end of the year in his honour.
Each month (or ‘inch’) is named after one of the Twelve Ascendants (the old Gods); but over long millennia, the names have drifted from their originals.
In the Dominion Calendar, each year begins on the 1st day of Beldinch.
- Beldinch (January) – after Belinda, the Third Ascendant
- Summinch (February) – after Simon, the Tenth Ascendant
- Arginch (March) – after Arete, the Seventh Ascendant
- Nethinch (April) – after Nathaniel, the Fourth Ascendant
- Duninch (May) – after Edmond, the Second Ascendant
- Tradinch (June) – after Theodora, the First Ascendant
- Abrinch (July) – after Albrada, the Eleventh Ascendant
- Lexinch (August) – after Leksandr, the Sixth Ascendant
- Tuminch (September) – after Tamid, the Eighth Ascendant
- Luddinch (October) – after Lloyd, the Twelfth Ascendant
- Kolinch (November) – after Kolai, the Fifth Ascendant
- Essinch (December) – after Esher, the Ninth Ascendant
- Ghadinch (Extra Month) – after King Gahad, Praise be His Name
PRINTABLE MAPS & NOTES
For printable maps, please visit:
https://christophermitchellbooks.com/printable-maps-dominion/
Printable versions of the Thirteen Gifts of Theodora and the Dragon Royal Family are available here:
https://christophermitchellbooks.com/dominion-extras/
Please note - this book was written in British-English
CHAPTER 1
THE SCREAM
Tell Hoard, Inopei – 24th Duninch 1589
‘I don’t care if you hate me,’ said Elbannon, his features obscured in the low flicker of candlelight.
‘I don’t hate you,’ said Lyla; ‘I feel sorry for you.’
Elbannon slapped his thigh and let out a loud laugh. Belle looked up from where she sat curled up on his lap. The small black and tan dog glanced at Lyla, then she settled down to sleep again.
‘Aside from Belle,’ Lyla went on, ‘have you ever loved anyone else in your life?’
‘That’s none of your damn business, girl,’ said the old prefect. ‘You know, if any of my previous acolytes had spoken to me the way that you do, I would have sent them back to Aucteran. You are forever criticising me – lecturing me on my supposed lack of morals and whatnot – and yet you don’t know the first thing about alloys or metallurgy. Every single one of my old acolytes was qualified to operate a forge; whereas you struggle to make a decent cup of tea. Tell me – at what temperature does copper begin to soften?’
‘I haven’t the faintest idea,’ said Lyla. ‘You are the expert in these matters; that is why I am here.’
‘You are a fool. A fool who thinks she has dreamt of things beyond her ken. Perhaps it is time you left Tell Hoard, along with that sharp-tongued little Gunstian urchin. I have no need of you.’
Lyla narrowed her eyes. ‘For twelve days,’ she said, ‘I have worked from sunrise to sunset, clearing up the mess you made here. Digging graves, and burying bodies; hiding the evidence of murder. Not once in that time did you lift a finger to help, even though it was you who slaughtered the young men garrisoned within these walls.’
‘Yes? And?’
‘I see. Now that the bodies have been dealt with, you wish me to leave? You want me to go away, so that you can start your experiments again without me here? Forget it, Elbannon; I am going nowhere.’
The old prefect glared at her. ‘You will call me sir.’
‘No. You have done nothing to earn my respect. Tomorrow, you will show me where the Tempest is buried, and we shall dig it up. If you refuse, I will force you to do it.’
A tiny flicker of doubt and fear passed over Elbannon’s face, then he shook his head. ‘Pah,’ he muttered. ‘What claptrap. Garan sees a few sick soldiers run away, and he thinks you have mysterious powers. Garan also believes that the dragons possess immortal souls, and that King Gahad was all-powerful and infallible. I would be wary of believing anything a superstitious villager tells me.’
‘Gahad wasn’t all-powerful,’ said Lyla.
‘Clearly.’
‘If he had been,’ she went on, leaning forward in her chair and lowering her voice, ‘then I wouldn’t have been able to kill him.’
Elbannon stared at her, then he laughed again. He tapped his forehead with a finger. ‘Are you ill, child? Are you claiming credit for the death of the dragon-king?’
‘I drew the strength from his body, until nothing remained but a withered shell. In doing so, I also destroyed his volcano palace. I assume you know where it was located? It lay only a few miles from the Tempest mine. I did not wish to kill Gahad, but he was trying to prevent me and my children from leaving this world. And now you, Elbannon, are doing the same thing. If I could slay the ruler of this world, what makes you think I will allow you to throw me out of Tell Hoard?’
Elbannon said nothing, his gaze never leaving her.
‘Tomorrow,’ she said, ‘you will show me where the Tempest is buried. You will also tell me everything you know about how to construct a Quadrant.’
‘You dare to threaten me?’ he said. ‘I could easily make the same threat – if I could remove an entire garrison of soldiers who were obstructing my work, what makes you think I would hesitate to place poison in your food? Be careful what you eat, girl.’
Elbannon and Lyla stared at each other across the dimly-lit room.
The door opened, and Gallea walked in, looking tired. She smiled at Elbannon and Lyla as each glanced away, then she took a seat.
‘Is that tea fresh?’ she said.
Elbannon nodded. ‘Let me pour you a cup, my old friend. How was work today? Is your wrist feeling any better?’
‘It has been a little painful,’ said Gallea, ‘but it hasn’t stopped me working. The Telt Depository is in an awful state, but the soldiers left behind more than I had thought; especially some of the older books. They must have assumed that they had no saleable value in the markets of Sat Orma. I found a copy of Woulden’s works on the Gifts of Theodora under a heap of rubbish; can you believe it? Its spine is broken, and the first few pages are missing, but the rest is intact. I expect that little Arrosa would love to get her hands on it.’ She paused as Elbannon passed her a cup of tea. ‘Thank you. What were you two talking about?’
‘Oh, nothing much,’ said Elbannon. ‘Did the soldiers leave anything else? Supplies, I mean.’
‘Certainly,’ said Gallea. ‘The basement of the Depository contains enough food to last us months.’
‘Elbannon is going to start digging up the Tempest tomorrow,’ said Lyla.
‘That is excellent news,’ said Gallea. ‘It will be good to see you back at work, my old friend.’
‘I have been working for days,’ Elbannon cried.
Lyla and Gallea exchanged a glance.
‘Who was it that tidied up the mess in the Tempest Cogitarium?’ Elbannon went on, his eyes tightening.
Gallea smiled. ‘That took you a whole day, if I recall correctly. What have you been doing for the rest of the time?’
‘He’s been watching me and the rector dispose of the dead soldiers,’ said Lyla.
‘I know, dear,’ said Gallea. ‘I was being rhetorical. Elbannon loves to watch others work on his behalf. For four decades, I have seen the manner in which he ordered his acolytes around.’
‘My acolytes had to earn their places here,’ he said. ‘Each one of them was top of their class, having spent long years of study in the academies of Aucteran. Lyla, on the other hand, is notably lacking in such areas. Before you came in, Gallea, she was just about to tell me why I should trust her with the secrets of the Cogitarium.’
Lyla smiled. ‘Have any of your previous acolytes ever held or used a real Quadrant? Have you, Elbannon? For over a thousand years, the prefects of the Tempest Cogitarium have been trying to construct one of these devices – are you going to refuse the help of someone who has not only seen several Quadrants, but who has used them? I have experience that none of your theorising can equal. It is unlikely that anyone else on Athumia can say the same. I know what it feels like to touch a Quadrant, and to feel the strange sensation coming from the metal. Why would you want to refuse the assistance I can offer?’
Elbannon’s eyes glimmered with contempt, but Lyla could see that he yearned to know more about what she had seen and done.
‘A sensation?’ he said.
‘Yes; almost as if the device were a living thing.’
‘Pah! You are a charlatan,’ he said; ‘a swindler who has somehow learned a few bits and pieces, from where I know not. Keep a close eye on any remaining valuables, Gallea, for I would not be surprised if Lyla is here to rob whatever the soldiers left behind.’
‘Why would I have spent a dozen days laying the dead to rest?’ Lyla said. ‘If I was here to rob you, I would have robbed you.’
‘I agree with her, old friend,’ said Gallea. ‘Lyla’s presence here is a wonderful opportunity for you to make some progress, at long last. Isn’t this exactly what you have yearned to do? Your need to discover the secrets of Tempest prevented you from leaving Tell Hoard when you had the chance – are you going to spurn this new opportunity?’
Elbannon sat and seethed.
Lyla got to her feet. ‘It is late. I think I will go to bed. Good night, Gallea. I will see you at dawn, Elbannon.’
She left the two old prefects sitting in the ground floor room, and then she ascended the dark spiral staircase. She passed the room where Elbannon’s ale-brewing equipment had sat unused since she had arrived, and made her way up to the next floor. She opened a door and crept in. Arrosa was lying in one of the two beds, and Lyla sat down on the other one. She removed her outer layer of clothing and slipped under the light cover.
‘Lyla?’ the girl whispered.
‘Yes?’
‘Am I allowed to turn that old man into glass?’
Lyla smiled. ‘No.’
‘Why not? He’s horrible.’
‘We need him. Gallea has a book for you.’
‘What book?’
‘Something about the Gifts. By Woulden.’
‘Why would I care what a stupid Aucterian has to say about the Gifts?’
‘All right. I will tell Gallea that you are not interested.’
‘Uh, wait. I might take a quick look, just so I can see what Woulden got wrong.’
Lyla smiled again. ‘Good night, Arrosa.’
Despite being tired, Lyla found it hard to get to sleep. She lay awake, staring at the ceiling of the small chamber in the still darkness, her mind finding it difficult to disengage from the grisly work that she had been carrying out. The bodies that had been lying out in the open had been the first to go. She and the rector had loaded them onto a wagon, and buried them in a large grave by the open ground outside the Chronicon Conservatory – a grave that had taken them four days to dig. After that, they had spent several days clearing up the ruins of the refectory. The blackened bones had gone into another grave, dug alongside the first. Once they had been cleared up, she had explored the surviving buildings of Tell Hoard, hunting out the remaining corpses. She had found the decomposing body of a lieutenant in a chamber close to the guest quarters, and the rector had helped her carry it outside and bury it next to the others. The rector had then moved back into his old rooms, fed up with Elbannon’s continual taunts and jibes. Lyla had been tempted to follow him, but was unwilling to leave Elbannon to his own devices.
