Read Online Frostborn: The False King by Jonathan Moeller - Free Book Online Page B

not deny that,” said Calliande. “But you have the two Orders with you. The powers of the Magistri and the soulblades will be proof against the powers of the Enlightened. If we are to defeat the Frostborn once you are upon the throne of the realm, we need allies.”
    “That means,” said Arandar, “the time to gather allies is now. Before it is too late.” 
    “Yes,” said Calliande. 
    “Who would you approach first?” said Arandar. “The dwarves, or the manetaurs?”
    “The manetaurs,” said Calliande. “I have a previous connection with them…”
    “Red Prince Curzonar,” said Arandar. 
    “You know Prince Curzonar, my lady Keeper?” said Sebastian. 
    “Aye,” said Calliande. “It was in the Vale of Stone Death, below the Gate of the West of Khald Azalar. Curzonar had come there as part of some dispute with another of the Red Princes…”
    “Probably Kurdulkar,” said Sebastian.
    Calliande blinked. “You know them?”
    “I know of them, my lady,” said Sebastian. “They are the two most prominent sons of the Red King, and the rumors say one of them will kill the Red King and claim his throne within the next few years. Their enmity is said to be…unusually bitter. But you met Curzonar?”
    “We saved his life in the Vale of Stone Death,” said Calliande. “He may need help against Kurdulkar. Curzonar said that Tymandain Shadowbearer had visited the manetaurs in recent years and turned some of them to the worship of the shadow.”
    Sir Tagrimn snorted. “More of those vile Enlightened among the manetaurs?”
    “It would seem so,” said Calliande. “If I can persuade the manetaurs to march against the Frostborn, I will then go to Khald Tormen and ask the dwarves to aid us.”
    “Do you have a connection there?” said Leogrance. 
    “A dwarven Taalmak named Azakhun,” said Calliande. “We fought alongside him against Mournacht.” Brother Caius had also convinced Azakhun and his retainers to follow the faith of the church and accept baptism. “If I can speak to the King of Khald Tormen, I hope to convince him to send warriors to fight against the Frostborn.” 
    “Even if you are successful,” said Dux Kors, “it will take a minimum of three months to travel to the Range, then to Khald Tormen, and to return here. Perhaps even four months. We would not have your aid for our march upon Tarlion and Tarrabus.”
    “I know,” said Calliande. “But I believe it to be worth the risk. The Magistri and the Swordbearers can counter the powers of the Enlightened. And the Anathgrimm desperately need aid. If the Frostborn break through the Anathgrimm before we defeat Tarrabus, then we are finished. I would not suggest this if I did not believe it was our best path to victory.”
    And, if she was honest with herself, it was their only possible path to victory. Even a united Andomhaim could not have stood alone against the Frostborn, and certainly not the half of the realm that had stayed loyal to Arandar. 
    “I have one question,” said Gareth. “What of the Dragon Knight of old? According to the histories, you and the Dragon Knight led the armies of Andomhaim to victory against the Frostborn.”
    “We did,” said Calliande, the memories of old Kalomarus flickering through her mind. 
    “What became of the Dragon Knight?” said Gareth. “The histories say he carried a sword of great power that burned with magical flame that the Frostborn could not resist. If the sword of the Dragon Knight could be found and wielded again, that would be a great boon to our cause.”
    “It would be,” said Calliande. She sighed. “But I do not know what happened to the Dragon Knight. After the war, Kalomarus took first to Dragonfall to conceal my staff, and then to the Tower of Vigilance so I could await the conjunction of the thirteen moons. After that…after that I simply do not know what happened to him.”
    Leogrance frowned. “The histories only say that Kalomarus the Dragon Knight vanished