Read Online Jonathan Moeller - The Ghosts 09 - Ghost in the Surge by Jonathan Moeller - Free Book Online

swallowed enough dust to make my own damned island.” He offered the cup to Caina, and she shook her head.
    “Master Zorgi strives to be a good host,” said Halfdan. “Though I’m surprised you didn’t ask for coffee.”
    “Why ask for it when there’s none to be had?” said Corvalis. “We haven’t sold any coffee in Marsis yet. Though I suppose we shall bring the benefits of civilization to these benighted westerners sooner or later.” He laughed and took a drink from the wine. 
    “That’s not good,” said Halfdan.
    “Why’s that?” said Corvalis. “The wine is really quite good.”
    “You’re making jokes,” said Halfdan, “and you only do that when the news is bad.”
    Corvalis sighed. “Aye.”
    He looked at Caina. 
    She told Halfdan what had happened in Varia Province, sparing none of the details. Halfdan started to pace as she described it to him, nodding in places.
    Then he sat down and poured himself a cup of wine.
    “You’re sure of this?” said Halfdan.
    “I am,” said Caina. “Ranarius died in Cyrioch, and Maena Tulvius in Caer Magia. But his spirit took another host, just as the Moroaica’s does. She must have taught him the ability.”
    Halfdan shook his head. “Some men make mortal enemies. You, my dear, seem to have a knack for finding enemies that pursue you from beyond the grave.” He sighed. “At least there wasn’t truly a slaver gang operating out of Mornu. Though that is small consolation.”
    “Very small,” said Caina, “given that I have a centuries-old assassin and a body-changing necromancer coming to kill me. And that the Moroaica is about to complete her great work.”
    “Do you think Ryther was telling the truth?” said Halfdan.
    “I don’t see why not,” said Caina. “He thought I was going to die. And I would have, too, if he had been a little smarter and kept me out of reach of the shelves.”
    “This is a serious threat,” said Halfdan, “if the Moroaica is truly preparing her great work, and it’s damned inconvenient timing.”
    “Why?” said Caina.
    “Because,” said Halfdan, “in a few days the Emperor is leaving Malarae to visit New Kyre and make peace with the Assembly.”
    Corvalis blinked in surprise, and silence hung over the dining room for a moment.
    “How?” said Caina at last. “I thought Lord Corbould was determined to destroy New Kyre, and he had persuaded the Emperor.”
    “I am very persuasive,” said Halfdan, “and I had a better argument on my side. Specifically, the conversation you had with Lord Kylon of House Kardamnos in Calvarium. Lord Corbould could convince the Anshani to stop selling grain to the Kyracians, aye. But if he did…”
    “If he did,” said Caina, remembering the warning Kylon had given her. “If he did, the Kyracian stormsingers would use their sorcery to alter the weather over the Empire, to stop the rain and cause a famine.”
    She wondered if Kylon had been able to cure his betrothed with the blue bloodcrystal from the ruins of Caer Magia. 
    “And if we drove the stormsingers to that,” said Halfdan, “then it would be war without end. The Emperor would have no choice but to destroy New Kyre. To do that, the Legions would need to cross Anshan, which would mean war with the Shahenshah. The Istarish would join the war, as would the city-states near Catekharon, and the barbarians north of the Imperial Pale and the horse nomads south of Anshan would surely take part in the chaos. Uncounted thousands would die in the famines, and thousands more in the fighting.”
    “I can see how you persuaded the Emperor to your view,” said Caina. 
    “It helped that Lord Titus Iconias agreed with me,” said Halfdan. “Kylon of House Kardamnos helped save his life in Catekharon, you will recall, and he therefore has a somewhat higher opinion of the Kyracians than Lord Corbould.” He rubbed his face, and for a moment he looked more tired than Caina had ever seen him. “We persuaded the Emperor to