msreader_510x680

 

 

B O O K  O N E  O F  T H E  S W A N S ’  W A R

THE

ONE KINGDOM

 

 

SEAN RUSSELL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PerfectBound_Logo

 

 

 

 

For Karen and Brendan,

keepers of my heart.

flow_1

 

 

 

 

To my children I bequeath my hatred of the Renné,

for all the atrocities they have committed against

us, and all that they will commit.

 

THE FINAL TESTAMENT OF ABRIL WILLS

 

 

 

Contents

flow_2

 

 

 

 

THE FINAL TESTAMENT OF ABRIL WILLS
 
1   IN THE MOVING LANDSCAPE ONLY THE MEN WERE STILL. THEY SAT AT. . . 1
2   THE RUINED TOWER STOOD ABOVE THE OLD BATTLEFIELD AT TELANON. . . 8
3   FIVE HOURS OF FIGHTING THROUGH THICK UNDERWOOD . . . 36
4   “THE RIVERBOAT IS A SIMPLE CRAFT”, BAORE EXPLAINED, “FLAT. . . 50
5   TOREN RENNÉ READ BY CANDLELIGHT ON THE STONE TERRACE OF. . . 57
6   ELISE LOVED ONLY ONE PERSON IN THE WORLD WITHOUT . . . 65
7   ELISE HEARD HER FATHER BEFORE SHE SAW HIM. THERE WERE NO. . . 71
8   IT WAS A ROOM TO WHICH VERY FEW HAD KEYS. DEASE COUNTED. . . 79
9   BAORE AND FYNNOL BROUGHT THE BOAT TO THE FOOT OF THE. . . 84
10   THE ISLAND HAD ONCE BOASTED GREATER FORTIFICATIONS; LIKE. . . 100
11   THE GARDEN OF BIRDS WAS HIDDEN WITHIN A BOWER . . . 104
12   TAM AND HIS COMPANIONS PERCHED ON A ROCK AND LOOKED. . . 111
13   THREE DAYS AFTER LEAVING THE BRIDGE AT TELANON THEY SEEMED . . . 118
14   THEY SPENT TWO DAYS BENEATH THE TWISTED TREES, AND THEN . . . 138
15   THE MEN WHO HAD ATTACKED THEM SCRAMBLED OUT OF THE. . . 134
16   FIRST LIGHT FOUND THEM ON THE RIVER AGAIN. THEY EASILY . . . 156
17   THE CASTLE HAD COME TO LIFE AS THOUGH A SPELL HAD BEEN . . . 169
18   CARRAL COULD NOT QUITE BELIEVE WHAT HE WAS DOING, . . . 179
19   TAM AND THE OTHERS BENT OVER THE MAP, THE BOAT FINDING . . . 182
20   THE NEXT DAY BAORE WAS WEAK AND STILL TROUBLED BY PAIN, . . . 201
21   CARRAL WILLS LOVED TO SIT IN THE GARDEN HIS LATE WIFE HAD . . . 219
22   THE TWON OF INNISETH APPEARED AROUND A BEND IN THE RIVER, . . . 226
23   NO OFFERING HAD BEEN LEFT FOR THE CASTLE GHOSTS THAT . . . 237
24   ELISE OPENED THE DOOR TO HER ROOM WITH SUCH CARE THAT . . . 240
25   MENWYN WAS IN A RAGE. CARRAL COULD TELL BY THE WAY HE . . . 256
26   THE MUTTERING BEGAN AS SOON AS THEY DESCENDED INTO THE . . . 258
27   ALAAN HAD LIT A FIRE IN THE HEARTH TO COOK THEIR MEAL . . . 278
28   TAM WALKED THROUGH THE DEW-DAMPENED MORNING, . . . 284
29   MORNING FOUND THEM SAILING ACROSS AN OPEN LAKE, REACHING. . . 291
30   THE APPARITION THEY HAD SEEN PASS THROUGH THE EYE OF THE. . . 305
31   THEY SAW HIM FIRST ON A RIDGE HIGH ABOVE OPEN FARMLAND. . . . 317
32   BAORE TOOK THEM ASHORE AT THE MOUTH OF A SMALL CREEK. . . 319
33   LLYN WALKED IN HER GARDEN, ACCOMPANIED BY UNEASY WIND. IT. . . 323
34   ARDEN RODE ALONG THE GRASSY LANE BESIDE HIS COUSIN TOREN. . . . 327
35   THE CIRCLE OF SILVEROAK LAY HIDDEN WITHIN A SHALLOW DRAW. . . 338
36   THE RIVER SWEPT THEM SOUTH WITHOUT REST OR HESITATION. IF. . . 342
37   THE GHOSTS OF EREMON-HAFYDD HAUNTED HIS FATHER’S CASTLE,. . . 352
38   ARDEN OPENED THE DOORS ONTO THE BALCONY AND THE SCENT. . . 359
39   “IT WASN’T NEAR BAORE,” GARTNN SAID. “IT HOVERED OVER YOU,. . . 366
40   THE MOMENT BAORE HAD PRONOUNCED THEIR CRAFT . . . 368
41   “THEY’VE HUNTED US DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE WYNND,” . . . 378
42   TUATH COULD SEE RATH RIDING IN THE CART BEFORE HER. HE SAT. . . 384
43   LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE SHADOWED RIVER—CANDLES IN STORM. . . 387
44   THE VALEMEN AND THE MINSTRELS WERE GIVEN A COLD SUPPER. . . 394
45   PRINCE MICHAEL WATCHED HIS FATHER’S COUNSELOR WITH HIS. . . 398
46   ELISE WAS BRUISED, DISHEVELED, AND FRIGHTENED NIGH TO DEATH. . . . 402
47   LORD CARRAL WILLS SAT PLAYING AN OLD FÁELLUTE; AS ALWAYS, IN. . . 407
48   TAM POURED ELFFEN’S STILL-WARM ASHES INTO THE RIVER. THE. . . 410
49   DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE JOUSTING, ARCHERY, AND . . . 411
50   PRINCE MICHAEL MADE HIS WAY THROUGH THE CURRENTS AND. . . 413
51   THE FOUR MEN-AT-ARMS WERE LAID OUT ON TABLES IN THE OLD. . . 419
52   PRINCE MICHAEL HAD MANAGED TO ELUDE THE GUARDS HIS . . . 423
53   THE NIGHT WHISPERED, FASHIONING WORDS FROM THE RIPPLING. . . 431
54   LLYN SAT IN THE WINDOW OF HER ROOM, WORRYING AT A RING OF. . . 433
55   THE VALEMEN TOOK SERIOUSLY THE WARNING ELISE HAD SENT TO. . . 438
56   THERE WAS, AT THE WESTBROOK FAIR, ENTERTAINMENT EVERY. . . 445
57   THE NEWS CAME LIKE A SUDDEN, HARD FROST, SPREADING ACROSS. . . 451
58   MIDSUMMER’S DAY WAS HOT, WITH ONLY THE SMALLEST BREEZE TO. . . 455
59   LLYN SPREAD THE COSTUME ON HER BED AND GAZED AT IT, A. . . 470
60   THE STRANGE WIND THAT HAD DARKENED THE BALL CARRIED COLD. . . 505
61   ON THE FINAL NIGHT OF THE FAIR A SUDDEN WIND FUNNELED. . . 515
 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
PRAISE FOR
 
ALSO BY SEAN RUSSELL
 
COPYRIGHT
 
COVER
 
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER