The Broken Realm Read online

  The Broken Realm

  Kingdom of the White Sea Book Two

  Sarah M. Cradit

  Contents

  Northerlands

  Southerlands

  Easterlands

  Westerlands

  Hinterlands

  Duncarrow

  Midnight Crest

  The Consortium of the Sepulchre in the Skies

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Tainted Blood and Barbed Tongues

  1. Torrin’s Pass

  2. The Ramblings of a Swindler

  3. Drummond’s Cock

  4. Crimson and Gold

  5. The Counsel of Oldwin

  6. The Flame

  7. The Rookery

  8. Rush Rider

  The Guardians Don’t Make Mistakes

  9. The Last Stand of the Westerlands

  10. Louder, For Your Father

  11. The Quarrels of Our Past

  12. The Blackwood Banners

  13. What He Does in the Shadows

  14. Disgraced Lord

  15. Two Seals

  16. In Dreams

  17. The One Beating Most Swiftly Toward your Destruction

  18. Tempestuous Natures

  19. The Four Sorcerers

  20. This Time is Different

  An Awakening Across The Kingdom

  21. Bigger than Faith, Bigger than Magic

  22. Ladies of the Mountain

  23. Half-Truths

  24. The Slithering Shadows

  25. Not Tonight, But Soon

  26. The Search

  27. The Midnight Goat

  28. A Declaration of War

  29. Dain

  30. Brewing Chaos

  31. A Call to Arms

  32. Aimed True

  For Death, For Life, For Victory

  33. Help from Others

  34. Words and Deeds

  35. Clever, Slippery

  36. Dark Velvet

  37. What We Protect

  38. Recollections

  39. On the Eve of What Will be

  40. Friendships Birthed of Desperation

  41. The Demands of Darkness

  42. Making Peace with the Magic

  43. An Honor to Serve

  44. Recollections, Continued

  45. The Dangerous Business of Treason

  A Fire to Stoke or Starve

  46. Langenacht

  47. Children and Traitors

  48. Fly and Fly High

  49. A Thousand Tiny Cuts

  50. The Exchange

  51. The King

  52. A Perfect Circle

  53. Ryan

  54. Command

  55. Put it Behind

  56. The Source

  57. What He Did Not See

  58. Jamesan

  Epilogue

  Also by Sarah M. Cradit

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2021 Sarah M. Cradit

  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design by Regina Wamba of ReginaWamba.com

  Editing by Emily A. Lawrence of Lawrence Editing

  * * *

  Publisher Contact:

  [email protected]

  www.sarahmcradit.com

  Northerlands

  The Northern Reach

  Lord and Lady:

  Lord Holden Dereham & Lady Gretchen Quinlanden Dereham

  * * *

  Capital:

  Wulfsgate

  * * *

  Standard:

  The jagged mountaintop

  * * *

  Children:

  Christian, 19

  Drystan, 17

  Lisbet, 14

  Pieter, 13

  Nyssa and Torrin, 10 (twins)

  * * *

  Greater Families/Stewards:

  Aldenwood, Turick, Hardeham, Frost, Horne, Arranden, Wynter, Haddenfoot, Claybourne, Weatherford

  * * *

  Key Towns:

  Whitecap, Midwinter Rest, Westport, Eastport, Salthill, Darkwood Run, Witchwood Cross, Wulfshead Haven, Torrin’s Pass, Dunwoode

  * * *

  Landmarks:

  Northerland Range, Icebolt Mountain, Torrin’s Pass, Forest of Lycana

  * * *

  Notable Northerlanders:

  Alric Dereham & Earwyn Blackwood Dereham of Wulfsgate

  Aylen Wynter Dereham of Witchwood Cross (wife of Christian)

  Anabella Weatherford Rhiagain of Whitecap (wife of Darrick)

  Southerlands

  The Southern Reach

  Lord and Lady:

  Lord Khallum Warwick & Lady Gwyn Dereham Warwick

  Capital:

  Warwicktown

  * * *

  Standard:

  The crested wave

  * * *

  Children:

  Ransom, 19

  Esmerelda, 17

  Niall, 15

  Garrick, 12

  * * *

  Greater Families/Stewards:

  Strong, Rutland, Bradford, Clayton, Garrick, Holton, Leecaster, Law, Nye, Thorpe

  * * *

  Key Towns:

  Sandycove, Iron Hill, Sandymount, Whitecliffe, Stone Mawr, Blackpool, Leecaster Bay, Hornsea, Goldthorpe, Port Worthing

  * * *

  Landmarks:

  The Golden Coast, The Warwick Throne, Drummond’s Cock

  * * *

  Notable Southerlanders:

  Hamish and Andrija Strong, & sons Jesse and Ryan of Sandycove

  Lem Garrick of Iron Hill

  Barne Holton of Sandymount

  Samuel Law of Port Worthing

  Erran and Marie Rutland, & daughters Agnes and Esther of Whitecliffe

  Easterlands

  The Eastern Reach

  Lord and Lady:

  Lord Aiden Quinlanden & Lady Maeryn Blackwood Quinlanden

  * * *

  Capital:

  Whitechurch

  The Resplendent Reliquary of the Guardians is located in Riverchapel

  The Consortium of the Sepulchre in the Skies is located in Briarhaven

  The Council of Universities are in Oldcastle

  * * *

  Standard:

  The oaken tree

  * * *

  Children:

  Eavan, 18

  Assana, 17

  Cian, 16

  Breandan, 13

  Dorrin, 12

  * * *

  Greater Families/Stewards:

  Oakenwell, Sylvaine, Forrest, Skylark, Rowan, Rosewood, Waters, Edevane

  * * *

  Key Towns:

  Streamstowne, Rushwood, Riverchapel, Oldcastle, Everleigh Pike, Everhart Thicket, Greenfen, Briarhaven, Bythesea, Oak Hill

  * * *

  Landmarks:

  Fionn’s Pass, Gap of Ever, The Sparkling Beck

  * * *

  Notable Easterlanders:

  Lord Corin Quinlanden and Lady Yesenia Warwick of Whitechurch

  Drystan “Ash” Sylvaine of Rushwood

  Enchanter Joran Rosewood of Greenfen

  Mads Waters of Bythesea

  Stirling Oakenwell of Oak Hill

  Wyat Edevane of Oldcastle
r />   Mortain the Sorcerer

  Westerlands

  The Western Reach

  Lord and Lady:

  Lady Asherley Blackwood & Lord Byrne Warwick (deceased)

  Capital:

  Longwood Rush

  * * *

  Standard:

  The providing mother

  * * *

  Children:

  Hollyn (deceased)

  Emberley, 15

  Gabrianna, 14

  Brandyn, 13

  * * *

  Greater Families/Stewards:

  Tyndall, Glenlannan, Ashenhurst, Bristol, Blakewell, James, Stanhope, Richland, Derry, Wakesell

  * * *

  Key Towns:

  Wildwood Falls, Pine Bluff, Windwatch Grove, Whispering Wood, Valleybrooke, Greencastle, East Derry, Greystone Abbey, Newcarrow, Whitewood

  * * *

  Landmarks:

  The Seven Sisters of the West, The River Rush, Whispering Wood, The Whitewood, The Hidden Cave

  * * *

  Notable Westerlanders:

  Easlan James & son Kaslan of Greystone Abbey

  Griffath and Clarissant Tyndall, & children Marsh, Jonah, and Lyria of Wildwood Falls

  Glen and Fleur Ashenhurst, & children Meadow and Brook of Windwatch Grove

  Mason and Jasmine Wakesell, & daughter Storm of Whitewood

  Arturo Blackfen, Rush Rider

  Grand Minister Rhydian Tyndall

  Hinterlands

  The Land of the Medvedev

  Chieftainesses:

  Yseult de Medvedev, Drumain Clahnn

  Ohsmha de Medvedev, Saleen Clahnn

  * * *

  Clahnns:

  Drumain

  Asgill

  Mayke

  Saleen

  * * *

  Yseult’s Children:

  Kian, 17

  Kael, 15

  * * *

  Landmarks:

  Forest of All

  * * *

  Other Notable Medvedev:

  Yanna de Medvedev of Clahnn Drumain (sister of Yseult, deceased)

  Duncarrow

  Seat of the Rhiagains

  King:

  Eoghan Rhiagain

  Wife: Lady Assana Quinlanden of the Easterlands

  Standard:

  The crossed swords

  * * *

  King’s Family:

  Khain- Father (deceased)

  Florian- Mother (deceased)

  Dain- Brother (deceased)

  Assyria- Sister

  Correen- Sister

  Darrick- Brother

  Anabella- Wife of Darrick

  Stefan- Son of Darrick

  * * *

  Notable Rhiagains of Past:

  King Carrow the Original

  King Carrick the Dreamer

  King Karsein

  King Fynne the Good

  * * *

  Known Rhiagain Sorcerers:

  Oldwin

  Mortain

  Lysanor

  Isdemus

  * * *

  Landmarks:

  The sky dungeon, Isle of Belcarrow

  Midnight Crest

  Haven of the Ravenwoods

  High Priestess & Priest:

  Varinya & Argentyn Ravenwood

  * * *

  Castle:

  The Rookery

  * * *

  Sigil:

  The raven

  * * *

  Children:

  Alasyr, 17

  Ravenna, 15

  Ryandyr, 13

  Ashara, 10

  Nyana & Nevyn, 8 (twins)

  * * *

  Landmarks:

  Courtyard of Regents

  * * *

  Notable Ravenwoods:

  Adynora & Alasyr (Ravenna’s grandparents)

  Aryc & son Sandyr

  Ailyn

  Corridyn

  Rhosyn (defected)

  The Consortium of the Sepulchre in the Skies

  The Academy of Magic and Ruling Council of Elders

  Head Magus:

  Head Magus Tymagen

  * * *

  Location:

  Briarhaven, in the Easterlands

  * * *

  Adherents- students

  Enchanters/Enchantresses- magic practitioners who have finished their studies and been assigned into the world. May also be called by their discipline (i.e. Healers, Seers, etc.)

  Magi- Instructors of magic at the Sepulchre

  Elder Magi- A position of tenure that allows access to the Sacred Halls

  Head Magus- The head of the Sepulchre

  * * *

  Notable Magi:

  Magi Christian Dereham

  Magi Aylen Wynter

  Elder Magi Rorric Dereham

  Elder Thorsen

  * * *

  Notable Adherents:

  Brandyn Blackwood

  Esther Rutland

  For The Kingdom of the White Reader Group, who add so much more color and excitement to a journey filled to the brim with both. And to Gladys for keeping the wheels turning.

  Prologue

  Assana Rhiagain moved through the dreary halls of Duncarrow like an unmoored ghost. There’d been whispers intended for her in those first few days. They all wondered about the replacement bride, the girl who was only valuable to her father as a means of securing his place as key sycophant of the king. Some took great pleasure in their anticipation of the pain she’d endure at the hands of King Eoghan. Others reflected on this same thing with resigned sadness. Pity. The pity was the worst of all. She’d rather they all exalted in their joy over her painful marriage than direct toward her even a grain of sympathy.

  The whispers had since moved on, redirecting their focus to the latest court intrigues. The Right of Choosing and a consolation prize would-be queen were no longer so interesting when measured against Asherley Blackwood’s moonlight flight, prompting a rare display of the king’s righteous fury. They looked to him to set the tone of their own emotions, and he did not disappoint. For this, he’d finally left his bedchamber, stomping through the barren halls of Duncarrow in his nightshift, roaring like a vexed dragon. Assana supposed they were all surprised his voice had the capacity to carry like that at all. His cruelty had always been louder than his words.

  Asherley had taken with her the male heirs of the Southerlands and Northerlands. Asherley herself had been among the king’s pawns, and so her escape meant the loss of his leverage with the three Reaches who had failed to deliver as promised at the Right of Choosing.

  Something else had been stolen as well, though no one knew precisely what. Only that it was of great importance to the king.

  That left only Assana. Assana, burdened by her questions. Assana, laden with the weight of the many betrayals painting her short life.

  No one looked her way now as her bare feet connected with the damp stone. She was no longer worth the height of their emotions, on either end of the pendulum. She was hardly worth Eoghan’s time, and his supposed need of her was the reason she’d been dragged to Duncarrow.