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  The Weapon Takers Saga

  Books 1-3

  Jamie Edmundson

  The Weapon Takers Saga

  Books 1-3

  Copyright © 2019 by Jamie Edmundson.

  All rights reserved.

  First Edition: 2019

  Author website jamieedmundson.com

  Cover: Streetlight Graphics

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Contents

  Dramatis Personae

  Map

  Toric’s Dagger

  1. Three Corpses

  2. The Smell of Failure

  3. Intruders

  4. Toric’s Dagger

  5. Leaving

  6. A Miracle

  7. Creatures That Come Out at Night

  8. The Stand

  9. Afflictions

  10. Under the Influence

  11. A Crown and a Hat

  12. Trimming the Fat

  13. The Boar Strikes

  14. Ariella & Tivian

  15. A Song for a King

  16. The Imps

  17. Three Coffins

  18. An Audience with the Emperor

  19. The Road to War

  20. Secret Paths

  21. A History Lesson

  22. Good News

  23. Dark Tidings

  24. Swift Magic

  25. The Temenos

  26. Onella’s Temple

  Bolivar’s Sword

  Prologue

  1. Strangers

  2. Pursuit

  3. To Protect and Serve

  4. The Waves at the Shore

  5. Of Wives and War

  6. Two Towers

  7. Friends and Enemies

  8. Dogs and Dragons

  9. In Arioc’s Chambers

  10. Atop Burkhard Castle

  11. Prisons

  12. A Blessing

  13. A Great Moot

  14. A Cloth of Gold

  15. In the Presence of Royalty

  16. Gustav the Hawk

  17. The Battle of Lindhafen

  18. The Second Disciple

  19. Siege

  20. The Rock Walkers

  21. Pentas the Wizard

  22. Bolivar’s Sword

  23. Samir Durg

  24. The Tower of Diis

  25. The Kill

  26. Last Stand

  The Jalakh Bow

  Prologue

  1. Cold Comfort

  2. The Handmaid, The Duchess and The Queen

  3. Coldeberg

  4. It Takes an Assassin

  5. The Battle of Simalek

  6. Broken Vows

  7. Red Serpent

  8. Manoeuvres

  9. The Grass Sea

  10. In Shadow

  11. Halvia

  12. Joined

  13. To The Rock

  14. Consummatum Est

  15. Betrayal

  16. Exodus

  17. Comeback Kings

  18. The Jalakh Bow

  19. Beyond the Drang

  20. The Gift

  21. Revenge

  22. Reappearance

  23. Rescue

  About

  The Giants’ Spear

  Prologue

  Also by Jamie Edmundson

  Dramatis Personae

  South Magnians

  Soren, a wizard

  Belwynn, Soren’s sister

  Herin, a mercenary

  Clarin, Herin’s brother

  Farred, a nobleman of Middian descent

  Gyrmund, Farred’s friend, an explorer

  Edgar, Prince of South Magnia

  Leofwin, Edgar’s bodyguard

  Brictwin, Edgar’s bodyguard

  Ulf, an apprentice smith

  Bareva, Ulf’s wife

  Wulfgar, high-priest of Toric

  Otha of Rystham, magnate, Wulfgar’s brother

  Ealdnoth, Edgar’s court wizard

  Wilchard, Edgar’s chief steward

  Oslac, Mayor of Halsham

  Harbyrt the Fat, Marshal of the North

  Kenward, a sheriff

  Aescmar, a magnate

  Burstan, a captain in the army

  Anulf, a soldier

  Morlin, a soldier

  Hallaf, an outlaw

  Ragulf, a standard bearer

  North Magnians

  Elana, a priestess of Madria

  Cerdda, Prince of North Magnia

  Ashere, Cerdda’s younger brother

  Mette, Cerdda’s mother

  Elfled, Cerdda’s sister

  Irmgard, Cerdda’s wife

  Sherlin, an earl

  Middians

  Brock, a tribal chief

  Frayne, a tribal chief

  Cordentines

  Vincente the Fox, a merchant

  Loris, a reeve in Vincente’s town

  Fulvio, a guard in the employ of Vincente

  Glanna, King of Cordence

  Rosmont, a Cordentine ambassador

  Barissians

  Dirk, a priest of Toric

  Emeric, Duke of Barissia

  Gervase Salvinus, a mercenary leader

  Orlin, Emeric’s chamberlain

  Urval, Orlin’s servant

  Curtis, a soldier

  Dom, a soldier

  Bernard Hat, an innkeeper

  Werner, a steward in Coldeberg

  Heike, a steward in Coldeberg

  Kellish

  Moneva, a mercenary

  Baldwin, Duke of Kelland, Emperor of Brasingia

  Hannelore, Empress of Brasingia

  Walter, Baldwin’s younger brother, Marshal of the Empire

  Rainer, Baldwin’s chamberlain

  Decker, Archbishop of Kelland

  Gustav the Hawk, Archmage of the Empire

  Inge, Gustav’s apprentice

  Ancel, a priest

  Lord Kass, a nobleman

  Rotelegen

  Ellard, Duke of Rotelegen

  Adalheid, Duchess of Rotelegen

  Jeremias, their son

  Rudy, a prisoner in Samir Durg

  Jurgen, a prisoner in Samir Durg

  Veit, a scout

  Other Brasingians

  Arne, Duke of Luderia

  Tobias, his son

  Godfrey, Archbishop of Gotbeck

  Coen, Duke of Thesse

  Theodoric, a linen merchant from Thesse

  Lord Emmett, a Thessian nobleman

  Trevor, a Luderian woodsman

  Guivergnais

  Nicolas, King of Guivergne

  Bastien, Duke of Morbaine

  Russell, Bastien’s man

  Kalinthians

  Theron, Count of Erisina, Knight of Kalinth

  Evander, Theron’s squire

  Sebastian, Count of Melion, Knight of Kalinth

  Alpin, Sebastian’s squire

  Galenos, Grand Master of the Knights of Kalinth

  Tycho, Knight of Kalinth, Theron’s friend

  Remigius, Knight of Kalinth, Sebastian’s friend

  Euthymius, Knight of Kalinth

  Philon, Knight of Kalinth

  Leontios, Knight of Kalinth

  Coronos, Knight of Kalinth

  Proteus, Knight of Kalinth

  Nestor, a smith

  Jonas, King of Kalinth

  Irina, Queen of Kalinth

  Straton, eldest son of Jonas

  Dorian, second son of Jonas

  Diodor
us, Count of Korenandi

  Bemus, a disciple of Elana

  Lyssa, a girl from Korkis

  Haskans

  Shira, Queen of Haskany

  Koren, Shira’s uncle

  Rimmon, a mage

  Jalakhs

  Bolormaa, elder of the Oligud tribe

  Gansukh, warrior, Bolormaa’s son

  Qadan, warrior

  Persaleians

  Pentas, a wizard

  Mark, King of Persala

  Cyprian, a prisoner in Samir Durg

  Zared, a prisoner in Samir Durg

  Duilio, soldier

  Aulus, flamen of Ludovis

  Ennius, flamen of Ludovis

  Krykkers

  Kaved, a mercenary

  Rabigar, an exile

  Torinac, chieftain of the Dramsen

  Maragin, chieftain of the Grendals

  Guremar, chieftain of the Plengas

  Hakonin, chieftain of the Swarten

  Jodivig, chieftain of the Dramsen

  Crombec, chieftain of the Pecineg

  Wracken, chieftain of the Binideq

  Stenk, a young warrior

  Porimin, an historian

  Caladri

  Tibor, King of the Blood Caladri

  Lorant, Prince of the Blood Caladri

  Hajna, Princess of the Blood Caladri

  Szabolcs, a wise man

  Gyuri, a carriage driver

  Marika, a carriage attendant

  Dora, a carriage attendant

  Emese, a carriage attendant

  Vida, a carriage attendant

  Joska, a carriage attendant

  Elek, a carriage attendant

  Odon, elder of the Grand Caladri

  Agoston, elder of the Grand Caladri

  Dorottya, elder of the Grand Caladri

  Kelemen, a regional governor

  Ignac, a wizard

  Dorjan, King of the Shadow Caladri

  Sebo, a Sea Caladri captain

  Darda, a Sea Caladri soldier

  Isharites

  Erkindrix, Lord of Ishari

  Arioc, King of Haskany

  Siavash, High Priest of Ishari

  Nexodore, a wizard with a death mask

  Ardashir, a member of the Council of Seven

  Tirano, a wizard, serving Emeric of Barissia

  Roshanak, a wizard, lieutenant of Shira

  Mehrab, a wizard, lieutenant of Shira

  Babak, Arioc’s servant

  Harith, servant of Diis

  Peroz, servant of Diis

  Other

  Vamak, a Dog-man

  Tamir, a Barbarian chieftain

  Sevald, a Vismarian leader

  Gunnhild, a Vismarian

  Kull, a Drobax

  Toric’s Dagger

  Book One of The Weapon Takers Saga

  1

  Three Corpses

  TYPICAL, BELWYNN SAID, looking up as the sun disappeared behind thick clouds and the temperature dropped. Why did we have to do the walking through the heat of the afternoon?

  Soren didn’t turn to look at Belwynn. The twins always spoke in their heads when they were alone. It had become second nature to them ever since childhood. Instead, he squinted up at the sky.

  It’s going to rain soon. You wouldn’t have wanted to walk through that.

  Belwynn came close to making an irritable retort, but controlled herself. Was that a spot of rain? They walked on a bit. A drop landed on her cheek.

  That was the trouble with her brother. He was always right.

  As they approached the outskirts of the town, the spots of rain turned into a steady drizzle.

  For all the wealth that’s supposedly here, commented Belwynn, I see a lot of poverty.

  Small wooden huts with sunken floors were scattered about in an irregular pattern. They looked soaked through already, as if they hadn’t dried out from the last shower. Pitiful wisps of smoke could be seen emerging from the thatched roofs. They all had their doors open, and Belwynn peered in as she walked past. Babies crying. Women sewing. One woman was brewing beer, the pungent smell of hops emanating from the house. There were no men around — they presumably worked in town. Most of the houses had animals and small garden plots outside, as if the owners couldn’t decide between living like peasants or like townsfolk. Some kids played outside in the rain, splashing through the mud. They got an earful from a tough-looking matron for running through her garden. But, in truth, it was impossible to tell where the mud ended and the garden began.

  They continued into the centre of Vincente’s town, where the homes were more substantial. The people they passed looked them up and down suspiciously. They were strangers, so it was to be expected. The resemblance was unmistakeable, too. Both tall and slim, they shared the same soft features, the same blonde hair typical of the Magnians. But Belwynn sensed more tension here than was normal. People who were out seemed keen to get on with their business and get in. Not just because of the rain. There was no chatting or laughter, like back home in Magnia.

  Arriving in the market square, Soren looked around, squinting up at the shop signs.

  Is that it? asked Belwynn, pointing over to an inn on the opposite side of the square. The Three Tuns, she added, reading the faded lettering on the sign; it bore a picture of three wooden casks, the kind that held wine. The front of the inn wasn’t much to look at: old planks of wood that would soon need replacing, no windows, a narrow entrance.

  Yes, that’s it, agreed Soren, and led them over.

  Belwynn had never mentioned it, but she was sure her brother’s eyesight was deteriorating. Too many late nights reading old manuscripts had taken their toll.

  It didn’t look much on the outside, but inside, the Three Tuns was a substantial building, with a large open plan hall downstairs and rooms for guests on the top floor. It wasn’t busy, though. A few groups of travellers had arranged themselves near the fire, and the smell of roasted meat set Belwynn’s stomach rumbling. Soren was peering in that direction, but Belwynn was already looking into the shadowy, mostly empty recesses of the hall.

  Sure enough, a figure emerged from a secluded table and headed towards them. He was tall and muscular, with dark hair and eyes above a sneering mouth.

  ‘Took you long enough to get here,’ Herin spat out.

  He led them away from the inviting fire to his isolated table.

  He sat down, fingers drumming on the table top. Belwynn and Soren joined him, shrugging off their packs.

  ‘I’ve already ordered food,’ he said in an accusatory tone.

  Belwynn knew him well enough by now to ignore his rudeness.

  ‘Clarin’s here?’ she asked.

  ‘In the privy,’ Herin replied. ‘I swear, all he does is eat and shit.’

  ‘Why don’t you go over the plan?’ asked Soren, in the tight voice he used when he was annoyed.

  ‘There is a treasure room in the upstairs part of the building,’ Herin began, keeping his voice down and looking around the inn for eavesdroppers. ‘It holds chests full of coin and other valuables. There is a lock on the door that requires keys held by three different people, including one by Vincente himself. But we’ve got Soren to bypass that. So the main problem is neutralising the guards outside the room without drawing attention, then getting out quickly, and without being seen.’

  ‘And we have help with that?’ asked Soren.

  ‘Hey!’ came a booming voice from across the hall.

  Striding over came Clarin, Herin’s younger brother. Younger, but bigger. He was only slightly taller than Herin, but he had a massive chest, tree-trunk legs, and bulging arms. He had a mop of sandy hair and an altogether friendlier expression on his face.

  ‘Good to see you both!’ he exclaimed as he arrived at the table.

  Belwynn and Soren both stood up to each receive a massive bear hug.

  ‘Keep the noise down, you great idiot!’ demanded Herin in a hissed whisper.

  But it was water off a duck’s
back to Clarin, who took a seat with a beaming smile on his face.

  ‘Journey reasonable, was it?’ he asked them.

  ‘Yes, no complaints,’ replied Belwynn.

  Soren raised an eyebrow at that.

  ‘I was asking about the help we’ll get inside Vincente’s house,’ said her brother, attempting to return to business.

  ‘Two sellswords in there will help us,’ explained Herin. ‘We each get a one-sixth share.’

  ‘How trustworthy are they?’