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Curse of Kings
Alex Barclay
In the tone of The Hobbit, comes the first thrilling story in an epic fantasy adventure, from a major new voice.Fourteen-year-old Oland Born lives in dark times, in a world ruled by evil tyrant, Vilius Ren. Vilius and his fearsome, bloodthirsty army have wrecked the prosperous kingdom of Decresian, once ruled by good King Micah. Oland himself has been kept as Vilius’s servant in grim Castle Derrington, and he knows little about his past – or why Vilius keeps such a sharp, close eye on him.One night, Oland finds a letter addressed to him, from the long-dead king. No sooner has he read the message than a mysterious stranger tries to kidnap him. Oland runs, the dead king’s warning ringing in his ears…If Oland is to live he must restore the shattered kingdom. This is his quest. This is his curse. Let the trials of Oland Born begin. . .The setting is a hugely atmospheric fantasy world of medieval castles, Romanesque games arenas, supernatural forests and harsh seas. Terrifying hybrid creatures and monsters abound – and Oland’s greatest ally is a girl called Delphi who has dark secrets of her own.
To the loveliest loves in all the land:
Lily, Abigail, Sophie, Emily, Michael and Lucy
Dedication
The Archivist’s Oath (#ulink_f085f88b-0b2d-5894-8719-7c9697c8fa07)
Prologue (#ulink_db742076-b297-558d-996d-e633dbfe6b04)
1. Unsettled Souls (#ulink_8b8735c7-c516-5403-b3ce-59b54510d11e)
2. Wickham’s Tale (#ulink_9601b465-1209-5b9b-8a15-28ac25a6b6f0)
3. The Holdings (#ulink_53b2cd33-2a41-59e7-b687-3c6a3c100920)
4. The Lunatic Prince (#ulink_023eba70-e557-5989-ac1e-6924c44dda0b)
5. Starveling (#ulink_5de2f42a-0a47-512a-9635-ed0cb7957845)
6. Spectator (#ulink_0786e687-4337-5ebf-ac1f-6ef41e462fe1)
7. Teal and Gold (#ulink_f3e66b31-1811-5af6-9282-44f81f80700b)
8. By Nightfall, Be Gone (#ulink_a1569745-ddf7-5474-8092-abd0f23331e2)
9. The Beast He Would Slay (#ulink_69b4c2f3-70bc-5e4e-b29e-f20d6994d5f5)
10. Curse Your Souls (#ulink_35c3fb96-0772-5063-b818-4fcf7514ea3f)
11. Downfall (#ulink_0d824e3a-8d3f-5304-9cd8-1c1065e3608c)
12. Chancey the Gold (#ulink_2b6f078f-d1c7-5505-b8a7-cfb871444eb7)
13. Census (#ulink_42133ade-bd51-52c7-9708-a14f9d311df3)
14. The Archivist’s Oath (#ulink_b64a7c0b-f816-599b-9271-858db4ea3f3a)
15. Black Against the Rising Moon (#ulink_31482598-4815-5569-85b9-f4a7e71580f9)
16. The Honoured Son (#litres_trial_promo)
17. Oilskins (#litres_trial_promo)
18. The Other Guide (#litres_trial_promo)
19. Ten Falls (#litres_trial_promo)
20. Home (#litres_trial_promo)
21. The Thousandth Soul (#litres_trial_promo)
22. Grief (#litres_trial_promo)
23. Abandoned (#litres_trial_promo)
24. A Million Steps (#litres_trial_promo)
25. Pinfrock (#litres_trial_promo)
26. The Same Hand (#litres_trial_promo)
27. Prophecy (#litres_trial_promo)
28. The Bridge (#litres_trial_promo)
29. Rumours and Fathoming (#litres_trial_promo)
30. One Man Down (#litres_trial_promo)
31. All That is Buried (#litres_trial_promo)
32. Bones (#litres_trial_promo)
33. Pincer (#litres_trial_promo)
34. Acquisition (#litres_trial_promo)
35. Marsh Light (#litres_trial_promo)
36. Quintus (#litres_trial_promo)
37. Truth and Loyalty (#litres_trial_promo)
38. Collapse (#litres_trial_promo)
39. A Truant Kingdom (#litres_trial_promo)
40. Dying Breath (#litres_trial_promo)
41. Black to the Core (#litres_trial_promo)
42. Rotting (#litres_trial_promo)
43. Beneath the Surface (#litres_trial_promo)
44. Hope (#litres_trial_promo)
45. Engulfed (#litres_trial_promo)
46. The Legend of Praevisia (#litres_trial_promo)
47. Frax (#litres_trial_promo)
48. Stakes (#litres_trial_promo)
49. Reckless (#litres_trial_promo)
50. Banished (#litres_trial_promo)
51. Heartbreak (#litres_trial_promo)
52. The Evil That Shone (#litres_trial_promo)
53. Six Scars (#litres_trial_promo)
54. Hidden (#litres_trial_promo)
55. Fall at the Last (#litres_trial_promo)
56. Skyward (#litres_trial_promo)
57. Descent (#litres_trial_promo)
58. Sweetling (#litres_trial_promo)
59. Slaughterhouse (#litres_trial_promo)
60. Testament (#litres_trial_promo)
61. Fallen (#litres_trial_promo)
62. Undermined (#litres_trial_promo)
63. Fire (#litres_trial_promo)
64. The Boy Who Never Was (#litres_trial_promo)
65. Separation (#litres_trial_promo)
66. The Walled Garden (#litres_trial_promo)
67. Beloved (#litres_trial_promo)
68. Grave (#litres_trial_promo)
69. Poison (#litres_trial_promo)
70. Affliction (#litres_trial_promo)
Afterword (#litres_trial_promo)
Acknowledgments (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher
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I am Archivist Tristan Ault.
I vow to tell the untold tales, and my master is the truth.
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OURTEEN YEARS AGO…
Wind rushed in from the cold night and quenched all but three of the torches that lit the great hall of Castle Derrington. King Micah, weakened by illness, lay slumped on his throne, his breathing dry and shallow. A towering band of men on horseback surrounded him, flames dancing in their eyes, their cheeks streaked with blood.
Outside, against the beating rain, the king’s most loyal counsel, Villius Ren, rode his white horse across the burning drawbridge and charged through the deserted barbican, through the courtyard and into the great hall.
“Your Highness,” he said, drawing his sword from its scabbard.
King Micah looked up from the shadows, and saw that his trusted servant bore the same blood markings as the pale warriors before him. He bowed his head.
“It is not your betrayal that saddens me, Villius. It is the world and how it has turned to darkness to find its way. And how can we be guided without light?”
The wind whipped around the last of the torches and the room went black.
“You have succumbed, Villius, as the weak and the ignorant do,” said King Micah. “Since you were a child, happiness held no value for you. I was foolish to think that you could change. You have defeated a man on his deathbed. Your courage is commendable.”
The filthy white horse reared up on its hind legs. Villius Ren wrenched the reins, the hot breath from his laughter misting the cold air around him. He said just one word: “Release.”
“Farewell,” said King Micah, “but know that this is not the end.”
When all the arrows had arced from their bows, Villius Ren jumped down from his horse and went to where King Micah lay bleeding. One by one, Villius twisted the arrows in his master’s wounds, and tore them free. King Micah’s eyes shot open. He reached out and gripped Villius Ren’s arm. The two men locked eyes. Villius felt as if his flesh had been sucked towards the bone and released, as if he had been drained, then replenished. A feeling of sickness and loss swept over him. He staggered away from the king, whose eyes had closed, whose chest had ceased to rise.
Villius Ren and his warriors had laid claim to the Kingdom of Decresian, but only by defeating a dying man. Henceforth, to all but each other, they would be known as The Craven Lodge.
The Curse of Kings was cast.
Somewhere in the castle, a baby cried.
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