Limits of Power

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Authors: Elizabeth Moon

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“Y
ou killed her!” That first voice, instantly joined by others, rose in a furious screech of accusation. “You killed her! You killed her!”

The angry voices penetrated Kieri's grief and exhaustion, and he looked back over his shoulder to see at least a dozen elves, some with swords drawn, his uncle Amrothlin among them. Behind them, more Squires pushed into the room.

“I did not,” he said. “I tried—”

“She's dead! You're alive; you must have—!”

“I tried to save her,” Kieri said. “I could not.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Former Marine E
LIZABETH
M
OON
is the author of many novels, including
Echoes of Betrayal, Kings of the North, Oath of Fealty,
the Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy,
Victory Conditions, Command Decision, Engaging the Enemy, Marque and Reprisal, Trading in Danger,
the Nebula Award winner
The Speed of Dark,
and
Remnant Population,
a Hugo Award finalist. After earning a degree in history from Rice University, Moon went on to obtain a degree in biology from the University of Texas, Austin. She lives in Florence, Texas.

www.elizabethmoon.com

B
Y
E
LIZABETH
M
OON

The Serrano Legacy

Hunting Party

Sporting Chance

Winning Colours

Once a Hero

Rules of Engagement

Change of Command

Against the Odds

The Serrano Legacy: Omnibus One

The Serrano Connection: Omnibus Two

The Serrano Succession: Omnibus Three

The Legacy of Gird

Surrender None

Liar's Oath

A Legacy of Honour: The Legacy of Gird Omnibus

The Deed of Paksenarrion

Sheepfarmer's Daughter

Divided Allegiance

Oath of Gold

The Deed of Paksenarrion Omnibus

Paladin's Legacy

Oath of Fealty

Kings of the North

Limits of Power

Remnant Population

Speed of Dark

The Vatta's War Series

Trading in Danger

Moving Target

Engaging the Enemy

Command Decision

Victory Conditions

with Anne McCaffrey

Sassinak (The Planet Pirates Volume 2)

Generation Warriors (The Planet Pirates Volume 3)

COPYRIGHT

Published by Hachette Digital

ISBN: 9780748133796

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 Elizabeth Moon

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

Hachette Digital

Little, Brown Book Group

100 Victoria Embankment

London, EC4Y 0DY

www.littlebrown.co.uk

www.hachette.co.uk

For David Stevens, Music Director, Austin Haller, Organist, and the Parish Choirs of St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, Texas

Table of Contents

About the Author

Also by Elizabeth Moon

Copyright

Dedication

Dramatis Personae

Map

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Acknowledgments

Extras

Extract Form an Feast of Souls

Dramatis Personae

Fox Company
(formerly Kieri Phelan's mercenary company)

Jandelir Arcolin, commander
, Count of the North Marches

Burek
, junior captain of first cohort

Selfer
, captain of second cohort

Cracolnya
, captain of third (mixed/archery) cohort

Stammel
, veteran sergeant of the Company, now blind

Tsaia

Mikeli Vostan Kieriel Mahieran
, king of Tsaia

Camwyn
, his younger brother

Sonder Amrothlin Mahieran
, Duke Mahieran, king's uncle

Selis Jostin Marrakai
, Duke Marrakai

Gwennothlin
, his daughter and Duke Verrakai's squire

Aris
, his son and Prince Camwyn's friend

Galyan Selis Serrostin
, Duke Serrostin

Daryan
, his youngest son and Duke Verrakai's squire

Dorrin Verrakai
, Duke Verrakai, formerly a senior captain in Phelan's company, now Constable for kingdom

Beclan
, Kirgan Verrakai, formerly Beclan Mahieran

Oktar
, Marshal-Judicar of Tsaia

Seklis
, High Marshal of Gird

Lyonya

Kieri Phelan
, king of Lyonya, former mercenary commander and duke in Tsaia, half-elven grandson of the Lady of the Ladysforest

Arian
, Kieri's wife, queen of Lyonya, half-elven

Aliam Halveric
, commands Halveric Company, Kieri Phelan's mentor and friend

Estil Halveric
, his wife

elves

Amrothlin
, the Lady's son and Kieri's uncle

Elven ruler of the Lordsforest

Fintha

Arianya
, Marshal-General of Gird

Marshal Cedlin
, Fin Panir

Marshal Sofan
, Crossways

Aarenis

Arvid Semminson
, former thief-enforcer, now Girdish convert

Marshal Porfur
, Ifoss

Marshal Steralt
, Valdaire

Jeddrin
, Count of Andressat

Filis Andressat
, Andressat's third son

Visla Vaskronin
, Duke of Immer (formerly, Alured the Black)

Samdal
, Chancellor and Regent, Horngard

Kuakkgani

Ashwind
, itinerant Kuakgan, Tsaia

Elmholt
, grovemaster Kuakgan, Tsaia

Larchwind
, itinerant Kuakgan, Lyonya

Pearwind
, itinerant Kuakgan, Lyonya

Gnomes

Dattur
,
kteknik
gnome and Arvid's companion/servant

Aldonfulk Prince

CHAPTER ONE

Chaya, in Lyonya

“Y
ou killed her!” That first voice, instantly joined by others, rose in a furious screech of accusation. “
You
killed her! You killed
her
!”

The angry voices penetrated Kieri's grief and exhaustion, and he looked back over his shoulder to see at least a dozen elves, some with swords drawn, his uncle Amrothlin among them. Behind them, more Squires pushed into the room.

“I did not,” he said. “I tried—”

“She's dead! You're alive; you must have—!”

“I tried to
save
her,” Kieri said. “I could not.” He stood up then, automatically collecting his weapons as he rose.

“Let me see that!” Amrothlin strode forward, pointing at Kieri's sword. “If it has her blood on it—”

“Of course it does,” Kieri said. “You saw: my sword lay in her blood, there on the floor.” He had knelt in her blood, he realized, and his hands were stained. No wonder Amrothlin suspected him, though the blood that spattered his clothes had come from others.

Amrothlin reached out his hand. “Let me smell it. I know her scent; I will know another's scent, if indeed another's blood is there. Give it to me.”

“No,” Arian said before Kieri could answer, blocking Amrothlin with her arm. “You will not disarm the king,” she said. “Not after what has happened.”

“You!” Amrothlin glared at her. “You half-bred troublemaker, child of one who should never have sired children on mortals—”


Daughter
of one who gave his life to save the Lady,” Arian said. Kieri saw the glitter of both tears and anger in her eyes. “There he lies, and you would insult him?”

“And you know you cannot hold this sword,” Kieri said, forcing a calm tone through the anger he felt. How dare Amrothlin insult Arian—and where had he been all this time? Was he the traitor? “You remember: it's sealed to me. Smell if you wish, but do not touch it.”

Amrothlin glared at them all, then fixed his gaze on Arian. “What should I think when I find three mortals around my Lady's body with swords drawn and her blood run out like water from a cracked jug? I see no other foe here. It is you, I say, and this—this so-called king.”

Kieri glanced past Amrothlin. The ring of elves stood tense; behind them were Squires who hesitated to push them aside, and behind those the hooded figures of two Kuakkgani. He met Amrothlin's angry gaze once more.

“I am the king,” he said, keeping his voice as steady as he could. “I am the king, and my mother was your sister, and this Lady was my grandmother. So we are kin, whether you like it or not. If you can indeed detect identity by the smell of the blood, then you will smell another immortal's blood on this—and on the queen's sword and Duke Verrakai's as well.”

“Do you dare accuse an elf?” Amrothlin asked. He still trembled like a candle flame, but his voice had calmed.

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