KELLANVED’S REACH
Path to Ascendancy
Book 3
Ian C. Esslemont
Contents
Acknowledgements
Dramatis Personae
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in Winnipeg, Ian Cameron Esslemont has studied and worked as an archaeologist, travelled extensively in South East Asia and lived in Thailand and Japan for several years. He now lives in Fairbanks, Alaska, with his wife and children. He has a creative writing degree and his novels are all set in the fantasy world of Malaz that he co-created with Steven Erikson. Kellanved’s Reach follows Dancer’s Lament and Deadhouse Landing and continues the story of the turbulent early history of this great imagined landscape. To find out more, visit www.malazanempire.com / www.ian-esslemont.com
Also by Ian C. Esslemont
NIGHT OF KNIVES
RETURN OF THE CRIMSON GUARD
STONEWIELDER
ORB SCEPTRE THRONE
BLOOD AND BONE
ASSAIL
DANCER’S LAMENT
DEADHOUSE LANDING
For more information on Ian C. Esslemont and his books, see his website at www.malazanempire.com and www.ian-esslemont.com
To A.P. Canavan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Once again, thanks to Gerri and the boys for their support and patience with my strange calling. Continued thanks and gratitude to Simon and all the people at Transworld Publishers, and the dedicated readers at the Malazanempire.com site.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Of Malaz
Kellanved
New ruler of the isle of Malaz
Dancer
A notorious assassin
Surly
A Napan aristocrat
Cartheron Crust
A Napan captain
Urko Crust
A Napan captain
Choss
A Napan admiral
Tocaras
A Napan archer
Dassem Ultor
A Dal Hon swordsman, whom some name ‘Sword of Hood’
Tayschrenn
A renegade mage of Kartool
Dujek
A recruit
Jack
A recruit
Nedurian
A veteran, and mage
Of Nap
Tarel
King of the Napan Isles
Lady Elaina
Head of the Ravanna line
Torlo
Of the Torlo Trading House
Lord Kobay
Head of the Medalla line
Karesh
High Admiral, lord of all Napan fleets
Of the Bloorian League
Gareth
The king of Vor, and a principal of the League
Styvell
The king of Rath, and a principal of the League
Hret
The king of Bloor, and a principal of the League
Leah
A corporal of the Yellows Regiment
Teigan
A sergeant of the Yellows Regiment
Of Gris and its Allies
Malle
Ruler of the city state of Gris
Ranel
Baron of Nita
Ap-Athlan
Court sorcerer of Gris
Of Nom Purge
Elath Lallind
High General of Nom Purge
Ghenst Terrall
Baron of the Coastal Provinces
Jeral
Prevost (captain) of Purge forces
Of Orjin Samarr’s Troop
Orjin Samarr
A mercenary commander
Terath
A lieutenant
Arkady
A Wickan scout
Orhan
A fighter of possible giant blood, perhaps of Fenn
Yune
A Dal Hon shaman
Of Itko Kan
Leoto
Head of family Kan, the Kan of Kan
Jadeen
A feared witch of the south
Iko
A Sword-Dancer guard to the king
Of the Crimson Guard
Courian D’Avore
Commander of the Guard
K’azz D’Avore
His son, whom some name the Red Prince
Surat
Champion of the Guard
Cal-Brinn
A mage, and adviser to Courian
Others
Gregar
An apprentice stonemason
Haraj
A prisoner
Heboric
A priest of Fener
Hairlock
A mage
Prologue
As it did every time, the odious Idryn mud sucked at his boots – touching, even, the hem of his fine midnight blue (not black, mind you!) silk trousers, though he’d pulled them up as high as he could as he tramped the river shore to find Liss. Halfway, amid the stink and disgusting sewer filth, he paused, and he raised his eyes to the sky to entreat the gods. Why must you punish me so? Where did I transgress? Was it those curvy Leparia twins? If so, have I not endured enough?
Silk, city mage of Li Heng, lowered his gaze. Perhaps not. Those two had been so very delicious.
He spotted her then, in her dirty rags, among the pilings where they stood exposed, for this had been a dry summer, and the Idryn was low.
Once again Silk reflected that were it not for his strong suspicion that this hag was far more than a mere crazy witch, he would most certainly not be here.
Sighing, he slogged onward until he was within hailing distance, and he set a hand to his mouth. ‘Hello! Crazy catfish lady? You called?’
She straightened and turned his way, pushed snaggled tangled hair from her dirty face – which brightened. ‘Pretty boy! Decided to grow up, have you?’
Silk rolled his eyes. ‘What is it you want, Liss? I’m a busy man.’
‘Oh yes! So much posturing and self-indulgence to pursue! Where indeed to start?’
Silk peered about at the northern waterfront, the raised boardwalk and the inns and bars that fronted it. ‘You know, I could leave in any direction. Shall I choose?’
Liss straightened among the rags heaped over her shoulders, her mocking smile falling, and Silk was momentarily taken aback to see that she was even taller than he – and he was considered a rather tall fellow. ‘I see a storm approaching, Silk. One you may not weather well.’
‘Really? A storm? You can’t do better than that? A storm?’ He laughed, shaking his head. ‘Any cheap Dragons Deck reader on any street corner could do better than that! You do realize that’s a cliché, don’t you?’ He slapped at the drying mud marring his fine trousers. ‘I can’t believe you dragged me here for this.’
The old hag’s pinched mouth drew down and she cut a hand through the air as if to say, Very well! ‘I see a time of great upheaval approaching. One that may cost you in particular a great deal.’ She cocked a brow. ‘Dismiss that – if you will.’