Grim Company 02 - Sword Of The North (62 page)
Read Grim Company 02 - Sword Of The North Online
Authors: Luke Scull
The building he was looking for was situated on a nondescript street. It appeared to be some kind of book depository, judging by the sign out front. He raised a hand to knock upon the door, but before his knuckles could rap against the wood the door swung inward and the Master’s words manifested directly inside his skull.
‘Enter.’
He did as he was commanded. The interior of the building was dark and unlit, and though his eyes could pierce shadows as easily as if it were day there was a pool of utter blackness in the corner of the well-maintained store that even the gaze of one versed in the ninth school could not penetrate.
‘Wolgred.’
The voice inside his head spoke again. Something seemed to move within that unnatural abyss of light, a deeper shade of black shifting slightly to regard him.
‘You bring news.’
‘Of course, master. It is my honour to serve.’
Silence followed his words, and Wolgred the Wanderer was filled with a sudden dread, afraid he had inadvertently caused offence. But a moment later that voice slithered into his skull again.
‘Report.’
‘The Nameless stirs beneath the Spine. The hold his Herald has on the King is near complete. Mithradates is dying and will not interfere in our plans.’
‘What of the gholam?’
‘It is somewhere in the ruins still.’
Two tiny pinpricks of malevolent red light flickered in the depths of the darkness.
‘You have done well.’
Joy filled Wolgred’s heart at the Master’s praise, but he didn’t dare let the pleasure show in his voice. ‘The Ancients have arrived. We must leave soon. Are… are you strong enough to portal, master?’
‘Not quite. Soon. I require sustenance.’
‘Of course, master. I shall see to it.’
‘Wait. There is something else. A marker in the Pattern has appeared unexpectedly. One I did not account for.’
‘Tell me what must be done, master.’
‘Go to Thelassa.
Find the one named Davarus Cole and kill him. Take care not to alert the White Lady to your presence, or you will place our plans in jeopardy and risk a deviation in the Pattern. That cannot come to pass.’
‘Of course, master.’ Wolgred wanted to ask about Shadowport, enquire how much longer Lord Marius would need before he could resume his old form. But he dared not. Instead he bowed low, and then he left the depository to obtain the sacrifices his master had requested.
As luck would have it, a young Watchman was already on his way to the depository as Wolgred left the building. The guard mentioned something about a dog and keeping a promise to a man named the Halfmage. The Wanderer gestured at him to go inside with a warm smile.
He whistled a tuneless ditty as a high-pitched shriek erupted from the depository and was abruptly cut off by a feral growl and the crunching of bone. With the
fehd
ships now patrolling the harbour, he would need to find some other way of crossing Deadman’s Channel. It would only serve to delay the inevitable.
As he had so many hundreds of others before him, Wolgred the Wanderer would hunt down this Davarus Cole and kill him without remorse.
~
We hope you enjoyed this book.
The final instalment in the series,
Dead Man’s Steel
, will be released in 2016.
For more information, click one of the links below:
~
An invitation from the publisher
It’s often said that the second novel is the hardest; now I understand why. I would like to thank my publishers for their continued patience over the past two years as I wrestled with a succession of personal and professional challenges that made writing this book such a challenge.
My sincere thanks to my agent, Robert Dinsdale, without whom I would still be procrastinating over the manuscript that would become
The Grim Company.
Rob plucked a fledgling writer from the obscurity of the internet and into bookstores in the relative blink of an eye. He has equal claim to any success I enjoy.
I’d also like to extend my thanks to Rob’s colleagues at A M Heath, who continue to represent my work in the international markets. I dread the day they find me a Spanish publisher and my in-laws are finally able to read these books…
My thanks also to Chris Lotts for all his work in North America.
Mike Brooks again provided much needed (and
honest
) feedback on early versions of the manuscript. Not only is Mike is a great pair of eyes, he’s also rather a fine writer himself.
Lastly – but absolutely
not
least – in my absence of any artistic talent whatsoever, my wife Yesica stepped in to draft the map of Kayne’s journey. She also helped out with last-minute proofreading. Her loving support helped ensure this book got written.
S
OME
LEGENDS
NEVER
DIE
…
Between the Demonfire Hills and the Shattered Realms, three rich and mighty cities flourished. Each city was protected by the power of their Magelord; each Magelord protected by an ancient truce. But no longer. The City of Shades is drowned. The Grey City enslaved. The barrier between the worlds is failing and only the Magelord of the City of Towers still lives to protect her people.
Until the arrival of a blind wanderer.
A man who calls himself Crow...
T
HE
G
RIM
C
OMPANY
‘Scull spins a gripping tale with expertise and relish.’
Guardian
‘Packs an impressive amount of violence, hazy morality and betrayal, crafting an energetically cynical read. Showcasing thrilling action sequences alongside effective plot twists, it’ll please fans of the darker edges of epic fantasy... An entertaining page-turner.’
SFX
‘If you like your gizzards glistening and your mages mean, this rollicking debut will suit. Hugely enjoyable.’
Daily Mail
‘One of the bright new voices in epic fantasy.’
Speculative Book Review
‘With a great cast and an even greater story all wrapped up in a mature world, told by a true story-teller,
The Grim Company
IS the best fantasy book you will read this year.’
SFBook
‘Paced like a race, never a dull moment, extraordinary set pieces, bold and brilliant. A stellar exemplar of what the genre has to offer today.’
Tor.com
‘An enjoyable romp at the heart of the genre.’
Interzone
‘A deftly crafted work that covers politics, betrayal, assassination, war, and frighteningly believable battles against enormous magical monsters, this is a great story that will keep you guessing right until the end.’
We Love This Book
‘A writer who will hit the fantasy genre like an augmented hammer, his writing is compelling, exciting and engaging.
My favourite fantasy of the year.’
Parmenion Books
‘I absolutely loved this novel. Scull could have a classic on his hands.’
Geek Syndicate
‘A fantastic story that is ripe with action, strong characterization and a tight plot. This not-to-be-missed debut marks Luke Scull as one of epic fantasy’s most talented.’
Fantasy Book Critic
‘Scull is the sort of author you buy on publication date and read on the way home.’
The Bookbag
L
UKE
S
CULL
was born in Bristol and lives in Warminster with his wife. Luke also designs computer roleplaying games and has worked on several acclaimed titles for Ossian Studios and Bioware. Visit his website at:
www.lukescull.com
or connect with him on Twitter
@Luke_Scull
It is a time of darkness. The last magic of the dead gods is on the wane. Demons and half-formed monsters plague the land as the final barriers between the realms begin to fail. The jealous Magelords of three great cities sit in their towers of stone and brood over the scant power that remains...
It is not a time of heroes. Their songs are long forgotten, their deeds go unwritten.
But, even now, some few still nurse a spark of hope, an unlikely fellowship, united against the tyranny of their immortal overlords—
T
HE
G
RIM
C
OMPANY
The Grim Company
is available
here
.
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