Estevar walked the three steps to the wall furthest from the fire and unbuckled the scabbard from his belt so he could ease himself down onto the dusty stone floor. The sun was beating down mercilessly that day, reminding all living things who was in charge and that deserts were cursed places at the best of times.

The Court of Shadows by Victor Dixen | Goodreads

He’d named the beast Imperious, though the ostentatious sobriquet wasn’t due to any regal bearing evinced by the mule, but rather for the way its rain-drenched muzzle would turn every few plodding steps so it could glare at its rider and remind him precisely who was to blame for their soggy predicament. If this mission was successful, they would then do everything they could to make sure he stayed on the throne. Please,’ Sir Daven said, jabbing the message sheath at Estevar’s chest, ‘read my lord’s words and heed them, I beg you.When Janva lost, as was inevitable given she'd never held a proper weapon in her life never mind a duelling sword, her sentence of five years would be doubled to ten, and that would be that. In times past he would instead twist the beaded braids of the neatly trimmed and carefully oiled black beard that came down to the collar of his coat, but given the nature of the conundrum before him, drumming his fingers seemed a more fertile investigative methodology. Three stories rose up from a sagging sidewalk that years ago had begun to dip into the canal waters. This man gained eternal life, but lost all his friends and his lover as the people of Oakvale were killed. In her mind, she knew those very hands could be capable of wielding gentle pleasure, just as they wielded the sharp edge of a blade.

Court of Shadows (Vampyria Saga, book 1) by Victor Dixen The Court of Shadows (Vampyria Saga, book 1) by Victor Dixen

Its six colossal spires, armoured in stone walls impervious to the buffeting winds and pelting rains, rise up as if to taunt the gods to which they were once consecrated. Meanwhile, Corrigan and a couple of the others got on with blasting their brethren to pieces with impunity. Faster and faster they scurried, and the closer they came, the more their hisses grew into a nightmare’s worth of whispers that swirled around me like a dust storm. After the murder of Prince Dain, the Court of Shadows made a vow to protect the person and office of the High King and to ensure the safety and prosperity of Elfhame for the hope of less bloodshed and more gold.He who once defied kings now cowers beneath the covers inside his tower while madness and devilry reigns over that holiest of islands! The minute the big man had ducked under one of the frayed ropes tied around six rusted iron posts that marked off the fifteen-foot hexagon inside which we’d be fighting, he took up a position on the western-most corner. If he'd been hoping to arouse boisterous cheers from the audience, he must've been sorely disappointed by their tepid groans. Not feeling like much of a hero, now that you mention it,' I replied, punching my bound and terrified captive in the face to make him stop squirming.

Court of Shadows | The Folk of the Air Wiki | Fandom Court of Shadows | The Folk of the Air Wiki | Fandom

A Knight of the March of Someil, Estevar reasoned, which explained both the accent and commanding tone. The coat stays on,’ I said, nodding to the big lout waiting to bash my skull in with fists bigger than any blacksmith’s hammer. I took advantage of the momentary distraction among the archers to give my fingers a shake before renewing the shield over our squad of eleven wonderists. In short, Estevar Borros was a silly fool, driven by his innate stubbornness as much as his affinity for the law.Louis XIV transformed from the Sun King into the King of Shadows when he embraced immortality and became the world’s first vampire. The horse showed no signs of giving the matter any thought, just swished his tail to keep the flies away.

Court of Midnight and Deception Series - Goodreads Court of Midnight and Deception Series - Goodreads

So I really couldn't blame Sajad - that was the name of the poor guy whose right eye was currently swirling with the black trail of an obsidian worn slithering around inside - for wishing that the person about to poke him with three inches of burning hot iron was an actual doctor rather than a seventeen-year-old spellslinger. I imagine you’ll be reaching for those razor-sharp steel cards of yours,’ the man’s voice said softly.Like a yawn spreading through the crowd of onlookers, the villagers likewise rubbed at faces and forearms in an endless battle with the dust that blew in from the Eastern Desert – the enemy next door that threatened daily to bury everyone and everything beneath its sands. The fight master smiled as he spread his arms wide as if to encompass the entirety of this sad little village by the desert. It also wasn't helping that the desert sun was blazing down through the prayer room's domed glass ceiling and reflecting off all the gold that covered just about every inch of furniture around us. The soft chuckle that followed came from the far corner of the room, hidden in the quivering shadows cast by the brazier at the end of her bed that burned the red lilies. A prosecuting duellist would be selected - someone the Magistrate had deemed a fair match against the accused - and the two of them would fight to first blood.