A Deliverer Comes Read online

  © 2018 by Jill Williamson

  Published by Bethany House Publishers

  11400 Hampshire Avenue South

  Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

  www.bethanyhouse.com

  Bethany House Publishers is a division of

  Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

  www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

  Ebook edition created 2018

  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—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

  ISBN 978-1-4412-3084-3

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by LOOK Design Studio

  Author is represented by MacGregor Literary, Inc.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Map of Er’Rets

  Key Players

  Hinck

  Grayson

  Trevn

  Hinck

  Charlon

  Gozan

  Kalenek

  Trevn

  Grayson

  Qoatch

  Inolah

  Kalenek

  Trevn

  Oli

  Trevn

  Oli

  Trevn

  Grayson

  Hinck

  Grayson

  Qoatch

  Grayson

  Inolah

  Qoatch

  Kalenek

  Trevn

  Oli

  Mielle

  Gozan

  Hinck

  Trevn

  Oli

  Mielle

  Qoatch

  Onika

  Charlon

  Trevn

  Oli

  Kalenek

  Hinck

  Trevn

  Oli

  Inolah

  Kalenek

  Gozan

  Hinck

  Mielle

  About the Author

  THE KINSMAN CHRONICLES

  Back Ads

  Key Players

  ARMANIA

  House Hadar

  Trevn-Rosâr Hadar, king of Armania

  Hawley, Trevn’s onesent

  Ottee, Trevn’s honor man

  Sir Cadoc Wyser, Trevn’s High Shield

  Rzasa, Trevn’s backman

  Nietz, a guard

  Bonds, a guard

  Jhorn, Master of Requests

  Grayson, a spy

  Mielle-Rosârah, Trevn’s wife

  Tonis, Mielle’s onesent

  Pia, Mielle’s High Shield

  Bero, a guard

  Abree, Mielle’s honor maiden

  Onika [ON-ik-ah], the True Prophet, a blind woman

  Kempe [KEM-pay], Onika’s personal maid

  Rustian, Onika’s dune cat

  Zeroah Barta-Hadar, the dowager queen

  Doth, Zeroah’s guard

  Ephec, Zeroah’s guard

  Brelenah-Rosârah, the dowager queen mother

  Hrettah-Sârah Hadar, Trevn’s half sister

  Rashah-Sârah Hadar, Trevn’s half sister

  Enetta, Hrettah and Rashah’s nurse

  Inolah-Sârah Orsona-Hadar, Trevn’s half sister, mother of Emperor Ulrik and Prince Ferro

  Princess Vallah Orsona, Inolah’s daughter, Emperor Ulrik’s sister

  Princess Tinyah Orsona, Inolah’s daughter, Emperor Ulrik’s sister

  Sir Doran, Inolah’s High Shield

  Kreah, Tinyah’s nursemaid

  Other Armanians

  Oli Agoros, Duke of Canden

  Kipp, Oli’s honor man

  Danek Faluk, Duke of Highcliff

  Zura, Danek’s wife

  Hinckdan Faluk, Earl of Dacre, a spy, a seer

  Barek Hadar, Duke of Odarka

  Arzah, Barek’s wife

  Lady Brisa, daughter of Barek and Arzah

  Lady Trista, daughter of Barek and Arzah

  Joret Vohan, Earl of Idez

  Cabena, Joret’s wife

  Sir Ransen, son of Joret and Cabena

  Enko, son of Joret and Cabena

  Madara, daughter of Joret and Cabena

  Rennik, son of Madara and Jarmyn Koll

  Tace Edekk, Duke of Raine

  Gitla, Tace’s wife

  Lady Imara, daughter of Tace and Gitla

  Lander Leevy, husband to Lady Imara

  Captain Korvoh, captain of Tace’s private army

  Natod, Tace’s onesent

  Gunrik Koll, Earl of Blackpool

  Sabin, Gunrik’s wife

  Sir Jarmyn, son of Gunrik and Sabin

  Dendrelle, Sir Jarmyn’s wife, Tace and Gitla Edekk’s daughter

  Finbar Wallington, Duke of Everton, brother of Mahat, father of Finnel Wallington

  Gia, Finbar’s wife

  Hirth, son of Finbar and Gia

  Allain Ortropp, a nobleman

  Rayim Veralla, captain of the King’s Guard

  Sir Keshton, Rayim’s son, an officer in the army

  Zanre, Rayim’s son, swordplay drillmaster

  Father Burl Mathal, medial priest of the Arman church

  Admiral Aldair Livina, admiral of the king’s fleet

  Norgam Bussie, captain of the Seffynaw

  Novan Heln, a guard

  Collak Ensley, general of the Armanian army

  Rowan Winstone, marshal in the Armanian army

  The Omatta Clan

  Rand, leader of the Omatta

  Meelo, Rand’s son

  Zahara, Rand’s daughter

  BARTHIA

  Barthel Rogedoth (also known as Prince Mergest III), self-titled king

  Timmons, Barthel’s onesent

  Dendron, a great shadir, bonded to Barthel Rogedoth

  Paliki, a slight shadir in Dendron’s swarm

  Agmado Harton/Harton Sonber, Barthel’s general, a mantic

  Yobatha, a common shadir, bonded to Harton

  Captain Orbay, captain of Barthel’s guard

  Laviel-Rosârah, former queen of Armania, Barthel’s daughter

  Iamos, a common shadir, bonded to Laviel

  Sârah Jemesha, Trevn’s aunt, Oli and Eudora’s mother

  Zeteo Agoros, Jemesha’s husband, Oli and Eudora’s father, former Armanian general

  Sir Briden, captain of Zeteo’s army

  Eudora Agoros, daughter to Jemesha and Zeteo, Oli’s sister, Barthel’s wife

  Daliza, a slight shadir, bonded to Jemesha

  Filkin Yohthehreth, Rôb prophet, a mantic

  Mikray, a common shadir, bonded to Filkin

  Zithel Lau, Rôb priest, a mantic

  Shama, a slight shadir, bonded to Zithel

  Zenobia, a mantic

  Kabada, a common shadir, bonded to Zenobia

  Mattenelle, called Nellie, a mantic

  Hwuum, a slight shadir, bonded to Mattenelle

  Lilou Caridod, a malleant

  Mahat Wallington, a malleant, brother to Finbar Wallington

  SARIKAR

  House Pitney

  Princess Saria Pitney, daughter of the late King Loran

  Sir Menel, Saria’s guardsman

  Sir Oris, Saria’s guardsman

  Princess Nolia, Saria’s aunt, sister to the late King Loran

&nb
sp; Finnel Wallington, Nolia’s husband, son of Finbar and Gia Wallington

  Sir Malder, Finnel’s High Shield

  General Norcott, general of Sarikar

  Wolbair, a prophet of Arman

  RUREKAU

  House Orsona

  Emperor Ulrik Orsona, emperor of Rurekau

  Sir Iamot, Ulrik’s High Shield

  Taleeb, Ulrik’s onesent

  Jazlyn, Ulrik’s wife, empress of Rurekau, former High Queen of Tenma

  Qoatch [KO-ach], Jazlyn’s eunuch slav, a seer

  Niklee, an acolyte

  Prince Jael (Adir), son of Ulrik and Jazlyn

  Princess Jahleeah (Noyah), daughter of Ulrik and Jazlyn

  Zinetha, nursemaid to Ulrik and Jazlyn’s children

  Prince Ferro Orsona, Ulrik’s younger brother

  Thallah-Rosârah Orsona, former queen of Armania, Trevn’s mother, Ulrik’s great-aunt

  General Balat, head of the Igote guard

  Kakeeo, Rurekan sheriff

  MAGOSIA

  Ruling Clan

  Charlon, Magosian Chieftess

  Shanek, Charlon’s son

  Rurek (Gozan), a great shadir, bonded to Charlon

  Masi, a slight of Gozan’s swarm

  Sir Kalenek Veroth, protector of Shanek, number One of Charlon’s Five Men

  Kateen, First of Charlon’s Five Maidens

  Astaa, Second of Charlon’s Five Maidens

  Roya, Third of Charlon’s Five Maidens

  Rone, number Two of Charlon’s Five Men

  Nuel, number Three of Charlon’s Five Men

  Vald, number Four of Charlon’s Five Men

  Gullik, number Five of Charlon’s Five Men

  Amala, Kalenek’s ward, Mielle’s little sister

  NATIVE CLANS

  Ahj-Yeke Giants

  Bolad mi Aru, headman of Ahj-Yeke

  Uul-Yeke Giants

  Ulagan, Bolad’s nephew

  Jiir-Yeke Giants

  Abaqa mi Niseh, headman of Jiir-Yeke

  Duu Ovdog, a kholoi priest

  Puru

  Muna, a matriarch

  Conaw, Muna’s grandson

  Hinck

  Hinck sat at the desk in his cabin aboard the newly repaired Greenore, carving a new bow and wondering if he could really commit murder.

  Truth be told, he’d rather not kill anyone, certainly not a woman, and especially not a woman as vengeful as Rosârah Laviel. If he should fail, the scars on his face would be mere scratches compared to how she would torture him.

  Master Nesos had finished the repairs on the ship three days ago. At Rosârah Laviel’s command, they had set sail for Armania the next morning. If Hinck hadn’t lived through it, he would have thought packing up an entire village in one day impossible. His back ached from his short stint at slave labor. Hunching over his carving was no way to loosen stiff muscles either.

  His old bow worked fine, but he needed an occupation now that Nellie was gone. In all his hours on the practice range, giving poor instructions to the compelled Puru archers, his own skill had improved a great deal. He could do this. If he could restrain Sârah Jemesha and Eudora so that neither could heal the rosârah.

  “May I come in?” a woman asked.

  Hinck jumped at the sound of Eudora’s voice. She was standing just inside the doorway; he hadn’t even heard it open. “You already have,” he said.

  She closed the door and leaned against it. “I don’t want to marry you.”

  Hinck almost laughed. “Then tell Rosârah Laviel you refuse.”

  “You know I can’t do that.”

  Hinck went back to his bow. “Well then. Thanks for visiting. Come anytime.”

  Eudora walked to his side. “We made a good team once.”

  Hinck set down the bow and pushed back from the desk. “You used me to get revenge on Sâr Janek. For us to have been a team, you would have had to inform me of your plan in advance. Which you did not.”

  She folded her arms. “I didn’t take you for the type to hold a grudge.”

  Hinck snatched up his bow and scraped off an uneven patch. “I’m not holding a grudge, but that doesn’t mean I want to marry you.”

  “So we are agreed. We both don’t want to marry the other.”

  “Apparently not.” He wished she’d say what she had come to say. He had no desire to invade her thoughts and suffer through that self-absorbed mind of hers.

  She fingered the curls of shaved wood on the desktop. “I never wanted to rule.”

  “You told me this long ago, yet you married Rogedoth, so perhaps you don’t know yourself as well as you think you do.”

  “You weren’t there. You didn’t see what he did. How they”—her voice fell to a whisper—“forced me.”

  Hinck smoothed out a lump in the wood.

  “I wed the Pontiff against my will,” she voiced. “Laviel compelled me to obey him.”

  Her sudden switch to mind-speak made Hinck look around for shadir. He saw none.

  “I don’t support this enterprise,” she said. “I expect you will deny it, but I don’t believe you support this either. I think you are loyal to House Hadar.”

  Was she trying to trap him? “I proved otherwise by drinking the root juice.”

  “I know you, Hinckdan. Your heart is pure. Nothing but duty and honor could possibly compel you to join King Barthel in this madness.”

  “What do you want?” he asked aloud.

  “To show you.”

  He lowered the bow to his lap and met her glistening amber eyes. “Show me what?”

  She slid her fingers over his cheek and hooked them around the back of his neck. He shrugged his shoulder in an attempt to throw off her touch.

  “Please,” she whispered. “Close your eyes and unshield your mind.”

  Though he felt ridiculous, her odd behavior had piqued his interest. He lowered his shields and let his eyes fall shut.

  Memories flooded his mind. Eudora and her parents entered Seacrest, found Laviel, Rogedoth, and Zithel Lau waiting in the small throne room. Laviel told Eudora she would marry Rogedoth. She and her parents protested. Tried to leave. A struggle ensued. Laviel used magic against them. General Agoros fell to the floor. Sârah Jemesha and Eudora raised their hands in defense, but before their magic could manifest, Laviel captured them in an invisible vise. Zithel Lau performed a wedding ceremony.

  Her memories continued to zip through Hinck’s mind. A forced consummation to match the forced ceremony. Attempt after attempt to conceive a child. Eudora continually tried to use her magic to escape, but not only did the compulsion prevent it, her shadir abandoned her to serve Rogedoth’s great, leaving Eudora with no means to defend herself from the trap into which she’d fallen victim.

  Eudora removed her hand, and the memories stopped.

  Hinck opened his eyes, dumbfounded by the overwhelming compassion she had stirred within him. “How did you do that?” he managed to ask.

  “It’s part of my new magic. I learned it by accident.”

  Hinck hadn’t heard of anyone else doing such a thing. “Why show me?”

  “So you would believe me when I say I’m not one of Rogedoth’s minions. Nor is my mother or father. We are his prisoners.”

  So it seemed from what she had shown Hinck. “I’m sorry, lady,” he said, and found that the words were true. “What you have suffered is reprehensible.”

  Tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you for saying that. You are right that I took advantage of you once, Lord Dacre. I know now that such a thing is abominable, so I apologize and beg your forgiveness.”

  Hinck had never seen Lady Eudora Agoros so humbled. Words with any profound meaning failed, so he simply said, “You have it,” though what he’d experienced with Eudora and what she’d suffered at the hands of Barthel Rogedoth were in no way similar.

  “I had hoped you would forgive me.” She smiled. “And I wonder if you might find it in your wholesome heart to help a lady in distress.” />
  Hinck’s suspicions rose. “Help you do what?”

  “Help us—help me and my parents kill Rosârah Laviel.”

  Hinck again looked for shadir, certain that Rosârah Laviel’s common, Iamos, might drift out from the wall at any moment and catch them talking treason. But they were alone.

  “Are you all insane?” Despite what Eudora had shown him, he wasn’t quite ready to confess that his own premeditation of murder matched hers.

  “Mother says this is our only chance,” Eudora said. “We must act before Rosârah Laviel takes Castle Armanguard and compels herself a loyal army.”

  “Her shadir is too powerful,” Hinck said.

  “Surely your shadir is stronger, lord. It healed you from the root juice.”

  “That was no shadir, lady. That was Arman.”

  Eudora’s face crumpled in confusion. “A god healed you? How is that possible?”

  “As I lay dying, the prophetess Onika voiced me. She told me to submit to Arman and he would vouch for me at the gates of Shamayim. I did, and he healed me.”

  She considered this. “Then surely with the help of your god we can defeat Laviel.”

  “I don’t know that Arman works that way, but I will voice Miss Onika to ask her advice.”

  “Then might we make a plan?”

  Hinck thought it over. If Eudora could be trusted, and if she and her mother refused to heal Laviel once Hinck shot her down, his plan would have a much greater chance of success than it did at present. “If Miss Onika thinks it wise, I will consider it,” he said.

  “Oh, thank you, Lord Dacre!” She kissed his cheek, and he stiffened, annoyed.

  Eudora left, and Hinck went back to his bow, the adrenaline racing through him slowly subsiding as he worked. The thought of joining with Eudora on anything made him uneasy. Was this a trick to trap him once and for all as a traitor? Was there any way he could know?

  But of course there was! He climbed into bed and shadowed Eudora’s mind, surprised to find her motivations sincere. He spent some time in Sârah Jemesha’s mind as well, then monitored General Agoros. While the sârah had ambitions of her own about putting her son Oli on the throne instead of Eudora, and the general saw himself as king, the threesome really did intend to kill Rosârah Laviel before they reached land.

  Hinck could not overcome his astonishment. He voiced Trevn and told him all that had taken place. Trevn didn’t see how Eudora’s involvement changed anything and agreed that Hinck should ask Miss Onika’s advice. When Hinck voiced the prophetess, however, she needed time to consult Arman.

  So Hinck waited. And waited.

  A servant called him to the midday meal, but he sent the man away, claiming an upset stomach. Finally, as the sun began its descent toward the horizon, Miss Onika knocked.