He has come to Acona to find our gate, destroy it, and increase his hold on Arith.”

     “Very good,” Conovar praised weakly. “King Loren has agreed to ally with that monster, but I refused to swear my house to him. Noland will no doubt do so within hours of my death. Our family has passed this story down for two centuries, but the House of Lords believes I am nothing but a superstitious man. They did not see The Fall, as my great grandfather did. He was in Shenai when it happened and was the only member on his trade ship that survived. Many believed he was simply mad after renegades slaughtered his crew, but we know the truth. Handor Ochxon has spent years seeding doubt and offering reassurances to our king. Trade has continued and no obvious evil has come from...

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