Rise Of Empire (104 page)

Merrick took a sip from his cider and sat back with a grin. “I have just one question. Do you know where Royce and Hadrian are now?”

“Dead. By the Ghazel or the Tur Del Fur officials, whoever got them first.”

“Hmm, I doubt that. Royce is not easy to kill. He has gotten out of much more difficult situations before. I would say he leads a charmed life, but I know all too well what kind of life he’s lived. Still, I wouldn’t even trust Death to bind him long.”

“I want my daughter—now,” Wyatt said quietly through clenched teeth.

“Of course, of course. Mr. Poe, would you be so kind as to run up and bring her down? Third door on the left.” Merrick handed him a key. “Seriously, Wyatt, you’re a very capable man. I could use you.”

“Do you think I
liked
doing this? How many hundreds of people are dead because of me?”

“Don’t think of it that way. Think of it as a job, an assignment, which you performed with panache. I don’t see talent such as yours often, and I could find other uses of your skills. Join with me and you’ll be well compensated. I’m working on another project now, for an even more lucrative employer, and I’m in a position to make a great many good things happen for you. You and your daughter can live like landed gentry. How would you like your own estate?”

“You kidnapped my daughter. The only business I’m interested in doing with you is arranging your death.”

“Don’t be so dramatic. Ah, see? Here she is now. Safe and sound.”

Poe escorted a little girl down the steps. She was around ten years old, her light-brown hair was tied in a bow, and she wore an elegantly tailored blue dress with fine leather shoes.

“Daddy!” she shouted.

Wyatt rushed over, throwing his arms around her. “Did they hurt you, honey?”

“No, I’m okay. They bought me this pretty dress and got me these shoes! And we played games.”

“That’s good, honey.” Turning to Merrick, Wyatt asked, “What about Elden?”

“He’s fine, still in Colnora. Waiting for you, I presume. Wyatt, you really need to consider my offer, if for no other reason than your own safety.”

Wyatt spun on him. “I did your job! You sat there and told me I did it
brilliantly!
Why are you still threatening us?”

Merrick looked at the girl. “Poe, take Allie in the kitchen. I think there are some cookies she might like.”

Wyatt held her to him.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be right back.”

“Do you like cookies?” Poe asked her. The little girl grinned, bobbing her head. She looked up at her father.

Wyatt nodded. “It’s okay, go ahead. Hurry back, honey.”

Poe and Allie left the room hand in hand.

“I’m not threatening you. As I already said, I’m very pleased with your skills. I’m merely trying to protect you. Consider for a moment, what if Royce is not dead? He’ll put two and two together, if he hasn’t already. You should be afraid of what he’ll do to you—and your daughter. Royce will probably kill Allie first and make you watch.”

“He’s not like that.”

Merrick released a small chuckle. “Oh, sir, you have no idea what Royce is like. I’ll grant you that his association with Hadrian Blackwater has tempered him greatly. Twelve years with that idealistic dreamer have made him practically human, but I
know
him. I know what lurks beneath. I’ve seen things that make even my hardened heart shudder. Get his anger up, and you’ll unleash a demon that no one can control. Believe me, he’s
like that
and so much more. Nothing is beyond him.”

Allie returned with a handful of sugar cookies. Taking her other hand, Wyatt headed for the door. He paused at the threshold and looked back. “Merrick, if what you say about Royce is true, then shouldn’t
you
be the one who’s afraid?” Wyatt walked out, closing the door behind him.

Merrick sipped his cider again, but it had gone cold.

A
DAM:
 Wheeler from Ratibor

A
DDIE
W
OOD:
 Mother of Thrace/Modina, wife of Theron, killed in Dahlgren

A
LBERT
W
INSLOW:
 Landless viscount used by Riyria to arrange assignments from the gentry

A
LBURN:
 Kingdom of Avryn ruled by King Armand and Queen Adeline, member of the New Empire

A
LENDA
 L
ANAKLIN:
Daughter of Marquis Victor Lanaklin and sister of Myron the monk

A
LGAR:
 Woodworker in Hintindar

A
LLIE:
 Daughter of Wyatt Deminthal

A
LRIC
B
RENDON
E
SSENDON:
 King of Melengar, son of Amrath, brother of Arista

A
LVERSTONE:
 \al-ver-stone\ Dagger used by Royce

A
MBERTON
L
EE:
 Hill with old ruins not far from Hintindar

A
MBROSE
M
OOR:
 Administrator of the Manzant Prison and Salt Works

A
MILIA:
 Carriage maker’s daughter from the small village of Tarin Vale

A
MITER:
 Second wife of King Urith, sister of Androus

A
MRATH
E
SSENDON:
 \am-wrath\ Deceased king of Melengar, father of Alric and Arista

A
MRIL:
 \am-rill\ Countess that Arista cursed with boils

A
NDROUS:
 Viceroy of Ratibor

A
NNA:
 Chambermaid of Empress Modina

A
NTUN
B
ULARD:
 Historian and author of
The History of Apeladorn
, passenger on the
Emerald Storm

A
PELADORN:
 \ah-pell-ah-dorn\ Four nations of man, consisting of Trent, Avryn, Delgos, and Calis

A
PELANESE:
 Language spoken throughout the four kingdoms of men

A
QUESTA:
 \ah-quest-ah\ Capital city of the kingdom of Warric, seat of power for the New Empire

A
RBOR:
 Baker in Hintindar, married to Dunstan, shoemaker’s daughter

A
RCADIUS
V
INTARUS
L
ATIMER:
 Professor of Lore at Sheridan University

A
RCHIBALD
B
ALLENTYNE:
 Earl of Chadwick, commander of Sir Breckton, promised providence of Melengar for service to the New Empire

A
RISTA
E
SSENDON:
 Princess of Melengar, daughter of Amrath, sister of King Alric

A
RMAND:
 King of Alburn, married to Adeline

A
RMIGIL:
 Brew mistress of Hintindar

A
RT, THE:
 Magic, generally feared due to superstition

A
RVID
M
CDERN:
 Son of Dillon McDern from Dahlgren

A
VEMPARTHA:
 Ancient elven tower, home of Gilarabrywn, which attacked Dahlgren

A
VRYN:
 \ave-rin\ Central and most powerful of the four nations of Apeladorn, located between Trent and Delgos

A
YERS:
 Proprietor of The Laughing Gnome in Ratibor

B
ACKING:
 Rigging a sail such that it catches the wind from its forward side; having both backed and regular rigged sails can render a ship motionless

B
AILIFF:
 Officer who is employed to make arrests and administer punishments

B
ALDWIN:
 Lord whose landholdings include Hintindar

B
ALLENTYNE:
 \bal-in-tine\ Ruling family of the earldom of Chadwick

B
ANNER:
 Crew member of the
Emerald Storm

B
A
R
AN
A
RCHIPELAGO:
 Island of the goblins

B
A
R
AN
G
HAZEL:
 Goblins of the sea

B
ARKERS:
 Refugee family living in Brisbane Alley of Aquesta; father Brice, mother Lynnette, sons Finis, Hingus, and Wery

B
ARTHOLOMEW:
 Carriage maker of Tarin Vale, father of Amilia

B
ARTHOLOMEW:
 Priest in Ratibor

B
ASIL:
 Officers’ cook on the
Emerald Storm

B
ASTION:
 Servant in the imperial palace

B
ATTLE OF
M
EDFORD:
 Skirmish that occurred during Princess Arista’s witch trial

B
ATTLE OF
R
ATIBOR:
 Skirmish between Nationalists and Imperialists

B
ELINDA
P
ICKERING:
 Extremely attractive wife of Count Pickering, mother of Lenare, Mauvin, Fanen, and Denek

B
ELSTRADS:
 \bell-straads\ Noble family from Chadwick, including Sir Breckton and Wesley

B
ENTLY:
 Sergeant in the Nationalist army

B
ERNARD:
 Lord Chamberlain of the imperial palace

B
ERNICE:
 Former handmaid of Princess Arista, killed in Dahlgren

B
ERNIE
D
EFOE:
 Topsail crew member of the
Emerald Storm
, former member of the Black Diamond thieves’ guild

B
ERNUM
H
EIGHTS:
 Wealthiest residential district in Colnora

B
ERNUM
R
IVER:
 Waterway that bisects the city of Colnora

B
ERYL:
 Senior midshipman on the
Emerald Storm

B
ETHAMY:
 King reputed to have had his horse buried with him

B
IDDINGS:
 Chancellor of the imperial palace

B
ISHOP:
 Lieutenant aboard the
Emerald Storm

B
LACK
D
IAMOND, THE:
 International thieves’ guild centered in Colnora

B
LACKWATER:
 Last name of Hadrian and his father, Danbury

B
LINDEN:
 Quartermaster’s mate on the
Emerald Storm

B
LYTHIN
C
ASTLE:
 Castle in Alburn

B
OATSWAIN:
 Petty officer who controls the work of other seamen on a ship