Tracy Falbe The Rys Chronicles 1 Union of Renegades

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the warding crystal that now blazed on the end of its chain. The charm then
burst into pieces that fell to the path like plain broken glass.
Nebeck wailed in dismay. You are cursed!
The crowd had thickened quickly, and the King and General Xander emerged from
the tent. If Shan s confrontation with the rysmavda distressed Taischek, it
did not show. Taischek stormed through the crowd that parted for him
automatically.
Rysmavda Nebeck, why do you anger my guest? Taischek rumbled.
Temu King, Shan has been banished by the Queen, our Goddess, and we must not
harbor him. She commanded me so last night, Nebeck answered with extra
emphasis on the last sentence for the benefit of the crowd.
Shan is my friend and is permanently welcome among our tribe no matter what.
Why don t you go count our gold and leave us alone,
Taischek sneered, referring to the tribute collecting function of the
temple.
Temu King, I warn you. Shan will bring Onja s wrath to our tribe,
Nebeck insisted.
You act like Onja treats us well now, the King countered. Now leave us. I
wish to visit with my friends.
Prime Rysmavda Arshen in Dengar Nor will hear of this, Nebeck warned, but
the King was already ignoring him. Taischek signaled for the crowd to be
dispersed and waved Shan and Dreibrand into the tent.
Once inside the tent, Taischek showed his emotion. By the great
Tartarlan, you have really gone and done it, Shan.
The rys made no reply. Shan knew that Taischek would fuss until he accepted
things. Shan had told him this day could come.
Taischek flopped into his place and brooded deeply. Xander motioned for them
to sit and they waited in silence, not wishing to intrude upon the
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King s thoughts.
Dreibrand tried to interpret what had just happened. He had not expected the
confrontation with the rysmavda or Shan to be so aggressive.
He had not caught all of the words, but he had gathered that Shan had just
publicly declared Onja s religion false.
The King heaved a great sigh and his eyes rounded the gathering. He seemed to
take some comfort from those present.
On a tremendously light note that dismissed his heavy mood, Taischek said,
Don t I have a fine crew. My General is the first to pass out, and my new
warrior, Dreibrand, is the last to wake up.
Everybody chuckled and felt a little relieved.
Turning exclusively to Dreibrand, the King continued, I spoke with your
companion, Miranda. Her news was hard to hear.
Dreibrand s stomach tightened.
The captivity of her children breaks my heart. I have never heard of
Onja doing such a thing. This strange behavior from the Queen does not please
the Temu, Taischek said.
His sincerity was apparent. Taischek also knew the horror of torture and he
sympathized with the foreign woman who had endured the hateful touch of the
Queen. Most of all, Onja s sudden desire to possess children
worried him.
Will she begin to demand children from us?
he wondered.
You see that we must tolerate Onja no longer, Shan said. The time has come
for me to put aside my fear, and free the world from her tyranny and claim the
throne of my kind. Taischek, King of the Temu Tribe, on this day I ask you to
fulfill your promise. Help me overthrow Onja. When
Shan spoke her name, his voice was almost a snarl.
Xander cast anxious eyes upon his lord. He would do and die by his
King s orders, but would his King really commit to this mad venture?
Every human knew rys were superior, and Onja was invincible.
Finally, Taischek said with a resigned tone, Shan, you are the prince of
favors. You pull a boy from the fire and he would say anything out of
gratitude. But Shan, I have come to know you well, and I know you act first
out of compassion, not ambition. Still, you control your generosity,
recognizing the value of your good deeds.
The years did pass though, and I came to think you would not defy the
Queen in my lifetime. Your plots could easily outlive one man. Now in my old
age you ask me to help change the world.
Shan frowned. Do not plead old age with me Taischek. You could kill an ox.
Taischek raised a hand to prevent Shan from lecturing him. I only meant that
you waited so long to ask your favor, I had come to hope I was free of the
obligation. Shan, my sword is at your service as I promised it would be long
ago. My ancestors bowed to Onja, and it became our way.
The King gestured to Dreibrand. He comes from a place where Onja has no
dominion. If she truly were a Goddess, every person in Gyhwen would serve her
as we have. Therefore, I, Taischek, have the courage to free my people, so
that my heirs will prosper even more than I.
I understand that humans can only hope to defeat Onja with the aid of a rys,
and we must not miss our opportunity. Perhaps together we can prevail.
Yes we shall! Shan cried with excitement. Setting his plans in motion
bolstered his confidence. It was one thing to plot and whisper, but there was
power in the freedom of actually moving toward his goal. He could not convey
the depth of his hate for Onja to his friends. No human could quite
understand how she had wronged him by lingering in this world, continually
denying him his rightful place as leader of the rys. She kept him forever in a
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