Sien was staring at her as if she were seeing Mari for the last time.
Alain touched her arm lightly. “You will not be alone.”
“I have to go, don’t I?” Mari asked him.
“I believe so. My vision showed us that long ago. Dorcastle is where the Storm will either break on this world and begin the final clashes that will tear it apart, or where you and I together will help break the Storm as it dashes against the walls of Dorcastle.”
“I can’t believe this,” Mari said, a hundred emotions swirling inside her at once. “All that work to build up and equip an army, and it’s not going to be there when we need it.”
“It will be,” Alain said. “Part of your forces will keep Pacta safe. We just have to help Dorcastle hold out until the rest of your army can arrive there.”
“Oh, well, that’s not so hard, is it?” She couldn’t believe that she had been able to make even that feeble a joke. Mari closed her eyes, mustering her inner strength to help her say the words she had to say despite her desperate wish not to. The fears she had denied fought to control her, but in her mind she saw the people of Dorcastle when she had been there last, and the people of the Sharr Isles, and the librarians in Altis, and Sien and her people, and even the students trapped in Marandur. All depending on the daughter to save them.
Because no one else could.
Mari opened her eyes, reached out to grip Alain’s hand, looked at the courier, and spoke in a voice that didn’t sound like her own. “I will go to Dorcastle. We’ll leave at dawn.”
Acknowledgements
I remain indebted to my agents, Joshua Bilmes and Eddie Schneider, for their long standing support, ever-inspired suggestions and assistance, as well as to Krystyna Lopez and Lisa Rodgers for their work on foreign sales and print editions. Many thanks to Betsy Mitchell for her excellent editing. Thanks also to Catherine Asaro, Robert Chase, Carolyn Ives Gilman, J.G. (Huck) Huckenpohler, Simcha Kuritzky, Michael LaViolette, Aly Parsons, Bud Sparhawk and Constance A. Warner for their suggestions, comments and recommendations.
ALSO BY JACK CAMPBELL
THE PILLARS OF REALITY
The Dragons of Dorcastle*
The Hidden Masters of Marandur*
The Assassins of Altis*
The Pirates of Pacta Servanda*
The Servants of the Storm*
Book 6 forthcoming
THE LOST FLEET
Dauntless
Fearless
Courageous
Valiant
Relentless
Victorious
THE LOST FLEET: BEYOND THE FRONTIER
Dreadnaught
Invincible
Guardian
Steadfast
Leviathan
THE LOST STARS
Tarnished Knight
Perilous Shield
Imperfect Sword
Shattered Spear
PAUL SINCLAIR/JAG IN SPACE
written as John G. Hemry
A Just Determination
Burden of Proof
Rule of Evidence
Against All Enemies
ETHAN STARK
written as John G. Hemry
Stark’s Command
Stark’s Crusade
SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS
Ad Astra*
Borrowed Time*
Swords and Saddles*
STANDALONE NOVELS
The Last Full Measure
* available as a JABberwocky ebook
THANK YOU FOR READING
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Acknowledgments
Also by Jack Campbell
Thank You from JABberwocky