43 Results in the "A Thread of Corruption" category
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Chapter
Prologue – The Scholar
In the shadow of the city's mighty Flametower, Johann Georg Bombastian von Agrippin strolled leisurely through the cobblestone streets of Agrippin toward the inconspicuous entrance of an establishment called Zum Goldenen Band. The building was deliberately hidden behind an unadorned facade in a side street of the merchant district. Not even a sign drew attention to its existence. Either you knew about Zum Goldenen Band, or you didn't. Johann smoothed his deep green doublet and entered. A discreet…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 9 – Rising Blood
Both froze. The air between them seemed to crackle, and a breeze loosened a honey-colored curl from her elaborate hairstyle. "Val." Innogen's voice was little more than a whisper. "Innogen." They spoke at the same time. "How are you-" "I've been looking for-" They both fell silent, an embarrassed smile flitting across Innogen's lips. "Please, speak first," said Valentina. "No, I... it's just..." Innogen visibly struggled for words. "How have you settled in? In your new…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 8 – The Great Melee
"Fifteen percent!" thundered a voice across the square where Parliament was being held. Duke Alessandro Devereux of Southwatch stood upright, his gaunt face reddened with indignation. "His Majesty's Lord Treasurer demands a fifteen percent increase in military taxes! As if gold instead of grain grew on our lands!" Valentina took her place two steps behind the duchess as the lords of the realm engaged in a passionate and yet very formal debate about the proposed measures. The ladies, wives, daughters,…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 7 – Entanglement
There. There she was. On the other side of the gathering, partially hidden behind a wooden pillar, stood Innogen. She wore a deep sapphire blue dress that made her golden hair shine. It was artfully pinned up, with small pearls glistening in it like dewdrops. She stood with two other young ladies, a Montfort and a Farnsworth, Valentina thought, and nodded politely to their conversation. But the tension in her shoulders gave her away. The way her fingers played with the fabric of her dress. It was…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 6 – The Audience
The Greystone group stepped forward. Cosimo and Rosalind led the way, Lorenzo a step behind, then Beatrice and Valentina. They sank into almost perfectly synchronized bows, the men with an elegant kick of the leg, the women in a deep but not submissive curtsy. "Duke Cosimo," King Edmund spoke, his warm baritone voice filling the room effortlessly. "We are pleased to see you and your family well." "Your Majesty honors us with your attention," Cosimo replied smoothly. "How is your hospital, Duke…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 5 – The King’s Speech
The king took his place, and the assembly rose again. King Edmund let his gaze wander over the crowd, and when he spoke, his deep voice carried effortlessly throughout the entire hall. "Lords, venerable prelates of the Holy Church of the Martyr, and commons of this realm of Sommerland, We, by the Martyr's Radiant Flame King of Sommerland, greet you well." He paused, letting the words sink in. "We gather today, as our ancestors have done for centuries, under the watchful and benevolent eye of the…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 42 – Unsettling
Valentina and Innogen turned onto Mill Gate Road, where the street vendors were packing up their stalls. "I'm starting to get a little scared of him," Innogen said quietly. Valentina shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat. "He's our friend." "Yes. And if he keeps this up, in two years he'll be an Illuminator who's one hundred percent convinced that any cruelty is an acceptable price for saving souls." Innogen looked at her, and there was a hardness in her eyes. "He doesn't know what we are…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 41 – Man of Conviction
On Thursday, Valentina was back at Violet Delights. Today her client was Master Irlwin, a cloth and wool merchant from Southwatch who came to Bridgewater every two months to do business with the local guilds. He was a quiet man in his fifties, with a carefully groomed grey beard and the work-worn hands of someone who had learned the cloth-making trade from the ground up before he became rich enough to have others do the work. As always, he brought with him a lock of hair from the wife of his fiercest…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 40 – Probing the Eye
The next evening, Valentina waited until the sounds of Pinfeather Lane had died down, then closed all her shutters and locked them carefully. She had already locked the front door an hour ago. Then she activated the Essence-dampening patterns in the walls of her study. The conventional ones first, then the more subtle configurations that Vyxara had taught her, the ones designed to ensure that, hopefully, no Essence Weaver passing by outside would perceive even the slightest hint of Essence…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 4 – Heart of the Realm
On the morning of the opening of Parliament, the Greystone townhouse had been bustling with activity since dawn. Valentina stood in her slip in front of the large mirror while two maids bustled around her, helping her get ready. "Arms a little higher, milady," murmured the older of the two, a wiry woman named Margaret, as she pulled the heavy court dress over Valentina's head. The fabric was a muted blue-grey with silver embroidery and rustled like water as it draped around her body. "Don't lace it…-
421.6 K • Ongoing
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