Aegis of The Gods: Book 00 - The Shadowbearer by Terry C. Simpson

Tribunal’s had corrupted him.” She squeezed her eyes tight. “Stefan.” Her voice was a hoarse whisper. “I saw Nerian’s translations. If he stays on this course, the Setian as we know them will perish.”
    Mind whirling, Stefan glanced over to Anton, Celina and Thania. His wife did not appear at all surprised by Galiana’s news. “She discussed this with you already.”
    Thania nodded. “It’s why I wasn’t at the celebrations.”
    “So what do we do?” He began pacing again. “What can we do?” Even as he asked the question, he wondered if he could trust Galiana. Everything she said so far was based on translations only she knew. But what if they were true? What if this was Kalvor’s warning?
    “Well, for the first question,” Galiana said. “You will have to do as Nerian says and lead his armies. For now, it is the only way to keep your family safe.”
    Stefan stopped pacing, his hand sliding to his sword. “I could gather the men loyal to me—”
    “I know what you are thinking,” Galiana said. “You cannot flee and you cannot fight him right now. You need to give me time to devise a plan.”
    “What if none of this is his doing?” Stefan found it hard to believe Nerian could have changed this much even from the conversation he had with the King. There had to be another catalyst. “I have my suspicions concerning Cerny. The way the man has come into power and the fact he’s an Alzari.”
    “I had my people inquire after him years ago,” Galiana answered. “They came up with nothing out of the ordinary. Which leaves Nerian.”
    “You believe you can find a way to stop him?”
    “To stop him? No. To limit the damage he does … Yes.”
    “How?”
    “The Chronicles lay out many possible futures. They also hint at events not within the books. The possibility for change is endless if caught before a certain point.”
    Again, possibilities revealed by Galiana alone. Stefan mulled the information over. If he was to act, he needed confirmation. Finding a way to draw it out of the King may be the only way to be sure. Galiana may have been his mentor, but Nerian had been like a father. “If changes can occur, we can save our people.”
    “Not exactly. The tome foretells that once Nerian received his copy of the Chronicles, that the Setian are doomed. There was talk of a remnant being able to survive.”
    “Does Nerian know of this?”
    “Yes.”
    “And it didn’t change his mind?”
    “He never wavered. I spent the last two years learning ancient Seti using the King’s own translations. When I went back to the Iluminus, there were a few more texts dealing with the demise of Seti. Nerian’s actions will bring about a cataclysm caused by a cult worshipping Amuni and using shadelings for their armies.”
    Stefan’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. “Dear Ilumni save us.” As he said the words though, more doubts concerning Galiana’s intentions crowded his mind. Her knowledge seemed all too convenient. And it made Nerian appear as vile a man as any. Something Stefan could not believe. “What did Nerian say when you told him?” he asked, voice soft.
    “He said that is but one path. He believes he can prevent whatever is coming. At that point, I knew he had to be stopped. Which brings me to the second part of what you can do.” Galiana strode over to the table with the wrapped bundle.
    Frowning, Stefan watched as she picked up the cloth and gingerly unwrapped it. When the material fell away, it revealed a plain leather scabbard and a simple hilt. Stefan’s brows drew together tighter. A sword?
    “This,” Galiana said, reverently, “is the key, not only for your children but the Setian as a people.”
    Eyes full of hope she unsheathed a sword, its metal carrying the high silver shine of imbuement. A divya . But the way she held it out like some offering before the altar of a god spoke of something special.

C HAPTER 9
    U nimpressed, Stefan shrugged. “It’s a divya . The King’s