The Broken Eye Read Free Page B

the Blackguard’s most skilled archers.
    Ular: A Blackguard scrub, Jun’s partner.
    Usem the Wild: A drafter and defender of Garriston.
    Valor: A Blackguard scrub. He partners with Pip during a Blackguard test. They fail when thugs stop them.
    Vanzer: A Blackguard and green drafter.
    Varidos, Kerawon: A superchromat, magister and head tester of the Chromeria. He drafts orange and red.
    Varigari, Lord: A gambler from the Varigari family, originally fishermen before they were raised in the Blood Wars. He lost the family fortune and lands to his habit.
    Vecchio, Pash: The most powerful of the pirate kings. His flagship is the Gargantua .
    Vena: Liv’s friend and fellow student at the Chromeria; a superviolet.
    Verangheti, Lucretia: Adrasteia’s sponsor at the Chromeria. She is from the Ilytian Smussato Veranghetis.
    Vin, Taya: A mercenary with the Cloven Shield company.
    Wanderer, the: A legendary figure, the subject of Gevison’s poem The Wanderer’s Last Journey .
    White Oak, Karris: A Blackguard; a red/green bichrome; the original cause of the False Prism’s War.
    White Oak, Koios: One of the seven White Oak brothers, brother to Karris White Oak.
    White Oak, Kolos: One of the seven White Oak brothers, brother to Karris White Oak.
    White Oak, Rissum: A luxlord, the father of Karris and her seven brothers; reputed to be hot-tempered, but a coward.
    White Oak, Rodin: One of the seven White Oak brothers, brother to Karris White Oak.
    White Oak, Tavos: One of the seven White Oak brothers, brother to Karris White Oak.
    White, the: The head of the Spectrum. She is a blue/green bichrome, but currently abstains from any drafting in order to prolong her life. Her name is Orea Pullawr, though it is rarely used. She was married to Ulbear Rathcore before his death.
    Wil: A green drafter, and a Blackguard.
    Winsen: A mountain Parian, and a Blackguard scrub.
    Wit, Rondar: A blue drafter who becomes a color wight.
    Young Bull: A blue drafter who fought with Zee Oakenshield.
    Yugerten: A gangly Blackguard scrub, blue drafter.
    Zid: Quartermaster of the Omnichrome’s army.
    Ziri: A Blackguard scrub.
    Zymun: A young drafter and member of the Omnichrome’s army.

For Kristi, who gets better all the time—and makes me want to do likewise,
    and for Mom, who took a seven-year-old kid who hated reading and kindled a lifelong love.





The man who is content to live alone is either a beast or a god.
—A RISTOTLE

Chapter 1
    The two Blackguards approached the White’s door, the younger rhythmically cracking the knuckles of his right fist nervously. The Greyling brothers stopped in front of the door, hesitated. Pop, pop, pop. Pop, pop, pop .
    The elder brother, Gill, looked at his little brother, as if trying to emulate their commander’s sledge-gaze. Gavin hated it when Gill did that, but he quit popping his knuckles.
    “We gain nothing by waiting,” Gill said. “Put that fist to use.”
    It was early morning. The White usually didn’t emerge from her chambers for at least another two hours. With her declining health, the Blackguard were doing all they could to make the old woman’s last months easy.
    “How come it’s always me who—” Gavin asked. At nineteen, Gill was two years older, but they were the same rank, and they’d been elevated to full Blackguard status at the same time.
    “If you make her miss it because you’re arguing with me…” Gill let the threat hang. “Fist,” he said. It was an order.
    Scowling, Gavin Greyling knocked on the door. After waiting the customary five seconds, he opened the door. The brothers stepped inside.
    The White wasn’t in her bed. She and her room slave were praying, prostrate on the floor despite their age, facing the rising sun through the open doors to the balcony. Cold wind blew in around the two old women.
    “High Mistress,” Gill said. “Your pardon. There’s something you must see.”
    She looked at them, recognizing them immediately. Some of the nobles and luxlords