The Midnight Sea (The Fourth Element #1) Read Online Free

blank. “A long time ago there was a war,” I said in a rush. “Everyone was going to die but then the Prophet Zarathustra came and fixed things. The daēvas are wicked but they serve us now.”
    The magus laughed. “That’s the short version, yes. Two centuries ago, the Druj swept down from the north in numbers never seen before. They served Queen Neblis and her necromancers. Daēvas fought in their ranks as well and the city states were quickly overrun. Thousands died. And then, in our darkest hour, the Prophet was sent a vision from the Holy Father. It showed him the secret to making the cuffs. Once we leashed the daēvas, forced them to fight with us instead of against us, the tide turned. The Druj were driven back. And the empire was unified under King Xeros the First.”
    “What happened to Neblis?” I asked.
    “She reigns in Bactria still, but over a broken, barren land. Since we leashed her cousins, she hasn’t dared to attempt another invasion.”
    “Her cousins?”
    The magus blinked his owlish eyes. “Neblis is daēva. I thought you knew.”
    I shook my head. I hadn’t known that, but I supposed it made sense. If she was still alive, she certainly couldn’t be human.
    “We may not be at war, but Druj still occasionally harry our northern border, and it is the job of the Water Dogs to hunt them down and keep their countrymen safe.” The magus clasped his hands. He had long, elegant fingers. Unlike mine, the nails were very clean.
    “They should have killed her,” I said, scowling. “It was foolish to let her live.”
    “You think so, child?” The magus raised an eyebrow. “These lands were already bleeding from a thousand wounds. The King did what any intelligent leader would do. He regrouped. Xeros expanded the army and installed the satraps to ensure the loyalty of the provinces. Then he set about building an empire. Roads, cities, irrigation. I suppose you would have gone haring up to Bactria with a few daēvas, leaving every other border unprotected? Why not just send the barbarians a formal invitation?”
    I squirmed a bit in my seat, although his tone was mild.
    “Now, listen. You were correct in one thing. The daēvas are wicked, but their magic is different from the magic of the other Druj,” he said. “It is what we call natural magic, while the revenants, wights and so forth use necromancy. It’s a complex subject, but in essence, daēvas draw their power from the elements—air, water and earth, but not fire. Their Druj nature rejects the holy flames. If they try to work fire, it will kill them. But they also heal from injuries that would be fatal to a human and they do it quickly. That’s why they make such good soldiers.”
    I nodded, trying to memorize everything, but it was a bit overwhelming. I had no idea what necromancy meant, or how any of this actually worked. Not for the first time, I wondered what I’d gotten myself into. Unlike my brother Kian, who spoke slowly and had a cautious nature, I tended to leap into the first course of action that occurred to me—a habit that had gotten me into fights and worse. Reckless was the word my father used most often, although he said it with a hint of pride. My mother preferred the term goat-brained.
    “It goes without saying that you and your daēva will become close,” the magus continued. “The bond is a very special gift. But you must never forget what they are.”
    “Druj,” I whispered. That single syllable sent a thrill of fear through my belly.
    “Yes, Druj. You will serve the Holy Father, then the King, then the satrap. Those are your loyalties. Nothing else matters. Do you understand?”
    “Yes, I think so.”
    “Good. Ilyas will take charge of your training. We usually have a dozen novices, but you’re the first with the ability the scouts have managed to find in over a year. You will have chores in the morning, followed by weapons training. In the afternoons, you will report to me. Then chores again. Do you