Reign of Madness (Revised Edition) Read Online Free

be used for weaponry had been designed as quarters for the crew and
passengers. The captain explained that there had been no attacks for as long he
had been sailing the Tremadel, but he wanted to be thorough.
    During his speech, the captain also made it quite clear
exactly who was in charge while they were on the ship. Tieran and
Malcius sniffed in disdain, but Rezkin piped in with exuberance, assuring the
captain that everyone understood the need for certain protocols when on the
vessel. Chastened, the young men nodded their assurances, as well.
    In the short time Rezkin had been in the presence of the
nobles, he had effectively manipulated them into viewing him as the leader. He
left open the implication that he was of very high standing without ever
divulging his House affiliation, not a small feat among nobles. General
Marcum’s assurances had gone a long way in generating that trust with the
Jebais. Rezkin wondered just how hard the general choked on his words when he
issued such praise. Rezkin had successfully cowed the duke’s son through fear
during their previous encounter, but the Jebais’ assumption of Rezkin’s
superior status encouraged Tieran to believe the same. Tieran simply assumed
the Jebais knew with whom they were traveling.
    Gaining control over the traveling party was only one part
of Rezkin’s plan, though. He could have done so through a number of different
methods. The easiest would have been to simply state that the general had
placed him in command and left them to wonder as to his status in the hierarchy
of the kingdom. That would have done nothing to further his second goal,
though, which was to aid Frisha. If Rezkin could rewrite the opinions of the young
nobles of Houses Jebai, Gerrand, and especially Nirius, then Frisha would have
a much higher chance of being accepted as an equal in high society. If Rezkin
could not keep Frisha for himself, then he could at least help her make a
smooth entrance into society and hopefully have a happier life.
    Rezkin’s third goal was to create an acceptable persona for
himself. The general was a prime example of how suspicion and fear could turn
others against him, and people feared what they did not understand. If Rezkin
acted as himself, the others on this voyage would be distrustful and could turn
against him. He could have played the role of a commoner and been effectively
invisible, but then he would have had a difficult time guiding events according
to his plans. Most people seemed to want to believe he was a noble, so he
decided to let them believe as they wished. Surprisingly, allowing people to
believe he had the utmost power and authority was the path of least resistance.
Besides, the young warrior would need a strongly defined and accepted persona
if his plans for the tournament were to succeed.
    For the rest of the day, people mingled and chatted. The
nobles gossiped about court and courtships. They even invited Frisha to join
them when Rezkin was not present. Captain Jimson spent some time getting to
know his comrades, and the Jebai House Guard kept to themselves playing dice or
bones. Tam found a secluded spot near the poop deck to read his book. He was
feeling out of sorts. His friends all seemed to fit into some niche, and he did
not belong with any of them. Only Reaylin was in a similar position, and he was
not yet desperate enough to suffer her .
    Tam knew that Rezkin was playing a role, although he still
did not understand why . The problem was that Tam was unable to discern
how much of what Rezkin said was simple acting and how much was truth. Rezkin’s
speech about commoners was both complimentary and patronizing, and Tam did not
know how to feel about it. On the surface, Rezkin’s affable and joyous conduct
seemed normal for a sociable noble, but the excessive jubilance and decorum
seemed almost neurotic for Rezkin .
    The warrior was typically defined by a solid, stoic presence
that incited feelings of safety and stability. When