The Ninth Mihexe

The Ninth Mihexe
Book Two of the Kivattar Bridge

This is the second book of the Kivattar Bridge, a fantasy in four books. The Bridge is the key point on the path followed by the shadowy Kivattar towards the deepest mysteries of existence. The story traces that hidden path through the lives of four young people, the rawest, most chaotic group ever to set foot on it. In Book One they met some of their Kivattar mentors, who plucked them out of their quiet lives in rural Esparan and set them to find a legendary Talisman. They succeeded and now Rasscu has remained as Guardian of the First Talisman and leader of the fierce Sarai people, while the others are home in Esparan, aware that their lives have been changed, but knowing nothing yet of the Kivattar path they will follow.

The story becomes more complex in the Ninth Mihexe as the group separates again, new enemies close in, and some of the secrets of the Kivattar path begin to be revealed.
The Sarai plateau is attacked and Rasscu only survives by making his first contact with the real nature of the First Talisman, starting him on a long inward voyage of discovery. At the same time the Kivattar take Berin and Caldar east across the vast Quezma Republic to the capital Rittabye with the task of claiming the next Talisman, while Tariska, the fourth member of the group, is still alone in Esparan when she is targeted by a new enemy.

In Rittabye Berin’s success at the popular game of HoHuKa gets him into trouble along with Caldar. They are rescued by Meruvai, another Kivattar, with help from Herao, a young woman fascinated by Berin. Meruvai takes them all south to prepare for their encounter with the Spinners, the unseen rulers of the Republic, who are also seeking the Talisman. Berin acquires new knowledge from a local sage and Caldar hears more from Meruvai about his own special task, but neither is ready for the Spinners and both walk into the trap awaiting them. They escape with their lives and the Talisman with aid from past Kivattar who have foreseen this moment. Immediately they are on the run with Herao and Mlzan, a gypsy guide, thousands of miles from safety in a land where the Spinners have absolute control.

Tariska has vanished from Esparan and the Kivattar seeking her find she is being shielded by magic. The trace leads far south towards the deadly Fisher Kingdoms, home to the Shadowmasters. In the Empire there is a full-scale civil war raging, in which Princess Shkosta begins to win a series of stunning victories. Rasscu unites the lowland Sarai tribes and is working to bring the Fenkur horse herds into their protection, when he is saved from a Terrechar attack by Pepper, his new Kivvatar mentor. Then both combine to retrieve the Sarai’s sacred book which has been stolen from its shrine.

In the final stage of their long flight Caldar and Berin reach the Camarth, the Borogoi grasslands. They survive one encounter with the horsemen, only to be caught later by a band of outlaws. Herao secures their freedom by going with the band herself. Berin helps Caldar, who is injured, to the safety of the Hamna mountains, then sets off back into the Camarth to find Herao. But new forces are now in play and Caldar receives a call from Tariska which sends him off blindly south towards the most sinister of the Fisher Kingdoms to help her.

Two Talismans have been found, but the group is split and two of them have disappeared where not even the vision of the Kivattar can locate them.