The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied so that you can enjoy reading it on your personal devices. This e-book is for your personal use only. You may not print or post this e-book, or make this e-book publicly available in any way. You may not copy, reproduce or upload this e-book, other than to read it on one of your personal devices.
Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at: us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.
For Susan, Kacy, and Ava
Characters
Anna Former Regent of Defalk; Sorceress and Lady of Loiseau (Mencha)
Secca Lady of Flossbend (Synope) and sorceress; sorceress heir to Loiseau.
Robero Lord of Defalk, and Lord of Elheld, Falcor, and Synfal (Cheor)
Alyssa Consort of Robero
Dythya Counselor of Finance
Jirsit Arms-commander of Defalk
Lords of Defalk: The Thirty-Three:
Alseta Lady of Mossbach; consort is Barat; son is Lyendar
Birke Lord of Abenfel; consort is Reylana; mother is Fylena
Cataryzna Lady of Sudwei; consort is Skent; heir is Skansor
Chelshay Lady of Wendel; consort is Nerylt, son of Clethner
Clethner Lord of Nordland; son and heir is Lythner
Dinfan Lady of Suhl; consort is Wasle, brother of Birke
Dostal Lord of Aroch; consort is Ruetha
Ebraak Lord of Nordfels
Falar Warder of Uslyn, heir to Fussen; also consort to Herene, Lady of Pamr
Fustar Lord of Issl; son and sole heir is Kylar
Gylaron Lord of Lerona; consort is Reylan; heir is Gylan; father of Reylana
Herene Lady of Pamr; consort is Falar; heir is Kysar
Kinor Lord of Westfort [Denguic] and Lord of the Western Marches
Mietchel Lord of Morra, brother of Lady Wendella of Stromwer
Selber Lord of Silberfels; heir is Helbar; sister is Belvera
Tiersen Lord of Dubaria; consort is Lysara; eldest son and heir is Lystar
Uslyn Lord heir of Fussen; father was Ustal, mother Yelean
Ytrude Lady of Mossbach, sister of Tiersen; consort is Cens
Wendella Lady of Stromwer, heir is Condell
Zybar Lord of Arien
Sorcerers and Sorceresses:
Anandra Sorceress assistant to Clayre
Clayre Sorceress of Defalk
Jolyn Assistant Sorceress of Defalk
Fosterlings, Apprentices, and Pages:
Jeagyn Fosterling/sorceress apprentice at Loiseau
Kerisel Fosterling/sorceress apprentice at Loiseau
Richina Apprentice sorceress to Secca; daughter of Dinfan
Defalkan Armsmen:
Elfens Chief Archer, Loiseau
Drysel Captain, Loiseau
Quebar Captain, Loiseau
Rickel Lord’s Guard-Captain, Falcor
Wilten Overcaptain, Loiseau
Defalkan Players:
Bretnay Violino, Loiseau
Delvor Chief of second players, Loiseau
Duralt Falk-horn, Loiseau
Palian Chief Player, Loiseau
Rowal Woodwind, Loiseau
Yuarl Chief Player, Falcor
Others Outside Defalk:
Alya Matriarch of Ranuak; consort is Aetlen
Alcaren Cousin to the Matriarch
Ashtaar Leader, Council of Wei, Nordwei
Ayselin Holder of Netzla, Neserea
Belmar Holder of Worlan, Neserea
Clehar Lord High Counselor of Dumar; without consort
Hadrenn Lord High Counselor of Ebra; Lord of Synek, Ebra; consort is Belvera; heir is Haddev; younger son is Verad.
Hanfor Lord High Counselor of Neserea; consort is Aerlya; eldest daughter and heiress is Annayal
Kestrin Liedfuhr of Mansuur; brother of Aerlya
Maitre of Sturinn Leader of Sturinn; master of the Sea-Priests
Motolla Holder of Itzel, Neserea; heir is Chyalar
Mynntar Lord of Dolov, Ebra
Stepan Arms-master of Synek
Svenmar Holder of Nesalia, Neserea
Veria Second Counselor, Freewomen of Elahwa
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Wei, Nordwei
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14 Mansuus, Mansuur
Chapter 15
Chapter 16 Worlan, Neserea
Chapter 17
Chapter 18 Worlan, Neserea
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25 Narial, Dumar
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29 Mansuus, Mansuur
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44 Mansuus, Mansuur
Chapter 45
Chapter 46 Wei, Nordwei
Chapter 47
Chapter 48 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 49
Chapter 50 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 51
Chapter 52 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 56
Chapter 57 Nesalia, Neserea
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60 Elahwa, Ebra
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66 Sperea, Neserea
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72 Mansuus, Mansuur
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78 Wei, Nordwei
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106 Mansuus, Mansuur
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 110
Chapter 111 Encora, Ranuak
Chapter 112
Chapter 113 Netzla, Neserea
Chapter 115
Chapter 116 Southern Ocean, South of Ranuak
Chapter 117
1
Two sorceresses stood beside the scrying pool in the domed outbuilding that lay to the south of the main keep of Loiseau. The taller woman had fine white-blonde hair, hair that could have belonged to the young woman of nineteen that her appearance conveyed. Her thin and finely drawn face was without blemish, without lines, and her piercing blue eyes were clear. Only the fineness of Anna’s features attested to her true age. Her figure was nearly as slender, and far more girlish than that of the smaller redhead who stood next to her.
Anna eased into a straight-backed chair behind the small writing table, then looked at the redhead. “Secca…our good Lord Robero has requested that you visit him at Elheld, preferably within the next two weeks.”
“Doubtless he has yet another heir or lord for me to meet, Lady Anna.” Secca’s mouth offered a sardonic smile as she perched on the tiled edge of the scrying pool. Part of her smile was because Anna had never been able to say “Robero” without a twist to her lips. Then Secca had difficulty herself. When Secca had been growing up in Falcor under Anna’s tutelege, Robero had been “Jimbob.” Only when he’d become Lord of Defalk had he decided “Jimbob” was too undignified and changed his name to Robero. “After all these years, he would still have me consorted.”
“You aren’t that old.” Anna added, “He doesn’t understand you, but he does care for you.”
“That may be, for he understands women not at all. He understands but strength and power, and that is why he respects you, lady.”
Anna sighed gently. “I wish it were otherwise. Certainly we tried.”
Secca nodded sympathetically. While Anna almost never used Lord Jecks’ name, Anna often said “we” when referring to what the two had accomplished for Defalk in the less than half score of years when Anna had been regent and sole ruler of Defalk. The former regent spoke seldom of Lord Jecks, but Secca had seen the lamps of Anna’s rooms still lit late into many nights over the ten years since his death. While Anna and Jecks had been friends and certainly lovers, consorting had been out of the question. That Secca had understood from the beginning, when Anna had effectively adopted her after the deaths of Secca’s parents, for Jecks had been a powerful lord in his own right, and the grandsire of Lord Robero, during the time when Anna had been Sorceress-Regent for the underage Robero.
“Despite his inclinations, Robero has learned much,” Anna continued, “and I am thankful for Alyssa.”
“So am I,” replied Secca.
“You know I never would have consorted you to him.”
“Alyssa made it that much easier.”
The two sorceresses laughed. Then Anna cleared her throat.
“You have something else I am to do?” asked Secca.
“Kylar…” Anna said.
Secca winced. “The one who suffocated his consort and claimed she died of consumption?” Anna nodded.
“You wish me to go to Issl as well?”
“I think you should go there first.” The older sorceress smiled. “You will be paying my respects to Lord Fustar. He will be most happy to see your young and smiling face.” The smile vanished. “The pool shows that Kylar does not understand what has happened in Defalk, and that he will abuse any woman he can. He now seeks yet another consort.” Anna looked at Secca. “You understand how you must deal with Kylar, and with Lord Fustar? Nothing must happen to Kylar while you are at Issl.”
“I understand, lady. Nothing will occur.” Secca inclined her head. “I could take the players, and we could stop and add a dek to the road between Mencha and the River Chean on the south end, and then add another dek or so on our return journey from Elheld.”
Anna shook her head. “You dislike Robero, and yet you would work to finish paving the road he demands.”
“Why not? He is likely to be lord for many years to come, and it will speed our travel from Loiseau to Elheld.” She laughed. “At times, I would that there were other ways to build his roads.”
“In Defalk, there are no other ways.” Anna shook her head. “Robero doesn’t have enough men or engineers—or the golds to pay for them—and he cannot call on the Lords for anything other than their liedgeld and their levies in battle.”
“So we must build roads and bridges.”
“It’s not all drudgery without rewards, Secca,” Anna pointed out. “People know we build roads and bridges, and it helps associate sorcery with good things. Given how this land has regarded sorceresses in the past, that’s not all bad.”
“I know.” Secca grinned suddenly. “I could also use sorcery to repair a wall or bridge or something for Lord Fustar…as a gesture from Loiseau.”
The older sorceress smiled. “That might help.”
“It is hard to see shadows in the light of a favor.”
“Sometimes,” Anna replied. “Sometimes. Other times, light makes the shadows more obvious. This time, I think you’re right.”
“When should I leave? Tomorrow?”
“If you wish to spend time on the highway and several days being a charming guest at Issl.”
Secca nodded, then tilted her head. “Lady Anna?”
“Yes? You have that serious tone.”
“I would that you would wait until I return before you send your next scroll to your daughter in the Mist Worlds.”
Anna nodded politely.
“At least I could play for you and lessen the effort.”
“We will see,” replied the Sorceress and Lady of Mencha. “I’m not ancient yet.”
“Lady…” Secca tried not to plead, but to convey her concern.
“Secca…” Anna laughed. “Don’t turn me into a doddering old lady.”
“No one could do that.” The younger sorceress smiled at Anna’s tone, smiled in spite of her worries, for she had seen the deepening darkness behind her foster-mother’s eyes, and sensed the ever-increasing strain that even the lightest of Clearsong spells placed on Anna, for all that Anna looked little different from what she had more than a score of years earlier when first she had arrived in Defalk from the Mist Worlds.
2
In the midmorning light of early fall, before harvest, a half-score of players stood on the low rise to the west of the dusty road. The majority held violinos or violas, but there were also two woodwinds and a falk-horn in the group. Another half-score of players bearing lutars of various sizes stood behind the first group.
Secca, wearing a pale blue tunic, walked toward Palian, the gray-haired and gray-eyed woman who held a violino, and who stood before the first group of players. “Chief player?”
“Yes, Lady Secca,” replied Palian. “We have almost finished tuning.”
“Good.” Secca nodded, accepting as always the necessary formality of Palian’s address. “We will be using the second building spell.” That too was a formality, since Secca and Lady Anna had always used the second building spell for road-building, although it had been years since Anna had done heavy building sorcery.
Secca glanced out at the dusty road that stretched northward toward the River Chean from Mencha. Behind her, nearly thirty deks of sorcery-laid stone paving extended back to Mencha. The gap between where she stood and the paved section stretching south from the river bridge was less than ten deks, and she hoped that she would be able to complete that section within the next few years, but that depended on what other tasks Lady Anna and Lord Robero laid upon her. She looked toward the lank-haired Delvor, catching his eye.
“Second players are ready, lady.”
Secca studied the image on the portable easel, an image with which she was all too familiar, and began to bring up both the image of the road, and the spellsong itself, into her mind. “The second building spell, chief player.”
“The second building spel
l, on my mark,” declared Palian. “Mark!”
As the notes from the players and their instruments rose into the morning, the first two bars merely to stabilize the players, Secca waited, and then began the spell proper with the first note of the third measure.
“…replicate the earth and stones.
Place them in their proper zones…
Set all firm, and set all square,
weld them to their pattern there…”
Even before the notes of the players and Secca’s voice died away, an intense bluish glow settled over the dusty track, initially so bright that neither Secca nor the players could have looked at it, had they wanted to, but all had seen the brightness over the years with each new section of road built.