For my grandfather E. C. Bryan
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Clan Princess
Chapter Two: A Dance in the Dark
Chapter Three: Crewing for Abelard
Chapter Four: Family Matters
Chapter Five: A High Country Meeting
Chapter Six: What Happened on Hanalea
Chapter Seven: A Crack in the Mountain
Chapter Eight: Blood and Politics
Chapter Nine: Of Consorts and Kings
Chapter Ten: Into the Snake Pit
Chapter Eleven: Meetings at Midnight
Chapter Twelve: Meetings at Midday
Chapter Thirteen: At Cross-Purposes
Chapter Fourteen: Queen’s Orders
Chapter Fifteen: Street Rules
Chapter Sixteen: Loose Ends
Chapter Seventeen: From the Snake Pit into the Flames
Chapter Eighteen: Past Crimes and Misdemeanors
Chapter Nineteen: A Hot Summer Night
Chapter Twenty: Blood and Ashes
Chapter Twenty-One: Earth Magic
Chapter Twenty-Two: Ashes and Accusations
Chapter Twenty-Three: Revelations
Chapter Twenty-Four: An Old Betrayal
Chapter Twenty-Five: Truth or Lie
Chapter Twenty-Six: Proofs and Allegations
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Demonai Delegation
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Climbing the Deadly Nevergreen
Chapter Twenty-Nine: In Hanalea’s Garden
Chapter Thirty: Deadly Music
Chapter Thirty-One: The Armory of the Gifted Kings
Chapter Thirty-Two: Betrayal
Chapter Thirty-Three: In the Deeps
Chapter Thirty-Four: Agreeing to Disagree
Chapter Thirty-Five: Back Gamon
Chapter Thirty-Six: In the Passes
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Under Siege
Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Deal with the Devil
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Queen Counselor
Chapter Forty: Fever Dreams
Chapter Forty-One: A New Generation
Chapter Forty-Two: Walking Out with the Bayars
Chapter Forty-Three: Standoff
Chapter Forty-Four: A Meeting Underground
Chapter Forty-Five: Second-Story Work
Chapter Forty-Six: On the Inside
Chapter Forty-Seven: Trader
Chapter Forty-Eight: Wizard Persuasion
Chapter Forty-Nine: Uneasy Alliance
Chapter Fifty: Poor Choices
Chapter Fifty-One: A Way In
Chapter Fifty-Two: Darkman’s Hour
Chapter Fifty-Three: Under the Vale
Chapter Fifty-Four: A Spectacular Diversion
Chapter Fifty-Five: Back into the Flame
Chapter Fifty-Six: A Rematch
Chapter Fifty-Seven: Blessings and Curses
Chapter Fifty-Eight: Tangle and a Twist
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Redo
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
It was the largest gathering of the Spirit clans Raisa had ever seen. They came from all over the Fells—from Demonai Camp to the west, from Hunter’s Camp to the east, and from the rugged northern reaches and the river valleys near the West Wall. Some traveled all the way from the fishing camps along Invaders Bay. Demonai warriors rode in from the wilderness, proudly painted, feathered, and braided. Sun-weathered traders journeyed home from throughout the Seven Realms, bringing exotic goods and news from the down-realms.
Even the elders said that the only other such celebration in their lifetime was the one that marked Raisa’s mother Marianna’s wedding to Averill Demonai—the first marriage of a Gray Wolf queen to clan royalty since the Great Captivity began.
This time they feasted together on the lower slopes of Hanalea to celebrate the crowning of one of their own—Raisa ana’Marianna, called Briar Rose in the high country—as queen of the Fells. The camp was bedecked with garlands of thorny high country roses—Raisa’s clan totem, which always came into bloom near the time of her birthday.
Each camp came bearing gifts, competing in honoring and celebrating the new queen. Raisa accumulated enough finery to last for years to come. Clan metalsmiths presented her with a circlet of roses and thorns in beaten gold. They provided silver fittings for her saddles and bridles crafted by leatherworkers.
Demonai Camp brought her a made-to-measure longbow and a quiver of black-fletched arrows to replace the weapons she’d lost when Micah Bayar carried her off from Oden’s Ford. Marisa Pines Camp gifted her with lotions, remedies, and fragrances that would remind her of the high country in her flatland palace.
Hunter’s Camp contributed haunches of venison, fish from the Dyrnnewater, braces of rabbits, and wild boars, which had been roasting on spits all day.