Contents

Map

Prologue

“Hello, Reg,” she said as she approached. What an old-fashioned…

One

The man had been staring out of the window, watching…

Two

Two men were breaking their fast at an inn in…

Three

On the other side of the realm, in a sparsely…

Four

Oblivious to Piven’s pain, Greven strode into Minton Woodlet, a…

Five

Piven waited for Greven. He had filled the small sack…

Six

Freath slowed the horse to a gentle walk. It had…

Seven

Greven dug his staff into the ground and hauled himself…

Eight

Freath looked expectantly at Kirin. “Well?”

Nine

Kirin had fallen into conversation with a woman traveling with…

Ten

It was nearing morning and they’d begun traveling after midnight.

Eleven

They’d arrived at a town called Woodingdene. It was a…

Twelve

By mid-morning Piven had made it back to the sheltered…

Thirteen

Kirin woke in a strange room. He opened his eyes…

Fourteen

Greven stared dully at the bloodied stump that his arm…

Fifteen

Faris hadn’t spoken to him for hours. He didn’t need…

Sixteen

Loethar undid his shirt, a sheen of sweat glistening on…

Seventeen

Hurtle was a flourishing village, just on the very tip…

Eighteen

Loethar had banished everyone from the chapel, including Father Briar,…

Nineteen

Kirin stole a glance at Lily, glad that he could,…

Twenty

In broad daylight Sergius could make out the terrain, could…

Twenty-One

The two figures approached the convent on foot, leading their…

Twenty-Two

Kilt Faris was rounding the same bend in the road…

Twenty-Three

Empress Valya had organized for Dara Negev to be brought…

Twenty-Four

Kirin and Lily had traveled all day, pausing only to…

Twenty-Five

Greven and Piven were approaching Berch. They’d walked solidly most…

Twenty-Six

Loethar had watched his mother’s body burn. It had taken…

Twenty-Seven

Gavriel sat beside the stream and stared at the silent…

Twenty-Eight

Greven could taste the salt on his lips. The coast…

Twenty-Nine

Leo and Jewd were on opposite sides of the road.

Thirty

Loethar galloped up and leaped off his horse as soon…

Thirty-One

Arriving at the entry to Francham, Loethar allowed Vulpan’s horse…

Thirty-Two

“…and that’s all I know,” Sergius concluded. “I have no…

Thirty-Three

Once they’d retrieved their belongings they abandoned the horses; they…

Thirty-Four

They were moving slowly, tracking northwesterly, climbing all the time.

Thirty-Five

Kirin was subdued and Lily felt incredibly awkward. Long before…

Thirty-Six

Roddy could hear the gulls again. The pressure of the…

Thirty-Seven

They made far better time than they’d hoped. The sun…

Thirty-Eight

Gavriel sat with his back to Loethar, his emotions torn…

Thirty-Nine

Leo and Jewd squatted by Kilt as he retched into…

Forty

Ravan finally stretched. “It is time,” he said.

Epilogue

Corbel had been feeling uneasy all day. In the moments…

 

Glossary

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Praise

Other Books by Fiona McIntosh

Credits

Copyright

About the Publisher