Chapters (95)
- Cover
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Map
- Dramatis Personae
- Fifteen Years Ago
- Endas, 25th day of Wellmarch
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Maladas, 26th day of Wellmarch
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Lumendas, 1st day of Radiance
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Astridas, 2nd day of Radiance
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Jeradas, 3rd day of Radiance
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Endas, 4th day of Radiance
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Maladas, 5th day of Radiance
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Tzadas, 6th day of Radiance
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Lunandas, 7th day of Radiance
- Forty-Four
- Jeradas, 10th day of Radiance
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Endas, 11th day of Radiance
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Maladas, 12th day of Radiance
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Tzadas, 13th day of Radiance
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Lunandas, 14th day of Radiance
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Lumendas, 15th day of Radiance
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Tzadas, 20th day of Radiance
- Sixty-Nine
- Acknowledgements
- Discover More
- Extras
- Meet the Author
“How dare you. Katya was my friend. My sister. I fought for her. I’d have died for her. I’d have fought for her son, had he risen to it. I’ll sure as Queen’s Ashes not abandon her daughter.” She shook her head. “You’re a selfish, prideful ass. Katya would be ashamed.”
She spat on the floor and strode away, leaving Josiri in accusing silence.
Thirty-One
Thirty-One
Sevaka arrived at the Silverway as the bells rang for nine. Rosa barely recognised her. Vigorous strides practised on rolling decks had fallen away into uncertain, almost hesitant paces that barely twitched her grey skirts.
“Sevaka,” Rosa stood and embraced the other woman. “Thank you for coming.”
She offered a distant smile. “I’m sorry I wasn’t home when you called. A busy day.”
So it was a dour mood to match a dour dress? “I heard you’ve resigned your commission.”
“Times change. Mother reminded me of broader duties.”
They sat, and Rosa poured Sevaka a glass of wine from the chipped bottle. She’d not yet brought herself to touch her own glass.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Like I’ve been dashed against the rocks at Scyllarest.” Sevaka sipped her wine. “You?”
“You might say that this week’s been a hell of a year.”
“I like that.” Sevaka raised her glass in toast. “A hell of a year. May our enemies have it worse in the week to come.”
Rosa clinked her glass to Sevaka’s. After the merest hesitation, she took a sip. It didn’t much taste of anything. Then again, nothing did any longer.
“You have enemies?”
“I’m a Kiradin,” said Sevaka. “Of course I have enemies. And I’m sure to inherit more from my mother.”
“Such is life in the nobility.”
Well, not for everyone. Rosa couldn’t imagine her uncles having much in the way of grudges awaiting settlement. They lacked the ambition to cultivate any.
A drunken roar and clash of tankards erupted from a nearby table. Sevaka leaned back and stared up at the cross-hatched timber beams. “What about you? Enemies, I mean?”
Rosa scowled. “A few. And maybe one I never knew I had.”
“I hope you’re not talking about me.”
Rosa took the childlike bleakness for affectation, so ill did it sit with the woman she’d drunk with so recently. “No. But I wanted to ask your advice.”
“I’m not sure what my advice is worth. You’d be better asking Malachi.”
Rosa shook her head. She’d considered that. “I can’t. I need a different perspective. Malachi’s too much the politician.”
“Well, that’s one thing of which I’ve never been accused. Tell me.” Rosa took another sip. She’d rehearsed this conversation in her head, but now it was upon her . . . ?