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Back The Night and Its Moon
Chapters (64)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  6. Pronunciation Guide
  7. Prologue
  8. Part One
  9. One
  10. Two
  11. Three
  12. Four
  13. Five
  14. Six
  15. Seven
  16. Eight
  17. Nine
  18. Ten
  19. Eleven
  20. Twelve
  21. Thirteen
  22. Part Two
  23. Fourteen
  24. Fifteen
  25. Sixteen
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Twenty
  30. Twenty-One
  31. Twenty-Two
  32. Twenty-Three
  33. Part Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Twenty-Six
  37. Twenty-Seven
  38. Twenty-Eight
  39. Twenty-Nine
  40. Thirty
  41. Thirty-One
  42. Thirty-Two
  43. Thirty-Three
  44. Thirty-Four
  45. Thirty-Five
  46. Part Four
  47. Thirty-Six
  48. Thirty-Seven
  49. Thirty-Eight
  50. Thirty-Nine
  51. Forty
  52. Forty-One
  53. Forty-Two
  54. Forty-Three
  55. Forty-Four
  56. Forty-Five
  57. Forty-Six
  58. Forty-Seven
  59. Epilogue
  60. Excerpt from The Sun and Its Shade
  61. The Night and Its Moon Playlist
  62. Acknowledgments
  63. About the Author
  64. Back Cover

The grizzly, dark-haired man took a half step back but made no move to leave. The steel of his weapons jangled against his armor, drawing further attention to just how outfitted for danger the stranger was. Nox scanned him with intense curiosity, soaking in everything from the hilt of his swords to the hardened leather of his armor. The bearded man had a fatherliness to his features, belying his years. His face and neck were etched with the pink lines of battle. Her eyes locked onto where his hand clutched his abdomen. The man was injured.

“Your temple has the sign of the All Mother out front,” he argued.

The stranger’s gravelly voice referred to the iron that had been welded to the manor’s doors. The goddess’s sigil consisted of only three simple components: two straight, vertical lines, and one half-circle. It was the same emblem that the bishop had embroidered onto his finery and painted on his carriage.

“This is no church.” Agnes shook her head, still pushing him backward.

“I am in need of a healer,” he said. His tone was firm but held an underlying hint of something akin to resignation.

Agnes held no compassion as she said, “The closest healer is in Stone. That’s about a two-day ride. We wish you well.”

Nox knew the matrons were not kind, but turning away a wounded stranger in need of help was a new level of cruelty. From somewhere behind the commotion, she heard Mable’s quiet voice chime, “Matron Flora was trained as a nurse.”

Agnes shot a fuming look over her shoulder. Nox immediately witnessed the meek matron’s face melt into regret over speaking. Mable would surely be punished later. Perhaps no marks could be left on the children, but the same was not true of the matrons who defied Farleigh’s Gray Matron.

With resolute chill, Agnes said, “This is a haven for children. No weaponry is permitted in this house.”

Nox pressed herself into the cool wall of the overlook, her eyes darting between the matrons and the newcomer.

The man looked neither angry nor threatening. His deep voice remained steady as he answered, “Any establishment with the sign of the All Mother is bound to the Law of Sanctuary. I call on that law now and seek sanctuary in your establishment. I will leave my weapons in your care and pay whatever coin you see fit in exchange for a night’s stay. I’d also like to buy any tonics you may have. Please show me to Matron Flora for bandaging. Thank you.”