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Back The Witch Roads Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. 1 ON ORDINARY LANES AND BEHIND UNPROTECTED WALLS
  4. 2 THE DEPUTY COURIER
  5. 3 A THIRD PRESENCE
  6. 4 THE HOLYSTONE PAVEMENT
  7. 5 THE HAUNT
  8. 6 THE MOON-BRIGHT MIRAGE
  9. 7 THE SOLE FRAGILE DEFENSE
  10. 8 THE SPORE
  11. 9 THREE WELL-SPRUNG CARRIAGES
  12. 10 A SWIRLING RIOT OF ACTIVITY
  13. 11 OF COURSE HE WAS HANDSOME
  14. 12 A GAMBIT TO RUIN HIM
  15. 13 A SLICE OF FESTIVAL CAKE
  16. 14 ORDER CREATES TRANQUILITY
  17. 15 THE THIRD ATONER
  18. 16 A FALSE AND ROTTEN HEART
  19. 17 BAIT
  20. 18 ALL WE HAD TO LOSE WAS OUR LIVES
  21. 19 THE OPENING
  22. 20 THERE IS ANOTHER WAY
  23. 21 AN EFFUSION OF UGLY SATISFACTION
  24. 22 BEST ADMIRED FROM A DISTANCE
  25. 23 SOMETHING HAD CAUGHT IN HIS THROAT
  26. 24 TO THIS DAY
  27. 25 THE THIEF
  28. 26 A PRAGMATIC SUGGESTION
  29. 27 DESTINED TO BE A CHARMING ADVENTURE AND NOT A TEDIOUS SLOG
  30. 28 SHOULD THEY LIVE THAT LONG
  31. 29 A PERILOUS DELIGHT
  32. 30 THAT UNEASY TIME
  33. 31 TEARS ARE A LUXURY
  34. 32 WISHFUL THINKING
  35. 33 EVEN IF THEY DO NOT LOOK IT
  36. 34 A SLOWLY HEAVING MOVEMENT
  37. 35 THE SOBER SEARCH FOR TRUTH
  38. 36 THE CONUNDRUM SHE WRESTLED WITH
  39. 37 FIVE BASKETS FULL!
  40. 38 SOMEWHERE AMONG THE ROCKS
  41. 39 THE MORNING OF THEIR DEATH
  42. 40 THE CLOUDBERRY BREW
  43. 41 THEIR PURSUERS
  44. 42 A SWALTER DELVING
  45. 43 THE ROPE BRIDGE
  46. 44 DON’T LOOK DOWN
  47. 45 THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY
  48. 46 A MORE COMPLICATED STORY
  49. 47 THE AFTERMATH
  50. 48 INTRUSIVE AND RUDE
  51. 49 A DOUSE OF ICY WATER
  52. 50 MORE LIKE A JOKE
  53. 51 AS THE EMPIRE DECREES
  54. 52 IF THAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE
  55. 53 THE VIGIL
  56. 54 NO ANSWER
  57. 55 A WILD AND ALLURING STORY
  58. 56 THE PULSE OF THE EMPIRE
  59. 57 HALF-TOLD LIES AND FRAGMENTS OF TRUTH
  60. 58 THE GREAT LINEAGES
  61. 59 A FUNNEL CLOUD
  62. 60 BATH
  63. 61 A PINCH OF JEALOUSY
  64. 62 TOO MANY BLANK SPOTS
  65. 63 THE LAST VIGIL
  66. 64 THE BEAT OF ITS HEART
  67. 65 THE DISTURBED VIPER
  68. 66 IMAGINE THERE IS A NAMELESS LAND
  69. 67 THE PERFECT WEAPON
  70. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  71. Also by Kate Elliott
  72. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  73. Newsletter Sign-up

Cweles unrolled each message in order and read aloud in a clipped heartland accent while the prince studied the writing, following along as she spoke.

“Year Seventeen of the Blessed Reign of the Magnolia Emperor, Month of Iron, from His Exalted Highness Prince Gevulin, Prince-Warden and All-Seeing Eye in command of the Imperial Order of the Wardens, to Warden Captain Mekvo in command of Far Boundary Vigil, these words: As of this day, I, Prince Gevulin, rise in command as All-Seeing Eye. Let all wardens confirm their obedience.

“Year Seventeen of the Blessed Reign of the Magnolia Emperor, Month of Iron, from Warden Captain Mekvo to His Exalted Highness Prince Gevulin, these words: May His Exalted Highness be blessed. So is it confirmed at Far Boundary Vigil.

“Year Eighteen of the Blessed Reign of the Magnolia Emperor, Month of Gold, Day One, from Warden Captain Mekvo to His Exalted Highness Prince Gevulin, these words: May His Exalted Highness be blessed. With the new year, Far Boundary Pall confirms all is quiet.

“Year Eighteen of the Blessed Reign of the Magnolia Emperor, Month of Gold, from His Exalted Highness Prince Gevulin, Prince-Warden and All-Seeing Eye in command of the Imperial Order of the Wardens, to Warden Captain Mekvo in command of Far Boundary Vigil, these words: Report received. Remain vigilant.”

Cweles paused. “These next are all part of a single message, sent in stages, according to the normal protocol. With your permission, Your Exalted Highness, I’ll read them as one.”

“Go on.”

“Year Eighteen of the Reign of the Magnolia Emperor, Month of Copper, Day Sixteen, from Warden Captain Mekvo to His Exalted Highness Prince Gevulin, these words: Urgent news. Need immediate response. A man has appeared overnight at the Vigil. Hard to understand. May be some mistranslation. Claims to have crossed Far Boundary Pall, although we know this to be impossible. Claims to be an envoy of a far land and its lady-king of the far north.”

A pulse of staggering adrenaline flooded Elen’s body, so sharp she swayed. Had she misheard?

The captain read onward in her same bland tone. “Seeks an audience with Prince Gevulin, by name, saying he speaks on behalf of the lady-king, ‘according to the mutual assistance pact sealed and sworn at Storm Port on Witch-Tower Island,’ and that her message is intended for the prince alone, not to be conveyed via others, only by him. How do we proceed?”

Xilsi snorted. “What a wild, ridiculous tale!”

The haunt raised a hand, and Xilsi cleared her throat and settled. His gaze flicked toward Elen, standing there painfully alert, before he said coolly, to Cweles, “Go on.”