Kem stared north, his sensitive face reflecting so many emotions as he considered what he’d learned about his mother’s childhood. “I want to know everything.”

The weight of his words fell so heavily that, in the moment, they felt too burdensome to bear. She smiled instead and bumped a friendly shoulder into his.

“Everything? I can think of a few recent stories you claimed not to want to hear!”

He snorted, elbowing her. “You know what I mean! About you. About Mama.”

“I don’t think I can quite face telling you everything,” she admitted. “I’ll tell you as much as we can both bear. I want you to understand her. You deserve it. She deserves it.”

He sighed and, with a sad smile toward the hidden north, draped an arm over her shoulders in comfortable amity. “I never thought my Declaration Week would end up this way.”

“Neither did I!”

From below, heard through the open windows, Xilsi and Ipis laughed at an unknown jest. Hooves clattered in the courtyard as someone—Jirvy?—brought the horses to the trough. Closer, a tread of footsteps got louder, a person ascending the stairs.

She glanced toward the door and, firmly, back at him.

“Kem, my dear child, I don’t know what is coming next, but we’re here, and we’re together. For now, that is enough.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First, I thank my generous Patreon supporters. They got the initial glimpses of the earliest iteration of the Witch Roads universe, and even voted on several world elements, which I then incorporated into the setting. Your patronage literally made it possible for me to write this duology.

Shout-out to my writing group, Cheri Ebisu, Emma Candon, Nick Candon, and Krystle Yanagihara, who were so incredibly encouraging as they read the rough draft. To the nest, Aliette de Bodard, Vida Cruz-Borja, Zen Cho, Victor Fernando R. Ocampo, and Rochita Loenen-Ruiz. To my children and their partners, who always have my back. And to my many writing friends and acquaintances and the community that holds us up as we move forward during complex and often difficult times. I could not do this without you all.

As always, a special thank you to my brilliant editor Lee Harris, his doughty assistant (and assistant editor) Matt Rusin, publisher Devi Pillai, editorial directors Claire Eddy and Will Hinton, copyeditor Christina MacDonald, jacket artist Raja Nandepu, jacket designer Jess Kiley, production editor Sam Dauer, managing editor Rafal Gibek, production manager Jacqueline Huber-Rodriguez, designer Heather Saunders, publicists Jocelyn Bright and Saraciea Fennell, marketers Emily Honer and Becky Yeager, and social media marketer Sam Friedlander. Your professionalism shines.

Also by Kate Elliott

ALSO BY KATE ELLIOTT

Black Wolves

The Golden Key (with Melanie Rawn and Jennifer Roberson)

The Labyrinth Gate

The Very Best of Kate Elliott (collection)

Servant Mage

The Keeper’s Six

THE COURT OF FIVES TRILOGY

Court of Fives

Poisoned Blade

Buried Heart

THE SPIRITWALKER TRILOGY

Cold Magic

Cold Fire

Cold Steel

THE CROSSROADS TRILOGY