Out of the Darkness

VALMIERA

Baldu Algarvian collaborator near Carsoli; playwright

Bauska Serving woman in Priekule

Brindza Bauska’s daughter in Priekule

Enkuru Collaborationist count near Pavilosta; deceased

Gainibu King of Valmiera

Gainibu Krasta’s son

Gedominu Merkela’s first husband; deceased

Gedominu Skarnu and Merkela’s son

Krasta* Marchioness in Priekule; Skarnu’s sister

Kudirka Midwife in Priekule

Latsisa Peasant woman near Pavilosta

Marstalu Duke of Klaipeda

Merkela Underground member in Priekule; Skarnu’s fiancee

Povilu Peasant near Adutiskis

Raunu Sergeant near Pavilosta

Sigulda Algarvian collaborator near Carsoli; Smetnu’s companion

Simanu Collaborationist count near Pavilosta; deceased

Skarnu* Marquis in Priekule

Skirgaila Woman in Priekule

Smetnu Algarvian collaborator near Carsoli; editor

Sudaku Soldier in Phalanx of Valmiera in Yanina

Valmiru Butler in Priekule

Valnu Viscount and underground member in Priekule

Vizgantu Major in southern Algarve

Zemaitu Peasant near Pavilosta

Zemglu Peasant near Adutiskis

YANINA

Iskakis Yaninan minister to Zuwayza

Mantzaros General in Patras

Tassi Iskakis’ wife; Hajjaj’s companion

Tsavellas King of Yanina

Varvakis Merchant in Patras

ZUWAYZA

Hajjaj*..Foreign minister of Zuwayza in Bishah

Ikhshid..General in Bishah

Kawar..Crystallomancer in Bishah

Kolthoum..Hajjaj’s senior wife

Lalla..Hajjaj’s former junior wife

Maryem..Palace servant in Bishah

Mundhir..Captain in Bishah

Qutuz..Hajjaj’s secretary

Shazli..King of Zuwayza

Tewfik..Hajjaj’s majordomo

One

Ealstan intended to kill an Algarvian officer. Had the young Forthwegian not been fussy about which redhead he killed, or had he not cared whether he lived or died in the doing, he would have had an easier time of it. But, with a wife and daughter to think about, he wanted to get away with it if he could. He’d even promised Vanai he wouldn’t do anything foolish. He regretted that promise now, but he’d always been honorable to the point of stubbornness, so he still felt himself bound by it.

And he wanted to rid the world of one of Mezentio’s men in particular. Oh, he would have been delighted to see all of them dead, but he especially wanted to be the means by which this one died. Considering what the whoreson did to Vanai, and made her do for him, who could blame me?

But, like a lot of rhetorical questions, that one had an obvious, unrhetorical answer: all the other Algarvians in Eoforwic. The Algarvians ruled the capital of Forthweg with a mailed fist these days. Ealstan had been part of the uprising that almost threw them out of Eoforwic. As in most things, though, almost wasn’t good enough; he counted himself lucky to remain among the living.

Saxburh smiled and gurgled at him from her cradle as he walked by. The baby seemed proud of cutting a new tooth. Ealstan was glad she’d finally done it, too. She’d been fussy and noisy for several nights before it broke through. Ealstan yawned; he and Vanai had lost sleep because of that.

His wife was in the kitchen, building up the fire to boil barley for porridge. “I’m off,” Ealstan said. “No work for a bookkeeper in Eoforwic these days, but plenty for someone with a strong back.”

Vanai gave him a knotted cloth. “Here’s cheese and olives and an onion,” she said. “I only wish it were more.”

“It’ll do,” he said. “I’m not starving.” He told the truth. He was hungry, but everyone in Eoforwic except some-not all-of the Algarvians was hungry these days. He still had his strength. To do a laborer’s work, he needed it, too. Wagging a finger at her, he added, “Make sure you’ve got enough for yourself. You’re nursing the baby.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Vanai said. “I’ll do fine, and so will Saxburh.” She leaned toward him to kiss him goodbye.

As their lips brushed, her face changed-literally. Her eyes went from brown to blue-gray, her skin from swarthy to pale, her nose from proud and hooked to short and straight. Her hair stayed dark, but that was because it was dyed- he could see the golden roots, which he hadn’t been able to do a moment before. She seemed suddenly taller and slimmer, too: not stubby and broad-shouldered like most Forthwegians, including Ealstan himself.

He finished the kiss. Nothing, as far as he was concerned, was more important than that. Then he said, “Your masking spell just slipped.”

Her mouth twisted in annoyance. Then she shrugged. “I knew I was going to have to renew it pretty soon, anyhow. As long as it happens inside the flat, it’s not so bad.”

“Not bad at all,” Ealstan said, and gave her another kiss. As she smiled, he went on, “I like the way you look just fine, regardless of whether you seem like a Forthwegian or a Kaunian. You know that.”