Praise for Sarah Roarks first novel, Dark Ages: Ravnos

[Dark Ages: Ravnos] was a seductive horror novel that I

could not help but find attractive. The author, Sarah Roark,
managed to make the main character, Zo, innocent and
lethal at the same time. It is a feat not easily accomplished.
Excellent!
Detra Fitch, Huntress Book Reviews
strong, controlled and forceful
Jacqueline Lichtenberg, author of Sime-Gen: The Unity
Trilogy
The atmosphere is thick and tense as the story begins,
coiled like a caged animal ready to spring. [] In Ravnos,
Sarah Roark blends passion, faith and intrigue into an
intoxicating brew any reader would greedily drink down.
This book caught my interest from the first page and never
let go. The level of detail given even minor characters was
truly impressive, the more so for being accomplished in just
a few lines.
Johann Lionheart, Dimensions

And for the Dark Ages Clan Novel Series

Here is a grand ideawarring vampire clans during the
period of the Dark Agesthat has been brought to life (or
should I say undeath) by a group of exceptionally talented
writers. Bravo, White Wolf! [My] highest recommendation.
J. L. Comeau, Creature Feature
The cold, undead world of Dark Ages: Vampire has never
seemed so warm and alive, thanks to the storytelling of
Kathleen Ryan. [Dark Ages: Setite is] masterfully written
[and] leaves us craving more.
Johann Lionheart, Dimensions
There are quite a few twists and turns and a level of
thoughtfulness that take this above the average vampire
adventure. Dark Ages: Assamite is an imaginative and
gripping winner.
Jim Brock, Baryon Magazine

Dark Ages and Vampire Fiction from White Wolf

The Dark Ages Clan Novel Series
Dark Ages: Nosferatu by Gherbod Fleming
Dark Ages: Assamite by Stefan Petrucha
Dark Ages: Cappadocian by Andrew Bates
Dark Ages: Setite by Kathleen Ryan
Dark Ages: Lasombra by David Niall Wilson
Dark Ages: Ravnos by Sarah Roark
Dark Ages: Malkavian by Ellen Porter Kiley
Dark Ages: Brujah by Myranda Kalis
Dark Ages: Toreador by Janet Trautvetter
Dark Ages: Gangrel by Tim Waggoner
Dark Ages: Tremere by Sarah Roark
Dark Ages: Ventrue by Matthew McFarland (forthcoming)
Dark Ages: Tzimisce by Myranda Kalis (forthcoming)

Other Dark Ages Fiction

Dark Tyrants by Justin Achilli & Robert Hatch (editors)
The Erciyes Fragments by C. S. Friedman
To Sift Through Bitter Ashes by David Niall Wilson
To Speak in Lifeless Tongues by David Niall Wilson
To Dream of Dreamers Lost by David Niall Wilson

The Clan Novel Saga

A comprehensive, chronological collection of the fourteen-volume best-selling
Clan Novel Series. Includes all-new material.
Volume 1: The Fall of Atlanta foreword by Stewart Wieck; new
material by Philippe Boulle
Volume 2: The Eye of Gehenna foreword by Eric Griffin; new
material by Stefan Petrucha
Volume 3: Bloody September foreword by Anna Branscome; new
material by Lucien Soulban
Volume 4: End Games foreword by Gherbod Fleming; new material by
Janet Trautvetter (forthcoming)

The Victorian Age Vampire Trilogy

A Morbid Initiation by Philippe Boulle
The Madness of Priests by Philippe Boulle
The Wounded King by Philippe Boulle

For all these titles and more, visit www.white-wolf.com/fiction

2

Sarah Roark
AD 1231-1232
Eleventh of the Dark Ages Clan Novels

Cover art by John Bolton. Graphic design by Mike Chaney.

Art direction by Richard Thomas. Copyediting by Carl
Bowen.
2004 White Wolf, Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanicalincluding
photocopy, recording, Internet posting, electronic bulletin
boardor any other information storage and retrieval system,
except for the purpose of reviews, without permission from
the publisher.
White Wolf is committed to reducing waste in publishing.
For this reason, we do not permit our covers to be stripped
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All persons, places, and organizations in this bookexcept
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products in these pages is not a challenge to the trademarks
or copyrights concerned.
White Wolf, Vampire The Masquerade and Vampire are
registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Dark
Ages Vampire, Dark Ages Nosferatu, Dark Ages Assamite,
Dark Ages Cappadocian, Dark Ages Setite, Dark Ages
Lasombra, Dark Ages Ravnos, Dark Ages Malkavian, Dark
Ages Brujah, Dark Ages Toreador, Dark Ages Gangrel, Dark
Ages Tremere, Dark Ages Ventrue, Dark Ages Tzimisce, To
Sift Through Bitter Ashes, To Speak in Lifeless Tongues, To
Dream of Dreamers Lost, Dark Tyrants, The Erciyes Fragments, Clan Novel Saga, The Fall of Atlanta, The Eye of
Gehenna, Bloody September, End Game, Victorian Age
Vampire, A Morbid Initiation, The Madness of Priests, The
Wounded King, Dark Ages Inquisitor, Mummy the Resurrection, Penance by Firelight and Demon Lucifers Shadow are
trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights
reserved.

ISBN 1-58846-848-8
First Edition: April 2004
Printed in Canada
White Wolf Publishing
1554 Litton Drive
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
www.white-wolf.com/fiction
4

For Brett, for too many

reasons to name.

What Has Come Before

It is the year 1232, and decades of warfare and intrigue
continue among the living and the dead. The Teutonic
Knights and Sword-Brothers have embarked on
campaigns to conquer and convert pagan Prussia and
Livonia, spreading the crusading zeal into new lands.
Bloodshed has, as always, followed in its wake.
Away from the eyes of the living, in the shadowy world
of the undead, these crusades have dark echoes. The
powerful Saxon vampire Jrgen of Magdeburg shares
the Teutons zeal and leads the so-called Brotherhood
of the Black Cross, a secret order within both the
Teutonic Knights and Livonian Sword-Brothers. He is
determined to expand his domain into Livonia, using
the banner of Christianity to increase his holdings. Last
year he sent his guest-cum-rival Alexander to lead the
conquest on his behalf, but that mighty vampire fell
before the vampiric chieftain Qarakh, who leads a band
of pagan blood-drinkers in alliance with Deverra, a
blood sorceress and unliving priestess of the pagan god
Telyavel. Qarakhs might in battle and Deverras
witchery together brought ancient Alexander low.
Jrgen is rid of a rival, but his plans of conquest seem in
a shambles.
Existing in the midst of this chaos is Jervais bani
Tremere, a vampire and wizard who wishes to establish
good relations between Jrgen and his superiors in the
Tremere order. Unfortunately, Jrgen is not inclined to
trust Jervais (who once schemed to deceive him) or any
Tremere (whom he considers interlopers among the
undead). Jervais attempted to make himself useful by
conveying the warning that Qarakh had sorcerous aid.
Now he must deal with the evident fact that his
warning was either insufficient or went undelivered.
And hope that it doesnt cost him his head

Prologue
He knew he was dreaming, but that did not help.
It was a room he could remember being in a long time
ago, a library in which he and his master had once spent a few
months. Bookshelves covered each wall from floor to ceiling,
some holding codices, some with ancient moldering scrolls that
threatened to spill out onto the floor. They towered over him,
silently judging him a child and a fool. He moved through the
cavernous chamber, filled with dread. He listened but heard
only the sound of his own footfalls. Perhaps it was watching
him, matching his pace. He could not hear it breathe. But it
didnt always breathe.
Across the room, a pile of books and maps suddenly
tumbled to the floor. He stared at it in a panic, and for one
searing moment tried to will himself to believe that it had simply been overbalanced. Then he saw the blood spattered across
the pages. He ran.
Now he could hear it quite clearly, footsteps ringing like
marble on marble and furniture flying in all directions behind
him. Eight doors led out of the library, but most of them lay
back toward the Thing. He chose a door from those before
him, yanked on the handle several times before it gave way at
last, then dashed through.
And so it began. The next room he also recognized, but it
didnt belong to the same building. That hardly mattered. It
had six doors leading out. He tried to remember which one
hed chosen last time. The one on the left, he thought. This
time he went right. Still the Thing came hot on his heels.
The chase seemed to last for hours. Every door he opened
led only to a room with more doors, and though he tried at first
to keep his bearings, he soon lost all concept of direction and
distance past a vague horror that somehow his path was being
bent in upon itselfthat he was being herded.
He also found that while the first rooms hed wound
through had had six, eight, twelve, four-and-twenty doors, the
later ones had only two or three. His choices were narrowing.
And though he still couldnt hear the Thing behind him breathe,

Sarah Roark

he could hear the devastation it wrought in its wake. Whatever

it was, it was enormous. He had no idea how it was fitting
through the doors. Yet somehow or other it gradually gained on
him. He ran faster, chose his doors with diminishing care. He
was sure he was making mistakes. Mistakes he might have
avoided if hed only been able to pause, think, consider. But he
also knew with the absolute certainty of dreaming that if he
stopped or even slowed down for an instant, he would die in its
teeth.
In another part of his mind, in a parallel reverie to this
frantic scrambling, he was aware of his body tossing in its daytime slumber. He longed to wake himself up, but that would
take his attention away from the maze for that one fatal instant. During other instances of this nightmare hed imagined
that she came to him, as she had come to him once (and only
once) in reality, and laid her soft cool hand across his sweating
forehead. Just now he could not conjure even the imagination
of her. He was all alone, immured in stone. Sometimes the
master heard echoes of the torment, but even he could do nothing.
And then there were the others that also heardsome
locked within their own torpid bodies, some with no bodies at
all. They heard and laughed, taunting him with the truth they
all knew: that even immortals could only run so far and so fast
for so long before that final slip, that brief hesitation that was
all the Thing would need

Tremere

Chapter One
Lady Rosamund moved the last of her pieces off
the board. I didnt think the magi of Tremere were
taught always to let a lady win, she remarked.
Jervais bani Tremere tilted his head to the side
in a slight gesture of acknowledgment and began to
reset the board again. It bought him time to consider his response. I cant speak for the rest of my
brethren, milady, he answered, but for my part, I
was taught always to give a lady precisely the sport
she requires, neither more nor less. Why do you mention it?
Well, she said lightly, wizards are supposed
to be clever, are they not? I hardly expected to defeat one so handily twice in a row. Im forced to
wonder if youre playing to win at all.
I always play to win, milady.
I detect a note of irony.
Milady has a fine ear for music.
Ah, we must be embarking on the obligatory
chain of political metaphors now.
Good God, I hope not, he exclaimedand was
rewarded with her first genuine, though small, smile
of the evening. Surely we havent run out of actual
conversation just yet.
The smile vanished quickly at that. He immediately regretted his words. Hed thrown her off
rhythm, and while that was often a worthwhile goal
in diplomacy, tonight he needed just the opposite.
No doubt this was already difficult enough for her,
even if one would never know it. But she quickly
recovered herself and gave him another smile. It was
pretty, warm, invitational and not half so captivating as the real thing now that hed seen the
difference.
Do they not play tables in the sorcerers towers, Master Tremere?

Sarah Roark

Theres little time for such pursuits, I fear.

Such frivolous pursuits, is that what you were
going to say?
I would certainly never say that, milady.
Her head remained bent over the board, but her
hazel-green eyes flashed upward. But someone else
would?
It was necessary, he reminded himself. It was the
price of admission, or rather of re-admission. She
would be satisfied when she believed shed obtained
more than hed meant to give. Things could always
be worse. It could be Prince Jrgen the Sword-Bearer
himself putting him through the paces, rather than
Jrgens beauteous mistress. Still, Jervais did not have
to force much reluctance into his voice.
That is what is taught to our apprentices, yes.
If they have time to play, then they must have time
to study more, work harder. No doubt there are floors
that could use a scrubbing, at the very least.
They dont even play chess, then? She shook
her head. That has, as you know, a special significance to certain bloods. It is also widely extolled as
a thing that sharpens the mind, teaches the art of
the stratagem. The game of princes.
I know of but one Tremere prince, milady, he
returned mildly.
There is something to be said for standing behind the throne, I suppose.
Or at the side of it. That isnt the argument,
however. Why waste ones time toying with men and
Cainites and governments when the levers that move
the very world are waiting there to be discovered and
mastered? Conquer them, and you conquer everything.
She knocked a blot of his onto the bar. Ah. You
dont seem to agree, however. You play. You must
have been a very stubborn apprentice.
I have been accused of it, milady. But is it stubbornness to realize that not everyone cares about the
virtues of onyx or the exact shape of the wards on

10

Tremere

Solomons key, and that while one is shut up in ones

little room learning Creations secrets, Creation itself rolls by outside?
I suppose I shouldnt be surprised to hear such
a widely traveled man utter such sentiments, she
said wryly. I must have assumed it was a matter of
duty and not pleasure. The others of your clan Ive
spoken towho, I admit, are few enoughall seemed
to hate the world as much as any anchorite.
Many do. Ive never understoo d it myself.
Theres far too much to see.
Even in Magdeburg?
Especially in Magdeburg, he chuckled. Far
more to see here than in the very clearest crystal.
And at Ceoris? she prompted.
That drew him up short. At Ceorisat Ceoris
what?
Her eyebrow flickered a bit, noting his reaction.
He inwardly cursed himself once again. Is there
much to see?
Ah.
Ceoris is in Hungary, is it not?
Yes, of course, milady.
Of all that country I only know what Ive read
in soldiers letters from the battle front, which, as
you can imagine, are short on detail. She sighed.
Im not one of those ladies who needs to be entertained with long soliloquies on pine and lake and
mist and moonlight in foreign lands, Master Tremere,
but for those of us who must wait at home with the
distaff, theres always that desire to know more of
what those dear to us saw and suffered.
What they suf fer even now, he said. He
couched it as a polite murmur, obligatory courtesy,
but he did want to see what she made of it.
She nodded solemnly and cast her gaze downward for a moment. Yes. But alas, unlike Hungary,
you have not seen Livonia with your own eyes. Or
so you said the last time we met.

Sarah Roark

11

A quick parry, then. Interesting. No, milady.

Since they were treading so closely to the real content of their meeting already, he dared continue a
little further along the path. I do trust the information I gathered on the subject of Livonia has proved
useful to his Highness, however.
That would be something youd have to ask his
Highness, of course.
Then I hope to have opportunity to do so.
We all have our hopes, Master Tremere. Her
slim hand reached out, fast as a striking adder, to
catch a die that tumbled off the table from her overly
enthusiastic roll. I am sure that for its part, Ceoris
hopes for a better issue from your endeavors this time
around.
He accepted his punishment without complaint.
It was his own fault. She had tried to approach the
subject gracefully, from the perspective of the worried grass widow, and hed insisted on turning it into
a foray into what was clearly uncomfortable territory. It was so hard to shut down that instinct, but
he had to remember his real purpose here. Stop sparring, he told himself. Perhaps you should even let
yourself be a bit bewitched in earnest.
Ceoris is more convinced than ever, milady,
that Prince Jrgens interests and those of House and
Clan Tremere coincide so closely that they simply
must ally for both their sakesas soon as possible.
If you mean that should the Black Cross fall,
Ceoris will have that much less standing between it
and the wrath of the voivode, she said archly, I would
tend to agree. Are you telling me that the war goes
badly for your brethren there?
No, not badly, milady. Petty harassment and
scattered raids.
Then why this urgency?
Milady, clearly weve all been rather hoping
Rustovitchs forces would simply fall apart in the
wake of the truce, and just as clearly, that hasnt
happened. Perhaps itll help if I explain that petty

12

Tremere

harassment and scattered raids are precisely the

voivodes favorite tactic for keeping his enemies occupied while he rebuilds his strength and whips any
faltering allies back into compliance. When he has
truly given up, we will know it.
Oh? How?
Because it wont look like anything weve ever
seen before, he answered in the most serious tone he
could command. Milady, we have weathered him and
the rest of the Tzimisce storm for nigh on two centuries now. I can assure you from personal experience
that giving up is not in his nature. Hell take time,
when its given him, to rest and replenish. Then, just
as that eye of calm begins to pass
She stared at him, game piece in her fingers, momentarily forgotten. You think Rustovitch is waiting
to see the issue of the fighting in Livonia, then.
I think the treaty between Rustovitch and
Prince Jrgen might as well have been signed in
Qarakhs blood, because hes its only guarantor. The
truce is a handy excuse for Rustovitch to recover
himself while he watches to see how badly his Highness can be damaged by the campaign against the
Balts. Nothing more.
You seem to be assuming his Highness will in
fact be damaged. She made her move and regarded
him with a defiance that she no longer tried to disguise under flirtation. What if he triumphs instead?
He must triumph, milady, he exclaimed. My
masters only desire is to ensure that.
And your own desire, Master Tremere? Is it the
same as your masters?
An expected line of questioning, but unwelcome
nonetheless. Mademoiselle RosamundI was, as
Ive told you, quite firmly corrected by my superiors
for my earlier mistake. However, that doesnt change
the fact that I was pursuing their goal to the best of
my ability, which was and is friendship between our
clan and Prince Jrgens court.

Sarah Roark

13

They dont appear to have appreciated your efforts on their behalf any more than his Highness did,
she noted dryly.
He did his best to submerge his growing irritation. No, milady. He let the pause afterward speak
for him.
She gave him a consoling look. It simply makes
me wonder why its you thats here once again, Master Tremereinstead of some other representative.
Surely that would have been more comfortable for
all concerned?
Jervais seized an opportunity to knock her onto
the bar just as she was about to begin bearing off. He
sat back, trying to school the look of relief on his
face into something less earnest. The two concurrent games had nothing to do with each other really,
yet it was odd how even the smallest victory in one
helped his resolve in the other. Now he could marshal his thoughts. He had to give her something. The
more the reasoning part of his mind repeated this,
the more badly the rest of him wanted to give her
nothing, nothing at all, not even the courtesy of a
refusal. Under the table, one hand clenched in his
lap, bearing the burden for all the rest of his body.
Comfort is not a priority for my masters, milady, he said at last. Particularly not my comfort.
They have generously proffered me oneand only
oneopportunity to clean up the mess I made of
things. This is how Ive chosen to make that
attemptbearing in mind the rules as they have now
been explained to me.
I see. She leaned forward. Her voice lowered.
Could it be actual sympathy? The damned bitch.
And if you should fail?
The laugh that bubbled up from his throat was a
good deal more bitter than anything hed meant to
give voice to. Failure is not among the choices before me, milady.
There. Will you be satisfied at last? May I pass on
to my next torment now, hellcat?

14

Tremere

I see, she said again. She began bearing off her

pieces. You are hardly the only one in Magdeburg
laboring under that constraint, Master Tremere.
He frowned. It was a hint, certainly. The question was whether it was meant to help him or mislead
him. Then again, if she really wanted to frustrate his
plans, all she had to do was go on ignoring his existence just as she had for the last several months.
Hopefully, the fact that he was here tonight at all
meant she felt a need to test the waters, which meant
that Jrgen felt a need to test the waterswhich
must mean that he was worried.
Your turn, she informed him.
Actually, since your ladyship has clearly won
already, Im happy to concede the game.
She laughed, a perfect bell-like laugh. He relaxed. They were back on their original footing.
Perhaps hed passed the test. Or perhaps they were
only on to a new one now, since she followed up the
laugh with: Very well. Ill let you concede, if youll
show me a bit of magic instead.
A bit of magic? he repeated.
Unless youve suddenly become like those other
wizards you were speaking of earlier, who say theyre
students of the great secrets and not street-conjurors performing for coin, she teased him.
Not at all, not at all, he said, feeling absurd.
It should be my honor to amuse such a beautiful
and noble lady. Let me see, let me think. Ah. May I
use a scrap from that sewing basket?
Certainly.
He retrieved one and selected a short length of
silk cord from within. And may I impose again and
borrow the ring on miladys left hand?
She smiled, slipped it off and passed it over. He
knotted the ring onto the string, then closed his hand
over it.
Phorba phorba askei kataski! he cried out, gesturing with his free hand. A spark of blue radiance
flashed out from between his closed fingers. He

Sarah Roark

15

opened his fist to show the cord, now unknotted and

missing the ring. Then he rubbed his hands together,
to emphasize their emptiness, and extracted the ring
from the dice-cup.
She laughed again and clapped. Lovely.
But he supplied.
But She hesitated, then shrugged. Well, the
truth is I once saw a juggler do almost exactly the
same trick, only without that flash of light.
He chuckled. Im sure it was the same trick, except for the flash of light which, I admit, I added for
pure show.
ThenI see, youve been having me on.
Never having you on, milady. After all, I confessed the truth to you right away. But once I did it
for a fellow-wizard, and do you know, he pestered
me about it for the rest of my visit. Was it this spell,
was it that spell, was it a variation on Celorbs dispersal perhaps?
And yet it wasnt a spell at all
He polished her ring on the shoulder of his bliaut
and handed it back. If you cant tell the difference,
what difference does it make?
If you cant tell the difference. She looked the
ring over. He felt a jolt of embarrassment as he realized she was trying to ascertain that hed indeed
returned the genuine article.
Milady, surely you dont think
No, Master Tremere, I can see that its mine.
Even you could hardly know to copy the inscription
on the inside of a band that hasnt left my hand since
it was first put on, could you? And as you saidat
least you confessed the truth to me right away this
time, she went on in a more serious tone. Its better for the future, I think, that we clearly understand
each other. You are a wizard, yes, but you also believe in practicality.
He recovered himself as quickly as he could.
Yes, milady. It is in itself a kind of wizardry to know

16

Tremere

when to use magic, and when some other method

will serve just as well or better
She held up a warning hand. He stopped, irritation melting into apprehension as it became clear
that she was genuinely listening for something. One
of her handmaidens appeared in the doorway.
Mademoiselle, forgive me, the woman said.
But your brother
Yes, yes, of course, Rosamund interrupted. See
him in.
The woman dropped a hurried but graceful curtsey and backed out again. Jervais heard the soft chink
of spurs and the slap of leather on wood, which was
shortly followed by the entrance of Sir Josselin de
Poitiers, Rosamunds brother-in-Blood.
Petite, he began, you mustah. He stopped
short, looking down his slim handsome nose at
Jervais. His glare rippled violently through the warlock. Those of Josselins blood often had that ability,
to send the passions of their humors through the very
air. Though Jervais had grown more used to it over
time, it still caught him unprepared now and again.
His teeth gritted under the onslaught.
It seemed to catch the knight himself unprepared
too, after a fashion. At least he hastily reined himself in, the aura of demigods pique disappearing as
though it had never been, and turned instead to
Rosamund. Blanche might have told me you were
still withyour company.
She waved this off. Josselin, not now.
No, not now, he agreed at once.
Is there news?
Yes. You must come at once. Youve been asked
for. Forgive us, Master Tremere, he added.
Why is it Im never granted my own name? Not at
all, messire, Jervais replied in his best tone of
empathetic concern. I certainly would not wish to
keep her ladyship from anything important. Indeed,
if its that serious, perhaps I should go myself.

Sarah Roark

17

I dont recall your being appointed one of his

Highnesss advisers, Sir Josselin returned. Then he
seemed to realize that he was giving away too much
in his eagerness to insult, and he fell silent.
Of course, and I should hardly presume,
messire, Jervais said. But if his Highness is indeed
summoning his advisers, then he may soon require
the assistance of his humbler servants as well. And I
would far rather arrive to find my services unwelcome than hear later that I was asked for and
nowhere to be found.
The two nobles exchanged glances.
In that case, I suppose we should all ride together, Josselin said. We wouldnt want anything
to happen to you on the road.
You do me too much honor, messire. Jervais stood
and made a low, unctuous bow.

18

Tremere

Chapter Two
The ride to St. Pauls was short and silent but
filthy. The streets and roads were plagued with muck
that three days worth of drizzle had dampened but
not washed away. At first Jervais tried vainly to hitch
up his fine long bliaut so that it wouldnt be spattered, then he decided it might be to his advantage
to give the appearance of having hurried pell-mell
to his hosts aid. It was important to remember what
sort of Cainite Jrgen was, and his monk-knight lieutenants in the Black Cross order as well. The
preciosities that other courts thrived on they considered despicable, indulgent. A little mud no doubt
conveyed sincerity.
A pair of groomsmen took the bridles of their
steaming horses almost before theyd stopped, and a
young squire was waiting nearby to usher them inside.
Lady Rosamund, he blurted. Sir Josselin. He
stopped and stared at Jervais.
And Jervais bani Tremere of Ceoris, Jervais
supplied richly. Your august lord knows the name, I
assure you.
The lad opened his mouth to speak, glanced at
Rosamund and Sir Josselin (who offered no help or
hindrance whatever), then shut it again and nodded. Very well. Come, please.
He conducted them across the grounds into the
guesthouse of the fortified priory. A fire leapt on high
in a hearth at one end of the rooma huge hearth,
meant to warm a room filled with dozens of human
folk, perhaps cook them some soup at the same time.
With a bare handful of wax-pale Cainites there now,
the enormous blaze looked more menacing than
cheering. Indeed, as Jervais used his blood-strength
to sharpen the weak eyesight a mocking God had
given him, he could see that they all stood a safe

Sarah Roark

19

distance away from it. Rosamund and Josselin were

let inside without a murmur, but the door-guards
spear came down at an angle before Jervais, stopping
him at the threshold. The squire leaned up on tiptoe
to whisper into the guards ear. Jervais could have
sharpened his hearing as well and heard the precise
words, but there was hardly a need. The guard leaned
his head slightly inside the door to hiss at someone
just within. Further words were exchanged. A few
moments later Jervais heard a murmur arise at the
far side of the room. The voice of Prince Jrgen
soared over it.
I dont care. Let the man in. Let him in! he
repeated for the benefit of the mortal man at the
door. Jervais smiled as the spear moved aside again.
But he hastily composed himself into what he hoped
was the right purposeful, slightly worried manner before he went in.
Meister Tremere. Hurry along there, Prince
Jrgen called out. Dont bother making all the legs,
just come.
Jervais halted in mid-bow and did as he was told,
bustling up to the front. Your Highness, he said,
touching knee to stone as quickly as could be done.
Jrgen immediately motioned him up.
Next to Jrgen stood a thin Cainite in a priests
cassockFather Erasmus, Jrgens confessorand
another one Jervais didnt recognize, dressed as most
of the Black Cross knights dressed, in the garb of
the mortal Teutonic Order. Brother Christof, Jrgens
second in command, stood brooding off to one side,
hand straying reflexively to sword hilt. It took Jervais
a little longer to find the last person in the room
because he was the only one sitting down. He was a
Cainite with hair tonsured in the knights usual style
and wearing an emblazoned habit, huddled in a chair
in Jrgens substantial shadow. A blanket covered his
legs. One leg seemed to be little wider than a broomstick, and Jervais could just imagine the sight that
lay beneath. A vampire could recover even lost

20

Tremere

limbs, given time and blood enough to heal, but the

process of re-growing bone and muscle and re-stringing sinew, was slow and arduous. The firelight threw
the lines of pain in his face into harsh relief.
Very well. Now that were all here Jrgen
nodded at a human squire, who ran off. Lady Ambassador, Herr Josselin, Meister Tremere. I think Herr
Josselin is the only one of you to have met Brother
Eckard before.
Of course, on campaign in Hungary, Josselin
nodded, bowing. I am sorry to see you injured,
brother.
The wounded man bowed in turn from the waist.
Herr Josselin. I remember you with great respect.
Brother Eckard rode all the way from the
Livonian front despite his wound to carry us the
news, Jrgen said brusquely, glancing at Josselin and
then at Rosamund, who stood frozen. Im afraid its
very bad. I thought that you should be the first to
know, meine Dame.
He turned to the squire, whod returned with a
bit of folded cloth that he transferred into Jrgens
hands. The prince let it fall open. Framed in his powerful arms it seemed very small indeed, sized more
for a slip of a boy than a manwhich wasnt far from
the truth. It was a surcoat of fine white cloth, now
bloodied and streaked with dirt. Still visible through
the blotches of red were the black embroidered tails
of the ermine pattern and the purple stripe that ran
vertically down the middle with a circlet of leaves
embroidered atop that in gold thread.
A choking sound echoed in the room. Jervais
glanced up, startled. It was the only graceless noise
hed ever heard emerge from the Lady Rosamunds
swanlike throat. With utmost gravity Jrgen brought
the cloth over to her, offering it. She hesitated but
then took it. A moment later her skirt wobbled and
she began to sink toward the floor. Sir Josselin caught
her elbow and bore her up until she recovered her
usual proud posture.

Sarah Roark

21

Vair, on a pale purpure, a laurel wreath or, he

murmured, gazing at it in shock. Rosamund tried to
blink back the film of red in her eyes.
The arms of Alexander, sometime Prince of
Paris, now liege-lord to Lady Rosamund and general
in service to his far younger clansman Jrgen the
Sword-Bearer; recently sent to Livonia to subdue the
upstart pagans. As every other heart in the room either sank or quailed, Jervais felt his rise and expand,
unshackled at last.
Howhow is it possible? Josselin managed at
last. One of such age, such power
But no faith, I fear, Brother Eckard finished.
The prince frowned but said nothing. Forgive me,
milord. Milord Alexander showed great courage and
gallantry in the face of the enemy, and I pray nightly
for his soul. But he would not humble himself before
the Lord, even though it was the Lords work we
sought to do. I fear our enterprise suffered for it in
the end. Perhapsperhaps the rest of us failed in
spirit somehow as well. I must do penance.
Father Erasmus laid a hand on his shoulder.
There must have been treachery of some kind,
Christof broke in. Heathen sorcery. His quick dark
eyes darted over to Jervais.
J r g e n l o o k e d a t J e r v a i s a s w e l l . Ye s ,
sorceryIm afraid there likely was that.
Jervais simply nodded, not knowing if a response
was expected.
The Tartar was like one possessedwhether by
sorcery or some other foulness I dont know, Eckard
mused. He went bareheaded and barefoot, and
moved more like a beast than a man. It was so swift,
the fighting, that the eye could barely follow it except when they locked each other immobile for a
brief moment. Yet for all the swiftness, it seemed to
take hours and then I was drowned and saw no
more.
Could no one intervene? Rosamund asked desperately.

22

Tremere

Meine Dame, it seems a mire quite suddenly

opened up under the battlefield, trapping everyone,
or nearly everyone, except for Qarakh himself and
your lord, Jrgen answered.
Who is this Qarakh? Josselin wanted to know.
Are we any closer to finding that out?
We have a little information Thanks, in part,
to the Tremere of Ceoris, the prince said.
A public acknowledgment of my assistance? What
next?
And now, he went on, Brother Eckard and the
two other brothers whove made it back so far have
a little more that theyve told us.
We must call a council, Christof urged.
We will call a council, but not tonight, Jrgen
assured him. Herr Josselin, your lady sister needs to
be seen home.
Of course, your Highness.
After that, we must request that you do us the
great kindness of conveying the news of Lord
Alexanders death back to his childe in Paris.
Jervais valiantly suppressed a smirk. That would
be Geoffrey, current Prince of Parisat his lord sire
the former princes expense. He wondered whether
there would be the pretense of grief, or not.
Josselin absorbed this with obvious difficulty.
Your Highness. He bowed again. It is my honor
to serve, so long as milady gives her permission of
course.
Rosamund nodded faintly.
Good. Then go at once with my earnest thanks,
mein Herr. You may go as well, Meister Tremere, but
I think we must have a talk sometime soon. I will
call for you.
Of course, your Highness. Jervais made a deep
obeisance but decided not to append any courtly
words to it. No doubt theyd only be taken as a jab
or an expression of unseemly pleasure. He followed
Josselin and Rosamund out and all but ran for his
horse. Thank Great Tremere, the house that Jrgens

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23

seneschal had chosen for him in town was quite close

to Lady Rosamunds abode. He didnt have much
time. Jrgen had said, Go at once, and Sir Josselin
was, if nothing else, a man to follow orders.
***
Stop looking at me like that, Jrgen muttered.
Christof turned his grim face away, but the reproach in the air remained.
Theres no choice anymore, he went on.
Clearly we went in missing vital facts. Either this
squat-legged savage is a lot older than we gave him
credit for, or he does indeed have the aid of some
demonic power. Alexander is dead, my friends.
With all due respect, Hochmeister, Brother
Meinhard put in, better him than you. If the Lady
Rosamund had not, so to speak, volunteered him
And if he hadnt agreed to go, for her sake no
doubt.
And for his own, Meinhard reminded him
hastily. In any case, not for the right reasons. I must
agree with Brother Eckard fully on that.
Yes, but even if he went in with the worst reasons in the world, he should still have been able to
defeat such ragamuffins handily. Jrgen paced over
to a chair, whirled it around and sat. Clearly we need
help. Theyve offered it. I intend to take them up on
it.
The Tremere have shown their treachery to you
once before, milord, Christof said, in a voice close
to a growl. And the stories you yourself brought back
from Hungary, about the ambitions the Usurpers
cherish that have not yet been exposed to the princes
of the West.
Stories from Rustovitchs lickspittles and attendants, Jrgen returned. Hardly an unbiased source.
Im sure they were ordered to sound me out about
the possibility of colluding with their master against
the Tremere. I think Rustovitch would gladly take
the hand even of my sire, if it meant the wizards
destruction. And just as gladly the wizards seek to

24

Tremere

take my hand in a mutual pledge to destroy

Rustovitchor if I wont accede to that right away,
to a pledge to destroy Qarakh in Livonia so that
Rustovitch may be next. And neither Rustovitch nor
the Tremere are truly my friends, whatever agreements we make to the contrary. We all wish each
other gone from Hungaryindeed from all the East.
Its only a question of what temporary alliances will
form on the way to utter annihilation. Be sure Im
well aware of all of this, Brother Christof, but unfortunately it changes nothing.
If I may, milord. Father Erasmus spoke up hesitantly. Surely the answer to nigromancy is not more
nigromancy.
The prince brushed wearily at his mustache with
a thumb and forefinger. Father, do you realize that
the bulk of the troops the Sword-Brothers are using
in Livonia are in fact Letts and Livs? Natives, whose
devotion to Christianity consists almost solely of the
yearly tithe they pay. The only hymns they sing are
songs of delight in the plunder they capture from
their ancestral enemies. Lets be honest in this room.
An entire nation doesnt convert overnight, not in
its heart. But the outward observances come little
by little to be matched by inward belief. Thats the
hope we all cherish. Until the time comes when they
serve the Lord in truth, however, the Sword-Brothers are happy to let them serve the order instead. A
spear doesnt care what sort of hand let it fly. If its
worthy of the Sword-Brothers to let pagans kill pagans in the name of killing paganism, then what is
there to object to in letting sorcerers kill sorcerers?
I dont pretend to understand the methods of
the Sword-Brothers, Highness.
Very well, then, milordwrite to Ceoris,
Christof interrupted, wisely heading off any debate
on the virtues, or lack thereof, of the Teutonic
Orders Livonian counterpart. But not this Tremere.
That they have the unmitigated gall to even send
him back here insults us and speaks ill of them. You

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25

could at least demand, as a token of their sincerity,

that they dispatch some other messenger.
Not gall but guile, Id wager, Jrgen mused.
Exactly. Hochmeister, were speaking here of a
manof a Cainitewho was willing to steal a Toreador bauble and replace it with an elaborately
crafted forgery, then pretend to discover the deception in open court, and all for what? A moment of
political embarrassment for some far-off queen who
never was among your stauncher or stronger allies
anyway? Do you honestly believe that such a man
even says Good evening without meaning something else by it?
At least its a well-balanced bauble. He patted the gilded pommel of the sword at his side. Well,
perhaps Ill ask him that. Im sure Ill get an interesting answer. Im curious, in any case, to see what
he has to say about it all now that the years have
intervened. The Lady Rosamund assures me that hes
apologized most satisfactorily to her
Its you he should apologize to, Christof
grumbled.
Yes, he should. And we shall see how satisfactory that apology is, he said with a keen smile.
What do you think, Akuji? Akuji? Surely shes
here.
Yes, your Highness. The voice was, as always,
a marvel: smooth, faintly husky, yet despite its huskiness unmistakably, alluringly female, tinged with
a hint of foreign spice.
The other Cainites in the room edged minutely
away, except for Christof, who grimaced in private
amusement. Akujiwhose form, draped and veiled
in dilapidated linen, was no match for her voice
stepped forward.
What do you think, old friend? Jrgen asked
her. Ignore the Tremere completely, write to Ceoris
or treat with Meister Jervais?
A difficult choice indeed, your Highness. She
paused. She had an exquisite sense of when and how

26

Tremere

long to pause, to make her audience bend to hear

the next word. Perhaps, however, it is worth pointing out that of the three possibilities, two are not
mutually exclusive.
***
Here, Josselin, please.
What do you want me to do with it, petite?
I dont know. She drew her raw lower lip into
her mouth again. I dont know what to do. I dont
know what I should do.
He gazed at the length of bloody, sliced cloth
with only slightly less than complete revulsion. Myself, Id fling it into the fire. I know you dont like to
hear things like that, but I cant help it.
I know, I know. She gazed at it as well. Part of
her, too, wanted it gone completely, destroyed, like
some heathen idolas though doing that could banish Alexander and all thought of him from past,
present and future forever. Just as much of her was
terrified to do it for that exact reason. Perhaps some
idols still had the power to revenge themselves on
their desecrators. The reach of the ancient boyprince, junior in blood only to the Eldest himself,
had been long.
What is it? He knelt by her side. Rosamund,
dont. Please dont cry. Dont dignify it. I beg you.
Forgive me, she said in a small, weak voice.
She wiped away the tears, but new ones took their
place.
He doesnt deserve your mourning. He doesnt
deserve a single one of your tears, unless its a tear of
joy. After what he did
And what do I deserve, Josselin? she blurted.
A sob escaped on the heels of this question. She
stood up.
You deserve to be free. And you are free, now.
His passion heated his words, made them fairly glow.
She shook her head. You heard what Jrgen
said. Sorcery. Heathen sorcery! Josselin, it is my
fault.

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27

Petite, its not.

My doing, then. That much is true. Dont argue with me, my brother. I am not the little girl you
once knew in Chartres. I know what Ive done when
Ive done it. I simplyI simply have to make peace
with it, thats all.
Rosamund. He followed her as she paced away.
Make confession, then, if you feel you must. We can
get you a priest! But dont keep it, no matter what.
Itll only eat away at you, and I cant bear watching
any more of that. Hes had long enough to make you
suffer. It must finish now.
I cant. I cant burn it. Dont ask me to,
Josselin.
Ill burn it for you.
No! She cried out and reached toward him,
even though he made no move toward the fire as yet.
He stepped forward and put his arm around her.
Will you at least let me take it with me and
offer it to Geoffrey? he murmured into the flamecolored cloud of her hair. He has the strongest claim
on it, anyway, and it would be well within the bounds
of custom to bring it to him as proof. Then it would
be out of our sight at least. Will that suffice?
She hesitated for a long moment, then nodded.
As she nodded he could feel some of the tension
drain out of her frame.
Good. Then thats what Ill do.
Just as he thought to pull away, she began sobbing. He tossed the surcoat to the floor as though it
were so much rubbish and comforted her.
Sh, shh. You only did what you had to, petite.
To save yourselfto save all of us. Its over now.
It has to be, he thought. Dear God and Our Lady,
let it be.
But on a night when Gods favor rested inexplicably with a wild-eyed blasphemer in the dark
swamps of Livonia, it might be wise to retain a certain prudent caution in ones heart regardless.
***

28

Tremere

Dont be such a whiner, Fidus, Jervais hissed.

Its quite simple. Theyve never seen you before, so
theres no danger at all.
Fidus stood without shivering, despite the raindrops running down the length of his white nose and
tumbling off. But, master, Ilook at me. I cant pass
for alifor a mortal anymore.
Ridiculous. The older Tremere waved this off.
Its easy. All you need to do is bring the color up
into your cheeks and remember to breathe. Trust me,
theyre all far too distracted right now to go worrying about you. You tell them you have some message
from me.
What message?
I dont knowsurely you can think of something! A request for another meeting, perhaps. That
way youll be sent out of their presence to wait for an
answer, and if you do a little wandering about the
house while you wait and arent too clumsy about it,
no one will much mind. Look, Im not even asking
you to actually lay hands on the thingalthough for
Tremeres sake, if the chance falls to you, take it
but if you can even find out where its being kept or
what theyre planning to do with it, that alone may
be enough. Now do you think you can manage it or
not?
Ill do my best, master. Fidus brushed his hair
out of his eyes and made for the gate behind the
house, trying to remember what it felt like to blush.
He thought of the time several years ago when Jervais
had sent him out to dig up toadstools and neglected
to mention that hed be entertaining women in the
house that nightall so that when Fidus came back
road-beaten and covered with soil Jervais could send
the little trollops into gales of laughter with a mocking remark. Yes, that did well enough.
A few bursts of hammering on the gate brought a
harried-looking, middle-aged man to open it. He had
something wadded up under his woolen cloak to keep
it out of the wet.

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29

Yes?
A message for your lady from my master
Jervais, Fidus said, and coughed for verisimilitude.
He let his cloak fall open to show he was unarmed.
The man looked even less patient at that, but
he stepped aside. All right, come in. You may just
have to give it to Peter to give to them. I dont know
if theyre receiving any more messengers tonight.
Thank you. He dutifully followed the man, who
stopped at the stables en route to the house itself. Evidently Fidus had caught him halfway through the process
of loading saddlebags. Fidus turned his body away as the
man stuffed the wadded-up bundle inside the bag, feigning disinterest, but glanced over sidewise at the last
moment. There, a flash of bloodied and ripped cloth.
Goodit was packed away in the saddlebags already then,
doubtless in preparation for a hasty departure the next
evening. Far easier to get at than if it had remained in the
house.
Surely one more small rip in a garment so woebegone would never be noticed. Jervais had taken
pains to teach Fidus that the minutest loss to one
person could represent the most bountiful gain to
another. And to a wizard of Tremere, for whom blood
fueled unprecedented wonders, even a tiny dried
stain of ancients essence could prove useful in ways
few other Cainites would ever suspect.

30

Tremere

Chapter Three
You do as you like, Meister Tremere, but I hope
you wont mind if I speak very plainly to you. This
first volley was out of the sling before Jervais had
even finished his bow.
Not at all, Highness, he replied smoothly. I
am simply grateful to have a personal audience with
your Highness at long last.
And that was no exaggeration. Evidently Jrgen
was not a man to be hurried by even the most terrible news. Despite his warning that hed call for
Jervais sometime soon, a solid two months had gone
by before the summons finally came.
Even though the last words we exchanged at
any length were hardly friendly?
Especially for that reason, your Highness. I fear
Ive never had opportunity to convey fully my regrets, my humblest apologies for the conduct of my
childe Alexia in the matter of your sword all those
years ago.
You could have said so at the time.
Plain speaking, eh. Well, perhaps it wouldnt hurt
to try some. I did make some poor effort in that direction, Highness, but as I recall, your Highness was
understandably too angry with me to entertain that
effort at the moment, and dismissed me instead.
Did I? I suppose I did. Jrgen, Prince of
C a i n i t e s f o r M a g d e b u r g , O v e r l o r d o f S a x o n y,
Thuringia and Brandenburg, and Lord Protector of
Acre, sat in the rooms single chair. That there should
be only one chair in Jrgens antechamber was a bit
oddno doubt orchestrated, so that Jervais could be
forced to stand without making it seem like a deliberate rudeness on the princes part.
Jrgen studied him minutely, un-apologetically
for a little while. Jervais wondered what the matter
was: whether he looked too much the wizard, or not

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31

enough. Usually it didnt do to make too open a display. That was something a lot of other magi, who
came to court wearing whatever musty, antimonysmelling old robe theyd been working in that night,
didnt quite understand. When folk were already hard
at work conjuring scenes of child sacrifice or demons
leering out of smoke pillars every time they so much
as looked at a Tremere, there was little enough need
to remind them. There were certainly other times,
however, when sorcery was the one asset of interest,
and on such occasions Jervais troubled himself to
look the part. Tonight hed been unsure of himself
on the whole matter, so hed chosen a long, plain,
dark-blue velvet scholars robe with some discreet but
distinctly occult-looking jewelry. Even that much
had drawn chilly looks from the mortal and Cainite
brethren whod shown him through the successive
portals.
So, you return to my court after all this time
to, what, tender those long-neglected regrets?
Not that only, Highness. Ive made no secret,
or I dont think I have, of the fact that the House
and Clan still earnestly hopes to win your goodwill.
I believe that an alliance between your forces and
ours could alter the entire mappa mundi of Cainite
relationsalter it to your Highnesss very great benefit.
And to the House and Clans.
Naturally, your Highness. But our ambitions
arent the same as princely interests, so there need
be no strife in that regard.
Yes, Ive heard that this is the usual Tremere
homily. Were not rulers, but scholars. We seek inward not outward power, and wish only the liberty
to do so. But thats not entirely true, is it, Meister?
For if it were, then why do you stay in Hungary, defying those whove tried to exterminate you for
centuries? Wouldnt it be just as easy to conjure
inoh, England, say, or Paris?

32

Tremere

He was naming the places deliberately, demonstrating his knowledge. Jervais shifted his not
insubstantial weight from one foot to the other.
Milord, its true that the land that cradled us, no
less than it did the Tzimisce, remains dear to us.
There is power in place, but its not the sort of power
immortals of your Highnesss rank concern themselves with. Its not found in crops or taxes or
pilgrims coins or even in the throngs of mortal denizens. It is something more elemental, if you will.
Jrgen only grunted. I daresay Hungarys hardly
the only place with such power.
Not the only place, no.
And where stands Livonia on the list? As
Jervais struggled to formulate an answer that would
sound neither ominous nor patently untrue, the
prince continued. I couldnt help noticing that the
information you so kindly provided us a few years
ago was rather specific. Specific enough to show some
study had been made of the subject. Am I wrong in
thinking your kind rarely studies anything in vain?
No, Highness. Not wrong in the slightest,
Jervais agreed, relieved not to have to answer after
all.
Then why?
Your Highness, I was ordered He paused, reconsidered the wording, but decided in the end not
to change it. Ordered to do whatever was necessary
to regain your trust. And youve made it perfectly
plain just what sort of man you are. Words will not
suffice, only deeds. Am I wrong in thinking that?
No, Jrgen said, acknowledging the echo of his
words with a wry look.
No. Good. And I knew that Livonia might
prove a, a troubling spot to your Highness, and so it
seemed to me prudent to gather as much as I could
on Qarakh and his compatriots. Indeed with your
Highnesss permission, Im prepared to go further yet.
That is, if your Highness is not quite done in Livonia.

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33

He faded to a halt. The room seemed to tighten

inexplicably around them, an oppressive squeezing.
Even Jrgen bent his back under its force, leaning
his elbows on his knees.
No, Jrgen said at last. No, I am not quite
done in Livonia.
Jervais smiled. Im glad to hear it, Highness.
Jrgen sat up again. I must assume, then, he
said, that this offer of alliance which youve spoken of to Lady Rosamund, and now to me, is officially
on the table.
Yes, Highness, he said eagerly. Indeed it is.
You need but say the word
The prince held up a hand at that. Im quite
convinced of your enthusiasm, Meister Tremere. But
if enthusiasm alone were enough for conquest, we
should have had it by now. What makes you think
that the Tremere can stand against this Qarakh? After all, hes now slain an ancient, one of the eldest
forebears of my clan.
Yes, but he could not have done so without aid,
milord, as your own lieutenant pointed out.
So you agree that there was sorcerous aid.
Jervais blinked, surprised. What was afoot now?
Of course, Highness, he replied cautiously. Remove that aid, and you can break the very back of
his little kingdom.
And thats what you are proposingto remove
the aid.
Of course.
One is forced to wonder what gives you such
confidence in your ability to do so. A sour note of
suspicion had crept back into Jrgens voicethe last
thing Jervais wanted.
Perhaps, then, it was time to name a name of
his own. Your Highness, Deverra is a sorceress of
some power, and may have truck with spirits of even
greater power, but
Deverra?

34

Tremere

Yes, milord. Weve learned her name, and several other noteworthy things about her, since I spoke
with the Lady Rosamund during your Hungarian campaign. A lie, of course. Hed known Deverras name
himself for over a century now, and others in the
House and Clan had known it for even longer, but
hed decided to hold the fact in reserve until it might
be needed. Now seemed a good moment.
Oh, really. And yet you didnt think it necessary to mention at that time that there was a sorceress
in the first place? Jrgen turned a sudden glare on
him.
Oh.
Jervais felt as though hed been splashed with
ice-water. His mouth of its own accord sought to form
itself into a startled little o, which he tried to smooth
out before Jrgen saw. Damnationif hed only
caught it a moment earlier, he could have not said
anything, could have gone to her afterward and
Meister Tremere. Jrgens voice had gone rockhard now. Answer me. What the devil has taken
your famous tongue?
I Was there some way to salvage the blackmail potential of the thing? No time to calculate it
through. He attempted to sense the instinct of his
soul. It seemed to say no. All he could do now was
use the truth to play upon the mans emotions. Still,
he had to thank the Lady Rosamund for providing
even that much. I Im sorry, milord, Im feeling a
bitconfused. I He hesitated, judiciously.
Speak! the Ventrue demanded, and then underscored it with the coercive power of his august
blood. Speak!
Yes, your Highness. I dont know what exactly
to say. II did mention there was a sorcerer, or sorcerers, aiding Qarakh. I told her what little I could
at the time about it. I assumed that meant youd been
told as well. Forgive me.
There was an uncomfortable pause. Jrgen
moved his feet, as though to stand, then didnt.

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35

Perhaps she didnt quite catch that part, he

said at last. Shes a lady of court, not a general
But it didnt sound as though he were even convincing himself.
Quite possibly, quite possibly I didnt impress
upon her enough how significant it was. He let that
hang. After all, her grief at Alexanders death
wasquite apparent for all to see.
Enough. Yes, that was good. Jrgen was in that
terrible half-state between outright confidence and
outright suspicion. Leave him there. It could only
make the Tremere look better by comparison.
You were saying about this Deverra.
Yes, your Highness. She leads a cabal of sorcerers. A large one by now, Id fancy, for theyve been
bringing natives of the region into the blood. They
have a magic thats not unlike that of the Tzimisce.
But I take it they arent Tzimisce.
Its possible they may bea sort of offshoot of
that blood, Jervais replied. There, one of the finest
shadings of truth hed managed for years.
But youre not sure.
One would have to get closer to examine them
better. But thats all right. Itll certainly be necessary to get closer to destroy them, in any case.
The corner of Jrgens mouth twitched. You are
a cheerful man when it comes to the business at hand,
Meister. Im sure the Tremere would rather there were
no other sorcerers in the world, Tzimisce or otherwise.
These sorcerers are a threat, your Highness. Not only
to the Black Cross and the mortal knightly orders, but also
to the entire cause of Christianity in the region.
Come. What do the Tremere care for the cause of
Christianity?
Now there was a question, with only one simple answer among the many possible ones. For better or for worse,
milord, weve cast our lot with those who care quite passionately. Their welfare is our welfare. Your welfare, to be
frank, is our welfare.

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And Ceoris, it would seem, agrees with your assessment.

Yes, Highness, it does. Jervais nodded. Then
something struck him about the way Jrgen had said
that. I beg your Highnesss pardon?
I hope youll excuse an old mans wariness,
Jrgen began, suspiciously amiable. You see, its not
as if we dont have a history, you and I. Or rather,
your childe Alexia and I, as I suppose youd have it.
Jervais frowned, trying not to let show his annoyance at having that particular diplomatic evasion
thrown back in his face so casually. I take full sires
responsibility for my childes mistakes, Highness.
Of course. In any case, since Alexanders death
Ive begun seriously reconsidering the question of my
relations with the House and Clan. And so I thought
it meet to write Ceoris and confirm with them that
you were indeed their designated envoy, and did in
fact have license to make and seal such bargains on
their behalf. Youll be pleased, Im sure, to know that
they fully endorse you. Jrgen got up, strode over
to a side table, picked up a parchment letter and
brought it over. They were impressed with your initiative. In fact, your master Etrius expresses such
confidence in your good faith and ability in this instance that he agrees completely with my idea of the
best disposal of the matterand at my urging has
appointed you chief, leader and director of the entire expedition.
He handed the parchment to Jervais, who examined it bewilderedly. The secretarial hand looked
familiar, and the seal was indeed Etriuss seal. Jervais
would not insult the prince by testing it here and
now, but the likelihood of anyone in Magdeburg successfully faking the careful angles and intricate
filigrees, even given a genuine model to work from,
was rather low.
Expedition, Highness? The letter had made ridiculously good time, then. Perhaps Ceoris had sent
the reply by gargoyle. Damnation.

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Yes. To Livonia, to take care of this Deverra

and whatever other magicians Qarakh may have attracted to his banner. The advance wizards guard, if
you will. That is more or less what you had in mind,
isnt it?
Jervais had grown quite used to the taste of bile
over the years. He knew when it was time to swallow another dose and smile. More or less, your
Highness. Yes.
Good. Then I shall look forward to the tale of
your success. If you wish, I can offer you the services
of Brother Hermann, one of my lieutenants, good
man to the core, along with a reasonable portion of
my orders forces. They may be of some use to you
not only in Livonia but also on the journey there,
which you doubtless already know to be a hard one.
He picked up another folded parchment from the
same table. Oh. And this letter came along as well.
Its for you.
Jervais took it without making a move to open
it. He fancied he already knew the contents anyway.
And allow me to be the first to offer my congratulations. Jrgen no longer bothered to hide the
pleasure this was giving him, though he tried to
soften it by clapping a manly hand to Jervaiss shoulder on the way out.
Thank you, Highness.
***
The hairy, flaxen, petit-noble, thundering son
of a Bratovitch brood-bitch flanked me!
Fidus silently handed Jervais a bronze goblet, and
Jervais flung it across the room. It bounced off the
wall plaster, knocking a chip out. He peered at it as
it spun to a stop on the floor.
There was nothing in that, he accused his apprentice.
Fidus shook his scrawny head. Sometimes it
wasnt at all flattering to be known too well.
Well, how about putting something in it?

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Tremere

The younger Tremere collected it obediently,

then went over to a little ewer with a silver band of
hieratic engravings and a jade stopper. He poured
out its contents into the goblet, which he carried
back to Jervais. He sloshed the remainder around
within the ewer. Not much left, master. Shall I fetch
more?
No, dont. Ill make a visit downstairs later.
There are some nightssome nights when you need
to bring down the stag and not just have it served to
you on a spit.
Fidus nodded and went back to scrubbing down
the ritual sickle with salt.
Jervais took a swallow of the blood, lukewarm
and kept almost tolerably fresh by the spell on the
ewer, and continued disgustedly, Dont nod as
though you had an inkling. My idea. My work! Two
years of spy-mongering; three years of crawling
through the diplomatic mud. I knew that Livonia
would be next. The very moment I heard the Teutons
were going into Prussia, I knew it would come to this
and I started preparing for it. Did Etrius direct me?
No. In fact, how much would you like to bet that if
Id mentioned it he would have told me not to be a
fool? And now that the idea turns out to be worthwhile, suddenly the great toad wants it for himself
and connives with the blasted Saxons to steal it out
from under my very nose!
Master No, never mind.
What is it? Bonisaguss beard, Fidus, either finish a thought or dont start it in the first place.
Well, if youll forgive me, master, not exactly
stolen. You are in charge of the thing, arent you?
Oh, Im in charge of the thing all right, Jervais
grumbled. Right up in the generals saddle, where
everyone can get the clearest shot. You do not seem
to grasp the magnitude of the reversal here, Fidus. I
was brokering the most sage and immortal
Councilors services. Now the Councilor is brokering

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my services, and by the way, bear in mind that that

means youre going to Livonia too.
I know, master.
With a prior stop at Ceoris itself.
That stopped the fledgling vampire cold. He
looked up at his master. Ceoris? he repeated, in
what Jervais was gratified to note as precisely the
right tone of apprehension.
Yes, Jervais returned grimly.
But, but Ceoris, thats not on the way to Livonia, is it?
No, its not even close to on the way. Jervais
picked up the letter Jrgen had handed him and
waved it. But evidently its necessary to further remind me of my place before I embark on this little
venture. I am to report to the High Chantry immediately to discuss plans and collect my
informersforgive me, I mean my assistantsfor the
mission.
Fidus returned to his chore, his face carefully
neutral, but the older Tremere could easily let his
slightly blurred eyesight unfocus just a bit further,
revealing the array of soul-colors skittering uneasily
in a tight halo around his apprentices body. Fidus
hadnt yet been to the High Chantry, had never
delved the chambers of the clans cold stone heart.
He was afraid. He frightened easily sometimes.
But Jervais, for his part, was glad no one was
there to see his own colors.

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Chapter Four
All right, all right, Brother Hermann shouted,
thats what this training is for. Quickly, rope!
The rider whod just plunged mount and all into
the ice looked like a slight lad of perhaps twenty,
although to be fair he was armored. Jervais, who was
a bit barrel-shaped himselfhe would have placed
the middle of that barrel in his chest, though some
observers wouldnt have been nearly so charitable
drew his horse up sharply even though he was well
removed from the crack. Around him, squires and
knights, mortals and Cainites alike rushed forward.
Remember, biggest of you to the back. If any
more get pulled in, itll be up to you. Andheave!
Heave!
The Cainite himself soon scrambled out with
minimal help, though his skin had gone even whiter
from the waters intense cold. The beasts struggles,
however, almost took a few of the men into the hole
with it. Its horrible noises echoed from the walls of
the streambed for what would have been more than
sufficient time to chant many charms.
And thats why you dont want to ride too near
the edge, as I said before, Hermann called out once
the horse was out, the rest were calmed, and relative
order had prevailed again. Oryou see over there,
at that inlet, where the water is moving more swiftly
underneath? Thats where the ice is thinnest. Wipe
those looks off your faces. If the Sword-Brothers can
march across a frozen sea to kill the Osilian pirates,
you can manage this. Were about to journey to a
land of mire and muck, gentlemen, death to horses
and horsemen, especially in battle! And so the icedover rivers must be our highways and the snow our
paving. And God Almighty above, as always, will be
our conductor. He raised a hand halfway, toward the
moonlit sky.

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This time, came a sour mutter from among the

knights. Plainly the tale of Alexanders disaster had
spread within the order.
I was rather hoping for more earthly help along
the route, Jervais said dryly.
Dont worry. Well provide the earthly help and
leave the unearthly to you. Hermann frowned and
ran a gloved hand through his dark hair, cut in a
short, rather bristly tonsure. Are you sure you didnt
make the ice a bit thin?
I hadnt thought so, but no doubt its gotten at
least a bit thinner over the past few hours. Not nearly
cold enough out.
Hm. Well, I suppose theres only so much even
a wizard can do with a few magic words.
Jervais said nothing and concentrated on not wavering in his saddle. Fidus had better have the larder
restocked when he got back in. A few magic words,
indeed.
That ash-wand, must you always use it for your
enchantments?
No, only for some.
Good. At the Tremeres questioning look,
Hermann went on. Id hate to have you turn out to
be like one of those sorcerers in the old tales, where
all one need do is steal his staff or his talisman or
the box that holds his heart, in order to render him
useless.
Jervais changed the subject. Are there any of
your brotherhood left in Hungary? If so, I assume
thatll affect the route.
There are a few there that still serve the
Hochmeister. He looked away a moment after that
and called out, All right, men, thats enough! Back
onto the banks, were going home. Then he said to
Jervais, Why, dont the Tremere have some sure path
of their own through that country?
East of Buda? Jervais snorted. Nothings sure
after that.

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Im not sure I see the wisdom of this diversion

in the first place. But since your masters demand it.
And they do demand it. Itll just be us and your
little mortal squadron through Hungary thenis that
rightwhile the rest of the company proceeds east
from Saxony along the coast?
Yes.
And then we meet themwhere? Thorn?
No. I dont want to wait til Thorn to be sure I
have an army, thank you, Hermann returned. Even
though he clearly didnt mean it at all humorously,
Jervais could not help an appreciative quirk of the
lips. No, well meet them in Stettin.
Oh! Then we could sail out of the gulf up to
Riga, try to recruit a little support there, and then
come southward to meet the enemy.
No, itll be too late in the year by then, too
stormy. Youll never get the mortals on board
He trailed off. The image came to Jervais very
powerfully then, almost as though it had journeyed
directly from Hermanns mind to his: a crash, a creaking splinter of wood, and while the mortals
buoyedat least for a little whileto the surface,
the vampires would spiral down and down into the
inky murk. Frozen from the waters chill and soon
empty of blood, wasted down to the bone, perhaps
unable even to move, drifting aimlessly with the leviathans
Yes, no doubt youre right about that. No help
from Riga, then?
Oh, well have help from Riga if theres any
there to be had. Once weve made Stettin Ill try to
send a scout up north to see. Perhaps we could even
squeeze the pagans from both directions, but right
now even his Highness isnt sure what remains of
Cainite Christianity out there.
They urged their horses up onto the road, eager
to get back now that they were on less treacherous
ground. Jervais glanced wistfully at his creation, a
sheet of ice winding through a trough of green grasses

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and wildflowers, pleased with its very unnaturalness.

A short-lived but eloquent testament to his skill.
Though no one besides Hermann had mentioned it
so far (much less thanked him), he felt it wise to
make little demonstrations here and there so that
the knights would feel able to rely on him by the
time they engaged the enemy. Costly, though. His
eyes ached to droop closed, yet he could also feel
the dry thirst convulsing in the core of his body,
throat to belly. The smell of his horse suddenly
seemed overpowering.
As for the Hungary leg, we should go through
Prague, Hermann continued. And Brno, and then
south to Bratislava.
No, Jervais managed. Vienna.
Vienna? Oh yes, I suppose it does make sense
to stop in Vienna instead. That way, should anything
happen to us, your brothers will at least know we
got that far. Dare I hope
At that moment a loud toneless fluttering started
up in Jervaiss ear, as though an insect had flown into
it. His hand involuntarily rose to cover it over, but
he restrained it. Im sorry, mein Herr. What was
that?
Hermann looked at him oddly. Where did I lose
you? I was asking whether your brothers would come
looking for you right away if you went missing.
The scrabbling sensation in his ear canal grew
from a tickle to a wide, frantic wobble. Yes, yes,
Jervais assured him hastily. Pardon me, mein Herr
you wont mind if I ride on ahead? I justjust
remembered something.
The knight nodded tersely. If you must, certainly. Be careful. You may be under his Highnesss
official protection, but the rogue Cainites and wolfdemons lurking hereabouts wont likely ask.
Thank you. Gute Nacht, Jervais called as he
spurred his horse into a brisk canter. The jogging
motion made the sensation even worse. He hunched
over the saddle and tried to blink his watering eyes

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c l e a r. L u c k i l y n e i t h e r e n e m y v a m p i r e s n o r
werewolves appeared, and his mount knew its own
way back home once they were back inside the town.
Fidus hurriedly rose from his book and inkpot as
Jervais pushed aside the invisible curtain of the ward
on the house and stumbled in.
Master?
Chalk bounding circle, Jervais said hoarsely.
Hurry. He fairly ran over to the brazier and set it
on the floor, then got its coals going with a bit of
kindling from the hearth. He set the lumps of
dragons-blood incense in it and dribbled several
drops of blood from the pad of his thumb onto it.
Where in hell did you put the moucheron?
Its on the second shelf, master.
Reaching the second shelf required straightening up, but he managed to fish the little silver device
down without knocking anything off or injuring himself. Fidus, the Saxons have already bled me half
dry tonight. Ill need
Yes, master.
I tell you, whatever it is, itd better be bloody
important. That Hermann must think Im mad.
They quickly drew and fortified the circle and
Jervais censed the quarters. He settled himself inside the circle and did his best to descend quickly
into trance. In this his fatigue actually aided him.
Soon the insect that seemed to have taken up residence in his head grew smaller but louder, becoming
a low humming that vibrated his entire skull. When
the humming had steadied somewhat, he took the
moucheronthe stinging gnatin his left hand,
gourd-end in his fist and shunt-end pointed into the
white flesh of his inner arm. Its true name wasnt
moucheron. That was simply what Jervais called it
because the blood it stole was irretrievably devoured,
boiled away by the wine-red carbuncle hidden inside the crucible of the gourd. With a deep breath
he squeezed his fist and bent his wrist so that the
shunt entered deep into his skin. Then he arranged

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his arm by his side so that the bloods own weight

would conduct it into the gourd. Once the gem got
going it would need no further help. Like a vampire
itself, it would draw on him hungrily and swiftly.
In his hand the silver gourd began to grow warm.
A nauseating heat invaded first his body and then
the space within the circle. Even the ground itself
gave up a faint steam that drowned out all sight of
the room without.
Cruor cruorem evocat redditque vocem cruor.
Loquere et intra, si amicus es genusve, he intoned.
Aliter abi damnatus a quoque ex Septem Nominibus.
Blood calls to blood, and blood returns the call. Speak
and enter in, if you be friend and kin; otherwise begone
and be damned by each of the Seven Names.
Kin, at the very least, was the dry response. And
I hope I am still friend, but like many an old man with
a grandson who wanders far from home, I find myself
waiting rather long between messages.
Ah. Well, that explained the forcefulness of the
summons. He should have known better than to expect some Ceoris lackey. Jervais quickly girded his
mind as best he could, drawing in all extraneous reaction like a man drawing a cloak close about
himself. In the inexorable intimacy of spirit-contact,
the lesser wizard often found far too much of himself
laid bare before the greatera chief reason why this
method of making report had never become as popular as certain ranking Tremere would have liked.
Grandsire. It has indeed been a long time. My apologies. I hope youre well in Paris?
I am well, if that is the way to put it. And the clime
in Saxony? Am I to understand you find it milder in these
nights than formerly?
Theres little mildness in Jrgen Sword-Bearer,
I fear, but hes now found someone to hate far more
fiercely than myself. That must suffice.
The impression Goratrix made in person benefited considerably from his handsome face: slim,
eternally set in clean patrician lines, eyes amber-

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brown and keenly lit from within. But the rite of the
Thousand-League Whisper stripped away those softening ornaments and left only the starkness of the
archmaguss soul, the insistent, hammering drumbeat
of his thought, which pressed around Jervais, ensnaring him.
Indeed, it usually must for our kind. But the SwordBearer has so many enemies. Who could it be this time?
A ridiculous charade. The old schemer would
never go to this kind of effort if he didnt already
have some idea. The warlord in Livonia, milord.
Ah, the beast-blooded one. Jrgen means to avenge
himself, then, for the death of our late Alexander.
I see Sir Josselin did reach the Grand Court,
then. How was the news received?
With relief, I think, overdyed in various shades from
shame to satisfaction. The specter of Alexanders possible return never really did leave anyones mind,
particularly not Geoffreys. Myself, I think the SwordBearer owes that barbarian chief a debt of gratitude for
eliminating his most dangerous houseguest. But I suppose he cant be blamed for not seeing it that way. Tell
me, what part do you play in all this?
Im not sure why your lordship assumes that I
must have a part to play.
Come, Jervais. It wouldnt be like you to just sit by
while someones starting a war. Besides, what else would
you be doing in Magdeburg? There must be a dozen other
courts where you could have started fresh and had a more
pleasant time of it. In any case, that Sir Josselin is quite
a talkative sort. Even I didnt find it at all difficult to
get him started on the subject of you. He doesnt seem to
remember you too fondly.
Well, naturally Ive pledged the House and
Clans assistance to the endeavor.
My understanding is that you were already pledging
the House and Clans assistance to Jrgen before word
even came back about Alexander. But perhaps his Highness is taking that offer more seriously, now that the
Telyavs have demonstrated their power.

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Yes.
I must assume that you havent gotten around to
mentioning anything to his Highness about our particular relationship to the Telyavs.
No, not yet.
Not yet? The tone was cool, reservedtoo cool
and reserved.
It may at some point become unavoidable.
Hm. Would that not be as unfortunate for us as for
them? After all, everyone knows the Tremere stand absolutely united. Our allies depend on that fact, and our
enemies also tread more carefully because of it.
Which is exactly why the Telyavs must be made
an example of, grandsire. Indeed, presuming we succeed, having the truth about them come out would
only gain us more awe, since it would demonstrate
once and for all just how we deal with traitors. As
far as I can tell, I have little to fear from
exposurethis time.
Now we come to it. Jervais, you surely must understand the delicacies of my position. If you had
succeeded in your little plot
I see. Now its my little plot.
Again, if you had succeeded, then things would
have been very different all around. As it was, how do
you think it would have looked if Id petitioned to have
you transferred to France and to my jurisdiction, so soon
after such a debacle? Would it not have incriminated you
beyond the shame youd already suffered?
I must thank my grandsire for his concern.
Since you express such interest in my welfare, I
should report that I too am in a rather delicate position these nights.
Yes, I know. Hell never stop trying to make you
suffer, and its all on my account, I fear. He pours upon
you the contempt that distance and terror prevent him
from pouring upon me.
Well, whoevers account its on, Im the one
that must deal with the consequences.
Perhaps not forever, though, my son.

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Aha, Jervais thought grimly. What do you mean,

grandsire?
Perhaps enough time has passed, I mean, that I could
send for you without it being taken the wrong way.
Thats very kind of you, but its a bit too late
now, isnt it? Im going to Livonia.
Ah, so you are going to Livonia yourself then. Palpable satisfaction.
Yes.
But Im thinking of after you come back. After all,
should you satisfy Etrius that the Telyavs are destroyed,
then youll be in a far better position, will you not, to
ask for a different placement?
If I satisfy Etrius that theyre destroyed?
He will require some sort of proof, naturally. He is
not that great a fool.
So that was the game. The rumors must be true,
then: that Goratrix had a running correspondence
with the Telyavs despiteor because oftheir shaky
standing with Ceoris. Certainly it would please
Goratrix to keep such a thorn pressed into Etriuss
side for as long as possible. Anything that distracted
or inconvenienced his old archrival pleased him.
I see. Youre saying, then, that if I do satisfy
Etrius on this matter
You remember when we spoke just before your first
journey to Magdeburg? A Frenchman always longs for
his France, you said. You talked of gentle rolling hills,
of fragrant vineyards and primroses, of fair maidsI
thought it all needlessly sentimental at the time, but lately
Ive come to appreciate the truth of what you said. Ceoris
will always contain some part of my soul, as all ones
creations must, but this land is indeed home. To be honest, I had forgotten what it felt like.
Sickening, to hear his own words returned to him so polluted with insincerity. Jervais silently vowed never again to
speak from the heart with Goratrix, not even in the cause of
persuading him.
You are saying, grandsire, he began again patiently, that
if I satisfy Etrius, you will definitely secure my transfer?

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I dont see what could possibly prevent it.

And yet something would no doubt come up after the fact. How many times did Goratrix really
think he could be made to dance to this same tune?
He forced a smile through his exhaustion and
anger. The archmagus wouldnt see the smile, but it
would color Jervaiss thought-words in the right way.
I am glad indeed to hear you say so, grandsire. Shall
I contact you, then, when Ive reached Livonia?
Yes, do that. Tell me what you find, and I shall be
able to better instruct you.
As you wish.
Good. Then I wont keep you longer. A safe journey to you, my son.
Farewell, grandsire. And not a moment too
soon. The moucheron slipped out of Jervaiss weakening fingers and fell to the floor; at once the feeling
of Goratrix presence evaporated and the room reappeared. Jervais started to rise, dismissing the circle
with a gesture of his ritual knife, then fell forward
onto his hands.
Fidus, who stood guard over a haggard young
mortal lying on the floor bound in irons, rushed forward immediately.
Master. With a grunt of effort Fidus lifted
Jervais up onto his knees, supporting him as he half
crawled across the room. The terrified lad bucked
and tried to squirm away.
Hold him, Fidus. Hold him
Fidus straddled the mortals legs and held his
upper body still enough for Jervais to find purchase
in the hollow of the neck. Jervais latched on greedily. His arms encircled the lad and squeezed, as
though to speed the blood even more quickly on its
way. Sometimes he thought he could discern flavors
in it, traces of whatever the mortal had eaten or
drunk, echoes of humors and feelings. Right now,
however, taste was entirely secondary to need. This
lad was sick from lack of sunlight, from close confinement, but hed been fed well at least. Jervais

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insisted on that. The blood was thick and potent.

Very quickly he went from feeling complete emptinessworse than emptiness, an aching void that
would never be satedto the absolute contentment
of an infant at mothers breast. It honestly did not
occur to him that the stream of nourishment could
stop until it did stop, slowing to a trickle and then
finally running dry. A little moan of disappointment
escaped him as he let the body slip free of his teeth.
But the sight of it, of the boys lightless eyes, brought
him out of his inner realms of pleasure and back into
the practical world.
Get off, he ordered his apprentice. He looked
over his robe. There was one spatter on the end of
the sleeve. Damnation. Im all right now. Hands off
of me. You said there was more where this one came
from, didnt you?
The man said he was quite accustomed to acquiring youths of both sexes for noblemen and
merchants with peculiar tastes, master.
I should speak with this person. The pickings
are so lean hereabouts. Hand me the sickle.
Yes, master.
Jervais took it. Now lets see. Pay attention,
Fidus. The uses of the harlot. Tongue, if I recall, is
good for enchantments to reveal a falsehood. Eyes
and heart for love-charms, the liver for curses

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Chapter Five
Pleasant, was Hermanns laconic comment.
Jervais surveyed the hills before them. Not in
order to take in the scenery but to search for evidence of raiding partiesstill, in the process, he
couldnt help agreeing with Hermann. After all, unlike either of his companions, he remembered what
the place had looked like upon his last visit. They
were in the Carpathians now, and even the relative
lowlands were less clement than the fields of the Ilede-France or even Saxony. This ground had once
been green and wooded with fir, stretching all the
way up to the tree line. And here, at their feet, had
run a beautiful if ice-cold little stream that emptied
into a mountain lake not far away. Every so often
one could look down from a chantry parapet and spy
a shepherd leading his flock along the streambed
during the day, at any rate. When hed left for the
final time, Jervaiss eyes hadnt gazed on a sunlit sky
for many years, but he knew the herds still passed
through occasionally because he found the cropped
grass in their wake.
It looks as though theres been a forest fire.
Hermann picked up a handful of soil, smelled it and
wrinkled his nose in disgust. Foul
Jervais did likewise, sniffing carefully at the little
clod of earth.
Salted, he said at last. Scorched and then
salted.
The stream still flowed, but weakly. It had silted
up, choked with islands of ash and blocked with
charred fallen trees. It also bore a thin rime of ice
around the edges, a warning of winters swift approach.
Tzimisce? Hermann asked grimly.
Perhaps, Jervais temporized. But even as he
said it, he knew it was a lie. Much of the reason the

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Tzimisce tried again and again to take this region

was because they held it sacred. The ancient blooddrinkers didnt graze herds or grow crops, but their
magic, their very blood-strength was rooted in the
earths power. These mountains, where ground and
sky touched, were especially holy to their pagan
creed, and their fertility made them holier yet. He
supposed it was always possible that the Fiends warlust had blazed so high that theyd decided to lay
waste to the area rather than let the Tremere enjoy
it unspoiledbut it wouldnt be like them.
It would, however, be perfectly in Tremere character to do such a purely practical thing: denying the
enemy all cover from spell or sun, clearing the land
of any spirits of wood, soil or water that the Tzimisce
koldun-priests might summon for aid. As long as the
ley line still flowed between the hills to soak Ceoriss
stone foundationsand by letting his vision slip offcenter from the waking world just a bit, he could see
that it did, a blue-white river of radiance that dulled
and changed color as it passed through the barrens
but remained as thick and swift as everthe House
and Clan had all it truly needed from the earth.
Sheep, and grass for them to gorge on, were pleasant
but ultimately unnecessary.
Well, which way now? Toward the highest and
most forbidding peak, I fancy.
Which one is it, Fidus? Jervais prompted his
apprentice, who, to his credit, was already fishing
out a little lead plumb on a string. He held it loosely
in his thumb and forefinger, letting it swing until it
found the correct axis. Those who could not directly
see the ley line could still dowse it fairly quickly, it
ran so strong here.
The middle one, he reported glumly.
Good lad. Exactly right.
As I said, Hermann grumbled. Can you even
get a horse up there?
Yes. That is, a Cainite can usually get his horse
up, Jervais answered. But you see now why I

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thought it best to leave the men in the village and

do the last leg alone. Its only a few miles, but its a
few nearly vertical miles. Besides, they can cover our
backs. This is the only known way in. Or at least I
hope it still is.
***
Fidus laid a hand on his horses flank, trying to
coax her on. The beast could find no sure footing,
and she tossed her head back fearfully.
Come, Sirene. Youre all right, I promise.
Come! Lookthis is what you want, isnt it? He bit
into his wrist, tearing it open, and showed her the
gleaming bead of vitae that welled up. Her large,
floppy lips closed around the wound, nipping at it.
Yes. Trust me now? Thats a good girl. He wiped
the saliva off on the side of his gown with a grimace.
She went far more willingly now. At first it wasnt
clear whether shed really regained her courage or
was just hoping to get at his arm again, but soon she
began to nudge up behind the monk-warriors big
gelding, who refused to move one whit faster.
Theyre spooked, Hermann muttered.
Somethings not right up ahead.
That may be what their noses tell them, but
Im telling you were no safer below than above,
Jervais called back. Ive been nearly murdered two
or three times down in the foothills. Keep moving.
Magog knows his own footing. Fidus! Restrain
that animal of yours.
ImIm trying. But the mare, newly braced
with unnatural nourishment, was determined to push
ahead. She bumped up against Magog and then tried
to edge up alongside him. The gelding, who had also
fed on blood earlier that evening, jostled her away,
perilously close to the edge. Hermann pulled hard
on the halter.
Magog! No, lad.
Sirene! Back! Come away! Leave him alone.
Easy, lad. Let it be. Fidus, boy, for the love of
God!

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What in hells name is going on? Jervais

stopped and leaned around his own mounts substantial bulk, looking back. No room up here for playing
king of beasts
Even as he said it the two horses turned and
reared against each other. Sirene snapped at Magog,
who responded by falling heavily against her neck.
She staggered and put her hoof down awkwardly upon
the snow, which slid away to reveal a patch of loose
rocks. A moment later she was straddled across the
steep edge of the trail. Fidus seized hold of her, his
ropy muscles straining taut enough to pop. Hermann
forced Magog away from the edge and forward.
Fidus! shouted Jervais. Let her go, you stupid
boy, youll fall.
Master, help! The equipment!
I said let her go. Hermann! Jervais fairly yelped
as the mares left rear leg slid over the edge, taking
most of the rest of her with it, dragging Fiduswho
still clutched her front legright up to the brink.
But the knight made no move other than to keep
restraining his horse. Jervais pushed past him and
squatted down to lock his arms around Fiduss torso.
Fidus, he spoke calmly into the young
Tremeres ear. I can get a new horse and new equipment far more easily than a new apprentice. Now let
her go before she takes us both over. I promise I wont
be angry.
He braced his feet against the slick rock as best
he could, just in case his worst-case scenario began
coming true. But then the horses leg slipped through
Fiduss fingers, as though by accident rather than
design. With a piercing cry the animal disappeared
into the chasm.
They both sat there for the space of several deep
mortal breaths, absorbing what had happened and
what could have happened. Jervais flung an unfriendly look up at Hermann, who regarded them
both impassively.

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Well? Are you all right? the knight asked after a moment. Can you continue?
Of course, Brother. Jervais hauled Fidus to his
feet. Despite the promise otherwise, the apprentice
cringed in clear expectation of a blow that didnt
come. In truth, Jervais could feel his anger rising now
that the danger was over. No alchemists apparatus!
Hed have to acquire a new one from the chantry
before they left. That meant he would have to ask,
no, beg for it from someone. But he said nothing as
they got back into single file and continued upward.
A thin fog seemed to descend as they went, though
perhaps they were simply passing through a layer of
it from beneath.
How much further? Hermann wanted to know.
Im not sure. We should be almost there.
This mist, is it natural?
How should I know? What difference does it
make?
Jervais sighed as they came up to what hed
thought for certain was the final bend and saw a
massive gray ridge rise up on their left.
And what is that smell?
Jervais ground his teeth together, willing them
not to lengthen any further.
Behind them, Fiduss disheartened steps slowed
to a stop. Hed been running his hand along the ridge,
more out of habit and for something to do with his
empty fingers than for support.
This isnt he murmured. He felt at the edge
of a rocky projection. His fingertips slipped off the
pebbly surface and plunged into sudden, fragile softness. He snatched them away, viscerally repulsed.
Master, this isnt stone.
Jervais and Hermann, too, had turned toward the
ridge, identifying the direction of the smell at last if
not its nature. Hermann took out his dagger and
picked at it. No, he said, lip wrinkling in disgust.
Its flesh.

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They stood back as far as the mountain edge

would allow. The thing was enormous, easily the size
of a respectable fishing boats hull laid along its side.
The hide was leathery, stretched tight over the
armoring bone-spurs of what looked like the spine,
but it had decayed in places or been eaten away, leaving half-hollowed tunnels of rotting meat.
Jervais walked around the hulk, getting a view
in the round. The two others followed uneasily.
What is it? Fidus quavered. On this side, by
what had once been the softer underbelly of the
thing, the stench was far more noticeable, although
the fact that it could be borne at all testified to its
age and state of decay. Most of the actual innards
had already rotted away, and the rest was frozen
through.
A trebuchet, his master answered.
A what? Hermann gave him an incredulous
look.
Jervais gestured at the long arm that straggled
outward from the wreck of the ribcage. It was about
as thick as a pine trees trunk and ended in a threepointedhand? foot?with the tattered remnants
of pouchy webbing between the points. Heres the
sling, you see. Ill bet this arm could rotate freely in
a near-perfect circle; it would have simply reached
back and thrown forward, and sent boulders each a
good yard across flying at whatever you liked. It was
a living, breathing siege engine.
But how could it see what it was aiming at?
Where the devil is the head?
There doesnt appear to have been a separate
head, which makes sense enough, as there wouldnt
have been much need for it. Id guess the eyes were
set somewhere in this region, atop the torso. Ive seen
others built that way.
If youre saying this is the work of the Tzimisce
flesh-twisters, then I too have seen such beasts. But
even they were not quite thisbizarre. Hermann
bent over the place where the head should have been,

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as if unable to believe that it could possibly have

been omitted.
Bizarre is the Fiends stock in trade, I fear,
Jervais said dryly. We can only hope they never figure out how to make the infamous things reproduce.
God above forbid! Fidus interrupted in an uncharacteristically devout tone, and raised his hand
as though to cross himself. Jervais made a silent note
to correct the boy later.
Anyway, this is what they charmingly call a
vozhd, their king of monstrosities, Jervais went on.
The voivodes sometimes capture whole villages of
men, women and children to provide the raw material for such creations.
His horse (whose only name so far was my
horse) shied and strained at the halter. He turned
away to calm it and suddenly noticed that they were
not alone.
Well, hallo there, he said. The other two vampires turned to glance at him, wondering why his
voice had richened and sweetened all at once. Standing at a respectful, or wary, distance was a boy of
about eight years.
Are you going upstairs? the little boy asked
with startling gravitas.
Yes. In fact, we were just going to do that now.
Upstairs? The knight finally tore himself away
from the massive, incomprehensible corpse for long
enough to take in what lay beyond it. Less than an
arrow-shots distance from the vozhd, upon the small
plateau-shelf on which they now found themselves,
stood a long half-collapsed stone wall about five yards
high, through the gaps of which they could spy the
thatched roofs of a cluster of dispirited little stone
houses. A narrow wedge that looked as though it had
been carved directly out of a spur of mountain-rock
sprung out from behind the wall like some fairy-tale
beanstalk. It was terraced into what must have been
several hundred stairs, thrusting up into the peaks
continuing heights.

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Thats where they put the keep. As they passed

between the houses, many of which bore holes and
gouges in their walls, or black scorch-marks licking
along their sides, the residents came out to gaze at
them.
And what are these people? Yourstair guard?
No, they raise the food for the mortal staff that
live up in the chantry.
They do, eh? Hermann pointedly swept his
gaze from left to right, surveying the war-pocked
ground of the plateau, upon which precious little
visibly grew or grazed at the moment.
Well, they did. Jervais laid an easy hand on
the little boys shoulder. One of the women in the
crowd that was slowly gathering broke away from it
and ran up to him, jabbering in a rapid pidgin of
Magyar and Latin.
Whats she saying?
Nothing important.
Dont give me that, warlock. Hermann turned
to the woman and repeated in slow Magyar. What
are you saying?
The woman stared at him. Pleaseyou must
talk to the lords above. The evil magic, it doesnt go
away.
She seized the boy away from Jervais and bodily
turned him around, peeling back his shirt to reveal
an ugly, purplish boil partially scabbed over. Look.
He went to play in the stream and came back
stricken.
Then I wouldnt let him play there again, if I
were you, Jervais said. Those Tzimisce curses hang
on.
My niece is the same. And another boy
How long since the battle? Hermann asked her.
The battle? When?
She took a moment to digest his accent, then
nodded her head sharply. Yessummer.
That stinking leviathan has been lying there
since summer? Hellfire, that must have been a treat

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for their lungs. Surprised these people havent all

keeled over with plague, Hermann muttered. Come
to that, some of them dont look far off from it.
They dont look so deathly ill that they couldnt
have at least started rebuilding the damned wall,
Jervais answered. I think I will have to speak to the
lords at that.
These are your clans own villeins, Meister
Tremere, the knight began with a frown. Youre
their protectors.
This from the man whos meant to fight Fiends and
Lupines for us if need be, but couldnt be bothered to
stop poor Fidus from plummeting off a mountainside.
Well, I suppose Magog is more useful to the Black Cross
than my apprentice.
Ill mention it when we get in, Brother.
Two men-at-arms stood nominal guard at the
foot of the stair. Jervais took the hand of one of the
men and made a certain signal into his palm. The
guard nodded and waved them up. Tied to his belt
were two little bells, one with a red handle and one
with a white handle. He unhooked the white one
and gave it a ring. It was a gentle, barely audible
shimmer of sound, but to Jervaiss wizardly senses the
very air seemed to ripple around it in response. The
other guard took their horses. Hermann released
Magog only with the greatest reluctanceclearly
whatever stabling once existed in this village was
going to be much the worse for wear. They slung their
saddlebags over their shoulders and began the long
climb.
Jervais had discovered long ago that it was best
to stare straight ahead at the next steps and move
quickly, because something in the pattern of the
mountain rock tended to give one the sudden impossible conviction that the stair was listing to one
side. (The sensation could make even a vampire
woozy.) As they neared the halfway point, he spied
a large shale-colored lump that blended in perfectly
with the stair stone. It uncurled and stretched like a

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cat waking from an afternoon nap, then separated

from the rock, spreading bat-wings a good six yards
wide. If it had chosen to, it could easily have swooped
down and knocked them off balance one by onea
prime reason why enemies found this invasion route
so difficult. Instead it only circled them, keening,
several times then flew up toward the top. Hermann
drew his sword but, seeing Jervais march on unconcerned, made no further complaints. The fog grew
denser again, rolling past them in visible billows. It
got under the clothes and turned the little hairs on
Jervaiss arm damp.
Stop it, he murmured. It didnt do any good
the tendrils continued to reach, probe, register.
By the time they reached the top, the mist had
so thickened that they didnt see the keep until they
were practically on the threshold. The enormous
portcullis of what Jervais still thought of as the new
gatehouse rose up out of obscurity. A figure robed in
dark green satin stood holding a lantern and gazing
out at them from behind the grating, one white hand
resting lightly on a horizontal rail. As Jervais reached
it, the figure doffed its hood. The face was young
and unfamiliar, the hair and beard white-blond.
You must be our wandering vis-master, the
strange Cainite said. Im told things are not the
same here since you left. I dont know if thats meant
precisely as a compliment, but I thought you might
take it as one regardless. My name is Torgeir. Welcome to the eyrie, my friends.

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Chapter Six
His Lordship the Councilor is expecting you,
Torgeir said as he pattered through the Great Hall.
His pace was just slightly quicker than plausible, and
whisper-quiet on the flagstones, causing Jervais to
privately imagine him ever after as a species of rodent.
Jervaiss strongest memory of this chamber was
of his initiation into the Second Circle of Mystery.
A world ago, easily. Hed still honestly believed
House Tremere to be the axis of all power and grandeur in the world, and the Great Hall had
strengthened that impression, lined as it was with
rows of tall stone stalls like a massive choir. Statues
of historys great sages and wizards stared down from
the pillar capitals. A knife-thin, glittering floor tracery of inlaid silver outlined a ritual circle of such
exquisite construction that one could work in it all
night without headache or fatigue. Harmonized with
the very fundamentals of the vis energy that wound
through the Southern Carpathians, all one had to
do to ignite it into liquid fire was to strike the bell
at halls end and chant a perfect fifth above it. The
circles adornments still drew their reverently calculated geometry of vesicae, gnomonic spirals and
Golden progressions across the floor, but the stalls
had been allowed to fall into terrible disrepair. And
despite the standing candelabras and chandeliers, the
hall overall seemed dingier, gloomier than Jervais
could remember it being even in the longest mortal
nights.
Looking up, he stopped and gave a little involuntary noise of dismay. The others stopped too,
quizzically following his gaze.
What happened? he exclaimed.
Torgeir peered up into the black reaches of the
upper arches. Ahyes. There was stained glass in
the windows once, wasnt there?

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Stained glass! There were depictions of the

founders of the twelve Houses along with the signs
of the zodiac, starting with Bonisagus and ending
with Tremere. As day or night passed, the light would
cast the different portraits upon the wall He stuttered to a halt, remembering his audience, who stared
at him as if he had suddenly sprouted horns.
Yes, well, we had an especially nasty siege a few
years back, and it was decided that it just wasnt
worth the risk. Besides, it isnt as though there are
any mortal magi to complain of the dark anymore, is
it?
No. He didnt expect Fidus to understand, and
certainly not Hermann, but the casual tone of the
other magus galled him. He gazed up forlornly at the
stone window frames, hastily bricked up with blobs
of stray cement drooping down from the joints, and
streaked from end to end with rough incantations
inhard to tell from this distance even with senses
honed, but doubtless dried blood.
Well, he said at last. We mustnt keep his
worship in suspense. Lead on, Torgeir. Lets find some
pleasant corner for Brother Hermann to wait in.
If there is a pleasant corner left in this basilisks den.
The thought itself seemed to wing naked up into
the darkness, meeting with a sour reception. Jervais
would not have retracted it, however, even if he
could. Anything that might hear him no doubt knew
the truth of the sentiment at least as well as he did.
***
If milord is busy with his magic, I can certainly
come back later tonight, Jervais murmured, not
straightening from his bow.
Dont be dense, Jervais. What do you think this
is all for?
Jervais rose and surveyed the room, noting the
rather malodorous assortment of things scattered
across the counter. He knew some of their uses individually but had no inkling of their effect in
combination.

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I have no idea, milord, he replied, wishing he

didnt still have it in him to feel foolish when Etrius
disparaged him.
For you, of course. Or perhaps you thought I
had you come all the way out east just to have the
pleasure of your insincere abasement once again?
There was a great crunching noise as the Councilor
crushed something in a little handheld press. Thin
brown legs stuck out at crazy angles from the edges.
Spiders or scorpions, probably.
Of course not, milord. Butwhat exactly
Jervais eyed the contents of one particular jar with
special distaste, but there could be no argument. As
Etriuss direct subordinate, not only his labor and his
talents but his very body were at the archmaguss
complete disposal. No sacrifice was supposed to be
too great for the sake of the Art, and to quail at participating in a necessary spell, however ominous, was
one of the greatest dishonors a Tremere could suffer.
Im not about to let you wander into the midst
of the Telyav cult without some protections. And
certainly not without helpers.
Jervais nodded hopefully. Yes, I was assuming
it would take several of us to have even a chance
against Deverra.
Indeed, Id strive for a full sodalicium, if I were
you, the Councilor agreed.
Strive? I see. Then there arent six already waiting for me here?
Im afraid I dont have six spare Tremere, Jervais.
They dont exactly grow on trees, and as you must
have noticed, Rustovitch hasnt forgotten us on this
lonely rock even with all his other pressing engagements. I did call Master Antal back from the Bistritz
front for youhe should be arriving any night now.
Hes quite the war-wizard. I dont doubt his talents
will prove invaluable. Surely you can also convince
your sire to let at least one of her juniors go with
you? Something dankly amused in his tone suggested
he knew quite well how unlikely that was. As for

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the rest: I will write you a letter of credit to take

with you to the chantries along the way, directly
authorizing you to recruit as you see fit for the enterprise. Its, what, three hundred leagues to Livonia?
You should be able to fill out your sodalicium by
then.
Doubtless, milord.
Oh, and you may wish to take a gargoyle or two.
They dont scout as well as they fight, but theres
nothing quite like a birds-eye view. The Councilor
studied Jervais for a momenthis tired, jowly face
and the dark smudges under his eyes contrasted
sharply, as always, with the alertness of his keen blue
gaze. Then his long-nailed fingers reached for the
pestle and picked it up, and he turned his blackrobed, bulky back on the younger magus. You didnt
ever meet Deverra, did you?
No, milord.
Etrius was silent for several moments. Dea de
verragoddess of strife. That was what her old
master called her when he was cross with her, and
the other apprentices nicknamed her Deverra for
sport. When she became full maga she took the name
hed saddled her with, but with a different meaning,
de vera, of truth. She had a way of doing that, of
taking what was meant as an insult and turning it
into a mark of pride.
Jervais said nothing. When elders cast their
minds back into the past like that, they had a way of
dredging up the most interesting details, and he
didnt want to break the reverie.
But Im afraid even she couldnt manage what
comes so easily to you: to be proud of what your
grandsires experiment turned us into. She asked to
be sent away from Ceoris, to study the witchery of
the Tzimisce and see whether we could adapt it.
Thats what she told me. Evidently she thought I
wouldnt approve of her true purpose. Was that a
note of injury? She told those she tried to entice
along, however, that her homeland held formidable

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powers, vital spirits of nature that might be able to

restore the walking dead to true life again. He shook
his head. You find that droll, Im sure.
No, milord. Certainly I believe that true life
is often overrated by those who never got much of
it, or those who prefer nostalgia to accurate recollection. But there are some gifts only true life
provides, that cant be denied.
I wonder which gifts youre thinking of, Etrius
said dryly. At any rate, she and her cohorts sent
regular word of their discoveries for a time. She mentioned in one letter that theyd set themselves up as
a sort of priesthood for a god named Telyavel, and
were accepting blood libations from the people in
that guise. I should have taken warning at that right
away. That sort of thing is fit only for hedge-wizards
and idolatersnot for those who study the wonders
of the one transcendent Logos. I thought shed left
the petty gods of her pagan childhood far behind,
just as I abandoned mine long ago, but it seems they
have reclaimed her.
He turned. His eyes were downcast, almost
closed. Which means she is lost to us.
Master. Jervais rarely used the term of address
with Etrius. It felt familiar, and they both despised
anything that smacked of closeness between them.
But the turn in the conversation was alarming him
now. Are you sure youwant me to destroy her?
Them?
Etriuss eyes snapped back open at that.
Yo u i n s o l e n t l i t t l e m a g g o t , h e s a i d i n a
strangled tone. You dare worm into my thoughts?
You think to unlock my heart, the hearts of all your
betters and learn our secrets like spells youll invoke
at your later pleasure?
Not at all, milord
You havent even been back an hour! Doesnt
common decency prescribe some kind of grace period? The archmaguss teeth gnashed, but it wasnt
his teeth Jervais watched with dread: it was his deft

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hands, to see if they were shaping themselves for

some terrible curse. Look at me! Do you believe this
is the first time I have had to order the death of someone I once counted a magus of quality. Do you
honestly believe that?
No, milord! I, I beg your lordships pardon. He
hated himself even as he said it, but he knew that
the word beg was the fastest way to signal complete
submission. Unlike Goratrix, whod always seemed
to think a great warlock never showed anything past
polite contempt or contemptuous amusement to inferiors (and he plainly counted nearly everyone in
the world, with the possible exception of Great
Tremere himself, his inferior), Etrius didnt trouble
to hide his hurts. In fact, he wore them almost as
badges of honor. But that didnt make him an idiot
or unsubtle. He knew quite well that Jervais wouldnt
forget this outburst. Jervais never forgot an unguarded word anyone spoke. There was nothing
Jervais could do about that now. All he could do was
try to present as insignificant and meek a target as
possible.
Ive had almost a century to think about the
Telyavs, Jervais, and theyve had just as long. In fact
they have had multiple warnings, which theyve chosen to ignore. Rest assured, the requisite agonizing
has been done. Nor do I seek your moral guidance
on who is and isnt a loyal scion of the House and
Clan. I am telling you what you need to know to
perform your duty. That is all.
I understand, milord. Jervais bowed low, hoping this would be the end of the tirade, but it wasnt.
His superiors sluggish movements had taken on a
decided spark of animation now, as though his own
anger warmed and limbered him.
Id think a man in your position would deem it
wiser to keep his mouth shut. The question of your
own loyalty isnt on the firmest ground as far as Im
concerned. There must be some reason you havent
found time to come home and do your job in over a

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decade. They left you to hang, didnt theyyour sire

and grandsire? A fine reward for your long years of
conniving on their behalf. I cannot believe you still
dont grasp how much they despise you. How much
theyve always despised you.
The elder Tremere smiled unpleasantly. He took
a hissing snake out of the round blown-glass globe
that held it, expertly hooked its fangs over the lip of
a small vial, squeezed its head to milk out the venom,
then broke its body open and poured the blood in as
well. He took the mortar full of pungent crushed
herbs and dumped both it and the vial into a pan of
sludge sitting in the coals of a little brazier. He picked
up the pan carefully with a pair of tongs and tilted it
around to let the contents mix.
You never were the cloth out of which Tremere
are cut. Youre not one of their kind, or mine. You
barely had the skill to be a myopic grog scribe in the
Paris chantry basement. And dont think they dont
know it. Theyre happy to lead you on, of course,
because they know your envy makes you a fine tool.
It makes of you a well-balanced dagger to twist into
others backs. But you will never be a true wizard,
Jervais. Despite whatever lies they told you, the
blood cant give you that. I know you dont believe
me now, but the centuries will teach you the bitter
truth. He dusted off his hands. Assuming you survive.
It was still so easy for the old ruin. He must have
been keeping in practice all this time, at some other
luckless souls expense. The shame was awful, sickening, pestilential. It was also the only thing that
kept Jervais from dashing forward to try to tear that
scornful throat open, or lay hold of that pale, blubbery arm and set the cold blood in it boilingwhich
would have given Etrius great delight, no doubt, in
addition to a fine excuse for a sorcerous drubbing.
Still, he hoped the hate and not the pain was what
showed on his face. Hed heard these charitable sentiments before, of course, but never all in a string

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All at once he realized that the Councilors gaze

was not just figuratively but literally going through
him. He turned. Fidus (whose presence in the chamber hed completely forgotten about) stood there
frozen with eyes open wide to catch every nuance of
the scene before him.
Little pitchers have big ears.
Fidus, why dont you go see if our quarters are
in shape for the days sleep?
The lad scampered off immediately, still goggling.
Laying groundwork for the future, milord? he
said bitterly.
Rubbish, Jervais. Etrius took the pan out of the
brazier, holding it by the tongs, and stuck a mopended brush into the potion. Im sure the boy has
long since formed his opinion of you. After all, he
has the joy of your nightly company. A few candid
words of mine wont cancel that out, will they?
No, theyll just let him know to whom he can run
crying if he ever feels especially ill used.
The Councilor smiled again as though hed heard
this thought (quite conceivably he had), and, still
holding the pan, he proceeded to chant softly. He
snapped his fingers in the air just inches short of
Jervaiss skin to prick his halo, the protruding edge
of his soul-body, awake. He smoothed it in some
places and drew it out in others, shaping it easily
with gestures of his free hand. Jervais had always
loathed the touch of Etriuss spell-craft. Not that it
was painful or cruel, as his words had just been. In
fact, just the opposite. It was effortless, light as a
butterflys wing, artful as its flight, pleasant and even
inspiring to experience, a masterpiece of efficiency
A true wizards touch.
Even the Swedes derelict face seemed alight
with something like a soul when he was at his work.
Hed likely never known a day without the magic.
Possibly a night, though. Possibly those first nights
lashed awake each sunset by the hunger of the Blood,

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before the Tremere learned to adapt the old sorcery

to their new, unbreathing bodies. How he must have
suffered, how they all must have, at the thought that
they might never practice the Art again. And even
now, perhaps, at the nagging knowledge that what
they had now was not, could never again be, what
theyd once possessed. Their flight toward Heaven
had ended like Icaruss had, in drowned prayers and
wings scorched beyond healing.
Let him suffer. Let them all suffer. And let them
sneer, too, at their brothers who never knew the oh-sotranscendent joys of the natural gift. At those who
have only this life, this half-life, in which to taste whatever measure of infinity they can. At me.
Etrius took his brush then and slopped it across
Jervaiss face. The foul, stinging stuff stuck reasonably well but did drip onto his robe. Jervais didnt
flinch. He would not give Etrius the gratification of
a flinch. As the old vampire continued to work the
dweomer whose purpose he had not, would not and
saw no obligation to explain, he paused once in his
chanting to snort ironically. I see your colors,
Jervais, not a pretty sight. Keep at it. This is exactly
what the charm needs. I knew the chief serpent of
my snake den would not disappoint me.
I am not your serpent to milk or crush, Jervais
promised himself while he endured stroke after stroke
of decorative filth. Im not a true wizard either, but I
will show you in time just what it is that I am. And long
after youre gone and your precious mortal magic is the
stuff of nursemaids tales, I will have taken what is truly
there to be taken and known what there truly is to know.
It was a vague enough oath, but it carried him
through that moment on its sheer vehemence, and
that was all he required of it for now.
***
He carried a candle that glowed with a little
spark of cool, flameless light. It was necessary to see
at all in the cave-black rooms, but even with benefit
of starlight he would have wanted something to

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sweep the gloom from the corners. The Ceoris keep

held something like two dozen blood-wizards and
even more servants and vessels, but one would never
have known it just now, in the gritty violet predawn.
A constant, distant dripping was the only noise, and
it seemed to follow him around, always just off to
his left. In his old quarters, cobwebbed and neglected
like the tomb of an especially disliked uncle, trunks
and reasonably fresh bed linens awaited him, but no
apprentice. (He also noticed that someone had long
since broken the enchanted lock on the wardrobe
where hed once kept his stores of vis.) He frowned,
continued through the corridor and hurried down the
stairs.
Fidus?
No answer. His spell-light sputtered and crackled, dancing on the wick. He felt a surge of rage and
struck the cold wall with the flat of his hand.
None of this nonsense
He ran through the second and ground floors,
the abandoned dining room and the near-abandoned
chantry kitchen, calling. When that proved fruitless,
he started to spiral down into the first basement, but
a sudden suspicious instinct came to him and he ran
back to the ground floor, into a little chamber that
had once been the robing room for the Great Hall.
It had been a necessary precaution, of course, back
when the occasional mortal guest magus had still
walked Ceoriss halls. No doubt Etrius still preferred
that not every magus of the Blood know the location Yes, therea sharp, damp, moldy smell and a
hunk of wall that had missed coming back into its
original position by a fraction of an inch. Jervais
touched his tongue to the correct block of stone then
felt his way down the cramped tunnel that the block
and its neighbors swung aside to reveal.
Even the candle couldnt penetrate this wormhole. Extending his senses, he heard the croupy,
labored breathing of the larder inmates in the hollow on the other side of the tunnel wall, and that

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maddening ghostly drip again, and a low muttering.

How far had the idiot gotten? Jervais stumbled forward in a near panic.
Fidus! he shouted, then even more frantically,
Fidus!
The boy stood before a very old ward, carved
directly into the tunnel rock and then re-articulated
with powdered emerald in a binding agent: emerald,
enemy of black magic, here in the very Olympus of
black magic. Embedded in the rock above the ward
was a skull with its mouth fixed open and a small
vial set withinno doubt containing the tongue of
whatever poor devils head had been evicted from
its grave to serve as guard and alarm here. Fidus was
tracing the contours of the ward with a finger now
smeared in blue-green. At the sound of Jervaiss voice
he paused in his tracing, but the muttering went on.
Jervais came up beside him.
Mars in the eighth house and in opposition with
Mercuryand when Jupiter is in Capricorn again,
how shall I come back then? Ah, I see
Jorge. To his relief, the young Tremeres birth
name was shock enough to startle him out of his daze.
Fidus jolted. Whatjust what do you think youre
doing? Jervais demanded.
I thought I was in bed, Fidus whispered.
You ought to be in bed.
I was in the library of Alexandriathere was a
book I had to find. It was hidden in a secret room,
and if I could only unlock it, I would have the answer to everything. There was a voice explaining
how. His eyes strayed yearningly to the ward again.
Jervais shook him so hard his teeth clacked shut.
The chantry library is upstairs, Jervais growled.
I will show you tomorrow. Theres nothing down
here for apprentices, do you hear? Nothing.
Ive never heard such a voice, master.
I have. Was it just slightly lower pitched than
most mens, in an accent impossible to define, calm
and unyielding as marble?

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The lad frowned. Yesyes, it was. It was so

wise, so assuringbut master, how, I mean when
Hush. Never you mind.
Master, youre shaking.
I said hush. You mustnt listen to anything that
may speak to you in this place, Fidus. Listen to me
listen only to me. Believe me when I tell you I am
your only path out of here. When his words alone
didnt produce immediate movement, Jervais seized
Fiduss arm and dragged him up out of the tunnel
and back to their bedchamber, where he set Fidus to
reciting the first chapter of Marbodes lapidary just
to chase all dangerous thought out of the boys head.
Nothing is mine here, he thought fiercely as Fidus
droned on, simultaneously helping his master undress
for bed. Even my own student whom Ive poured all my
labor and wisdom into. Etrius sees there only one more
heart to turn against me, and the otherwell, the other
sees fresh blood, and innocence
He made himself quiet his own mind. Thats
enough, Fidus. To bed.
Now clad only in his nightshirt, he slid into bed.
At least someone on staff had remembered his tastes,
and supplied him with good sheets and a rich winered coverlet stuffed with goose downprecious little
good to him when he lacked breathing company in
bed, as his own torpid body gave off no warmth for
the goose down to catch. Still, it was comfortable
and soft. He snuggled down and waited for sweet
oblivion.
Then he began to hear the voices from elsewhere
on the floor. They started out as disturbing murmurs,
which he had to prick his ears to decipher, but
quickly grew too loud to ignore.
Yo u c a n t d o a n y t h i n g w r o n g , c a n y o u ,
Curaferrum, as long as you have His Porcine Majestys
robes to run underneath? And now no one else who licks
his arse on a regular basis can do any wrong either

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The robes you could always quite literally be found

under arent here anymore, milady. That is the only reason you complain of my position now.
Your position! You see, you still dare not say
milords name even as you cast vile aspersions on him,
you lap-dog!
And you, you will not pronounce the name of
mine, lest he hear
Oh, wont I? Etrius! Etrius Worm-spine!
Jervais turned onto his other side, as though that
would help. Not a peep from Fidus, but Jervais could
fairly taste the lads avid attention. Wasnt the sun
up yet? Surely it was up already. It had been a long
trip, a long torture session with the
Councilorsurely he would fall asleep quickly
now
Ill thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head
when you speak of this chantrys master, milady!
A master indeed! Can he not even control the brats
sucking at his teat? Or is this Torgeir doing his dirty work
for him? Once upon a time, your precious master at least
had the courage to do his own whining and plotting and
sneaking. That was, of course, before he deliberately
started drinking from only the most wine-besotted
wretches in the larder.
Too many of us are reduced to that too often, milady, since we can depend on you to drain the best vessels
dry right away!
Ah, ah, look, you see! You are trying to change
the subject yet again, which is the outright breach of the
Code committed by your little spy
You mustnt listen to anything that may speak
to you in this place Why couldnt he follow his
own damned advice? He wondered if Etrius heard as
well. Of course Etrius heard. If he, Jervais, could not
block it out, then certainly the great archmagus was
perfectly aware. He pictured mighty Etrius also lying on his side in a chilly room, perhaps also futilely
curled away from the source of the sound, pretend-

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ing to be asleep. That image did not comfort as much

as it might have.
Well, now your own little spy is back, whom I
doubt could even recite the Code in proper Latin much
less follow it, so I suppose fair will be fair from now on,
wont it?
He needed to sleep. He could feel it grinding in
his very bones, the exhaustion. Every moment he lay
here as though bewitched to stay awake was another
drop of recovery lost to perdition. He didnt want
any part of this; didnt want to hear anyones honest
opinion of himself or Etrius or anyone else right now.
He didnt want to know what the people who dictated his existence were screaming at each other
lately in the dead, tired hours of the dawn.
He stared out into the dark, imagining grain after grain slipping through the desk hourglass.
Somewhere out in the true world the sun roused itself for one more bright roll across the dome, and
still the arguing went on for what might only have
been an hour but seemed like four, and Jervais did
not sleep.
***
The next evening he turned from unpacking to
find Malgorzata breaking upon him like a wave. Her
chestnut hair was piled on her head in regal undulations, plaited and coiled together with gold thread;
her eyebrows elegantly tilted and plucked; her lips
dark red and just slightly blubbed, almost raw, especially compared to the ghostly pallor of her sculpted
cheek. She reached out to him. He reached back
without even thinking. She kissed him on the cheek
and then stepped back to glance over him.
You look well. This was always her little joke
whenever they reunited, ever since theyd both become vampires. It embarrassed and pleased him at
the same time. He couldnt help thinking of his bald
pate, his eyes puckered and prematurely crows-footed
from peering, his body rather too mountainous to
qualify as handsome, but she never seemed to mind.

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She touched his face, ran her hand along the bottom of his beard from jaw to chin, then let it come
to rest on his shoulder. It smelled of sandalwood and
jasmine, the oriental scent that had turned his head
like wine as a young man. On her fingers sat a minor
constellation of rings, the most prominent of which
was topped with a cabochon caged in gold. Within
the ring, unless shed been neglecting to refill it, was
her emergency store of a poison that would kill a
mortal within a day and send the Cainite who fed
off such a mortal into several hours unconsciousness.
And you, milady sire, look far better than
merely well. As always. Damn. What was the matter with him? Could he conjure no finer flattery than
that? Her face fell very slightly, but then she smiled.
Ah, I can always count on you, Jervais. Ive
missed you. You have no idea what Ive suffered since
you left.
Oh, I have some idea, he thought. In fact I think
half the chantry must, unless theyre deaf.
You were always my pillar. Thesechildren,
theyre no help at all. She shrugged ruefully. And
His Porcine Majesty has taken advantage of the situation to fill out his stable of toadies, of course.
Yes, so Ive seen.
Yes. Can you believe it? Hes gotten even less
subtle with age. He sends his lackeys to spy on me,
and they dont even have the decency to pretend
theyre doing something else anymore! Jervais, I
caught one of them, that little albino rat, in my very
laboratory just last night.
He was supposed to be astounded and infuriated,
he knew. Plainly she had no idea how their voices
had carried, or else she was deliberately oblivious.
And to intrude on a magicians sacred privacy, there
were few graver (or more common) violations of custom or Code. He nodded as fervently as he could
make himself.
That one! Yes, I wouldnt put it past him at all.

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She looked even more distraught. A hint of menace entered her smooth voice. No, Jervaismy
heart, you dont understand. There is no way the little
pestilence could possibly manage to get past my ward
without direct help from Etrius himself, or
Curaferrum at the very least. Curaferrum most
likely. She pronounced his name in the same tones
most Tremere reserved for Rustovitch. After all, hes
the one protecting the brat now. I caught him redhanded,
mind
you.
Red-handed,
and
thatfunctionary has the gall to say he has only my
word to go on. Only my word! I sit in the High
Chantry council chamber on our lord Goratrixs behalf! And yet do you think I will see a moments
justice for any of it in this tower of iniquity?
She was rigid with outrage, staring at him. He
rememberedor thought he rememberedtowering
rages, fits worthy of the maenads, which left him
gasping. At the moment all he could think of was
how much shorter she was than himself, and how had
he failed to notice something that obvious for that
long? He turned back toward his trunk: a mistake,
he knew, but not as great a mistake as continuing to
stand there staring back at her blankly.
I dont seem to recall your ladyship ever waiting for anyone to serve justice on your behalf, he
said.
How right you are, my heart. Her voice grew
silky again at that. Yesthank you for bringing me
back to myself.
Yourself? he thought whirlingly. Where is it?
Where are you?
The next moment, arms delicate as herb-roots
were twining around his chest. Once again he knew
what was supposed to happen. He was to fold himself around her now and wait in agony for the
slightest taste of her blood, so enticingly forbidden
by the Code theyd both sworn to. He was to promise to do any tomfool thing to ease her burdens and
earn her smile. He, who hated nothing more than to

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subject his will to another, ached to want that now.

H e c o u l d n t r e c a l l e v e r n o t w a n t i n g i t w i t h
Malgorzata. It had been his temptation and his guilty
pleasure. Now he just felt at a loss. However she
might play the part now, she was not the helpless
female, she had spells he didnt even know about,
and if she determined that she was reaching out toward something that was simply, inexplicably no
longer there it could be very dangerous for him indeed.
Dontdont risk your position, madame. Dont
lower yourself, please, he said, and at least he didnt
have to struggle to make his voice husky.
You would have me endure such insults?
No! No, of course not. Ill take care of it for
you, madame, that is what I meant.
Ah, my heart. I cant have you risk yourself so
soon after your return. Etrius will be looking for the
first excuse to hurt you, hurt us both, and you know
it.
He could not believe in her feint at concern. It
was excruciating not to, but he couldnt force himself.
Besides, what would you do? she asked quietly.
I dont know yet, madame. But its bound to be better than whatever overcomplicated scheme you were
cooking up to involve me in.
Youll see, he answered, kissing her hand reverently.
Ah. I do enjoy it when you surprise me. I always believe in you, Jervais, even when others are
too foolish to see. I knew the Paris master was wrong
the very moment I met you. And time proved me
right, did it not? No, you. You proved me right. She
laid her head on his shoulder. He could hear that
she was smiling. He used to feel so proud when she
said such things. He implored her in his mind to
leave.
Well, I wont keep you from your settling in,
she said after a moment. But come and see me af-

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terward. I have some very interesting research to

show youresearch which, thankfully, the rat did
not manage to ferret out.
Of course, madame. And her light footsteps
padded out, leaving him alone once again with only
her perfume lingering.
He tried to concentrate on re-assembling his
orrery. He found himself blinking rather more than
usual.

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Chapter Seven
You have to be gentle with her. Shes very sensitive.
Lady Virstania hitched up her diaphanous robe
and frowned thunderously at Fidus, whod just tendered the knobby gargoyle looming over him a peace
offering of fresh rabbit and nearly gotten his fingers
bitten off along with it.
Just back up slowly and dont look away, Jervais
advised him with a half-smothered smile. Oh, and
raise your shoulders with arms akimbo, youll look
bigger.
Matre Jervais thinks hes a gargoyle expert.
Rixatrix is a female, Fidus.
It is? Fidus stammered, transfixed by the handsized yellow eyes blinking at him from scant inches
away. They were level with his only because their
owner had bent nearly double to put them there; nor
did he seem to appreciate the courtesy of that gesture.
She is. Virstania dimpled her plump cheeks at
the creature, patted its haunch and began to carefully clean its talons out with an iron pick. It
submitted to her with a lambs patience. And that
means the last thing you want to do is look bigger
than her mate.
No danger of that, Im sure, Jervais scoffed,
but then he stared at the creature that swooped in
from the heights in back of the cave. It wasnt quite
Jervaiss size in the body, and its wings looked barely
wide enough to carry it. It landed with room to spare
on Rixatrix craggy shoulder and hunched its back
into a hump.
What is this, a bantam rooster?
Virstania left off her polyglot cooing over the
big female. In an instant, her voice changed from
beatifically maternal to cool as the surrounding cav-

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ern air. I was told, matre, that you required two of

my adult flock for scouting and fighting. Dear Falco
is an excellent spy, and Ive never seen my sweetheart lose a battle yet. Theyre a mated pair. They
all but dream in concert. They will gladly die for each
other and even more gladly die for you. Clearly she
had her doubts as to whether Jervais, or anyone else,
was worthy of such an honor. I trust that will be
satisfactory.
Jervais nodded gamely.
They mustnt be made to fly for more than three
hours in a row, she went on. Falco has a quirky
gut, and shouldnt hunt game alone. Rixatrix will see
to his proper diet if she is with him. If shes not, then
you must make sure he stays clear of horses and deer,
or indeed any large herbivores. Why is your boy not
taking this down?
Fidus jumped as if struck and immediately picked
up the little wax tablet that hung from his belt.
Quirky gut, no game alone, no big herbivores
Virstania glared at him. Rixatrix, the perfect
weathervane for her mistresss mood, growled. It
sounded like an avalanche in progress.
Sh, sweetheart. Youre scaring your love. Hell
think hes done something wrong again.
Falco chittered and nibbled at his mates stony
ear. Rixatrix gave an angry moan and swatted idly at
him.
Its also very important to clean their claws after any real fighting, because theyre prone to split
if kept wet
What, cant the miraculous creatures clean
their own claws? Jervais prodded her.
Theyre gargoyles, matre, she said heavily.
Not cats.
Rix want cat. Little rabbit gone in one drink.
Not just now, dearest. Mother hasnt got any
cats to hand. We can get you both a nice juicy man

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though. I seem to recall one of Epistatias raiders offended her recently. Wouldnt that be yummy?
What about our Ventrue friend? Jervais asked.
How do we keep them from eating him, and the
other Ventrue and their mortals?
Youll have to introduce them, of course,
Virstania answered. Let them get a scent of everyone in the company, one by one. A few times if you
can manage it.
Well, thatll be entertaining to watch at least.
A mortal apprentice scuttled into the room. He
fairly staggered back, eyes wide, as three white vampire faces turned to stare at him and a cave full of
gargoyles stirred.
Your pardon, masters, but I was told Master
Jervais would be here.
Yes? What is it? Hurry up.
Master Jervais, youre wanted upstairs. Master
Antal has arrived from Bistritz.
Very well. That means well be leaving, Lady
Virstania. Are these beasts ready to travel?
Im sure theyre in at least as good a shape for
that as you are, matre, Virstania assured him.
Excellent. Thank you, milady. Jervais was not
about to let to a cutting remark keep him from making the fastest possible exit.
You, boy. Halfway up the tunnel Jervais put a
hand on the shoulder of the mortal apprentice and
stopped him. Without further ado he gouged his fangs
into the lads wrist. The apprentice leaned against
the tunnel wall for support until it was over.
Thats better, said Jervais. So much easier to
face the vultures on a full stomach. Well, lead on.
Yes, master.
The boy conducted them to the great main library, where Etrius usually received magi who were
neither as disfavored as Jervais nor of especially exalted rank. Over centuries of acquisition and only
the most occasional reorganizing, the roomoriginally designed in a spacious Roman aesthetichad

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become a rats warren of rough-hewn bookcases and

stacks of multicolored books nearly as tall as a man.
Every so often a reading desk or chair would rand o m l y a n d m a l i c i o u s l y a p p e a r i n o n e s p a t h ,
necessitating a winding detour. Jervais, who generally preferred cleanliness and luxury and had long
since come to hate nearly every cubic inch of Ceoris,
had nevertheless fallen in love with the library the
moment hed set foot in it. Especially the scent of
the musty old leather and parchment. He felt like
the richest man in the world when he smelled it,
never mind that none of the books truly belonged to
him.
But the sound, unlike the scent, was troubling. There
were too many voices in herenot shouting, but still overlapping one another in a way that suggested argument.
I demand that something be done, milord Councilor.
Malgorzatas voice. So much for not lowering herself and
waiting for him to think of a plan.
Ah, Jervais, Etrius said as Jervais rounded the corner. For once, he seemed less than utterly disgusted to see
himglad more of the interruption than of Jervais himself, doubtless. There you are. This was to have been the
occasion of presenting you and Master Antal to each other.
Master Jervais, Master Antal Garaboncias of Bistritz; Master Antal, our vis-master, Master Jervais fils de Malgorzata
Etrius laid his hand on the shoulder of a dour, darkbearded, rather monkish magus who wore robes of mulberry
broadcloth with singe marks on the sleeves. Something in
his look suggested that if Etrius were to let go of him for
one instant he would shake himself out like a wet cat and
then bolt for the door.
Master Antal. Jervais bowed in response to Antals
grudging courtesy. Ive heard stories of your heroic struggle
against the Fiends.
Yes, Antal replied. His Latin was heavily inflected
by the Magyar accent. The most august Councilor has informed me that we in Bistritz have many long-distance
admirers. It is most heartening, of course.

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And now Master Jervais can admire your work

up close, Etrius said amiably. I have promised him
he shall find your assistance invaluable. I know that
you wont disappoint him, or me.
So Antal needed reminding of who was in
charge. Well, at least Etrius himself was undertaking to perform that duty. Jervais couldnt quite find
it in himself to feel grateful, but he did make note.
It was a hopeful sign that perhaps he truly was intended to succeed and not to diethough he was
quite sure Etrius would make the best of either outcome.
Milord Councilor. Jervais turned, instinctively,
toward Malgorzatas voice as it cut in. Only then did
he notice what stood behind herTorgeir, the albino rat. (Now that Jervais got his first good look
at the Danes eyes, he realized that Malgorzata hadnt
been exaggerating at all. The irises appeared somewhat pinkish in the library light, and they jumped
oddly about.) Torgeir attempted to edge toward the
friendlier clime of his masters shadow. Malgorzata
prevented him with a swift, venomous glance. All
these pleasantries aside, you still have not said
But milady, these pleasantries are of great and
pressing importance to the clan, Etrius interrupted.
Surely you dont begrudge our champions against
the Telyavs a chance to seal their alliance with a
courteous introduction before they leave us with
tomorrows first darkening?
You still have not said, milord, she persisted,
when you will even agree to hear the case. What
good does it do us to campaign against the Telyavs
for whatever wrongs you suppose them to have done
you, if justice within Ceoriss own walls is no longer
in order?
Bonisagus, milady! No one in Ceoris had the
otherwise common Tremere habit of swearing by
Great Tremere or even his Seven Names. The longvanished Bonisagus, founder of the Hermetic Order,
was far safer. The case will be heard when such cases

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are usually heard, especially since youve written half

of the magi in this part of Europe requesting their
attendance, and not all of them can fly.
By which time hell have gotten up to who
knows what other mischief, and we still have no idea
whos helping him, milord. I should think you should
wish to discover the intrigue in your own wing.
Ill submit him to an oath in the meantime,
then, Etrius said wearily. With a suitable hex if he
disobeys.
Was he not submitted to the great Oath of
Tremere, the same as all our initiates? If he dares
those eternal consequences without fear, milord, how
shall he fear a simple hex even from his own powerful teacher?
I presume your ladyship already has some other
suggestion in mind for keeping him out of trouble.
Well, there is always the dungeon, of course,
she said, putting a finger to her jaw and making a
thoroughly transparent pretense of deliberating.
And the manacles my sire devised for its prisoners
of the Blood. Its only for a month after all.
Hmm. As you pointed out, much can happen
in such a span. And those manacles were designed
to hold Fiends.
Keeping him out of trouble
If I may, my most august, sage and immortal
Councilor, my revered lady sire, Jervais spoke up.
Etrius scowled. Yes?
Is it not tradition that the accused in such a
case may offer to undergo an ordeal to prove his loyalty to the House and Clan, in lieu of a trial, on the
occasion of the first offense?
Torgeir gave him a look of thorough alarm.
Yes, it certainly is, the Councilor answered
slowly, but as young Master Torgeir has expressed
no such interest, why would you mention it?
Because it occurs to me, milord, that joining
me in my expedition against the traitors would serve
as an excellent test of his loyalty. Put him under my

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command, and I will very quickly determine out of

what stuff hes made.
Etriuss eyebrows rose so high they seemed in
grave danger of disappearing into his hairline. Yes.
Yes, Im sure you would, Jervaisand you would be
one step closer to your full sodalicium as well.
To Jervaiss relief, Malgorzatas face lit with pleasure. Torgeir under Jervaiss authoritywhere he
could be declared a traitor on Jervaiss say-so, sent
to his death at leisure, rendered desperately beholden
to their faction or at the very least humbled to within
an inch of his existencewas clearly an even more
d e l i g h t f u l t h o u g h t t h a n To r g e i r s u b j e c t e d t o
Goratrixs Iron Torment. Just as clearly, she took
Etrius to be flummoxed and embarrassed at this turn
of events, and not merely astounded at what Jervais
knew was the gift he had just tossed into the old
archmaguss lap.
He was, after all, volunteering to take along a confirmed spy, and thus spare Etrius the labor of a trial
which Malgorzata had obviously meant to make as
big an embarrassment as possible.
Well, Torgeir. It is your right to request such
an ordealif you wish. Etrius grimaced. Ordeal itll
certainly be, if Master Jervais has aught to do with
it. But it may still be preferable to letting milady have
her way.
Torgeir stared. His lips flopped minutely open
and shut a couple of times as though to protest, but
it didnt take much spy-craft to tell where his masters
will lay. He brushed nervous hands down the front
of his robe. Yes, mastermost august lord Councilor. It would please me greatly to be given this
chance to clear my name.
Then so be it. Go pack. As of this moment, your
obedience is to Master Jervais, and Id better not hear
otherwise. Master Antal, let me see you to your quarters. We must talk before you depart.
My heart, Malgorzata whispered, excitedly
slipping her arm into Jervaiss as they walked out,

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why on earth didnt you mention youd come up with

such a marvelous plan? I would never have written
all those silly letters.
I wanted it to seem spontaneous, milady, he
smiled.
But you could have told me, my heart.
You said you enjoyed my surprises. You did look
quite convincingly surprised.
Did I? She laughed. Well, good. Better the
old bat doesnt suspect so much. Perhaps hell even
start to think youve gone over to his side. But listen, I already know how we can make the best of
this Torgeir while youve got him. Now this may seem
a little complicated, but youll see the sense of it in
a moment.
He didnt want to listen at all, but he had to
know what he was supposed to do if he was going to
figure out later how to prove tragically incapable of
it.

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Chapter Eight
One
Himself, of course. For his own strand he selected
a bit of green silk, requisitioned from Ceoriss stores
just before their departure. It was deceptively soft
and luxurious, but of great tensile strength, capable
even of catching arrowheads. He knotted it onto a
wire framework of his wizards sigil and set it out to
catch the light of Scorpio, his birth sign, for three
nights in a row. Then he unknotted it again and ran
it through a lodestone with a hole in the middle
while chanting the proper formulae.
***
Two
Antal. Jervais didnt know much about Master
Antal, and certainly there wasnt sufficient trust between them for Jervais to ask for his blood or his sigil.
But Jervais could fairly see and smell the bloodsoaked battlefield spreading just behind Antals grim
flat eyes, so he selected a length of sackcloth thread
for the Hungarians strand. First he dragged it
through the ashes of a dead child which he dug up
in a churchyard as they headed north through the
Saxon country, then he passed it through a cloud of
burning sulfur while performing the spoken enchantments.
***
Three
Torgeir. At least since he had clear seniority over
Torgeirnot to mention sole discretion in the matter of Torgeirs ordealhe could reasonably demand
a few drops of blood with which to anoint Torgeirs
strand. He had Fidus rouse a dyers family in Culus in
the middle of the night for a length of undyed wool
yarn and some good lye to bleach it with. (Fidus reported the dyers comment afterward: If one must
choose between accepting the devils silver or the

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devils curse, the former is preferable by far.) Seized

with a whim inspired by his sires words and his own
first impressions, he then bound the pale cord around
a rat hed caught and waited until it had starved. Then
he unwrapped it from the desiccated little body and
proceeded to make the same incantations as he had
with the other threads.
***
Four
Of course, I would leap to assist his most august lordship in any way I possibly could, Regent
Karolus said, setting the parchment down rather dangerously near a brazier, but Im afraid I simply cant
spare anyone right now.
Oh. Im sorry to hear that. Jervais made a little
moue of concern. Are the Fiends depredations
heavy of late?
No, no, its not so much that, Master Jervais,
the regent replied uneasily. Its that Im in the crucial stage of a project of great importance to House
and Clan.
So Id heard.
Youd heard? Immediately the mans voice
sharpened. Heard from whom?
Why, from your brother regent in SzatmarNemeti.
Hes not my brother, Karolus snapped. He
picked the parchment back up.
He isnt? Jervais returned with an expression
of surprise. He gave me to understand that youd
served apprenticeship together. In any case, were all
brothers in the Blood
Yes, yes. I mean that he has never behaved as a
brother should to me. Im sure he had a lot of pretty
tales for you, though.
Oh, no, not really.
Ah, you see, he never changes. What did he
say?
Just petty little things. Nothing worth your concern.

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The more he demurred, the more agitated

Karolus became. Tell me what he said about the
project. Come, Master Jervais, youre absolutely
transparent. He said something, didnt he?
Well. Jervais rubbed at his beard. Well, to be
honest, he did try to convince me to bring some of
his concerns about it to Ceoris. His most serious
charge was that in forty years, your research hasnt
produced a single innovation of clear, immediate and
practical use to either the blood war or the clan at
large. Granted, the regent in Szatmar-Nemeti had
only gone so far because Jervais had gently encouraged his first tentative slanders, but Karolus hardly
needed to know that.
No immediate use! Karolus spluttered. His lips,
the last trace of color left in his vampire face, went
livid. He picked up a silver bell from a little rack of
bells and rang it vigorously. No practical application! Why, if it werent for my research both we and
Szatmar would have been overrun decades ago, and
he knows it!
A Cainite of rather Turkish-looking features, tall
and well built but carrying himself with the slight
stoop of a devoted scribe, entered the room and made
a hasty bow.
Yes, master?
Master Jervais, this is Baghatur Kazharin. He is
at your service for the scourging of the traitors in
Livonia.
Baghatur ducked his head, probably more to
cover his astonishment than to signal submission.
Oh, no, this wont do, Master Karolus, Jervais
protested. I certainly dont wish to discomfit you at
such an important juncture. There surely must be
other chantries with Tremere to spare
What good does it do me to have all my juniors
here, if you return to Ceoris with nothing to contradict my treacherous brothers accounting of me?
Karolus cried. No, I insist. I promise you, you will
see with your own eyes the immediate and practi-

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cal use of my work. Baghatur has been a most attentive apprentice, and he has recently attained the
Fourth Circle, which I hope will suffice for your purposes. He wont disappoint. There, perhaps that will
put an end to this nonsense once and for all! If so,
Ill consider it well worth the hardship.
Well, since you do insist. I thank you, Master
Regent. Jervais smiled slightly. As he turned, he
noticed a large, wide parchment pasted flat upon the
wall and secured with tiny nails along the edges, and
moved closer to it. Is this a ley-line survey?
Karolus nodded and came to join him. Yes, for
a hundred leagues in either direction. Within the
circle is the area surveyed in person, the rest done
by scrying.
Jervais touched a little blue figure of a house,
labeled in neat letters. And these are the chantries?
Of course.
Jervais plucked his letter out of Karoluss hand
and peered at it. Six names were listed on it for this
portion of the route. He looked again at the map.
Seven little blue houses.
Six names. Seven houses. Etrius had left one out.
Etrius was not a forgetful sort.
Jervais chose a fine linen for Baghaturs thread.
Over a few different conversations with the apprentice, he was able to glean a little about him: chiefly
that he was a Khazar Jew (no doubt Hermann would
be overjoyed), the chantrys resident copyist, a worshiper at the shrine of Avicenna and a fanatic for
his teachers theory of alchemy. The last, at least,
seemed sufficiently heartfelt to serve as an anchor.
And so after anointing the thread with a few drops
of Baghaturs blood, he passed the thread through
dirt, smoke, water andvery quickly afterwardfire.
Then for good measure he recited the first verse of
the Shma, the only Hebrew he knew aside from the
few terms necessary to get through Ceoriss Latin
translation of the Sepher Yetzirah.
***

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Five
Yes, yes, plainly this is very important to the
most reverend Councilor. Regent Laszlo glanced
aimlessly at the letter. And I wont dispute Ceoriss
wise judgment in the matter of the Telyavs. But surely
youve already noticed that its we here in Hungary
who must draw regular reinforcements from west and
northnot vice versa. Youll have more luck with
the chantries in Silesia and Poland.
Do you really think so? Jervais asked mildly.
Well. Laszlos lips gave an ironic twitch. Perhaps not.
You didnt finish reading.
Did I need to? I think Ive made myself clear.
Laszlo must be very old, very entrenched or both. Of
their whole band he seemed to think only Antal
worthy of respect, though since Jervais was nominal
head, he granted him the polite minimums at least.
Look at the list, Jervais urged.
Laszlo did so. He frowned. Im not on the list.
Precisely, Master Regent.
Then why are you here?
Because youre not on it.
It took a moment, but the light dawned. Ah.
Perhaps if I explained that I am Malgorzatas
eldest childe, that would dispel some of the mystery.
Yes. Yes, it would. And he is sending you to take
care of the Telyavs, is he?
He is indeed, but you see with what support.
True. So, are you meant to fail outright, I wonder, or are you meant to die after having first battered
the Telyavs to the point where a second assault will
succeed?
The latter possibility hadnt occurred to Jervais.
It was certainly perfectly likely.
I dont know.
I must assume that your gaining any sort of personal glory out of the affair would, in any case, annoy
his lordship greatly.

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That is the safest of all assumptions, Master

Laszlo.
Laszlo smiled a knife-thin smile. In that case,
you may have my youngest apprentice, Miklos. Hes
only Fifth Circle, alas, and I confess was brought in
more for his skill at arms and tactics than his aptitude in the Art
Fifth Circle will do quite well, Master Regent,
and well need good tacticians. Jervais bowed low.
It didnt take much observation of Mikloswho
despite his robes had about him the look of a squire
just one advantageous ancestor short of knighthoodto determine that a thick sturdy hemp thread
would suit him best. Jervais had Hermann cut the
length of it with his sword. If the Saxon thought it
an odd request that he should hack at a defenseless
bit of fiber while shouting a lusty battle-cry, he didnt
bother to say so. Jervais also noticed that Miklos
proudly wore a necklace strung with several yellowed
fangs, and that led him to dig out from a trunk one
of two Tzimisce skulls he always carried about. He
then temporarily dubbed the skull Rustovitch, and
used the hemp thread to jerk its fangs viciously from
their sockets.
***
Six
Well, Im always honored at his lordships demonstrations of trust, and would normally hasten to
do as he asks, Regent Albizellus said. But this is
the fourth time in a decade hes asked us to hand
over one of our own. Surely its someone elses turn.
Apprentices dont just pop up in the chantry garden
each spring.
Believe me, Jervais assured him, I have some
idea what goes into the training of magi-to-be, Master Albizellus, and I do sympathize.
Albizellus looked rather surprised at this quick
acquiescence, and indeed dismayed. So that was it
he was perfectly prepared to give up a student
(perhaps he kept an unusually large crop of them

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about just for such occasions), but wanted it to be

understood as a real favor. Jervais did not allow himself to smile.
Isis it really that dire? The regent fumbled
his way back onto the conversational path.
Jervais knew hed already landed his fish, but he
had no objection to providing the necessary diplomacies. He grimaced. Master Albizellus, his lordship
fears the very worst of these Telyavs. Not only have
they almost completely cut themselves off from the
clans obedience, they may have thrown in their lot
with our enemies. They may even be allied with the
Fiends, or on the verge of doing so. We must act now,
before all is lost.
Ah, I see. Well, I suppose if our assistance is
needed that badly, I can answer the call one more
time.
Ceoris thanks you, Master Albizellus, for your
constancy.
Not at all, Master Jervais. Zabor!
To Jervaiss astonishment, a head popped up from
behind one of the library tables. It had a thatch of
disheveled brown hair, and was attached to a youthful body whose left hand held a woebegone scrub
cloth.
Zabor. Albizellus didnt await a response or a
bow. Youre going to Livonia.
Of course, the apprentice said flatly.
Forgive me, Master Regent, Jervais broke in.
But I must not have made myself fully clear. My recruits must be of at least the Fourth Circle in order
to participate in the rituals Ill require.
Zabor is Fourth Circle, Albizellus smiled.
And yet hes made to wash the floors stillnot a
good sign.
You wont mind a bit of a trip, will you? he
asked the apprentice.
No, master. It should be my honor to take part
in something so important. He glanced ironically
at the rag in his hand.

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Zabor isnt the most docile student Ive ever

had, Albizellus put in pleasantly, but I dont doubt
one of your experience can keep him in line easily
enough. And perhaps this is just the sort of schooling the lad needs.
Albizellus also informed Jervais before he left
that Zabor excelled in tearing apart the enchantments of others. And so Jervais selected for Zabor a
length of nettle-yarnstinging nettle, shirts of
which the Slavs trusted to repel demons, dragons and
lightningand flicked it with drops of Zabors blood
and also a bit of solution of green vitriol. He then
shielded the yarn by winding a thin wool yarn around
it (the last thing he wanted was for Zabors destructiveness to make naked contact with the threads of
his fellows) and finished with the usual incantations.
***
Seven.
Not to dispute his lordships decisions, because
thats the very furthest thing from my mind Reg e n t Wa l e n t y f r o w n e d . B u t w e r e y o u r e a l l y
dispatched from Ceoris one Tremere short of a
sodalicium? That hardly makes sense.
Jervais let his throat close over the gruel-thin
draught of mortal blood hed taken from the goblet
Walenty handed him, then forced it down before replying. Not one short, Im afraid. My cohort was
mostly assembled from the chantries along my route,
from the regents whose names you see there.
Ah. I see. But forgive me, Im still confused.
My understanding was that the Telyavs have done
exactly as they pleased for well over a century now,
and I hadnt thought the situation substantially
changed. Why the sudden urgency? And if it is so
urgent, then why must you go from chantry to
chantry with cap in hand in order to fill out your
ranks?
The ways of the Council are mysterious. Jervais
was not, by now, feeling inclined to share the details

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of how precisely the situation with the Telyavs had

changed.
There was a faint knock on the warded study
door. Walenty looked irritated, but called, Yes?
What is it?
A dark-eyed woman, modestly veiled, entered
and curtsied low. Jervaiss spirits rose slightly. Perhaps the goblet had been a stopgap while more
appropriate refreshment was located. But then the
regent gestured for her to rise. Yes, Olena?
Im afraid Pawels just made a rather large mess
of his exercise this evening, master.
His eyes widened. How large a mess?
Iwell, I think youd better see, master
Werent you supposed to be supervising him?
he snapped. Oh, veryforgive me, Master Jervais.
Ill be back shortly, I hope. He stalked out, robes
flapping behind.
Olena hurried up to Jervais. Unorthodox, I
know, she half whispered, but there was no other
way I could speak to you. He was determined to keep
me busy all night.
To speak to me? Jervais returned, mystified.
Ive finished my Circles, she interrupted him.
I finished them more quickly than any other apprentice hes ever had. I finished them over twenty years
ago, but he keeps saying no new regencies have
opened up. That isnt true, is it?
I He stammered. That is, I suppose its unlikely that no new regencies have opened up in either
Silesia or Poland, but I cant help you against your
own regent.
But you can. Youre Master Jervais of Ceoris,
and youre on a mission for the clan, arent you? I
need a chance to demonstrate my abilityto someone besides him. Otherwise Ill be teaching his
apprentices until the Fiends finally turn him to ash
From the way she gritted her teeth, he imagined that
arranging for exactly that would soon be no more
out of the question than arranging an accident for

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Pawel. Just one chance, thats all I ask. Please. She

threw a look over her shoulder, and then hurried over
to the door. Please.
When Walenty returned a little while later,
Jervais said casually, I see that you dont have the
aversion most of our colleagues profess for sharing
the Art with the fair sex.
I begin to wish I had, the regent sniffed. I
tell you, Master Jervais, the virtues of the Blood simply move too sluggishly through the female vessel.
Nor are the powers of discipline and concentration
what one should hope for, as youve just seenour
most sage and immortal Lady Councilor in England
excepted, of course.
And, of course, my own sire.
Walentys jaw dropped, but he recovered fairly
quickly. Yes, yes, of course. An eminent exception.
Well, in that case, perhaps it would be mutually beneficial if I were to take her off your hands?
You would have the room to introduce another male
apprentice, and all I really need now is one more
Cainite body to fill out the last place in the
sodalicium. She is Fourth Circle, at least?
Oh. Yes Jervais could fairly see the mans
thoughts turning like a water wheel, as he tried and
failed to think of some way he could contradict himself and not look like an utter fool. Jervais did not
intend to permit him that luxury.
Excellent! Then I shall be able to enter the
pagan lands with everything in place. His august
lordship will be so pleased.
For Olena, Jervais chose a worsted yarn, smooth
and hard-twisted. Then he steeped it in a hot tincture of ivypatient, tenacious, ambitiousand left
it wrapped, seven times for each Circle she was so
proud to have achieved, around a silver vial of mercury for a night and day before finishing the
incantations.
***

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He could remember being a very young boy, too young to

recognize the difference between womens and mens work.
Old Nursewhose name he didnt know even though he still
sometimes drank from her pillowy breastwas trying to braid
his sisters hair and like any small child, he wanted to take part
in whatever was being done. When her efforts to shove and
slap him while holding onto the fraying strands only produced
a screaming fit, she finally agreed to show him how if he would
stand quiet and obedient. And so it was Nurses hands that he
thought of now, guiding him in spirit even though he doubted
the woman had ever plaited more than three strands together,
and he had to contend with seven.
Once hed finished the broad band and gotten it loose
from the stick the other end had been tied to, he began to
knot it upon itself.
With knot of one, I begin my charm in the name of Tremere.
With knot of two, I bind us in the blood of Tremere.
With knot of three, I bind us in the will of Tremere.
With knot of four, I bind us in the power of Tremere.
With knot of five, I bind us in the brotherhood of
Tremere.
With knot of six, I bind us in the fate of Tremere.
With knot of seven, I seal my charm in the name of
Tremere.
Though born to different natures and spun on different
spindles, we weave our arts as one.
Our circle will be strong where theirs will be weak.
Our circle will labor where theirs will sit idle.
Our circle will know harmony while theirs will learn strife.
Our circle will prevail where theirs will fall.
Yes, amen, let it be so.
One House, One Clan, One Blood.

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My blood.
As he finished this recitation, he took the
braidnow looped into a circle secured by the seventh and final knotand laid it in the little iron
cauldron to steep in the dark red ichor.
It was a very simple, very old sort of magic, but
things simple and old often had a power all their own,
and he wouldnt shame to make use of it if it helped
his newborn sodalicium hold together for even one
night longer than it would have otherwise.
Or, to be more accurate: one night longer than
the enemy did. That, after all, was the crucial thing,
and despite his spells hopeful demands, it was by no
means a sure one.

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Chapter Nine
Deverra did not generally stand for long on the hill
where the sacred fire burned and the sacred zaltys-snake
made its lair. As important as it was, the task was better
suited to mortal priestesses, who saw warmth, home and
food within the flames red depthsnot an end to immortality. But the smell from the wood and the sacred herbs
that the priestesses threw upon it in handfuls drove away
all other scents, good and bad. She wanted distraction from
both sorts. Her eyes read the sky left to right, top to bottom, like a parchment page, and then restlessly began
again.
If you are really so desperate, Qarakh murmured
beside her, you could call to itmake it fly the other way.
My people also believe in the messages of birds, but we are
not above making our own fortune either.
She turned to look at him. Her lips wanted to smile
at the welcome sight of him: the strange wind-weathered
face still showing the ochre-brown of many years sun even
through the Cainite pallor, the little stub of rounded nosetip emerging from a flattened bridge, dark narrow eyes that
could be cruel as a winter storm or softly questioning, as
they were now. She felt the smile but couldnt quite make
it.
No, Qarakh.
No. He squinted, staring off into the sky. But you
will stand here night after night and watch for it to do as
you hope.
I wont succumb to self-delusion, but for hope Ill
wait as long as necessary. It flew east, toward the flames of
sunrise, three nights ago, shrieking all the way. It still has
three more to fly west into the cool night and cancel out
the omen. If its there to be seen, I will see it.
Will the omen not be the same whether you witness
it or not?
What need would there be for a shaman, if it didnt
matter what she saw or didnt see?

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My shaman, he said, taking her arm. I appreciate

your devotion on behalf of the tribe, and I will not dissuade you from watching. But you have been up here for
three nights and you have not drunk. You must drink.
Purification, she said shortly.
You must drink, he said just as shortly. Three nights
purification is enough.
Then have it brought to me, so I can continue to
watch.
He didnt look pleased, but he nodded. As you wish.
The wind sent her hair aloft, drifting on the currents
of air. Since it had gone white, it had also become thin
and light as flax-filaments. It was very responsive to
weather and the passage of spirits.
This has not been the only such omen in recent
nights, he frowned.
No, only the worst.
Are they truly so bad? You had ill omens before
Alexander came as well. Are these like they, or weaker?
Stronger? He added the last in a tone of great reluctance.
They are very badand also strange. I havent seen
such strange signs in a long while.
Since when? he pressed. She wondered whether now
might be a good time to play the mysterious oracle and
refuse to answer, but then she shook her head fondly.
Since just before we met. That was a strange-fated
evening indeed, you cannot deny.
Yes, I remember. I thought at first you must be a
chotgor
A disease-spirit?
Yes. White, thin, fragile. Altogether ugly. Fortunately, she knew Qarakh well enough to let him finish
before taking offense. But you changed my mind quickly
enough.
She answered his meaning, not his words. I had a lot
more to change your mind with, back then. But now
Now we rule this people. Together. He caught her
hand and wouldnt let it go. She felt her blasted flesh protest, bits of it splitting and sloughing off. Only together.
That is our strength. Dont think I have forgotten it.

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Qarakh, she said, youre hurting me.

He loosened his grip, but kept on pursuing his thought.
I also have not forgotten a certain sorcery you practiced
a few times. When I slept at the foot of your tree, and you
brought our spirits both out of their bodies. And we would
seem to be mortal man and woman for a few hours
Again, she heard what he didnt say. Not just alive,
but alive and young. The fact that he didnt look at her
now made it all the more obvious. His pain moved her,
and she wanted to comfort him by allowing him to try to
comfort her. But the pain in her own soul when she even
thought about itescaping into false serenity for a few
hours, and then having to return again to play the unbowed priestess, queen and avatardecided her.
My khan honors me. But I fear I find myself too weary
lately to cast enchantments that are of nodirect benefit
to anyone.
He nodded. I will have the vessel brought up. But
you must rest. I cannot have my witch weary.
No, dont trouble yourself, my khan. I will go down
and feed. It is long past the hour when such birds fly anyway.
He started to speak, but she gave him an abbreviated
courtesy and brushed past. He watched her go down into
the encampment. As she hobbled by one ger a furtive,
shaggy figure stole out of it, going mostly on its legs but
assisting itself with pushes of its taloned hands along the
ground. Through the blur of hair and rags, Qarakh could
still see the outlines of what had once been a woman, a
proud warrior of his own Blood. The bestial figure mewled
and brushed up against Deverra, who put out a gnarled
hand to stroke the figures head. His beautiful shaman and
his northern Valkyrie. They at least still walked the night,
unlike others.
The gods He spoke in the vague plural, thus including all the many divinities held dear by his raiders,
Deverras priesthood and the Baltic peoples themselves.
He had one god in particular in mind, but didnt wish to
stir it with a particular mention. The gods demand much
of us in exchange for their gifts. We pay not only our own

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private prices, but each others as well. Will there ever

come a night when the price is finally paid in full? What
will be left of us then?
Feh. This sort of melancholic fit was not like him.
But it had been happening a lot of late, and it unnerved
him at least as much as anything Deverra had seen or said.
He was finding that not even the blood of mortals drunk
on mead or qumis could always shake him out of it. He
heard the cry of a raven, and leapt, as though struck, back
up the hill to see. It was flying east.

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Chapter Ten
Tobiasz idly tapped the back of the neck of one captive, a youth, who glared up at Jervais with eyes hot with
hatred. The lad flinched and put his head back down.
These Balts havent figured it out yet, he chuckled.
Theyll sell each other to anybody. Pskovians, Hungariansthey dont understand theyre already too few for
their own good. Im not about to tell them, of course. Well?
What do you think?
What languages do they speak? Jervais asked.
Lets see. Not the Silesian speech. I have a couple of
Esths, some Livs, some Letts, a Kur, a Semgall
I dont need Silesian. One should speak the
Samogitian tongue, or something like it. As for the rest,
Id prefer they not speak to anyone at all.
Ah, youre continuing northeast. In that case, youre
probably best off with the Esths. Their tongue is more like
the Finns. Or if you like, I could take some of the other
Balts and cut out their tongues. But theres little need to
worry. They all hate each other, as I already said.
And the Samogitians?
Theyre wild, strong warriors. I dont have one right
now. The Semgall might have some acquaintance with
their language. Actually, now that I think of it, I seem to
remember the Kur trying to talk to the Semgall in what
was either Samogitian or the highland speech.
Jervais nodded. The Kur, then. And Ill need a dozen
others. Their nationality doesnt concern me so long as
theyre healthy.
A dozen! A pleasure to do business with you, mein
Herr. With or without tongues? Tobiasz grinned.
With. Mustnt run out of things to threaten them
with too quickly.
Indeed! Tobiasz hesitated for a moment, then went
on. Youre not familiar with these parts, are you, mein
Herr?
Not at all, as Im sure you can tell.

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Then if you will permit me, I wish to show you a

spot of the local color. The slaver extended his hand. I
have a feeling youre the sort to appreciate it.
***
Jervais dipped his bare foot into the water of the
spring. Even though a mist lay over it, he wasnt prepared
for the warmth that enveloped his toes. He lowered himself the rest of the way in. It smelled a bit funny, and the
water felt oddly slippery, but the sensation was quite pleasant.
And mortals come here for leisure? he whispered to
Tobiasz.
Not leisure, Tobiasz corrected him delightedly.
Witchcraft.
I see.
The peoplethe dissatisfied young peasants especially, but sometimes even the soldiers of Chojnik
keepthey come here on nights of the new moon to ask
the vodyanoi for aid. If they doubt you, just ask them to
listen to your chest so they can hear that you have no
heartbeat and are, in fact, a spirit.
For his part, Jervais thought it almost enough just to
be warm and naked under the starsafter a little while,
he could even pretend Tobiasz was not therebut presently there were signs of movement in the surrounding
brush, and the dim outlines of a threesome of young maids,
huddled fearfully together. They carried a loaf of bread for
propitiation.
He understood precious little of what they said, but
he nodded and answered yes, yes of course to everything
that sounded like a question. Names were mentioned, of
lovers, lovers-to-be, rivals, parents perhaps. Tobiasz spoke
to the girls several times. Jervais didnt know whether he
actually instructed them to disrobe or whether they already understood that to be the price, but in any case they
too stripped bare of everything but their head-kerchiefs.
Jervais took one girl into his lap. She wrapped her arms
around herself but didnt resist him. He caressed her a
while, pleased with the slickness of her wet goose-pimpled
skinbut there was something that bothered him as well.

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Not her fear so much (hed long since become used to

chantry prey being either terrified or abjectly obsessed with
the Kiss), but the solemn pall that hung over the proceedings. Her submission had a ceremonial quality which
should have been stimulating yet wasnt.
Quite suddenly he began to tickle her. She chuckled
unwillingly, then cried out. An instant later, under his
redoubled assault, she was shrieking peal after peal of laughter to the sky. Her friends gaped, doubtless convinced he
was murdering her, but she turned and jabbed her fingers
under his armpits, causing him to splash and mock-protest. Soon even Tobiasz had to chortle at them.
This is meant to be a dire sorcerous rite, the slaver
chided Jervais as the latter took advantage of the improved
mood to bite into his vessels wrist. She cried out again,
this time in pain followed closely by lust. Tobiasz followed
suit with one of the others.
Jervais finished his sip and sealed the wound shut with
a touch of his tongue. Then he snapped his fingers at
Tobiasz. That for dire sorcerous rites!
He examined the girl. Hed drunk very shallowly. She
seemed little the worse for it, and indeed much the better.
Her heart still beat strongly. Her buttocks, which had lain
taut on his thighs before, had now softened and flattened
against him. He put his hand into the triangle of hair at
her bellys base. Extending his senses in the way Malgorzata
had taught him so long ago, he could feel the pulse of her
blood just underneath the skinfeel it and mystically draw
it toward his fingertips, toward the surface of the tender
flesh, engorging it. She drew in a shuddery breath. The
scent of her sweat increased. He kissed the top of her neck,
exulting in the knowledge that just beneath his lips, sharp
and eager, waited her death if he so chose. The sheer dizzying joy of that power tempted him to hover there,
between the resolution to either kill her or let her live.
He held himself back, merely kissing her again.
There was a thrashing sound in the brush. Jervais
started and looked up, expecting a deer to come blundering through. But it was an armored figure, sword drawn,
black cross starkly visible on his white tunic.

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So! Hermann bellowed. This is where you wandered off to!

What do you think youre doing, Hermann? Jervais
snarled back. The girls crowded away in a huddle.
What do you think youre doing? We are taking the
cross against the pagans, and here you are
You are taking the cross, Brother! Not I! Look upon
your chest, then look upon my chest. I dont recall ever
swearing a pilgrims vow.
Go, Hermann shouted at the girls. Go and save
your skins, if not your virtue! He shouted it in Saxon, but
they took his meaning quite well enough. They splashed
out, stepped into their shoes, slid their shifts down over
their freezing bodies, wadded up the rest of their clothes
and fled in terror.
Believe me, it wasnt my intent to surprise you at
your lewdness, the knight went on. You disappeared and
so did thisflesh-peddler, so against my better judgment,
I decided to go out and make sure no ill had befallen you.
Then I heard a womans screams.
Of course you heard womans screams. This is vampire country, Tobiasz said lazily.
And you Hermanns sword pointed in Tobiasz
direction. Unless you so greatly enjoy sharing a warlocks
water that you would dare my ire, you had better cover
yourself and get out of my sight.
A warlocks water? the slaver exclaimed, his face
falling. Then he turned to stare in dismay at Jervais. You
mean
Yes. Now go.
Im going. You niemczialways biting the hand that
feeds. Tobiasz threw on his clothes.
You cannot order me out, Jervais blurted, even
though he no longer had the slightest wish to remain for
any reason besides defying the Ventrue.
No, I cannot order you out, Hermann agreed, irritated.
Perhaps you should see to your own needs, mein Herr.
Did you find any of the slaves suitable?

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Theyll do, the knight nodded. Jervais resolved once

again to determine the secret of the Ventrue knights finicky tastes. All through Hungary hed refused to share the
Tremeres vessels or allow any of them to procure for him,
instead sending one of his mortal soldiers out to do it. Quite
a few nights hed simply done without, restraining his appetite with prayer-vigils. Ill say this for your fellows, here
and at Ceoristheyre a pasty, loathsome lot, but at least
they dont luxuriate in it like brothellers at a stew-house.
They dont trick the mortals or toy with them, trying to
turn it into a pleasure.
Ah, you noticed that, Jervais said calmly.
Hermann stared at him a moment, saying nothing,
then sheathed his sword and walked away. Jervais sat alone
in the water for a long time. All contentment and ease
had evaporated like the steam from the waters surface.
He willed himself to let it go. They were in Tzimisce lands
now. He couldnt afford to hate Hermann, or anyone else.
A new silhouette appeared quietly at the springs edge.
Jervais stared at it. An old bearded man stood there,
stooped but unashamed, completely naked in the brisk
winter air.
The man spoke. Jervais shook his head, then said, I
dont understand, in Saxon just to make himself perfectly
clear. He was tired of playing spring-god for the night.
So the devil speaks Saxon these days? the man said.
Well, I should not be surprised. You look surprised. I have
not come here for years. I asked you for many things in my
youth. You took the salt of my blood, and I made many
wishes, and none of them came true. Not one.
He came closer. His gaze was fixed and intense. Jervais
could read it very clearly, could see the span of decades in
it. Hed endured much bitterness, many disappointments,
for which he was now deliberately choosing to hold Jervais
solely responsible. At the moment, Jervais could find no
fault in that.
Now even to the one son I have left, I am like a dog
at the door. There is no part of my body that does not pain
me.

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The man bent down to the ground, kissed it and whispered into it for a moment.
I know that God will not forgive, because He will
not forgive me even the crime of living, so I beg matka
ziemia, Moist Mother Earth, for forgiveness, he explained,
sitting up. Perhaps she will be kind. Perhaps not. Of you,
whatever you are, I make no more wishes. I ask only what
I know you can give me. Spiteful spirit, I ask you to spite
me unto my death.
Jervais sat there, awestruck, for several moments.
Then he stood.
That, he said hoarsely, I can do. Come.
He held out his hand to help the old man into the
pool.

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Chapter Eleven
It wasnt so very different from the Christian country
they had now left behind. Or at least Jervais didnt think
so. Though he knew intellectually that Poland and Silesia
were considered settled and Prussia was not, it had all
felt more or less like forest primeval to him. At no point
in the journey had he encountered a juncture where he
could have said, Here ends civilization; here begins savagery. Nations, churches and landscapes shaded into each
other. None of it was Saxony, and certainly none of it was
his France, where man and nature had long ago reached
their eternal dtente. Here, even in the places where fields
and pastures stubbornly interspersed themselves between
dense, looming tracts of forest or heath or marsh, they always seemed somehow tentative. It was as though they
knew they would be swallowed up again at once should
the slightest misfortune strike.
They came to a fork in the dirt road. Hermann pulled
up short. The company of Black Cross knights, both
Cainite and mortal, who had joined them at Stettin halted
behind him in perfect formation. Even together with their
squires and men-at-arms they werent many, but their discipline at least was cheering to see.
Which way now, Meister Tremere? It looks like we
must choose between woodland and marsh. Are we still
following the whim of your rock?
Jervais snorted, but just to be sure his fatigued eyes
werent beginning to deceive him, he fished out his lodestone pendulum and let it swing until it found the ley line.
We make for the trees.
They rode uphill toward the stately line of pine and
fir. Just at the woods edge Zabor, the lone Pole among the
Tremere, shivered and held up his hand.
Wait! We shouldnt be here.
Jervais turned quizzically. What do you mean,
shouldnt?
Its an alkas.

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Its a grove, frowned Jervais.

Thats just what I mean, master, the apprentice said
irritably. Jervaiss brow wrinkled and he opened his mouth
to reprove the lad for his rudeness, but Master Antal interrupted with one of his rare, typically blunt contributions.
The Prus worship in certain groves, like the Tzimisce
slaves in Hungary. He didnt look up from shaving his bit
of hawthorn branch, carefully letting each strip fall into
the open pouch at his waist.
Jervais dismounted, then bent down and touched the
earth. His hand was greeted with warmth, pleasant and
tingling now, but then it grew suddenly sharper, and he
snatched his fingers away.
Yes. Perhaps wed best go around He brushed the
dirt off. But we must keep following the flow of the vis.
Its our best chance of finding the Telyavs.
You mean we dont know where they are? Torgeir
spoke up.
Theyre like their Gangrel allies, Jervais snapped,
nomadic. We have a vague notion of their territory; within
those bounds they might go anywhere. But I doubt they
stray far from the wells of power. What magic-worker does?
Torgeirs face seemed to wobble alarmingly in midair
for a moment. Jervais started, then realized that something
was rippling the ley line, plucking it like a lute-string.
Someones doing a working, he hissed at his murmuring brethren. They all immediately fell quiet and
looked to him.
Were not ready for witch-war, Master Jervais, Antal
said definitively. We havent even trained properly yet.
And we dont know this terrain.
Deciding that now was not the time to establish who
would and wouldnt pronounce their troops battle-ready,
Jervais nodded. Right. I want everyone but Captain
Hermann, Master Antal, Zabor and myself to withdraw
behind the hill. Well scout it out and see whether this is
koldun conjuring or the Telyavs already or something else
entirely.
In there? But why me, master? Zabor interrupted.

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Because you were the first to claim to know something about it, Jervais returned.
Well, that will teach me, I suppose.
Yes, I trust so. Jervais spurred his horse into the
forests cool dim depths.
***
Ah, I was mistaken, Jervais thought a little later. The
edge of this alkas, that was the line. Here ends civilization.
The motley crowd seemed exclusively mortal, if their
rosy soul-colors were any guide. Some rode at a stately
pace through the trees, some walked, some were old, and
some were children. All clustered together into a tight
mass. Jervais poked his head a little further out from behind the massive tree that hid him and sharpened his
eyesight to get a better look. In the midst of the crowd
rode a thin man in a bloodied white robe covered over
with a black scapular, his hands bound behind his back.
A Dominican. One of the Teutons missionaries?
he whispered to Hermannthen he turned and saw it was
quite unnecessary. The knight had already caught that
much, and he nodded grimly.
As they watched, the people gathered around the fire
that burned in a stone-and-wood pillar set in the forests
clearing. The maid tending the fire had already been there
when Jervais and his companions first arrived, a good while
before the rest of the crowd made it in. It might even be
that she or one just like her was always there, keeping it
perpetually lit, though he saw no sign of a temple or even
a shrine anywhere about. An old man in rather more fanciful garb than the restthe priest, Jervais
assumedseparated himself from the mob. He said something to their prisoner, who shook his head wearily in
response. The priest drew out from among the people a
pretty young girl of perhaps fifteen, her head crowned in a
wreath of rue and dressed in a fine clean dress of new-spun
linen. The priest gestured expressively at her. The friar
shook his head again. The people murmured.
Zabor, what are we looking at? Jervais prodded.

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The apprentice squinted toward the scene, but it was

plain he couldnt make out the level of detail that Jervais
could. II dont know. Shes dressed as a bride, but
Antal gave a contemptuous, gusting little noise. They
are offering him a wife.
Why on earth would they do that? Jervais murmured, fascinated.
Because theyre stupid superstitious savages, and they
fear his ghost, the Hungarian answered. They think if a
man or woman dies unwed, and thus incomplete, then the
vengeful spirit will haunt the earth forever.
He must not have explained the Dominican vow to
them properly, Jervais said with a wry glance at the fuming Saxon.
Oh, Im sure he explained it, they just couldnt believe it.
If he said yes, would they kill the girl too?
Not sure. They might, or they might simply make
her go through mourning.
It doesnt matter, Hermann put in, aggravated. He
wont say yes.
Now what, Zabor? Is he to be sacrificed in the fire?
He must be, Hermann rumbled, his hand already
gripping his sword-hilt. Jervais plucked at his gauntlet to
warn him to quiet.
Wellhes mounted, Zabor frowned. When their
warriors die, theyre cremated in the saddle along with their
horsesso if hes a sacrifice, hes an honored one. That,
or theyre just afraid to murder him without the proper
funeral rites. Superstition, like Master Antal said.
If this were just murder, theyd kill him and then
perform the rites, not burn him alive, Hermann protested.
This is demonolatry. They mean to feed their loathsome
gods on his ashes.
What is this business with the horse? interrupted
Jervais. Looks like theyre trying to spook it.
No, theyre trying to get it to lift a hoof, Zabor corrected.
Either hoof.
Yes, the horse chooses. Its a lottery.

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All at once a great cheer rose up from the people in

the glade. Death, Jervais translated.
Id imagine so.
This ends now. The knight glared at them all, as
though theyd contradicted him already. I wont stand
here in the dark and permit this sacrilege. You hang back
if you like
No, mein Herr, Jervais implored him. For all you
know, one foot on that holy earth might destroy you.
Unholy earth. I do not fear the demons of the savages! Hermann hissed.
Just look at the man. Hes half dead already. Even if
you did rescue him, what would you do then? Give him
the blood and hope he doesnt wind up as one of us?
The knights face was a mask of unadulterated hatred. Jervais stared back blankly.
Well? If you really must, then risk it. But why cheat
any mortals short life of a martyrs crownto say nothing
of one of the holy brothers of Dominic?
You havethe reason of it, warlock. Hermann cast
his half-drawn sword fully back into the sheath and settled
back down again. It is a poor night when reason rules.
Not long thereafter, the thick stench of burning hair
and flesh filled the glade. The vampires recoiled from it as
from the sight of a sunbeam, leaving the magpie friar to
his saints end, melting back into the shadows that led out
of the alkas.
***
Jervais contemplated the man as he sat unmoving on
a little ledge of weathered rock. A noble mien, when it
wasnt wreathed in choler as it was now.
In the short term, I need him. In the long term, we need
his master.
He approached Hermann, allowing his quiet footsteps
to make just enough noise for warning.
I dont pretend to be a knight or a monk, Jervais
said softly. And God knows you would never make a wizard.
Hermann snorted, not looking at him. Youll forgive
me if I take that as a compliment.

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Of course. I forgive all our differences. I must, because our purposes are one. Be patient, mein Herr.
Heathenism will fall here, just as it fell in Sweden and
Denmark.
Why do you say that? he returned. It makes no
difference to you.
But it does. He sat down on a fallen log. You see,
as the old ways crumble, the Tzimisce and their allies
crumble also. The night will arrive when they can no
longer play gods to their people, and then they will become our prey. Indeed, all vampires will have to grow more
careful as the Churchs power waxes, and thatll do us all,
Tremere included, a great deal of good. Itll be a milieu
where only the cleverest and subtlest survive.
Falcos ungainly gray body loped out from the shadows, toward them and up to Jervais. The gargoyle had a
fox in his jaws, which he shyly dropped at Jervaiss feet.
Jervais lifted his toes away from the bloody carcass.
Which of course suits you admirably. Hermann
shook his head wearily. Pious talk, master wizard. Sometimes I think the pagans we fight are more steadfast in
their bastard faith than most so-called Christians are in
theirs.
Take heart, Jervais urged him. Then, to the gargoyle
he said, No, no, Falco. I mean, thank you, you have it.
He put his hand briefly and gingerly on the monsters head.
Falco removed his prize to a few yards distance and began
tearing into it with a good will.
Take heart, Captain, he repeated. That faith will
be the Telyavs downfall, and the Gangrels, and the
Tzimisces.
Will it?
Such complete trust wont bend, the Tremere explained. It can only break. The Telyavs have made their
fatal mistake in teaching their kine to regard them as holy.
It will be only too easy to expose them, and then theyll
lose everything in one great blow. The mortals will acknowledge the power of almighty God, and all will be just
as you wish it.

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You seem to regard faith as a simple matter of bowing to the stronger of two parties.
I think for most people, thats exactly what faith is,
he allowed. But since the one true God cannot be anything but victorious, isnt that enough?
The silence yawned between them, and Jervais had
to resist the urge to smile. Hermann was wrestling with
the unavoidable limitations of both sword and sermon to
truly change the hearts of men. Jervais would not be the
one to tell him his entire purpose in existence was a futile
lie, but if he reached that conclusion on his own, so be it.
There was little danger of it, however. The Saxon was
nothing if not stubborn.
I suppose it isa first step, as his Highness would
say, Hermann murmured at last. And what about you,
Tremere? Is that your creed as well, always to bow to the
stronger?
A true wizard There was a relish in saying these
words, taking them out of Etriuss mouth and appropriating the right to change their meaning. A true wizards
body may bow before the victor of the moment. His heart
doesnt bow to anything or anyone, ever.
Not even to God Himself? Hermann replied,
shocked.
God chose to give me free will. That was His choice,
His mistake perhaps. As for myself, I will honor the gift in
the only way it deserves. I will exercise it. If there is a hell,
here or in any other realm of being, I am sure it need consist of nothing more than thatthe taking-away of
choice.
By those lights, servitude is hell, in and of itself.
Yes, Jervais agreed. Servitude is hell.
And your masters at Ceoris, Hermann went on
thoughtfully, would they agree with that?
My teachers at Ceoris, Jervais answered. Their
wisdom justifies their position, not the reverse.
I see. Hermann rose. Well, it sounds like a very
comfortable philosophy, Meister Tremere, up to a point.
And which point would that be?

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The point where death is with all certainty upon

you, and all your power and free will can no longer help
you. He smiled thinly, sketched a military bow and left.
And that is probably the very moment you pray hastens
itself to you, Jervais thought.
***
Servitudeis hell, Falco informed his mate Rixatrix
and Master Antals gargoyle, Cabo. He enunciated the words
as carefully as he could through his crooked fence of teeth.
His darlings answer was straightforward and to the
point. She swatted him down off his branch to land faceflat in the dirt. No, she said. He shook his head free of
the filth and flapped up into another, slightly more distant tree.
Master said it, he huffed, pushing out his chest.
Mother says we must serve, Cabo pointed out reasonably. Is honor.
Master said is hell.
Mother must be right.
Master must be right.
They all pondered this for some time.
Master has a Master, Falco went on. If Master must
serve his Master, but Master says servitude is hell
Stop talking, Rixatrix rumbled. You think like rock.
Mother is right and Master is right. They are both right.
How?
For a moment she seemed stumped by this, but she
soon recovered. They are both rightin different ways,
she pronounced.
How?
I do not know, she said serenely.
Perhaps, Falco said at last, is hell for Masters, and
honor for us.
Perhaps, Cabo acknowledged. He scratched himself behind one of his curling ram-horns, shaking the
branches and sending a drift of leaves falling to the ground.
Thenwe are luckier than Masters, Falco concluded, uncertainly.
Of course, Rixatrix scolded him.
And that ended the argument.

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Chapter Twelve
This is ill country to stop in, Antal argued. Too
open. Too many birds overhead for so late in the year. The
Telyavs might well speak with birds if their sorcery is as
much like the Fiends as you say.
I understand that, but we cant get a really good survey on the move like this. At some point were going to
have to sit down and scry. Jervais shifted in his saddle.
One thing hed never thought quite just was that the horse
should get a saddle blanket to prevent chafing, but no such
comfort was extended to the rider. He threw an unfriendly
glance in Hermanns direction. The knight looked as comfortable in the saddle as though he were under some
enchantment to that effect. Now there was a thought.
You can do some things on the move, the Hungarian said, an unusual (and worrisome) note of enthusiasm
entering his voice. Once a detachment of Brancoveanus
forces chased us for a solid week. I had a spell to drive
them off, but only if we could find a well of vis. I soon
discovered that one can briefly attune a gargoyle to the
ley line, such that they instinctively fly along itbecause
theyre very earth-heavy, you see.
Jervais restrained the urge to roll his eyes. Everyone
thought he was a vis expert if he knew one trick. Ah,
clever. Still, I think well want to be able to make a chart.
How familiar are you with that process?
Somewhat, Antal lied.
Well, ideally we need at least two stable locations to
scry from. That way theres something to compare against,
and you also have a triangle of points, you see, from which
you can use geometry to more accurately compute the distances.
What makes you think well have the luxury of one
stable location, much less two? the other magus acidly
interrupted. Its certainly not a privilege I have often enjoyed.

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We may not, Jervais conceded, which is part of

why the most sage Councilor thought your services would
be needed. Your ability to think on your feet.
Not an ability I would have wished to have to acquire, Antal sighed.
Come. Im sure its been an adventure, at leastand
your name is famous among young Tremere from Ceoris
to Aachen. Jervais was hoping yet to knock this conversation off track before it went where he feared, but no
luck.
And what good does that do me? Antal lowered his
voice. Besides perhaps a slightly greater ease in luring the
young out to the front to get themselves killed. Hardly
rewarding. Theres peril in being too good at something,
Master Jervais.
Yes, thats certainly true.
Particularly, never being given the chance to prove
ones skill at anything else. Anything less hazardous. Then
again, Im sure magi with more comfortable posts also
grow discontented with the sameness of things after many
decades.
Perhaps they do, sometimes. If youre referring to a
specific rumor, Master Antal, youll have to do me the
favor of letting me know exactly which oneahh!
Jervais instinctively clutched at his horses neck as
the creature tripped and stumbled down onto one knee
nearly causing him to tilt off its backand then rose
limping. Jervais reined it in and dismounted at once.
Halt! Whats this? Hermann wove through the apprentices up to the front. Threw a shoe?
Probably, knowing my luck.
Let me see. Hermann examined the bared hoof.
Easy, easy now, old fellow. Master wizard, how the hell
have you been sitting this poor beast? Have you been leaning sinister all night or something? A man your size has to
sit with some balance.
Leaning sinister! Jervais exclaimed indignantly,
though he thought with a slight wince of pain that perhaps he had been a bit, given that his worst sores were on
the right flank. A slight chuckle came from the knot of

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apprentices. Jervais looked murder at them, and whoever

it was fell silent.
See here, it looks like the tip of his back hoof caught
the edge of the shoe and flung it off. Someone find itah,
good, Fidus. Hm. Weve got spare nails, but I dont know
if our man can reset this. Its quite bent. We should find a
smith.
Out in this wilderness?
These Samogitians are supposed to be great riders.
Surely they shoe their horses. There must be smiths. Have
your Kur ask at the next mortal dwelling we pass.
Jervais privately doubted the slave was capable of such
translations yet. He seemed to understand the natives in
these parts far better than he had the Prus, but he was
learning Saxon slowly. Still, he nodded. Very well.
***
So the farmer said thiswhat was the name
Aukstakojis, Jervais said. The Kur timidly echoed
the word, evidently correcting something in Jervaiss pronunciation.
Bonisagus, its worse than Georgian. Anyway. He
lives along this path? Antal peered into the gloomy depths
of the wide stand of trees. In the opposite direction from
the village? Looks like a bandit hideout to me.
Well, smithies are rather noisy for most neighbors
tastes Jervais said noncommittally. In fact, I think Im
hearing the ringing now. And look, theres a glow.
Working awfully late, Hermann frowned.
A commission for some impatient local potentate,
perhaps. Mein Herr, youre the one insisting that my horse
be seen to as soon as possible.
Leading their mounts single file along the narrow trail,
they soon came up on a little lone shack from whose cracks
orange furnace fire bled. They studied it a moment. An
unmistakable clanging came from within.
Ill go in, Master Antal said, since Im accustomed
to being in close quarters with fire.
No, Ill go, Jervais argued, our Kur understands me
best.

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Well all three go in, Hermann said, determined not

to be out-couraged. And that way well be prepared whatever happens.
Jervais knocked heavily on the open doors frame before walking in, for all the good it likely did. The two other
Cainites and the Kur, whom hed collected with an imperious glance, followed. Inside, Jervaiss eyes tried
unsuccessfully to adjust to the light, and his skin felt rimed
in frost compared to the heat of the forge. Before the
flames, a thin crooked silhouette undulated in the rhythmic motion of hammering.
Smith, he called. Smith! Then he looked at the
Kur, who translated. The smith looked up, gave his
projectit looked like a knife-tangone more whack and
set it aside. He came forward. He was a small man (small
everywhere except for his great shoulders, anyway) but
wore a huge bristling beard and mustache.
He spoke. The Kur translated: He say welcome fine
sirs.
Jervais said, Tell him we have a thrown shoe and
will pay him well to fix it right now.
Saxon merchants? the smith spoke up, in that
tongue. Saxon merchants always pay well, sir. Always
hurrying. He gave a funny little bow and smiled. I fix
shoe for you. Please give
Jervais handed it over. The little man examined it,
running his fingers over it.
You do quite a trade, Hermann remarked. Look at
all these stirrups. And theyre not all built the same way.
You have two different kinds.
Every rider does not wish the same, the smith replied.
True. But these are perfectly ordinary, and then these
here are the sturdiest and heaviest Ive ever seen. Look at
the great flat plate on the bottom. You could stand all night
in these.
Save us from such a fate, Jervais exclaimed.
I highly doubt theyre for Saxon merchantsbut I
trust their purchasers pay well nonetheless? Hermann

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stood and moved closer to the smith, who didnt seem to

realize he was supposed to feel menaced.
Those riders? They not pay at all, he answered cheerily. They come at night on the backs of tarpanas, wild
forest horse, and their eyes bright like moonlight, and they
say if I give thin no-good wares then they will tear down
my forge. So I think I should work.
Jervais and Hermann exchanged a look.
Sounds frightful. These riders, what do they call
themselves? Jervais asked conversationally.
The men call their leaders darkhan. I know no other
word. But they are very strange. I know they are not of my
people, because Samogitians only ride zemaitukai He
gestured toward the assortment of more ordinary-looking
stirrups. And also some of them look very strange to me.
Are they bandits? If we wanted to avoid them, how
should we steer clear?
If they want you, they find you I think. The little
man shrugged. Twelve leagues north of here, they enslave
whole village. Last week, that was. But Samogitians kill
you too, if they see black cross of White Christ on you.
He smirked at Hermann.
Let them try, Hermann said imperturbably.
The smith put the horseshoe in to start heating and
went back to working the bellows.
Time to start looking for our first spot, I suppose,
Jervais said quietly to Antal in Magyar.
Yes, Antal murmured back. Except now weve got
to find a spot where they arent.
Well, these are real horsemen apparently. Theyre
not going to go taking any long walks. We stay away from
the churned-up ground, we should be able to stay away
from them.
Yes, but if theyre that skilled, theyll see our tracks,
and know right away that Herr Pious there has got a great
hulking Friesian shod with the nail heads sticking out so
as to kill people all the deader, and so on and so forth.
The Hungarian chewed a bit on the end of his beard and
then a thought seemed to seize him. Tell the man hes
got some more shoes to fix. My old master had a spell to

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lighten a mans tread. I think I can adapt it. One mark on

each, and a bit of blood while the iron is hot.
Re-shoe twenty horses? But thatll take a couple of
nights, at least. Be practical Jervais protested.
Yes, re-shoe them all, Antal interrupted. Practical? Think about it. Do you really want them finding us
first, or the reverse? Lets at least try it on Hermanns and
see if it works.
And what about the carts?
If the horseshoes work, I can figure out something
with the carts.
Weve got more work for you, Jervais shouted to
Aukstakojis, and more coin.
Work with coin much better than work without,
the smith shouted back with a huge grin.

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Chapter Thirteen
Hermann pushed into the tent. Our scouts back from
Riga, he announced.
Jervais and Antal looked up from the map they were
making. Ah? And did he bring word?
He did better than that. The knight stepped aside
to let another Cainite in the Black Cross habit pass by.
This is Brother Wigand. He and a handful of survivors
have been holding out up north.
Qarakh and his tribe are no longer in Livonia,
Wigand said. Theyre much closer than you think.
Theyve been driven southnot, alas, by our efforts but
by sheer press of mortal conversion. But now theyre among
even wilder pagans than before. If they get a chance to
recruit many Samogitians and Lithuanians, it will go very
badly for you.
A pleasure to meet you as well! Jervais exclaimed.
You seem like exactly the sort of source weve been looking for. Come in, come in, my dear sir. Antal refused to
give up his seat; Jervais scoffed at him and offered up his
own chair instead. Actually, we already know Qarakhs
riders are here, but theres something else you might be
able to tell us. Now I understand from the reports that
made it back that Alexander and Qarakh faced each other
alone.
The knight arranged himself in the chair. Yes, he
said. That is true. But not by choicenot by our choice,
that is. We were all trapped by a bog that suddenly opened
up under our feet. All of us except for Qarakh and
Alexander. Perhaps Qarakh did it using some beastly art,
such as others of his kind use to sink themselves into the
earth during the day. Myself, I think it was his witches. I
was lucky. Only my legs were swallowed, and I managed
to dig myself out with my sword, butnot in time to save
anyone else.
Yes, yes, Jervais said excitedly. That isits very
good to know that. It corroborates what our talebearers in

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Saxony said. But they escaped in the opposite manner

sank into the mire completely and so, alas, ended up
missing the last of the single combat. Qarakh slew
Alexander all alone, then?
Yes.
And how was it done? The killing strike? Was it a
sword blow?
No indeed, Wigand snorted as if the very notion
were ridiculous. That creature? He assumed the wolfs skin
and devoured first our generals leg and then his throat,
letting the gore stream from his maw like the animal he
is.
He drained him to the dregs, then.
Wigand looked him directly in the eye. If you are
asking me, sorcerer, whether Qarakh stole the ancients
soul, whether Qarakh committed that vileness known
among our kind as diablerie, then the answer is yes.
Jervaiss eyes lit so fiercely at that that everyone in
the room drew back alarmed. Then we have him! he
blurted, slamming the palm of his hand on the trestle table.
Several moments of stunned silence followed.
What in our Saviors sweet name is the blackguard
talking about? Hermann directed this to Antal, who
shrugged.
Not sure, the Hungarian said. Certainly, to commit the diablerie on one so powerful can have terrible
consequences for the defiler. But we have no control over
Qarakhs pains. That is, lacking something of the ancient
himselfand surely Alexander must long since be scattered to the four winds.
Not all of him, Master Antal, Jervais said grandly.
Look
He reached into his purse and set a coin out on the
table, ringing it like a banker upon a bankers counter. It
sang like metal but appeared black as a lump of coal. Antal
left off his drawing, set his pen in its well and came over
to examine it.
Malgorzatas coin.
Malgorzatas spell, Jervais corrected for the benefit
of their bemused audience. And certainly one of her

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handier ones. This particular coin I fashioned. It holds a

small portion of the ancients blood, locked up in the prison
of the metal, but I should be able to extract it again.
We could mix it with molten wax and form a figure.
Inscribe it with his name in Greek.
Yes, and dress it with this. Jervais went over to one
of his chests, touched his tongue to the lock and whispered into the keyhole, then unlocked it. He brought forth
a tiny strip of white bloodstained cloth and laid it next to
the coin.
Fashion it into a tabard, yes.
With his arms embroidered on. Vair, on a pale purpure,
a laurel wreath or. Jervais mocked a heralds pompous tone.
I daresay Olena can embroider, cant she?
Pardon me, scholars, Hermann interrupted. I hate
to break up your plotting since you seem so eager to get
about it. But Im not sure I understand just what you mean
to do. Alexander is deadhis soul devoured.
Exactly, Jervais said triumphantly. And where did
that soul go? Into the belly of the beast.
Into Qarakh.
Who, the warlock finished, is due for a terrible bout
of indigestion.
***
Here, Fidus, Olena said, tossing him the scrap. Master Jervais said to embroider it like a tabard. Vair, on a pale
purpure, a laurel wreath or.
Butbut I dont embroider, he stammered.
Neither do I, she said curtly. But dont worry. Ill
let you know if youve made a mistake.
***
Master Antal went about calling the quarters as
though it were a life-or-death business, which, to be fair,
it could be often enough. He started in the North and
invoked the power of Uriel, archangel of death and the
realm of Earth, drawing the proper sigil in the bowl of dirt
with the tip of his wand and then bringing its power up to
form its portion of the warding circle. He then moved
Miklos into position there and again traced the same sigil
on Mikloss chest, naming him the watchman of the North.

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Then he moved to the West, where Gabriel ruled, again

drawing in the bowl of water that lay in that quarter and
raising its power. He placed Baghatur in the West. In the
South lay Michael, archangel of Fire, and a cone of incense in whose smoke Antal traced the necessary sign;
Zabor assumed his appointed place there. Then Antal finished by consecrating himself to Air, to the East and to
Raphael, and took up that position. Olena, Torgeir and
Jervais stood in the circles center.
The creature of wax, Jervais murmured.
Miklos brought it forth from a fold of his ritual robe.
Molded by my hands, he said. He passed the poppet to
Torgeir, who took it to Baghatur.
Baghatur took a little silver implement and carefully
pricked tiny dots for eyes and gouged out a gaping mouth,
then articulated a suggestion of fingers and toes. Carved
by my hands, he said.
Torgeir now handed the poppet to Zabor, who just as
carefully inscribed ALEXANDROS into the poppets
chest. Marked by name by my hands, he said.
Torgeir gave the poppet to Antal, who took two tiny
snake-fangs and inserted them into the poppets open
mouth. Marked by Caine by my hands, he said.
Torgeir then passed the poppet to Olena, who slid
the little white tabard over its head and belted a tiny
leather cinch around its waist. Clad by my hands, she
said.
Now Jervais took the poppet. Creature of wax, he
intoned, I anoint thee and name thee Alexander, sometime of Paris, childe of the Ventrue patriarch and
great-grandchilde of Caine who was cast out. He dabbed
blots of dark blood onto its forehead, hands, feet, heart
and groin.
Alexander thou art.
Alexander thou art, the other six repeated.
Alexander thou shalt remain.
Alexander thou shalt remain.
In his hands, the poppet seemed to grow ice-cold,
leaching the vital force from his skin wherever it touched.
To his mystical sight, it grew a thin, guttering halo of col-

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ors, shifting randomly for want of a guiding intelligence.

There was no mind there, only essence, and even that was
fragmentary.
Not much of him left, he said softly to Torgeir. But
youll make him stronger. Take him now and feed him.
Three drops to make him yours.
Torgeir shuddered a little as the thing touched him,
but he did as instructed. Biting into the pad of his thumb,
he dropped one drop after another into the poppets wide,
hungry mouth.
I bind thee once, Alexander, in my blood and will. I
bind thee twice, Alexander, in my blood and will. Thrice
I bind thee now, Alexander, in my blood and will, and
thou art mine to command.
Lets hope so, a distant and unwizardly corner of Jervaiss
mind whispered, but he pushed the thought aside. It could
only hurt the working. He guided Torgeir (whose awareness
was already gone elsewhere) to a seat cross-legged on the floor.
Olena took up the ritual sword that marked her as guardian
of his body and anchor of his soul for the duration of the
spell, holding it before her in an attitude of utmost vigilance.
Can you see him? he whispered to Torgeir. Where
are you?
IIm following the thread. Things are blurryIm
flying over the ground.
Which way is the moon?
Thatthat way.
North-northwest, Jervais muttered, committing the
direction to memory.
And now I see odd little tents. No, they arent little.
They grow as I approach. Suddenly he hissed and flung
one hand up over his face. The other hand nearly let go of
the poppet it clutched. Jervais stiffened and moved in.
What is it?
The twin firesI may not pass through. I am not of
the ordu.
A sorcerous warding, placed by the Telyavs? Or just a
native superstition fueled only by the power of collective
will? You can pass through, he encouraged the Dane. They
cannot stop you. You carry a piece of the chief himself.

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No, he moaned.
You shall pass through.
He shall pass through, the other Tremere chanted
as one. It was more than merely verbal support. As they
said it, they were also focusing every ounce of their souls
upon making the words reality. They needed no prompting as to when to add their strength. That was good Eastern
training for you. Excellent.
Do you hear that, Torgeir? Were with you. He bent
down. Its fine. Our wills are joined. You wield the might
of Seven. Now hold Alexanders echo close to you, and
walk through.
Torgeir nodded and gathered the poppet to his chest.
I hold a portion of your chief, he intoned to his invisible
enemy. You must let me pass.
There was a long, tense moment. Suddenly Torgeir
began to gasp like a landed fish, and Jervais feared the
ward had attacked him after all. But then he managed to
say through his gasps, Im through, and a tingle of relief
passed through the circle. Jervais took the Danes shoulders and steadied him until the whistling breaths calmed
and died.
Good, Torgeir. Come. We may not have much time
now, hurry. Find Qarakh.
I see him. He shines. By God, Ive never seen a man
so strangely made
Yes. Jervais gritted his teeth and silently cursed
Etrius for not doing as other Tremere masters did and drubbing the use of God out of his pupils, particularly when in
circle. Go to him. You must enter in and find that sliver
that was Alexanders. That is your link and your rudder.
You must take hold of his heart.
Take hold of his heart, the other Tremere echoed.
Show me, my prince. Torgeir addressed this to the
deceased, in students Greek. You must be here. One so
ancient never disappears completely into his conqueror.
Hiding, perhaps? Mourning? He licked his lips, cracked
and withered from three nights fast to ease his spirits release. Or waiting Waiting for revenge?

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The built-up head of power within the circle changed

tenor in less than the space of a mortal heartbeat. Before,
it had felt like an unseen mist, drifting easily between them
except when driven forward by the workings. Now it crystallized, condensed, sharpened. Olena gripped the sword
more tightly. The guardians of the quarters steeled themselves against the onslaught, containing it.
Jervais struggled not to let himself be paralyzed by
the unexpected strength of the response. I Youve got
it all right, Torgeir. Easy, now. Direct it.
Yes. Torgeir held the poppet forth. Beads of blood
appeared on his forehead. Let me guide you, my prince.
Let me lend you the power of my mind, so that I may show
youhow much easier it is to destroy from within
***
Qarakh set down his bowl, which a moment before
had been full of the blood of mortals drunk on qumis, and
wobbled up from his seat in the square of logs and stumps
that stood in the middle of his cluster of personal gers.
Deverra waited until he had blundered wordlessly away,
then picked up the bowl and took it to be washed. Hopefully if he had to call for it again to get more, he wouldnt
bother.
As she handed it to one of the scullions in the kitchentents, she felt a stirring at her back. She knew what it was,
but said nothing until she was at the threshold of her own
ger, where she turned.
Boyar Osobei. Why do you follow me?
The slim, elfin-faced Cainite bowed. I pray that I
have not given offense with my clumsiness, madam. But I
was hoping to have a word with the great khan tonight.
Then you should have followed the great khan, she
said dully.
The khan, alas, does not seem to be, ah, in the mood
to conduct official business.
The khan is in the only state he will consent to conduct official business in.
Indeed? Osobei was a diplomat, and as a diplomat
disguised both his surprise and his disgust wellbut not
well enough.

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Its his way. He says the heart more truly sees the hearts
of others when the mind is lulled out of interfering.
I see. Then I have erred. Forgive me. One thing she
had to say for Osobei, and indeed all the Tzimisce shed
metthey submitted to the demands of courtly etiquette
with uncommon grace. Though she looked old enough to
be his grandmother, he might well be her elder in actuality, yet he readily lowered his eyes to her in formalized
shame.
You havent erred, she corrected him. You can
speak to me. The Telyavs and Qarakhs riders are as one.
He kept his eyes downward. Yes, so the khan himself has said, madam.
Then why do you hesitate? Im not ignorant of what
your Rustovitch feels toward us. Were thieves of the Blood,
are we not? Has he not sworn to take back what he believes to have been stolen from his clan?
In his eyes, Osobei answered, now raising his glance
once more, you are still Tremere. Yes.
If he was hoping for some guilty reaction, she wasnt
about to oblige him. Youve seen enough of us now to
know how we fashion our existence, boyar. Weve not been
Tremere for over a century.
He shrugged elegantly. A century is but a days sleep
to the voivode, madam.
Then perhaps the voivode should sleep now, and hope
things will be more to his liking when he wakes, the old
woman said archly. If that is all, boyar, I must tend to the
needs of my people.
Madam, it is my hope that the voivode will soon be
prevailed upon to make the alliance that serves our best
interests. His smooth words stopped her retreat.
And you believe that this alliance is in his best interests? she asked him.
With whom else should he join? Osobei replied.
With one of Jrgens Germanic rivals? They hunger for
our land no less than Jrgen himself. With the Arpad?
They are constitutionally unreliable. They betrayed Jrgen
when he most needed them and would gladly do the same
to my voivode. As for the other voivodes, theyre already

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theoretically our allies, and weve seen how well they hold
up to their obligations.
And what about the Obertus? They are Tzimisce,
are they not?
We are not yet precisely sure of that, madam, he
said dryly. What I do know is that their goals are not our
goals. But your people and ours do share a common agenda.
To keep the White Christ out of those few remaining lands
where he does not yet rule, and to crush the Saxon Ventrue
before they have time to think of formally banding with
Ceoris.
Ah, but if you truly believed that, boyar, then you
wouldnt begrudge speaking with me. If you really want to
know what I think
I am indeed most eager for your opinions, madam.
I think youre hoping that we are only allies of convenience for the khan, and that if you offer him the services
of the Tzimisce koldun-priests, hell decide that one magicworker is as good as another and break faith with us. Then
Rustovitch would be spared the embarrassment of finding
himself sharing ranks with those he considers Usurpers,
and the Telyavs could more easily be crushed alongside
the spawn of Ceoris.
Evidently he was not at all used to being so accused
to his face. It took him a moment to recover enough to
speak.
You talk, he said at last, like a woman who believes she does not need any allies at all.
No, I talk like a woman who knows better than to
believe I can have any. She smiled bitterly. Tiny crystals
of snow landed on her face and did not melt. Many will
parley with us, cajole us, but no one will truly stand with
us in the end, because what we have become is an abomination in the eyes of the whole world. Do you pretend
that my khan will be received joyously as a brother-king
in the halls of the voivodes? To you hes fit only to be a
loyal war-hound. Many of his own blood reject him simply for being Mongol, or for aspiring to create something
larger and more enduring than anything theyve made.
Ceoris hates me, yet your master regards me as one of its

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talons nevertheless. The Christians would wipe us out

because we are pagan, and many mortals would exterminate us because we are vampyri. I am under no illusions.
And if the great khan should feel differently, and
wish to ally with us?
Then I will not fight him. I may permit you to use
us, boyar, but never to divide us
She trailed off to a halt.
Do you smell that?
He glanced around. What?
Fire
A vast dread lodged itself in her, shook her frail bones.
Somewhere a boundary had been trespassed. The sense of
alien intrusion was no less immediate and absolute than it
would have been if Osobei had put his hand between her
legs. But which boundary? She began making her way
through the encampment, rising slightly on her toes as
though that would really help her see better. Osobei fell
into step beside her, his expression more curious than concerned.
Then they heard the first scream.
She broke into a stumbling run. The scream was immediately joined by others. They came from near the
warriors gers. She smelled plenty of roasting meat, horsesweat and qumis, but the rising scent of vampire blood
quickly threatened to overwhelm them all.
From the campfire protruded the lower half of someone Deverra was sure she should recognize. Qarakh stood
in the center of a knot of his Cainite soldiers. Long earthcolored claws extended from the tips of his hands and also
from his feet, shredding through his soft leather boots. As
she watched, he bodily picked one Cainite up and threw
him a good ten yards. Another he seized by the throat,
then he snapped the mans spine over his knee and began
to drink lustily from the outstretched neck.
***
In the intimacy of the circle, it was impossible not to
know the moment something had gone wrong. Jervais felt
it before he saw the change in Torgeirs faraway gaze. The
others did too.

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We have to get him out, he said quickly. Olena,

help me bring him out.
Olena laid a long-nailed hand on the Danes shoulder and began to chant in Latin, calling Torgeirs name
and bidding him return to her, his anchor, and also to his
flesh. Jervais added his own words to hers. At once the
young maguss inert body leaped into animation. He was
on his feet, white teeth flashing, curling his lips in a wild
snarl.
Ho! cried Master Antal. A military note came into
his voice at once. Dismiss the circle now! East, South,
West, North! Rapidly he began speaking his quarters
words of revocation.
Jervais fumbled for the wooden dagger at his belt.
Olena crouched as Torgeir bore down upon her, thrusting
up the ritual sword so that its length was buried deep in
his belly. He howled but couldnt pull himself off the blade.
Jervais, trying to measure Torgeirs back for his blow, found
himself splattered with a shower of Cainite blood, which
woke his senses like a trumpet blast. The blade protruding
from Torgeirs back waved hazardously as he and Olena
struggled. Then Torgeir pushed past Olena, the sword still
in him, and charged toward Zaborwho chose the better
part of valor and dodged aside, breaking his quarter prematurely and scattering the circles energy into a hundred
wounded, wasted fragments. Antal shouted at him, too
late. The beast was on the loose.
They all stood there for several moments, dazed from
the wrenching blow of the spells sudden end, then Antal
lurched away to follow Torgeir, and the others fell in behind him. There was no need to ask where he would go.
***
Qarakh! Deverra shouted, but the Mongol didnt
hear. One of the soldiers, no doubt shocked beyond reason, grasped his lolling comrade and tried vainly to pull
him out of Qarakhs raptor grip.
No! she shouted again. Dont touch him, youre
only provoking him! Back away slowly!
They understood her tone, if not her logic, and
obeyed. Qarakh clutched his prey and would not lift his

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lips from the streaming throat, but he lifted his eyes at

least. In his stare she could see no recognition, no human
thought at all, only the awareness of a threat nearby.
Qarakh. Many times, as witch-priestess, shed had
to bury her fear so that a sullen spirit would not taste it.
This was no different. Qarakh, you must put him down
now. You are tired, you are sadyou need to rest, my khan.
He gazed blankly at her. His mouth opened and
dribbled gibberish. She could make nothing of it at first.
Then one word went by that she understood. The phrases
themselves were disjointed nonsenseas though he realized he was being addressed and should respond, yet had
forgotten how. But the language was one her old master
had long ago made her study.
Greek. Holy gods
What was the word? Softly, she whispered to him
in the best Greek she possessed. Softly. It will be all right.
She moved closer to him. He watched her warily, suckling
the wound once more, as she took one step, two, three.
Four was evidently one too many. He lunged for her, throwing the crumbling body of his clansman aside. She
screamed. The other soldiers catapulted themselves onto
him, weighing him down. He gave a roar and began flinging them off.
She muttered and drew herself into herself, calling
for spirits of the air. She didnt have time to sweet-talk.
She simply promised to summon them a storm, a storm of
great violence in which they could dance for hours, if they
would come to her now and do as she bid. Eagerly they
brushed past her and seized hold of Qarakh, then lifted
him from the ground until he was hovering in midair like
a bee. Some of the fight went out of him as his feet left the
ground, but he continued to writhe and spit and struggle
against those who were still latched onto him. His face
had begun to stretch, change shape. If he moved to wolfshape now, in the grip of such rage, there was no telling
when he would come back. She hurriedly fetched an arrow out of one of the soldiers quivers.
Hold him still if you can! She opened up his coat
and, with a prayer to Dievas, struck with every ounce of

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strength blood could give her. Her prayer was heard. The
shaft slid through, splintering in her hand as it went, but
at least one shard must have pierced his heart since he
shuddered once and then went completely stiff.
Imploring the spirits to bear him down gently, she
and the soldiers laid him on the ground. His face was frozen in a rictus of hatred that she could hardly bear to look
at.
What happened? she asked quietly, glancing toward
the half-corpse at the fire.
He came at us with an evil gleam in his eyes, and
didnt seem to understand a word we said to him. Kasim
tried to fend him off with a burning brand, but that only
made him angry.
Yes It was worthless to point out the folly of such
a course to themtheyd now seen it with their own eyes.
Fire was a fine tool for driving off Cainites who were still
in their right minds, but once the Beast had already
emerged, there was no telling how it might respond to a
flame thrust in its face.
I dont understand it. He was drunk, yes, but not to any
extraordinary degree. And now the Greek
There was one way she might gain some understanding, if there was still anything of Qarakh to be reached
right now. She gazed deep into his eyeshe had no choice,
couldnt turn his head or even shut his eyelids.
Qarakh? Her thoughts reached out tentatively for his.
My khan?
There. An echo, heartbreakingly weak. My shaman,
his eyes answered. Who is dead? Are there dead?
Yes, there are dead. She felt tears threatening to start,
and ordered them angrily back. His own riders whom he
loved as kin. I dont yet know who. I will find out, but do you
truly wish to be told now?
Perhaps not.
I will release you in a moment, I promise.
No! He couldnt move, but she thought she felt the
barest shiver through his clothes. No, you must notits
not safe, my witch. I dont have the mastery of it.
What is happening? Is he

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Shh. I do not know. There issomething, that is sure.

And it draws not only on my own strength, but on the power
of the god. It wakes the wolf in my soul and bids it raven.
Do you think you can master it, my khan?
I must. I will try. I do not think I can kill it, but perhaps
I make itunderstand, given time.
Time?
You must give me time. The voice had grown paperthin. You must be father as well as mother to the tribe.
No, no. Dont do this to me. The last two words of this
desperate thought were out before she could stop them.
Somethings coming still. Theres danger. Well need you.
You do not need one more thing to worry about. And
now, sharing company mind to mind, she could feel the
accumulated pain that shed guessed at, but not seen, in
these recent months. Let us face facts, my shaman. Neither
of us has been the same since Alexander, and since the gods
burning touch. My change has simply been less obvious. I will
return when I can be a help to you, and not a burden.
She wanted to plead with him, but he was the wrong
one to importune. She wanted to plead with Telyavel, but
if the god hadnt stretched out his hand to help Qarakh
yet, he must have decided by whatever mysterious reasoning gods employed that it wasnt right to do so. In that
moment she would even have pleaded with their dead
enemy Alexander, if thered been anything there to plead
with besides a mad, mindless fragment.
She held him close. I will guard you, she thought
fiercely, as faithfully as you guarded your blood-brother those
many years. You will rise again, my khan.
But he had descended too completely to respond,
perhaps even to hear.
***
No, Jervais said brusquely to the babbling, gesticulating slave. Yes, I know what you want. You want to burn
your friends body. Im telling you no. No fire. What you
may do is dig. Dig, you know, dig? Something caught at
the hem of his robe. He looked down. The Esth woman
who held the corpse and keened over it had reached out
to wrap her free hand around his leg, leaving a red streak

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on his ritual robe. He stepped back. Zabor! See if you can

make these people understand that I realize perfectly well
what theyre asking, I just havent the first intention of
giving it to them.
They dont seem to understand my Polish any better
than your Saxon, master, Zabor pointed out.
Well, find out what it is they do understand, or Im
going to take all the dead ones and one of the live ones
just for instructional purposes, and crack the stream ice
open with their thick heads.
That sounds like it might work, master.
Do you wish instruction from me as well tonight,
whelp? Jervais rounded on him, snarling.
Master Jervais, if you will permit me Master Antal
interrupted, holding up a hand. I must borrow Zabor instead. There are words that should be had about the
importance of remaining in position in ritual until instructed
to take leave of it.
Ah, true. Jervais was gratified to see an authentic
look of fear pass across Zabors face. Feel free, Master
Antal.
Jervais then made his way out of the campsite, to the
tree where Torgeir was bound in a length of stout chain
Miklos had packed in his trunk just in case. The young
maguss head was drooping now. Jervais thought he must
have passed out, so he began to steal away again.
Leave me be. The Danes accent was far stronger
than usual.
Im not here to hurt you, Jervais said soothingly.
He sniffed at the air. Are you still bleeding, lad?
No.
It smells like you are. If you need more
No.
Ah, so that was it. But of course. How could it be
otherwise? He studied the albinos soul-colors carefully. It
was hard to say which predominated, the dank gray-brown
of shame or the licking scarlet of hatred. He looked slack
and barely conscious, but it might be far too soon to consider unbinding him. It wasnt even the chain itself Jervais
placed his trust in so much as the spell laid on it.

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If you need more, he said firmly, then you need

more.
Im fine.
Jervais walked up to the tree, put his fingers into the
hair at the Danes brow, and lifted his head up until his
face came into view. Here was the source of the blood hed
smelt, tracking out of the odd eyes and down the white
cheeks. There was an old dried set of tracks as well as a
fresh one dripping sweet red. Torgeir wrested his head out
of Jervaiss grasp and shook it until his long fine white
hair had fallen down over his countenance again, shrouding it.
Yes. I see how fine you are. The scarlet in Torgeirs
halo flared. Jervais pretended not to notice. I know its
hard in that position, but you must try to rest and calm
yourself. I cant unbind you until you do. Besides, theres
no reason to be anything but calm. Youve done very well.
He didnt answer, and that was answer enough.
You dont believe me, but think about it. Whatever
you suffered, Qarakh himself must have suffered threefold.
Not all we hoped for, perhapsstill, at the very least, we
surely sowed a great deal of fear and chaos in very close
quarters.
Hekilled some of his own, Torgeir said quietly,
not looking up. I saw it.
Jervais brightened at that. Did he? Excellent!
The praise fell into dead air. Jervais studied the young
magus again. He all but radiated sullen defiance. His slump
on the tree had become rather irritatingly and stoically
Christ-like. There were many things Jervais might have
been inclined to say here. This is war, what did you expect?
perhaps, or Qarakh killed his own kin, you killed a few flearidden slaves. As far as I can see that leaves us ahead. But no,
he would have to be more subtle than that. He sat down
at the foot of the tree but made no effort to peer up into
Torgeirs face.
I know what youre thinking, he murmured, because I know what your master has taught you. I know
how he thinks. You have sinned, and now you intend to
torture yourself for it. Perhaps youve already planned how.

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He paused. Let me ask you this. All this suffering you

make yourself endure, has it ever lessened the thirst one
iota? Or restored the dead to life? Do you honestly feel, in
this moment, chained to a tree, unbreathing, belly full of
blood, the slightest bit more human than I?
Torgeir shuddered and said nothing.
Let me tell you a clan story, he went on. The Council of Seven, of course, were the first Tremere to become
vampires. As logic would suggest, at a certain point they
were also the only vampires in the House, and had to decide whether or not they would remain so.
Ive heard this story.
I daresay you have. No doubt Etrius further told you
that he argued against the crime of dragging fellow magi
into undeath without their consent, while Goratrix argued for the necessity of it. In the end, Great Tremere
decreed in Goratrixs favor. Being obedient students, both
Etrius and Goratrix brought magi across the threshold, and
in roughly equal numbers. Finally, one night, there were
no mortal Tremere left. No mortal House. Your master had
as great a hand in that as anyone. Now that its all finished, he repents of what he did. And he would have you
believe that because he repents, he can now enjoy the
benefit of his sin without having to pay for it. Doesnt
that strike you as a bitconvenient?
He paused for a moment. After all, do you suppose it
made the first difference to those who were transformed
against their will whether Etrius or Goratrix did it, and
whether either of them repents? Do you think those who
are dead tonight care how you feel? And if it is God whom
you think will see your agony and take pityhow much
pity has He had on you to date? You didnt want to kill
those mortals. Well, did you? Would you not have stopped
yourself if youd had the slightest power to do so? Tell the
truth, Torgeir. We all know what a sin it is to lie.
Leave me alone, devil, the Dane moaned, struggling
for the first time against his bonds. Go away. I tried to
stop it. Oh JesuI tried, but I was so far away, I couldnt,
I couldnt.

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Exactly. Now youre thinking more clearly. It was

not you. Your conscience, such as it is, is clear. It was the
Beast, to whom we all lose now and again. Or one could
just as easily say it was Alexander. He was a poisonous old
monster, and his rage against his conqueror burned out of
all control. There you are. Hate Alexander. Or He
shrugged. Perhaps it was my fault. I selected you for the
task. I knew you might not be able to hold on. Possibly
none of us would have been able. Still, I chose you to take
the risk. Hate me, then. Or hate the Telyavs, for rebelling
against your master and making this all necessary. Hate
your sire for making you what you are. There are so many
choices available. Just pick one. Or hate us all.
Youinvite me to hate you? A slight, disbelieving
chuckle.
Its a service I excel at providing, said Jervais. Im
under no illusions in that regard. Between your hating me
and your hating yourself, Id far rather the former. It sharpens you, makes you keenthat I know from
experienceand we must be keen here. You dont have
the luxury of despair, lad. Weve only begun the bloody
tasks that fulfilling our mission will require.
He got up. Torgeir chuckled again. Disturbed, Jervais
turned back. The albinos eyes rested squarely on him now,
the red lines streaking down from them making them look
somehow heraldic, like war-banners.
No, master. I meantwhat makes you think I need
an invitation?
Jervais considered this, then nodded and put a hand
on Torgeirs shoulder. Point taken, lad.
He went back to his tent, calling for one of the slaves
as he went. All this smell of vampire blood in the air was
making him thirsty again, damn it.

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Chapter Fourteen
Zabor stood, wan and plainly underfed, in a guards
attitude of vigilance exactly four feet south of the cold fire
pit. As Jervais watched, Olena and Miklos walked up to
him. Miklos kicked Zabor hard in the belly. The Pole bent
and had to cough his way back up to standing, but he didnt
move his feet. Olena reached out with her hands and took
hold of Zabors arm. He cried out in pain and wavered as
whatever enchantment she held passed into him. She
quirked a satisfied smile and walked away. Torgeir came
out of a tent and started to pass by. Then he seemed to
change his mind, picked up a clod of mud and hurled it at
Zabors face. It pelted him, splattering, and dropped down
onto his shoe.
Hes made quick improvement indeed, Jervais remarked. With so many avid teachers, its to be expected.
Still, you must have done something impressive to him to
begin with. Perhaps hes had enough punishment for now?
Wouldnt want to wear him down to uselessness.
Antal shrugged. If they dont fear us more than they
fear the enemy, then what hope is there of obedience?
Admirable sentiment, Hermann said over their
shoulders, but its time to stop admiring your handiwork
now and come into council.
***
Now the whole premise of this little adventure is
that you shall succeed where Alexander failed because you
have wizards. Is it not? Wigand stood. That being the
case, I think it meet to ask just what the wizards plan to
do, and why its going to make a difference.
Well, lets start with what weve already done and
what we know from it, Jervais said amiably. He unrolled
a large parchment. The soldiers bent over it.
Its not a letter, its not a map Hermann scowled.
What the devil is it?
Oh, its a map all right. Just not such as any of you
gentlemen have ever seen.

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Its accurate, for one thing, Antal snorted. Jervais

gave him a quick warning glance.
Its to true scale, that is, Jervais smoothed over, and
these blots of color show rivers and lakes, bogs, stretches
of forest, hills. These are alkai, holy groves like the one
back in Prussia where the friar was burnt. And these are
areas we couldnt get to, because of either local natural
disturbances or occult protections. All these sites are of
potential significance to magical workings. If the Telyavs
think to call up powerful spirits of air or earth or water,
these are the places theyll have to go. This is their main
camp, and here are the paths of the two patrols we witnessed. Now weve ranged out as far as we can. Up to this
boundary, the ley lines are recorded from direct scrying.
Beyond, Ive charted out their likely courses according to
the best calculations I can make. Now unfortunately, while
were here well be drawing on the same vis-flows as our
enemy.
Im not sure I understand the first thing youre talking about, Wigand said, but if you and the other Tremere
must draw on the sameflows as the Telyavs, does that
mean that you could draw more heavily and deprive them
of what they need to work their witchery?
Not that simply, Im afraid. Samogitia seems to be
unusually bounteous. I dont know if we and the Telyavs
put together could drain it.
What if you simply cut down an alkas? Hermann
muttered, fingering one of the spots drawn in red. I admit Im tempted to do it in any case, but would it hurt the
Telyavs?
It might, Jervais conceded. But it would anger the
local folk as well, and we have our hands full enough as it
is. And why destroy the treasure when we might yet seize it
for our own?
Well, Wigand said. So you have been doing something all this time weve been sitting like birds in the
bushyouve made a map. Youve also tried to remove
Qarakh, and you have very little idea of what that accomplished besides killing a few raiders. And of course alerting
them to an enemy presence.

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Rubbish. Deverra certainly knows about the ill effects of diablerie. Most likely shell put it down to that,
Antal argued.
Oh? And youre that familiar with what Deverra does
and doesnt know? Hermann challenged him.
Well, she has to know about it. Who besides a rank
neonate doesnt? the Hungarian retorted quickly. Too
quickly. Damn.
That wont suffice. Hermann now stood to roll up
the chart. He stared at Jervais. Both of you seem to know
a lot more about this woman than youve let on so far.
Lets have it out.
Dontdont damage that, Jervais said a bit faintly.
Its very important. To all of us. It was also three weeks
starvation work, but he wouldnt demean himself by complaining of that to Hermann.
Is it now? That would depend on what you mean to
use it for, wouldnt it?
A flush of outrage mounted Jervaiss pale cheeks.
What else would we use it for besides what we all came
out here to do?
Thats just what Im asking. No more evasions, warlocks. What are you omitting? He held up the chart now,
letting it unfurl, poised to rip it down the middle.
You dont dare do that, Jervais growled.
You dont dare stop me, Hermann said loftily.
Oh? Jervais raised his arms. Antal hurriedly put a
hand on his wrist.
Brother, brothereasy, its not worth it. Hes bluffing.
Hermann smiled and very deliberately tore the chart
in half.
Hes not bluffing! Jervais lunged forward, teeth elongated and bared. Hermann was surprised, but not
unprepared. His sword flashed out and nearly caught
Jervaiss chin. Antal restrained his fellow magusbarely.
Quite a temper on our soft courtier after all, the
knight remarked. If you really want to try me, Meister
Tremere, go ahead. Youd better not imagine that the
thought of his Highness will stay my hand. Hes already

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suffered a great betrayal from one ally who kept one secret
too many, and he never trusted you to begin with. I assure
you, hes not of a mind to become your tool, and neither
am I.
You prate to me about making Jrgen a tool? Jervais
shouted. Let me tell you what Ive no more mind to be,
you cross-waving
Please! Were all being very hasty here. Diplomacy
was not a garment Antal wore well, but desperation seemed
to impel him. Please. Brother Hermann, I implore you,
set the parchment down. You have no idea how Master
Jervais and the rest of us have sweated over it, and all for
the sake of our mutual mission.
Theres more to this mission for you than simply
doing milord a service. Hermann did not budge.
Yes, there is, Antal hastily agreed. Please, Master
Jervais. No, no, it is time. We cannot afford such distrust
between ourselves and the knights. If the captain has
guessed, then he must be told. I will take responsibility for
it to Ceoris.
Jervais allowed himself to be guided back down to his
seat. He was still furious at having this morsel that hed
been carefully saving up for the moment of best advantage so rudely swept off his plate. But Antal was taking
blame, at leastthe great war-mage willingly coming down
a peg. That was worth a little something.
The Telyavs, Antal explained, are renegades of the
House and Clan. Deverra was born a daughter of these
lands, so we sent her here to found new chantries in our
name. But she has turned her back on us. Thus she and
her followers have been condemned to die.
The two knights held a moments silent conference.
I see, Hermann said at last. Well, that would explain it.
Are the Telyavs aware of this interdict from Ceoris?
Wigand asked.
May we have our chart back? Jervais returned.
Hermann handed each half across the table to him with a
twitch of the lip. Theyre about to be made aware, he
said once the pieces were safe in his hand once more.

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Ah, but why be in such a rush? Wigand looked

thoughtful now. This changes things significantly. Since
relations havent been formally severed yet, you could visit
as an official of Ceoris, and she would have to receive you
or else admit her treachery, wouldnt she?
She could also, Jervais said, quite evenly he thought,
get suspicious, draw the natural conclusion that I was responsible for the business with Qarakh, kill me, deprive
you of your chief wizard and doom the entire effort to failure.
You mean the business with Qarakh that she surely
attributed to the ill effects of diablerie? Wigand quipped.
Come, Meister Tremere. You were eager enough to risk
yourselves with what you freely claimed to be a most perilous spell. Have you no courage in any other area of
endeavor? Brother Hermann had given me to understand
that you were a skilled negotiator. Think of what you might
learn under a flag of false truce. Qarakhs fate, the camp
layout, the warriors readiness.
That is true. Antal rubbed his beard. Jervais glared
at him. Master Jervais, Im not sure how much more
scrying the children have left in them. They are tired, their
concentration wanes, and the vessels are fatigued as well.
Until we can get some fresh onesperhaps we should make
a more direct move. One that could gain us much knowledge without beginning the fight too soon.
So you wish me to walk straight into the lions mouth,
with no guarantee of even an attempt at rescue should I
be captured. Jervais cogitated on this. Very well. Ill do
it, on one condition. Theres been an awful lot of talk of
trust and the lack thereof tonight, and I do agree that we
should do what we can to foster trust among us all. To that
end, I will grant this as a personal boon to Herr Hermann.
A boon? Hermann cooled immediately. Jervais was
invoking a tradition that far predated the entry of the
Tremere into the Cainite raceone the Ventrue in particular held sacred.
Ill gladly specify if that will assist you in making
your half of the leap of trust, mein Herr. At some future
point, I shall request your assistance in a spell. I promise

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that it will not deprive you of your existence or bring you

to any permanent harm of any sort. You will give me that
assistance freely when I ask it.
Its not enough you ensorcelled my horse, now you
want me to befoul myself with nigromancy, the knight
protested.
Do you want to remove this obstacle to your masters
ambitions or not? Weve now told you the truth about the
Telyavs, and Im further offering to take immense personal
danger upon myself for all your sakes. I dont think his
Highness will be nearly as forgiving of your reticence to
accept one simple boon in these changed circumstances.
Let us again revisit the key words of the discussion: Trust?
Courage? May I add a third: Honor? Not a coin, of course,
that dastardly sorcerers must usually trade in, but what
about knights? I put it to you, mein Herr, that your honor
and the honor of the faith you carry forward are worth a
small promise to a wizard. You are, of course, free to disagree.
Hermann seemed literally unable to speak for a moment. Then, stiffly, he nodded. Very well, warlock. I
acknowledge the boon in the terms you have stated.
Then I should start preparing for my journey. Excuse me, meine Herren. Jervais bowed his way out of
Hermanns tent. As he made for his own tent, he saw Zabor
once again, miserable but vigilant still at his post. Some
of the slaves had crowded up near him to stare. Jervais
went up to Zabor and gave him a pitying smile.
Then he ripped the young Poles robe open down the
front and continued on his way.

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Chapter Fifteen
If this was, indeed, the village the smith had meant,
then hed spoken trueit was well and thoroughly plundered. Not a soul stirred in the silent half ring of houses.
Even whatever had once sat on top of the wooden post at
the mouth of the semicircle (a horses skull, the Kur
guessed) was ripped away.
Jervais noted, however, that although the huts deep
thatched roofs nearly reached the ground, not a single
bundle of straw had been burned. Unusual behavior for
pillagers. And many of the bodies littered aboutmostly
of elderly folk and children who would have been too small
to keep upbore twin teeth marks eerily clean of blood
as well as the more familiar gnawings of scavenger animals. Each body was also missing an ear. In the West no
one dared leave such obvious unnatural traces anymore.
The dead must disappear, as must the killer, unless he liked
the idea of being thrown to the vigilants of the Church as
a propitiating sacrifice. Vampiric power must be invisible,
the vampires themselves never more than rumors and
ghosts. The voivodes of the East were traditionally more
blatant, but Qarakhs raiders had to be making even them
uneasy.
Theyll come, he said benevolently to Torgeir.
Maybe. The Dane rubbed fitfully at his forearms. If
Jervais had been in a computational mood, he might have
easily calculated where Torgeir would end up halting his
mount as some function of maximum distance from maximum number of corpses.
Their patrol should run right across our tracks,
Jervais continued, gesturing. Since theyd certainly had
no wish to inform the Telyavs that they were camped less
than a nights ride away, theyd gone out quite some distance before removing Master Antals enchanted
horseshoes and doubling back northward. Finding this village had been an accident, not at all a happy one for

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Torgeir. Still, it seemed an appropriate place to wait. But

if they take too long about it, Ill send up a witch-light.
Perhaps theyve moved on. You said they were nomads.
Even nomads dont move constantly.
Unless theyre suspicious. Perhaps we waited too
long.
I highly doubt any such luck will be ours. Besides,
we needed a few nights to bleach out your robes.
Of course.
Well, you can hardly fault me. Look at you. Youre
bound to make an impression. Theyll more likely forbear
killing me to please you than the other way round.
Or they might decide to regard me as my fellow
Christians always have, the young magus said icily.
So long as its fear of one sort or another, boy, Im
satisfied.
A new scent on the breeze caught at Jervaiss sensitive nostrils. A little later, it was followed by a distant
thundering and spots of movement on the horizon. The
riders came with uncanny speed. As though of one mind,
they ranged out across the plain and circled the village,
then drew in toward the Tremere. There were eight of
them. Jervaiss horse tried to shy; he calmed it as best he
could, letting it smell of his wrist in an unspoken promise
to feed it later if it would behave now.
That these were Qarakhs raiders there could be no
question. He saw the whites of their vampire eyes glistening under the moonlight, and he heard that their short,
slender-legged, bristle-maned and brush-tailed horses went
unshod. Their faces werent Tartar, or didnt match the
description hed been given in any case, but their armor
was curious. Instead of mail rings, it consisted of many
overlapping plates of what looked like hard leather, giving them, to Jervaiss eyes, a certain reptilian cast.
The Kur, who stood with the Tremere, trembled and
crowded unwisely close to Jervaiss mount. Jervais toed the
slave with his boot. Tell them we come in peace. Shout
it.

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The man shouted out something. The riders might or

might not have understood it, but at any rate they paid
attention. One of them, who wore a fine metal-fitted belt
and a bright-colored hat, shouted back.
Well? Jervais prodded the Kur.
He say if you come in peace you can leave in peace.
You go or you die.
Tell them this. I am unarmed, so you can kill me if
you like, though that would be very foolish. I am kin to
wise Deverra, and I wish only to bring her word from afar.
No Tremere is ever unarmed, called a voice in good
Latin. A second head appeared behind that of the chief
rider; then the rest of the body, which slid down off the
horse and came forward. It was a slim, pale, young-looking man. He didnt wear the strange leather armor borne
by the rest, only a simple cloak of weathered green. But
at least I only see two of you. Why have you come really?
As I said. Jervais deliberately loosened his grip on
the reins to show himself unafraid. Its been a long time
since weve had word of Mistress Deverra, and I daresay
the reverse is true as well.
Indeed, the other replied with a smile. Nor has
Ceoris ever sent us an emissary to visit in person. I must
wonder what prompted them to extend us this honor at
last.
Perhaps it is simply long overdue. But come, your
mistress, is she well? May I see her?
The young Cainite grinned. I assure you, master, at
this point you will see her whether you wish to or not.
***
After a long winter nights ride north and a days rest
in an abandoned wooden fort, Jervais awoke to find to his
very great relief that he and Torgeir hadnt been murdered
in their sleep after all. Indeed, their Telyav guide greeted
them with a smile and a cold swig from a silver flask. A
second small company of mortal horsemen had joined them
during the day, however, two of whom were leading along
light gray beasts a hand or two taller than the tarpanas.
You must change horses now, the Telyav directed
them.

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We must?
In this country, master, wizards ride only pale
mounts.
I see. Well, I certainly wouldnt want to be one to
erode wizardly dignities, Jervais said amiably, although
he gave the horses a good hard sorcerers gaze before slinging himself up. The cloaked vampire helped Torgeir up,
casting a curious eye upon him in the process but saying
nothing.
Some hours later they rode into the pagan camp, preceded by flute and drum. Their guide passed through the
twin fires marking the border of the settlement and formally welcomed them in with a bow and a recitation.
Jervais felt the ward part uneasily as he rode through, but
his attention was immediately drawn away to the odd tents.
They were cylindrical up to a certain height and then
peaked in a pointed roof, many with spiraling smoke-columns rising from the center. Every tent was oriented
exactly the same, the felt-bracketed door always facing due
south. They proceeded along an open south-north lane
running down the camps middle, the one clear area in
what otherwise seemed a confusion of clutter.
As they moved inward, the tents also grew wider and
grander, until at last they reached such a size that Jervais
had no idea at all how they might be moved. From every
tent poured mortals, old and young. They crowded
arounda sea of heads upon which Jervais felt buoyed
forward. He noted with satisfaction that Torgeir (whod
evidently resigned himself to playing the part) elicited
many awed gasps as he rode impassively through their
midst. True, he also saw several fists raised with thumb
between index and middle finger in what had to be some
sort of evil-eye gesture, but those were furtive, covert
movements.
At the very center of the camp stood the grandest
tent of all, festooned with trophies from years of plunder.
A large cluster of figures had gathered there. Foremost
among them was a wizened little woman with bent shoulders, dressed like the other women in the camp, but more
elaborately so: a white shift and a red-orange linen over-

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dress, caught with horseshoe-shaped brooches at the shoulders and sides. From her waist hung a multitude of draped
beaded strings and woven bands. Her headdress was somewhat like a wimple, but decorated with medallions pinned
on it to the left and right of her seamed white face. She
carried a long branch-staff that was either freshly cut or
else enchanted to remain perpetually green with leaves.
Jervais dismounted and came forward to meet her. Torgeir
followed suit.
Master Jervais. Ceoris honors us beyond all expectation, the crone said, bowing low. She extended her hand.
He took it and allowed her to lead him inside, holding
open the tent flap for him. Two of the armored riders took
up guard posts at the door. Low felt-covered cushions, arranged in a long rectangle, awaited them within the tent.
The woman seated herself and her guests on the north
side.
Jervais studied those around him. But for their cloaks,
dyed in various woodsmans shades from green to rust, the
Telyavs looked much like the mortals of the region. Jervais
saw one face, but only one, that looked foreign to him, a
dark-haired Cainite man of indeterminate age. He read
among them colors of uncertainty, fear, resentment perhaps. Nothing he wasnt perfectly used to seeing during
any visit of an official nature.
May we offer you refreshment, Master Jervais? the
old woman asked.
Of course. Wed be delighted.
She stood again and waved over one of the mortal
servants who stood waiting around the tents perimeter.
The man engaged in a moments anxious consultation with
her, then hurried off. She smiled at Torgeir. He asks me if
you are the beloved of Giltine, Mother Death; or a slogutis,
a nightmare; or perhaps the love-child of Ausrine and
MenulisEvening Star and Moon. I thought Giltine the
most appropriate answer, but please dont take it as an aspersion on your character, my friend.
He simply bowed in reply. Jervais frowned but did not
reprove him.

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I regret that this may take a little longer than expected. He wont wish to choose wrongly. She turned back
to Jervais with a coolly arched eyebrow. But of course we
wont make his lordship wait for that
No, no, Jervais said hastily. We should all dine together as brothers and sisters, its only right.
Indeed.
Forgive my rudeness, milady, butwill Mistress
Deverra be joining us this evening?
Mistress Deverra has already joined you, milord, she
answered with another dignified if labored courtesy. But
perhaps she has disappointed expectations. If so, I fear I
can offer little remedy.
Jervais took a moment to realize what she was saying,
then another moment to absorb it. Not a single disappointment thus far, milady. However, if youre saying that
you are she, then the description I was given wasnot
quite correct.
Correct it might well have been, but alas, likely outdated. She arranged herself once more on the cushion.
Sometimes our Art is not only demanding, but cruel.
It seems so, Jervais murmured. I would certainly
call any Art cruel that demanded of a woman her youthful beauty. My apologies if Ive unwittingly pained you,
mistress.
Theres no need, milord. For my part, I call it a bargain to pay heavily for that which is priceless. And now
the age of my face more closely matches the age of my
heart, at least. A lesson in truth.
Ah, one of those. Ive never liked those.
She chuckled. Nor have I. But this land would teach
me wisdom in spite of myself. And the land of Hungary,
how does it treat our brethren?
I actually havent been spending much time in Hungary of late, but from what I can tell, the usual climate
prevails.
Ah, then youre not here to recruit for the front.
Recruit? Jervais surveyed the assemblage with
amusement. Most of them were staring at him now. He
could just imagine what theyd been told to expect, and

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here was this round, jovial character trading dry witticisms

with their matriarch. Bonisaguss beard, no. It seems
Ceoris feels its become rather out of touch with your efforts here, thats all. I understand a few letters were sent
which never received an answerbut perhaps they went
astray.
Yes, they must have. I should certainly never wish
to worry Ceoris. Were probably not as easy to reach as
other branches of the House and Clan.
Quite true. An interesting mode of existence, Jervais
nodded. I cant help feeling a bit surprised by it, however.
I hadnt thought the tribes of the Baltic were nomads.
They arent, she said simply.
Indeed, the style of the tents, and the armor of your
riders, he went on, feigning knowledge he didnt begin to
possess, actually reminds me more of reports of the Tartars.
Her face fell into more severe lines. Well, theres good
enough reason for that, Master Jervais. Much of this region is traditionally claimed by the voivodes, as you know,
and any who would resist them find it necessary to make
common cause. Some time ago we did exactly that with a
group of Gangrel who wandered here from the Orient. Its
not easy, but I do find that being migratory has its advantages. Its safer to stay on the move, and there are so few
towns of any size in these parts. In this way, we avoid taxing any one area for too long.
But you do seem to make the most of the time youve got,
Jervais thought, recalling the depopulated village. Fascinating, milady. And these Eastern Gangrel, do they have
a leader of their own, or do they call you mistress as the
mortals do?
They have a leader, but I regret youve missed him
for this visit. Nor am I precisely sure when he will return.
Hes close about his comings and goings, like most of his
blood.
Ah. A pity my timing proves so ill, Jervais said,
scouring his voice clean of every trace of delight. He hoped
she wasnt watching his halo, although he was doing his
best to keep it suppressed in any case. But perhaps theres

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a second-in-command to whom your ladyship would be

kind enough to introduce me?
I am the second-in-command, so to speak. Just as
my magi and apprentices are instructed to obey Qarakh in
my absence, so the riders look to me when he is gone.
Then the alliance must be a very close one.
It pleases the mortals to have both a high priestess
and a war-chief. Orb and scepter. It encourages their trust.
Their trust or their worship?
I see the most august Lord Councilor has been
preaching to you, she said imperturbably. He doesnt distinguish between Cainites demanding worship as gods, and
Cainites leading the worship of the gods. But he is a Christian, and he distrusts all other faiths. I have always
understood that. Still, I hope you can explain to him that
we havent forced upon the mortals a cult of ourselves.
They believe as they always have.
That may be the part that the august Councilor has
the most trouble with, Jervais pointed out. He was very
glad the knights werent with him. He glanced quickly at
Torgeir; the boy didnt look offended, at least. Good. He
would likely uncover more information if they could avoid
insulting her bizarre religion for at least a little while.
Well, as an official of Ceoris, you must surely know
his mind on the subject, she said with a tiny, keen smile.
Oh, I wouldnt dare pretend to that particular expertise. But youre saying, then, that this god of yours
Telyavel.
Yes, Telyavel. That he was always a god of these
parts.
He has always been exactly as he is, milord, which is
to say, hes many things. He is a god of cunning, who
brought the secret of metalcraft from the Underworld and
used it to forge the sun-crown. He thus straddles the worlds
of man, god and devil, death, darkness and secrets, hope
and light.
A most excellent deity for Tremere, then.
Indeed. If you credit such superstitions, she said.
He decided to change the subject.

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Since you move around so much, how can you be

establishing chantries, which is, Im given to understand,
the task you were originally charged with?
If I may be forgiven the audacity of correcting
milord He had to envy her. Even buckled under the
weight of sudden unnatural age, she sat like a queen. Her
dignity seemed completely unstudied, and shed mastered
the art of asking pardon without seeming timid. It was
primarily to research certain unplumbed aspects of the new
Art that we were sent to Livonia. We were also asked to
establish chantries as seemed fit. But what is a chantry,
milord? Is it wood and stone? Or is it the souls that dwell
within those walls, and the common purpose they share?
Then youre saying there are other groups of
yourbranch, elsewhere in these lands.
Yes, there are. However, where precisely they are at
any time, even I cannot say.
Then how do you reach each other in times of need?
With difficulty, sometimes. This is strange country,
Master Jervais. Youll find that what would be considered
wisdom elsewhere is foolishness here, and the reverse.
A likely story. Well, she was suspicious, clearly. She
was shading truths in a way that contradicted what hed
learned elsewhere. His informants, for instance, had been
quite sure that Qarakh was the only Tartar (Gangrel or
otherwise) to be found anywhere in Livonia, but here was
Deverra, implying that thered been a whole band of them.
She was trying to minimize the idea that Qarakh and
Qarakh alone had had such a profound effect on the culture of his tribethat so much depended on him. And
now she claimed that any number of Telyavs was lurking
out there but she had no way of knowing exactly where,
which was quite simply nonsense. No maga her age would
lack such means.
But now that youve found us, Master Jervaiswhat
are Ceoriss instructions?
Instructions, milady? he repeated.
Come, milord. Perhaps he was imagining it, but her
voice seemed to have steeled suddenly. Ceoris always has
instructions.

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Ah. Well, there were instructions for me, naturally

I was charged to find you if I could, to see how you fared
and report back.
But there is nothing in particular that Ceoris wants
us to do? That seems highlyunusual.
This was going very bad very quickly. Jervais wished
with all his might that he had the power some elders had,
to speak mind to mind. He would have reached out to
Torgeir and shaken the look of half-panic off the boys
face. Nor was the young maguss consternation escaping
Deverra, though she pretended not to heed.
Now that we know youre all right, Im sure instructions will be forthcoming soon. It seemed folly to issue
orders to a branch of the House and Clan that might have
fallen into some calamity and been unable to obey in any
case, Jervais answered.
We could always fall into calamity after you leave,
she pointed out.
Oh! Heaven forfend, he exclaimed.
It is not Heaven we look to in these tenuous nights,
milord. The servants of Heaven who come here have
shown themselves to be anything but friends. And they
dont stop coming. The Sword-Brothers, the German
knights with the black crosses, the Danes, the friars
He frowned, his thoughts racing to try to get ahead
of hers. The cross extends its reach across the face of the
earth, milady, as its always done. I understand that your
lands have seen more than their share of bloodshed and
tragedy lately, and that must surely interfere with your researchbut it cant be helped. The Church does as it likes.
Even Ceoris cant defy it. You simply must find some way
to work around it. The paganism hereabouts is doomed,
in the long term, anyway; perhaps even in the short. Surely
you see that.
She actually closed her eyes for a moment, and he
wondered whether she was nursing a great sadness or a
great hatred. He dared not let his sight shift to look at her
soul. But when she opened them again, she seemed still to
have full command of herself.

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There mustthere must be Cainites of the ruling

bloods who support the knights and the friars. Deverra
shook her head. When I left Ceoris, already our Council
was laboring to acquire the ears and favor of the mighty
among the dead. Has there been no success in that, milord?
Have they not proved useful to anyone important? Are
we still utterly friendless in the world?
She meant it as a diplomatic needling, but the question caught him in the throat. He found he had to recover
himself to answer.
We have proved our usefulness to dozens of princes
hundreds of times over, milady. And there are now many
princes who take our counsel, and grant us chantry rights,
but
But no friends.
He waved a defeated hand. I had been going to say
that Im not sure how much influence they even have over
these mortals, to say nothing of how much of it theyd
exert on our behalf.
Ah, you see. Nothing ever changes really. She
smiled bitterly and smoothed her overdress. You said,
Master Jervais, that youve not dwelled at Ceoris recently.
Where then have you been?
I go on many errands for the House and Clan, milady.
You must be one of those whose business it is to make
himself useful, then.
I suppose thats a fair enough description.
It sounds like frustrating work to me. Im afraid I
make a much better master than servant. One thing I can
say for my situation is that at least there are none here to
command me.
Except for the Lord Councilor Etrius, of course,
Jervais demurred.
Of course. But he is not here. He has interfered very
little to date, and I conduct myself and my endeavors as I
see fit. There, looked at that way, I cant really complain,
can I? She stood and came forward, her watery hazel eyes
now alight with that mirror-shine that Cainite eyes often
showed in moments of hunger. Perhaps youre right, Mas-

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ter Jervais, and soon well all be coming to German castles

to pay tax and tribute, and kneeling to take penitential
ash on our brows, and every sacred grove will be nothing
more than some Saxon counts deer run. And men like
you wont weep. Youll say, This is the world, and youll
kiss the ring no matter whose hand its on and hope that
the boot treads on someone elses head. Or perhaps someone will order you to put on the boot.
He rose as she came up to him. It was quite clear now
that they were no longer speaking of Saxon princes or
Teutonic Knights. Madame, we friendless wizards, as
youve so rightly pointed out, must do without a lot of
luxuries others take for granted. Pride, ambition, discontent, must all be hidden from those who would crush us as
the threat we truly are. But above all, what we cant afford
is to break apart within. To be divided against ourselves.
How right you are, Master Jervais. Shall we make
that the toast, then? It is the guests duty to think one up,
after all.
She beckoned with one gnarled, braceleted hand. A
group of mortals filed in, dressed in fresh garments and
neatly coifed, carrying bowls. A fair, plump, light-haired
girl of betrothal age walked proudly at their head, garbed
in white and adorned with what was probably a chieftains
ransom in these parts. She came directly up to Torgeir
without a word and got down on both knees before him.
He gazed upon herastounded, appreciative, or most
likely bothfor a long moment before seeming to realize
that a response was required of him. He looked up at
Jervais.
Well, go on, Jervais encouraged him, not without a
tinge of jealousy. Not your standard chantry fare, eh?
Obviously you didnt realize there was a bright side to
this
He nodded, then laid a hand on her shoulder and
gave her a self-conscious smile. The mortals were so well
behaved that Jervais hadnt noticed any tension in their
frames, but they all seemed to soften in relief. The girl
smiled in return and stood, taking his hand. He began to
rise as well, uncertainly.

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Master, I thinkshould I
Yes, Torgeir, go with her, off, off. Mustnt insult our hosts.
He could just imagine what Etrius would have said. At
least the boy could claim later that diplomacy forced him.
Now I trust you see that our land is not without its beauties, Deverra said dryly as the other mortals assembled
themselves in a group and began bleeding each other in turn.
Bowls were passed to all the company, the largest two to Jervais
and Deverra.
Not at all without, he agreed. He took the bowl, a fine
bronze implement cast in curious patterns. At least the blood
within was quite fresh, but it would not remain warm or perfectly liquefied for long. Divorced from its source, it was already
beginning to die. He turned to his hostess and raised the bowl
to her in salute.
She took hers, but before raising it to him, she went to
the north side of the tent where a bench holding a collection
of little felt and wooden figures stood. She daubed the mouth
of each with a bit of blood and then further poured a splash of
it onto the ground before them. Then she returned to the center of the tent and flicked a few drops into the cold fire pit.
Gabija, be satisfied, she murmured.
You serve your gods before yourself, Jervais commented.
Of course. They are greater than myself.
But nothing is supposed to be greater than the House and Clan,
Jervais thought grimly. Its for that you die, not for being pagan. If
only you had realized that
This thought needed chasing out. The toast.
Of course, Master Jervais.
To the eternal unity of House and Clan. May it never
falter in a thousand centuries.
She nodded, Indeed, and drank readily. Jervais noticed,
however, that she cast a quick look around to be sure her followers did likewise. And may none of us here find ourselves
divided against ourselves. Especially you, Master Jervais. For
such a fate is not to be wished even on ones enemy, to say
nothing of our ranking Tremere upon whom the fate of us all
depends.
He raised the bowl again, accepting her toast both as it
was said and as it was meant.

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Chapter Sixteen
How very interesting, Osobei said the next evening,
swinging elegantly down from the saddle. Id assumed that
it was me she wanted to keep out of trouble with this little
trip away. But it seems she has other companyimportant
company, if the music is any guide. Perhaps Im not actually the one shes worried about?
He turned to smile at the raider, who shrugged stonily. He didnt even stop to take the packs off his mount,
although he did study himself in a little mirror he kept in
his sleeve before walking into the center of the camp.
A mortal woman was dancing before the communal
fire in front of the great ger, robed in a gown with sleeves
that fell down well past her hands. She moved them like
streamers, in circles and sinuous waves. A man played on
a knee-fiddle with a carved horses head for a pegboxan
instrument that, if Osobei recalled correctly, had been reconstructed from the great khans memory at his special
request. Bells and gongs struck at intervals. Sitting before
the woman, bemused, were a pair of nemci in long heavy
Western robes. He had to squint through the heat haze to
get a better look at them.
Deverra, who sat beside them, turned and glared at
Osobei as he came closer, but she said nothing. The stouter
of the two nemci clapped his hands as the woman finished.
Pulchra, pulchra, he said.
The speech of the Western church, in this camp?
Osobei commented, also in Latin. I am shocked.
As am I, Deverra returned. That is, to see you back
again so soon. Alas, I must assume our countryside did not
beguile you.
On the contrary, he said easily. I found it most
charming. And I paid my respects to the lake, but Im not
koldun, milady. My devotions are simple. Rude, I am sure
some of them would say.
He had the satisfaction of seeing the nemci stiffen at
that.

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I am sure they would, Deverra agreed.

But I see, alas, that I should have remained beguiled
a little longer regardless. Evidently my presence is an embarrassment.
Not an embarrassment, boyar, she said wearily. I
simply thought it would be best for all concerned.
So your ladyship entertains emissaries of the
voivodes, the stout one exclaimed.
Yes. I entertain any emissary who approaches in
peace, Deverra said.
Not just any voivode, sir, Osobei corrected. The
voivode of voivodes, Vladimir Rustovitch himself. As for
me, I am Osobei Vasilevitch vnuk Vladimirov pravnuk
Kosczecsykev prapravnuk Triglavlev praprapravnuk
Tzimiscev. And you? Do you intend to remain nameless
all night?
Jervais bani Tremere, the nemci said. He did not get
up. However, as Mistress Deverra says, weve both come
in peace, so I dont see why we shouldnt be able to overlook it for now.
Dont you? Osobei returned with a smirk. For one
thing, it wouldnt be consistent with any of our mutual
history that Im aware of.
No, his difficulty is with me now, Deverra put in.
Is that not so, Master Jervais?
Well, said Master Jervais. Im sure you can understand my surprise, milady.
So I could, if I thought there were any. But you seem
remarkably unsurprised to me.
Now I dont know quite what youre getting at. I
wouldnt think that the Telyavs would see any need to
receive envoys from Rustovitchwho has, after all, spent
the last several decades making a brutal effort to wipe
Ceoris off the face of the earth. Not an insult, boyar, but a
fact.
None taken, master sorcerer, the Tzimisce assured
him.
But perhaps you have your reasons. If so, then it is
for you to justify them to Ceoris. Its not a matter for my

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judgment. I am but a messenger. I will merely convey what

I have seen.
Ah, but youre not going back to Ceoris, are you? A
new voice. One of the Telyavs, a dark-haired warlock
whom Osobei had often seen in Deverras company, rose
to his feet. For if you were, surely youd rest here for longer
than a single day. Its a long way to Hungary, and hospitality is rare and dear for Tremere in the east. That being the
case, why do you shun us?
Bernalt, please. Deverra cut him off, and added
something else in one of the Baltic tongues.
I cant sit here and listen to these lies. Whats the
use?
Bernalt? Master Jervais said. Now I know Ive heard
that name. Doesnt sound Livonian. And your face
Yes. Weve met, the Telyav said. He came forward.
There was something in his manner that pleased Osobei,
an air of violence barely suppressed. Long ago, before I
came out here. Before there was any reason for me to come
out here.
That seemed to take Master Jervais aback a bit, but
then he recovered. Ah. When you were mortal.
Yes. I was going to stay at Ceoris for a month or so,
do some research on optics, then return home to my own
chantry. I remember you were very kind to me while I was
there. Most helpful in the library. Very generous with the
vis.
Ah, yes. Well, that was my job.
And I did indeed leave Ceoris the following month,
but I never got to go home again. The mans lip trembled.
And you knew. You knew the entire time. And you said
nothing. Never once did the smile leave your face!
Bernalt! Deverra blurted again. Her voice cracked,
a dry old womans voice.
You shall never deceive us again, Jervais, he barreled on. We know you now. We know youll smile right
up until the ax comes down, and even if the Devil himself
was holding your soul in the palm of his hand, you could
not tell the truth to save it!

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Bernalt, this helps nothing. Deverras voice quickly

regained its strength, but it went unheeded.
And just what in hell would you have wanted me to
say? Master Jervais exclaimed, bewildered.
I was happy in Castile! I had work, good companions and the magicthe magic. Your masters destroyed
all that, and you helped them do it to each and every one
of us, and now even thats not enough. Whats the use?
Why do we sit here pretending that whats happening is
not happening? Arent we too old for this? Dont we know
each other too well? I wont let you finish off what little
weve salvaged of ourselves. Bernalt stopped then, as if
astounded at himself. There was dead silence. He seemed
to realize he had gone too far to recall things then, and
took a deep breath. I call certmen. To the death.
No, said Master Jervais. Osobei felt a sting of mixed
disgust and envy, that this warlock could dismiss a challenge to honor so easily.
Naturally! Bernalt shot back. You shrink from justice in any form.
This has nothing to do with justice, the other
Tremere returned irritably. You have a quarrel with me.
Perhaps unfortunately from your point of view, I have none
with you. Youve done me no harm. Why should I want a
duel?
Coward.
Jervaiss square face creased in a smile. Come, there
must be better words to fling at me than that
Bernalts fist cut him short with a cracking blow to
the jaw.
Half the assembled company, mortal and immortal,
shot to their feet with noises of dismay, including Deverra.
Osobei could barely contain his delight.
There. Now I have done you harm!
Jervais stared at him silently, wiping away with a fingertip the trickle of blood that appeared on his lip.
It islegitimate grounds for a certmen challenge,
on both sides, Deverra said at last. She picked her way
carefully through the sentence, already weighing benefits
and detriments. Even Ceoris would agree.

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Ah, said Osobei, but Im afraid that if Master Jervais

does not wish to fight
Telyavs and Tremere alike turned to glare at him. He
gave Master Jervais the special light of his most gracious
smile. If Master Jervais does not accept the challenge,
then Master Bernalt has broken hospitality.
Hospitality! Bernalt retorted. For this serpent, this
poisonous slug
Who is nevertheless Mistress Deverras guest,
Osobei pointed out coolly. And to whom you owe the
customary forbearance. Perhaps you forget where you are,
Master Bernalt, or perhaps the youth andinnocence of
your bloodline serves you ill. But east of the Danube, we
still take Tradition seriouslynot only in the voivodate
but in all the Cainite courts and dwellings of these lands.
If it gets out that the Telyavs no longer honor this most
ancient and sacred bond, then their word will be worth
even less than that of Ceoris.
At once the look of loathing on Jervaiss face became
one of calculation. Yes, stupid Usurper, think.
Osobei then gestured toward the young albino who
sat aghast in the place beside Master Jervais, and lowered
his voiceeven though he still spoke Latin. Besides, I
daresay your kine wont want to see one so clearly godtouched made angry. Will they?
Deverra raised a hand to her throat, as though to keep
the rage that showed in her eyes from getting past her voice
box.
Then I suppose the question is whether Master
Jervais accepts or not, she managed.
I do not accept, Jervais said. As you can surely see,
I asked for none of this.
Then Then we have wronged you. She faltered,
then resolved herself. She held up her hands like a queen
about to make a proclamation and spoke in one of the
Baltic tongues. There was murmuring, but people sat down
again. She then spoke again in Latin.
Let it be known here tonight that my sodalis Bernalt
has trespassed against the hospitality I offered Master
Jervais of Ceoris, and that I as hostess most deeply lament

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this trespass. She got down onto one arthritic knee.

Osobei felt an odd little twinge of mortal regret at that,
something to do with the respect for the aged that had
been drummed into him practically from infancy, but the
etiquette demanded this gesture of her.
I thank you for your apology, milady hostess, Master Jervais said.
She rose. Bernalt. Come. You must crave Master
Jervaiss pardon.
Bernalt certainly looked as though the only thing he
might possibly crave from Jervais was his hearts blood spilling out onto the ground, but he forced himself forward
and down onto one knee.
Forgive me, milord, he said.
The other Tremere paused and let a long silent moment go by. Again, the etiquette required it. If he gave in
too quickly, he undermined his own position, and Osobei
knew quite well that would never do.
For the sake of the brotherhood of blood and the
peace of House and Clan Tremere, he said at last, I will
bear you no ill will.
Thank you, milord Jervais. You are most generous.
Deverra turned and spoke to one of her Telyav women,
who scurried off. Please allow me also to offer you a token of my regrets and apologies.
Ah, no tokens are necessary, madam, I assure you,
he answered richly. Your contrition and Bernalts are more
than sufficient. Osobei shifted, deliberately making a
slight noise, and grimaced in mock-concern.
Botheration. What is it now, boyar? Jervais turned
on him.
Alas, master sorcerer, the same sacred traditions that
forbid Deverras kin to threaten her guest likewise forbid
you to refuse any gift she may offer youparticularly one
offered so humbly in apology. Osobei glanced at the Telyav
who returned now with something hidden under a rich
cloth. No doubt Deverra had planned to present whatever it was anyway, as a going-away present, but making it
part of the process of amends certainly made sense. Perhaps your brothers and sisters would be willing for familys

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sake to overlook such matters, but I wouldnt promise anything similar of all these kine. They know the ancient laws
just as well as I do. If you were to break hospitality, Mistress Deverra would no longer be in a position to protect
you from them. Or from me. I really think a man in your
numerically unfortunate position should make it clear that
youve reconciled with her ladyship before you leave, dont
you?
Master Jervais scowled for half an instant, then remembered himself and schooled his face into something
more suitable. Deverra, however, cheered considerably.
Idiot Tremere. Was it possible the sorcerers were so
wrapped up in their own squabble that they had forgotten
their true enemies?
The Telyav woman uncovered the gift and bowed. It
was a lovely if rustic little box of some sort, painted in
bright vegetal colors.
A trifle, of course, said Deverra. But I hope it will
remind your lordship and all at Ceoris of the deep bond
which we all share, and the esteem in which we poor wanderers hold our mighty brethren.
Jervais nodded. Beautiful, your ladyship. I accept your
gift with my deepest thanks. He hesitated. In fact, it
appears so finely crafted that I fear it could get damaged in
the trip. Could I persuade your sister to wrap it up again?
Deverra smiled. Of course her fellow sorcerer didnt
want to handle her gift without a protective layer of cloth
in between. Of course, Master Jervais. Jurate, wrap it securely.
The woman bowed again and obeyed, then presented
the lump to Jervais, who motioned for Torgeir to take it.
Torgeir turned as though to hand it in turn to the slave
but then seemed to realize what a grave faux pas that would
be.
And now we must unfortunately part, Jervais said
to Deverra, offering his hand. She took it. But I will bring
the joyous news of your survival to our brethren.
And I will see you to our perimeter fires, she returned easily. Then our horsemen will escort you to our
border.

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Most kind of you.

Not at all, Master Jervais. It is you who have been
too kind and indulgent.
Oh, not at all, not at all, he answered quickly, with
a chuckle. Osobei fell into place near the head of the crowd
that followed behind them as they walked hand in hand
toward the ordu perimeter fires.
Truer words were never spoken, the old Tzimisce
thought gleefully to himself.
***
I would rather have died than apologized to him,
Bernalt said quietly later. He knelt before her. The funny
thing was that he was actually slightly older than Deverra,
but hed never been the master of his passions that she
was. When he and his compatriots had come from the
Curonian Spit and the lake country to replenish her forces
(which had been devastated in the battle with Alexander),
hed made a far better impression on Qarakh than most
Telyavs before or since. Kindred spirits. But you, old
friend, I would rather die than offend. Forgive me, if you
can.
Its just as well, she said restively. We didnt tell
them wed all but broken with them long ago. They didnt
tell us theyd decided to destroy us. Evidently weve been
at war with them for months. Somebody was going to have
to mention it eventually.
Are we going to mention it? His eyes fastened on
hers, and she took his meaning at once.
No, she said. Not to him. If he wanted to help us,
he would have warned us by now.
Do you think he knew?
His dearest childe dwells at Ceoris itself, and unless
my memory fails me, this Jervais youre such friends with
is that childes childe. Besides, the omens say nothing of
rescue, Im afraid.
I know. He sighed. Well?
Well, she murmured, theres my present to Master
Jervais.
Yes. The first of many, I hope.

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Indeed. Did you order the faithful to gather in my

grove, Bernalt?
Yes, theyre waiting for you at the place of sacrifice.
Good. Our priests and priestesses must be well sated
before the work begins. We have a long night ahead of us,
Bernaltno doubt, also the first of many.

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Chapter Seventeen
They had ridden a couple of hours in complete silence. Literally complete, for with Master Antals
horseshoes in place once more, not even hoof beats
sounded as they slipped through the trees. But at last
Torgeir spoke. How far out of the way are you taking us,
master?
Not much. We should still make it back to camp by
sunup, if thats what worries you.
Im not worried. Im just assuming theres some good
reason
Yes. Jervais reined up and looked around. You
havent seen any funny birds?
Birds?
Master Antal and his avian suspicions, hes got me
going now, the older Tremere grumbled. He dismounted,
then took out the bundle of cloth containing the Telyavs
gift.
Ah. I wondered if you were really going to keep that.
Certainly not. The only question is how to get rid of
it.
She probably expects you to try to destroy it. Burn
it. Break it. Disenchant it.
Probably. Or to try to charm it to reveal its purpose,
or to put it under ward and save it for later study. If we
have a flaw, its over-curiosity He examined the box,
letting his vision shift. It was very definitely enchanted,
though not through any method immediately familiar. The
enchantment looked a good deal smaller than it felt, which
generally indicated a spell held in abeyance awaiting some
appointed time or event. But what event, exactly? The
box itself seemed unremarkable, painted over with figures
of trees and flowers and some sort of birda hawk, he
thought. He had to admit the temptation was indeed strong
to put some sort of hasty binding upon it and bring it back
to camp. If they all put their heads together, they could
learn quite a bit about Deverras craft from it. But no.

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Well, what wouldnt they expect? Torgeir mused.

For us to just walk away from it.
Ah, true. That would be odd behavior for wizards.
Worth a try, you think?
The young albino considered. Yes, master. Well
theres really no way to logic it out, is there? It all depends
on what she thinks that we would think that she expects.
Right. Its one of those nasty second-guessing exercises. But it seems the best of the several choices. At least
this way, whatever it does, itll do it far away from us.
Better leave it in the cloth, just in case.
Yes indeed. Jervais set it down with great care, nestling it between the roots of a tree so that passing deer or
whatnot would be less likely to overturn it. They both
watched it for a few moments.
Well, then. Shall we? Jervais said cheerfully.
Yes, the quicker home the better.
Yes. Wait. The sudden deadening of his tone warned
Torgeir at once, and they both stopped in mid-turn. The
cloth wrapping the box had begun to wrinkle and go brown,
like a turning leaf. Then it deepened to an earthier shade
and crumbled away completely. The box beneath trembled
on its stubby little legs and expanded.
Tremeres pizzle, he muttered. It had only been waiting to be set down, nothing moreperhaps on ground,
perhaps on wood, perhaps on anything at all. Jervais set
his hands in shape for a charm, but before he could finish
even deciding what principle to invoke, the box shot
straight up into the air and burst into pieces, belching
smoke on him and spraying something sticky across his
chest as well. From within the smoke a blurry shape took
form, which looked momentarily like a raptor bird but then
contorted into something more man-like. Skeleton-like,
really, or at least the head very quickly came to resemble a
skull with wide, empty pockets for eyes. Its teeth were like
a vampires, two slender fangs that descended as it grinned.
Jervais tried his countercharm on itwords of life to
oppose death and words of water to damp down smoke
but was unsurprised when nothing happened. If this was a
real bound spirit and not some figment of dweomer, it

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would take more than that to destroy it. It opened its sooty
jaws and descended, grasping at him with talons that passed
through his flesh, causing wracking pains. He drew out his
ritual dagger, the only thing of his that might make a dent
in such a thing, and plunged it into the shades billowing
middle with a whispered curse. It howled and turned away
from him, then yawned toward Torgeir instead.
Torgeir had brought out from somewhere within his
robes a brass cross with a Seal of Solomon set into its
middle, and clutched it in his pale fingers as the smokecreature enveloped him like a burial shroud. Jervais
despaired: one instant to react, and the boy did nothing
but reach for one of his pharisaic masters pious trinkets.
He had chosen very ill to bring him
And then the thing roared and broke away from its
embrace of Torgeirs frame. It tried to compose itself again,
reforming its ghostly claws.
Torgeir, hold it up! Jervais shouted. Hold it up!
What is it, in nomine Patris
Iin nomine Patris, et Filii Torgeir stammered.
Et Filii
Et Spiritus Sancti. O mi Jesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra,
libera nos ab igne inferni, conduc in clum omnes animas,
prsertim illas, qu maxime indigent misericordia tua.
Torgeirs voice had quickly gained confidence, and now
he thrust his cross almost into the creatures face. It gave a
terrible shriek that quickly choked off into a sort of deathrattle. The smoke would not hold shape any longer, and it
dispersed on the breeze.
They stood there, amazed, for several long silent moments.
Well, Jervais said at last, Hermann will be proud.
***
The Prus say that the soul takes bird-form upon death
and flies out of the mouth of the deceased, Zabor said.
He squirmed through the huddle of gathered Tremere and
reached out to tap the spot on the wood where the head
of a hawk was still visible. Ill bet it was a ghost. Isnt
their god a sort of death-god?

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Perhaps it was the ghost of one of her own Telyavs,

Antal observed gloomily. I have known necromancers
among the Fiends who did not shame to call up the souls
of their own childer slain the previous night, and make
them run errands from beyond the grave.
Well, lets try to remember that Telyavs and Fiends
are not precisely the same thing, but Jervais frowned.
Even if it was a vampire ghost, I dont know why it would
have feared Torgeirs cross so. Not that all wicked things
shouldnt fear the cross, he added hastily, seeing the unfriendly look that Hermann and Torgeir simultaneously
threw him.
Antal went over the pieces that remained of the box,
running his keen fingers across them. She bespelled it,
yes. I can feel her touch on it. I can see her chanting and
raising the shade. We could use these pieces for a ritual
link to hernot a strong one, with the magic all dispersed,
but better than nothing. Not much more could be told
about it now.
Actually, there may be one or two things more.
Baghatur, the young Khazar, stepped forward with a slight
bow. May I see it?
I suppose so. Jervais nodded to Antal, who handed
a piece to Baghatur, who took a ground-glass lens out of
his pouch and examined it.
Yes, you see? This was fashioned from living wood.
Usually joiners dry out the wood first, so that it wont
shrink, but this was put together with the sap still running.
Oh, the sap, it blew sap all over my damned bliaut. It
may never come out. Jervais brushed at it irritably.
Then that must have been the idea, for the sap to
run freely, Baghatur went on excitedly. The blood of the
wood. The blood of the wood He frowned and turned
it over, then broke the piece in half again and sniffed at
the fresh edge. Yes, this tree was watered with it! With
blood, that is. You can still smell it in the sap.
Is it her blood, I wonder?
I dont know, its hard tono, it smells more like
mortal blood.

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Antal looked positively alarmed. Either way, Master

Jervais, weve got to get it under ward at once! And youd
better change clothes too
Jervais gave a guilty start. Antal was right; if Deverra
held a portion of blood from the same mortal who had
(willingly or no) fed the tree, then that was a connection
that she could use like Ariadnes thread, following it to
her creation wherever it rested.
Right! Ive got a chest with a good ward. He
snatched the fragments back and ran into his tent. Licking the key to let it taste just a hint of his blood, he
unlocked and opened the chest and shoved the bits of wood
inside. Gracelessly he squirmed out of the soiled bliaut,
wadded it up and stuffed it in as well, slammed and locked
the chest, then threw on one of his Magyar coats instead.
He stood back, squinting to see whether any aura or glint
of Deverras magic bled through the cracks or the keyhole,
but it seemed his ward held firm.
We should post watch, just in case, he announced
as he reemerged. Cainite watch, through the night.
We do post Cainite watch through the night, every
night, Hermann said dryly. Youve all just been too busy
with your conjuring to notice. But if youre worried you
were followed, perhaps some of you sorcerers should lend
us your impressive senses. Why dont you take first watch
yourself, Master Jervais? You seem to have the best eyes of
anyone in the camp.
Best and worst, I daresay, Jervais muttered, then
added, at the knights puzzled glance, Never mind. Very
well, Ill stand watch. Where do I go?
Ill show you. Come.
They rode up along the little rise that bordered the
camps southern edge. The ground climbed steadily for
several hundred feet and then leveled off into a nice little
observation platform, as perfect as if it had been built to
purpose. The knights or their men had chopped down a
few stout birches that otherwise would have obscured the
view. A low wind rustled through the leaves, making it
sound as though the trees were whispering to each other.
That thought started out as private poetry, but a moment

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later caused Jervais to shiver. It had been so long since

hed actually dwelt in Tzimisce country, but he could remember what it was like, fearing every bird noise, not
trusting even the ground under ones feet to keep silence
before the listening ears of the koldun-priests.
He stared down into the forest depths.
What? whispered Hermann.
Something moving. There.
Hermann frowned. Shadowsmoonlight.
No.
I still see nothing. Is it an apparition, a spirit? Something invisible to all but wizards? Hermanns horse
whinnied. Easy, Magog. Waittheres
Shh!
They were silent for a moment.
Well? Hermann said at last. Do you see what it
is?
Yes, I see it.
And?
Everyone needs to get out of the camp. Now.
Jervais didnt wait for further stupid questions. He
galloped pell-mell back down the rise and into the camp,
yelling. Hermann followed along, adding his far more authoritative voice.
Evacuate! Evacuate!
Jervais hurriedly dismounted outside his tent, ran in
for his little casket of very small, very expensive and hardto-repair ritual items, stuffed it into his saddlebags, then
swung back up into the saddle.
Evacuate! Move, for the love of Tremere! No, dont
strike the tents! Just get your horses!
The pounding grew steadily louder, until even Ventrue
ears could not fail to hear it, and was soon joined by the
tearing and thrashing of trampled underbrush; but because
of the thickness of the trees and the darkness of their hides
the herd still seemed to come out of nowhere. They poured
forth between the trunks, great bulls and cows with massive black withers and long horns wickedly curved at the
point, their nostrils wide and snorting. In all his years,
Jervais had never seen such beaststhe word cattle

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would have been an insult as much as an inaccuracy. They

fell in a furious stampede on the tents and also on the
wagons, splintering wood and tearing cloth. Some actually jumped and bucked madly atop the piles of debris.
Knights, Tremere and slaves alike scattered before them,
screaming. He saw a couple of the mortals gored and tossed
in the air like arrows.
Move! Move! he shouted. Just run! Let them
through! Then he heard a burst of noise over his shoulder. Antals hands were enveloped in a white glow, his
sleeves pushed back and whipping wildly in the wind as
he rose in his stirrups. Jervais got out of his path just in
time. The white light waxed for a moment and then discharged with a thunderclap, crooking out like a beckoning
finger and catching one enormous rearing bull right in
the chest. It fell on its side, convulsing, amid the reek of
burning hide. Auburn-haired Miklos, too, had ridden toward the animals instead of away. He held a long spear in
his powerful hands and drove it down into the haunches
of any beast that strayed out of the main mass. Jervais saw
him take down two of them in this way, each time with a
wild thirsty yell of triumph, but with the third, his spear
became stuck and he had to break off, circling round. The
knights and men-at-arms were also mounted now and bearing whatever weapons theyd had time to seizea few
lances and spears, but swords mostly. The three gargoyles
swooped in from wherever theyd been napping. Between
them, Falco and Cabo seized one of the cows and carried
her off. Rixatrix landed on the back of one of the bulls,
snapped its neck and split the flesh of it open with one
great wrench of her talons. Then she lifted it, sinking her
enormous teeth into the bloody wound.
Get on either side! Hermann shouted. Lets herd
them off west!
No, these beasts wont be driven! Antal shouted
back at the top of his lungs. Theyre bewitched! Kill
them!
Jervais repaired to enough distance to get a good view
of the scene. It looked as though Antal were right. Surely
it wasnt in the nature even of these fearsome creatures to

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destroy with such determination. And while the mass of

gleaming black bodies did flow and change shape under
the assaults of the camps fighting men, the beasts didnt
seem at all inclined to take fright, which went against
Jervaiss admittedly vague ideas about bovine behavior. As
he watched, Miklos was borne down to the ground and
trampled.
Bonisagus, he muttered. Im not going to see my
sodalicium broken by a bunch of cows Spurring his horse
over the little rise, he rode down to the stream and leapt
down onto the ice, which was thin and cracked at once
under his falling weight. He plunged thigh-deep into frigid,
fast-flowing water. A moment later a rush of warmth spread
through his veins as he drew out his ash-wand and called
upon the Blood to steep his incantation with the authority of the element that ruled all others.
Ourior amen im tar chob klamphob phrephror ptar ousiri
saiob telo kabe manatathor asiorikor beeinor amoun om
menichtha machtha chthara amachtha aou alakambot besinor
aphesior phreph amei our lamasir cheriob pitrem pheoph nirin
allannathath cherioch one bousiri ninouno amanal gagosarier
meniam tler O A etne ousiri ousiri ousiri ousiri menemb mnem
brabel tnekaiob. Hear me, Thou who drowned and thus
mastered the Nile and all the waters of chaos, for I conjure Thee by Thy secret names, and if Thou do not my
Will, then I shall no longer guard Thy names from profanation or defilement. As I raise my arms, so raise these
waters, and follow me! Nun, nun! d, d!
The response was immediate. With a roar, the water
of the stream reared up in a great sheet, bursting through
its crust, bearing him like a chariot back to the shore and
then taking up its battle-position behind him as he remounted his horse. He led it back over the rise, rousing it
to greater speed with shouts and imprecations in two or
three different tongues. It seemed quite willing enough, at
leastperhaps even eager.
Move! he shouted down into the camp. Out of the
way! He was pleased to see that the other apprentices
seemed to have recovered their wits a little and now stood
just yards removed from the battle with hands joined, pre-

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sumably readying some spell or other. Even Fidus stood

chanting along with them. But Antal, the knights and
soldiers, and the gargoyles were still interspersed among
the thronging herd, slaughtering them one and two at a
time with lightning, iron and claw. Miklos was nowhere
to be seen.
Antal, hold your fire! Stop, damn you! The Hungarian at once looked up and his eyes widened in
comprehension. The unnatural radiance in his palms guttered and died. Jervais lost no more time. Exede
armentum, he muttered. The water-wall rushed down past
him. As it did, it rolled into several huge beads, like mercury skating along metal, which each swallowed up a
portion of the herd and held them suspended, floating like
motes of dust in air, feebly kicking as their lungs filled up.
Jervais then rode down to meet the bewildered knights
and Antal, who reined up beside him.
Good! Antal puffed.
Yes, good, he repeated. But where the hells
Miklos?
He must be caught up in one of the globes. With
that, they scattered to peer into the gloomy depths of each
one. Jervais saw the shadow of a human form, reached in,
pulled it out and was irritated to see it was only one of the
Esths, who had already died anyway.
No, here, this is him! Jervais, tell it to let me in.
Antalo licet.
Antal tugged Mikloss muscular frame free of the
waters grasp. The Czech vomited out the contents of his
sodden lungs and struggled up to his feet, leaning on Antals
elbow. The plentiful gashes on his face and arms began to
close up, and he put his dangling leg down to try his weight
on it.
Thats it, use the blood, Antal urged him. Thats a
lad.
How long can you hold them in there? Brother
Wigand asked, rather awed despite himself. He dismounted
and examined one of the water-globes but didnt dare touch
its curious surface.

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Long enough, Jervais answered. He looked for further signs of movement within the water and found none.
Then he made a gesture. At once the globes lost their form
and dropped to the ground, leaving the vampires up to
their calves in water that slowly began to drain downhill.
The bodies of the cattle, too, collapsed limply.
Abi! Abi! he snapped, and the water began to flow
away more quickly. Lets see what we can salvage out of
this mess.
No! Hermann called. He rode over toward them,
sword still out. Back on your horses. Master Antal, back
at it! Theyre coming.
Whos coming? Jervais asked in annoyance, but
Antal was already leaping to obey, and Miklos was waving
off Jervaiss reaching hands. The apprentice took hold of
his own upper arm and, with a wet crack and a grimace,
reset a bone that had come out of joint. Then he limped
away, stopping to pick up a lance that someone had
dropped.
Jervais grabbed the reins of his horsewhich seemed
distinctly annoyed to find its hooves suddenly wetand
got back up in the saddle just in time. Some ten or twelve
of Qarakhs raiders splashed into the camp, shrieking warcries, standing in the stirrups with bows raised high.
Hermann called a charge and his warriors rushed to obey.
The other apprentices had already run up beside
Jervais and Antal, with Olena at their head. Command
us, masters! she exclaimed. What should we do?
Stay out of the way, Jervais returned. An arrow flew
past his cheek.
She scowled at him and turned her hands palms-up.
As she did, she floated up several feet into the air.
Ah, said Antal. Dont do that. Stay on the ground
or in a tree, and knock their arrows out of the air instead.
Thatll help.
Yes, master. She turned and shot up into the dark
canopy of leaves.
All right, the rest of you out of the way, Jervais
snarled. A rider charged directly at them then, but Miklos
thrust his lance between the horses forelegs and tripped

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it, sending the rider crashing to the ground. A tang of vampire blood began to scent the air. Hermann and Wigand
were doing well. Antal knocked a rider off his mount and
then jumped down himself. An instant later they were
fighting hand-to-hand, their movements so unnaturally
rapid that they were nigh impossible to follow. Suddenly
his opponent screamed in pain and began to shiver. Antal
thrust one of the hawthorn stakes hed spent the past weeks
carving into the riders chest. The vampires entire body
decayed into dirt in the span of a mortal breath. Antal
stowed the stake, now blood red and glistening all over,
somewhere in his robe, then rose heavily to his feet.
While Jervais sat desperately trying to think what else
he could do that might be helpful (he didnt think he had
any more water-witching in him tonight), a pair of the
riders converged on him with swords drawn. He spurred
away from them, but they easily changed direction and
closed. He drew out the dagger at his belt and caught one
of their sword-strokes. The other dealt him a glancing slice
to the back. He roared and turned, catching his assailant
by the wrist. Years of training were channeled into the
instinct of the moment: he felt the other Cainites blood
lying fallow in the veins just beneath the white skin and
willed a portion of it to rouse, to diffuse through the tissue. The rider gave a shout, his rage stoked by the sudden
unnatural engorgement of blood. He bared his fangs and
sprang out of his saddle to land on Jervais. Jervais thrust
his blade up through the riders belly toward the heart,
then pushed him away with the strength of panic, letting
him fall. He heard the other rider shout and turned again
to see a blade whistling toward his neck, but then it suddenly flew up into the air, tumbling end over end, and
returned to cut its owners flabbergasted head off. Olena,
no doubt, but there was scarcely time to thank her. Jervais
hastily got down. These Cainites were so much better
horsemen than he was that he might as well stay on foot
and have one less thing to think about.
Master! Zabor caught him by the arm.
Get away!
But master, look! The Pole pointed frantically.

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What, Hermann?
No, right beside him! Look. See it coming up out of
the water?
Hed let his vision slip back to its usual, slightly blurred
state at some prior point in the chaos. Now he focused it
once again. If it hadnt been shiny he still might have
missed it, but there it was: what looked like a silver ritual
mirror. It rose from the water, surrounded by a slight shimmering in the air rather like a heat haze. A moment later
it, too, shimmered and disappeared.
Whores bastards Jervais gasped. He stretched out
his hand, but the apprentice beat him to it. With a short,
sharp invocation to the forces of Light and Truth and a
precise hand gesture, Zabor sent a gust of wind into the
center of the haze, which blew away to reveal a slight,
green-robed Cainite girl who hissed at them. Hermann
wheeled around.
Witch, the Saxon cried out in his battle-passion,
to hell with all sorcerers He raised his sword high and
turned his cross-emblazoned shield toward her. She cursed
and flung her arm before her face, then fled in a blur.
There must be more of them, Jervais said to Zabor.
Find them! Stop them!
Right! For once, not a word of argument. He and
the apprentice fanned out, all but ignoring the deadly fights
going on around and above them. Jervais caught another
Telyav almost at once and barreled headlong into him to
prevent his escape. The next moment he had nothing in
his hands but a slim green snake that wriggled out of his
grasp and swam away from him, its body whipping sinuously in the water.
Verdammt!
I did not think that was a word Christians uttered
lightly, came an accented sneer from above his head. He
looked up. It was a fierce-looking rider with a beard that
actually grew up over his cheekbones and cat-yellow eyes.
The riders bow thrummed. An arrow plunged into Jervaiss
chest, piercing his ribcage through.
Jervais had taken sword blows before, but never
an arrow. He was unprepared for the scope and depth

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of the pain. The entire left side of his chest throbbed

and his veins seemed to have caught fire, the flames
of which licked hungrily at the edges of his heart.
The look of triumph on the riders face (perhaps he
thought at first hed struck his target) soured as he
saw Jervaiss own expression change. He snapped his
reins and his horse sprang away with a swiftness only
blood could impart.
Jervais twisted his arms in a strangling gesture,
and an eel-like column of water rose and snagged the
rider around the neck, dashing him to the ground.
The rider came up again, trying to pull free of the
tendrils grasp. Jervais was already bearing down on
him with fangs stretched taut. He literally sat on the
man as he drank down the sweet, thick ichor in his
throat.
All at once hands were on his shoulders. Easy.
Antal recoiled as Jervais turned toward him bloodymouthed. No, no, take him, keep him. But I think
you have plumbed that well, brother.
Jervais looked at the body in his hands. It had
begun wasting already, caving in on itself. In moments it would be ash. He dropped it in sudden
disgust, then wobbled to his feet and looked around.
Wherewhere are
They turned tail, Antal answered. Gone, just
like that. We have tworather, three dead raiders,
or at least their armor. No Telyav remains, alas.
And its not even worth chasing after them, we
know exactly where theyre going, came Hermanns
disgruntled voice. And their horses are faster.
But we mustMaster Antal. Jervais shook his
head, trying to clear it of bloodlust. They were taking things. The Telyavs. She tricked us. The riders,
just there to keep us busy. The ghost to distract from
the sap. And the cows, the damned cows.
Baghatur coughed politely at that. Not cows,
master. Julius Caesar spoke of beasts like these long
ago. Great black forest oxen that only the bravest
warriors dared face, that couldnt be made to submit

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to man. He gestured at the massed carcasses, still

majestic even in waterlogged death.
Though obviously they submit to woman, or to
one woman in particular, at least, Jervais muttered.
But the Telyavs
No, Master Jervais. We cannot chase them
now, Master Antal decreed. No profit in catching
witches if we have no place to hide from the suns
face afterward. Come here. I will take out your arrow.
***
Tremeres gory fangs! Jervais stepped back just
in time. Rixatrix bent over Falco, determinedly licking her mates belly with an enormous pebbled
tongue. A brackish flood of blood and vomit spewed
out of the little gargoyles maw a moment later, and
he gave a doglike whimper.
Now theres a pleasant oath Hermann began, but he immediately trailed off into something
rather close to a retching noise. Faugh.
Fidus looked distraught, twisting the front of his
robe. Lady Virstania said no large herbivores, he
lamented. She said it, I justdidnt think about it
til too late.
Jervais glanced at him. Truth be told, he had no
idea how little Fidus would have stopped any gargoyle from doing exactly as it liked, and hed
forgotten too, but if the boy wished to take
blameWell, thats why you get to clean this up,
Fidus. And make sure the other two can carry him
all right. Id hate to have to kill him just because
hes got a tummy ache and cant keep up. Rixatrix
looked up at him and whimpered a little herself.
Is everyone fed, at least? he asked, turning
away.
Yes, thats why were down to six slaves,
Torgeir said gloomily. And they look faint.
Well, that wont do, weve got to find more
vessels. At least theres no lack of raiders hereabouts
to blame it on. Captain, youre still cut up.

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I can manage, Hermann said.

Id rather have you better off than that, Jervais
demurred. Perhaps one or two of your troops could,
ah, fill a cup on their commanders behalf
I can manage, the knight repeated.
Right. Jervais straightened up and raised his
voice. This is what were going to do. The Cainites
are going to take the horses with the good shoes and
get as far away from here as we can before dawn.
Taking into account that were going to have
to dig some holes once we get there, Hermann interrupted. None of these tents are going back up
tonight, and unless Im mistaken, that means you
cant work your charm to keep the sun out, doesnt
it?
Im afraid so. That means the Kur had better
come with us. Meanwhile, the other mortals are going to take the rest of the horses, the carts and the
gargoyles, and go in the opposite direction. Tomorrow night, assuming we all survived, well meet back
up and figure out what to do next.
Schnell! Hermann beat his gloved hands together, and his men moved even faster to get things
loaded up.
Heirs of the Seven, Jervais said in a warm tone
as the knights busied themselves. The Tremere drew
in uneasily about him. Its clear what the Telyavs
were really after with this raid. Our things. Ritual
links. Now. Who lost what? Master Antal?
Everything I had is accounted for, Master
Jervais, Antal said coolly. What about you?
Well, I seem to be all right. But obviously someone wasnt so lucky. Children?
They all blinked back at him. All their colors
were a muddle of fear and fatigue. No help there.
Oh, spare me! Nothing tries my patience worse
than a bunch of blood-wizards trying to look innocent. Now I distinctly saw one of them make off with
a ritual mirror. Whose was it? Come, Im not going
to get angry. This is important for all of us. Well?

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No one spoke.
Is everyone finished looking? he asked at last.
Not, not quite, master, Fidus said very quietly.
This was followed by an immediate chorus of not
finished yet, havent had a chance yet and whatnot.
Well, get finished! he roared, and they literally jumped to obey.

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Chapter Eighteen
He trudges down the Via Dolorosa. He carries no
cross, but his body is bent all the same, wracked with
thirst pains that have long since spread from his slack
belly into his limbs and head. It is a cold night. He cant
remember Jerusalem ever being so cold when he was
there, long ago, in mortal nights. His belt hangs loose
around his thighs and threatens to slide down his legs.
The tip of his scabbard scrapes on the paving stones. His
sword, too, droops in his hand, rusted away, useless.
Church bells ring from every direction. The streets are
empty, lay folk and clergy alike all gathered in the safety
of the altars glow for night prayers. There is no one left
to fight.
Desperate now, he turns off the road and seeks out
the Jewish quarter, but he cant find it anywhere. Where
are the rabbis and scholars in their neat robes, the merchants in their striped cloth? Where are the synagogues?
Ah, yes. Burned. Hed carried one of the torches
himself. He recalls this and with that recollection, he
realizes in the odd way of dreams that there is oneand
only oneinfidel left in the whole world. He turns on
his heel and begins limping in the other direction, his
shriveled abdomen protesting with every step. He lifts
his sword as best he can and summons a parched war cry
as he struggles up the church steps. Tumbling into the
heavy wooden doors, he busts them open.
There is the man he seeks, a nut-brown, bearded
Saracen in a robe of gleaming white, kneeling humbly
before a fat priest and receiving the waters of baptism.
No! he cries hoarsely. The priest turns. It is
Jervais, who smiles in greeting.
Brother Hermann. Our savior! Then he clucks
and waggles a reproving finger. Ah, but you dont look
well, dear pilgrim. Its not healthy even for the pious to
fast too much.
Hermann ignores him. He addresses himself to the
last infidel in the world, falling down upon knees so bony

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that the skin splits open immediately as it knocks upon

the hard floor. Please, he begs the man. Dont. You
are the only one left. I need you. Without you, I starve.
The man simply stares back at him, dark eyes lambent with the Holy Spirit. But I must, brother, he
answers. You are rightyou have always been right,
all along. I see it now. We all see it now.
Yes, everyone agrees, Jervais-priest puts in with
another oily smile. Even I. You have labored hard,
brother. Now your work is done. Its time to rest
Hermann sees to his horror that his outstretched
hand is decaying further with every word, fingers collapsing into ash. His wrist follows, then his forearm.
My God, my God! he calls, but he is unable to
finish the sentiment. His teeth and jaw crumble from
the mere act of making contact. He falls forward onto
the cold flagstones. He can hear no reply. There will be
no reward.
***
Let us practice our mathematics, Leduc says.
Antal hates when the man takes that smooth tone. He
also hates mathematics. Every sunrise when he snuggles
into his apprentice cot, he says his prayers and his curses.
Pythagoras often figures prominently in the latter category.
The Frenchman smiles cruelly and flicks his finger
in a silent command for Antal to bring out his stylus and
begin making notes.
Now in your battle at Szeged, you killed six
Tzimisce, did you not? Take it down. Item: six Tzimisce.
And you lostlet me see, nine Tremere. Four magi, five
apprentices. Difference?
Three, their favor, Antal says numbly.
Ah. But if you were to accord to Stilbons strategic formulae, and consider that one Tzimisce is worth
three apprentices, and one magus is worth five apprentices, now what is the difference?
Seven, their favor still.
Seven. But you did hold the chantry, and Bonisagus
knows thats what counts. Then at Osijek, it was ten

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Tzimisce, wasnt it? Good score. They were probably

planning to break the truce anyway. A pity about the
farmers and their families, but only five Tremere lost:
one magus, four apprentices. Old Emerik didnt want to
release his childer to you. You had to appeal to the Lord
to get them, and a week later they were dead.
This is really unfair. He knows they are talking
about battles that took place long after hed finished his
Circles and gotten out from under Leducs fierce blue
all-seeing eyes, and yet he distinctly feels himself as his
younger selfhis apprentice self. Everything he has since
learned of stoicism, of control has deserted him. His
hands begin to tremble as he digs the numbers into the
wax of the tablet.
Guti Forest. Eight Tzimisce, four Gangrel and one
you never did figure out. Five magi; and twelve apprentices. Twelve! That was the one where the only question
was which magi were going to die, because someone had
to stay and close off the spell. They insisted on a lottery,
but you fixed it, because it was quite clear whose loss
would least hurt the House and Clan. Quick thinking.
Truth be told, I think you liked Cornelius much better
than Tiborc. Still, you didnt allow that to cloud your
judgment. And the apprentices slowed down the warghouls advance just long enough. Good thing you didnt
warn them, because they would have deserted for certain. On the whole, a success. On the banks of the
Medvestak: four Tzimisce and an entire brood of their
infernal Bratovitches. For only two magi, quite a trade.
You didnt think you could ever lose Rebeka, shed come
through so many scrapes all right, but eventually her lot
was bound to be cast. Hows it totting up, Antal?
Im Im running out of room, master
Well, thats no good, weve hardly begun. Youll
just have to write smaller. You wouldnt want to forget
any of this. How else are you going to know whether
youve won or lost in the end?
The stylus scrapes through to the wood, skidding
across the tablet and out of his hand. He sets it down
and rises on unsteady feet.

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Im going, he says thickly. I dont know who you

are.
Leducor whatever it isis beside him in an instant, seizing his wrist. What a dull-witted pupil you
always were, Antal, he hisses gleefully. No head for
figures. I remember you could use the abacus well
enough, though. Perhaps you need to be able to see it
and feel it. Perhaps that would be of help to you.
No. No, I dont need to see. He protests and pulls
away, but its no good. His master drags him over to a great
archway with tombstones for doors, and throws them open.
Within the next chamber is a wall of skulls strung like beads
on hanging ropes. Hundreds of them, some gaping with jagged
fangs, some monstrous altogether, others showing only the
blunt teeth of humankind. Some are large, some small, and
some still pierced through with arrow or blade. They strike
against each other as though alive, or stirred by an unseen
breeze, clacking musically.
Now, said Leduc, whose hand has begun to burn in a
most un-vampirelike way, were going to do this again, my
lad. By hand, one at a time, name by name. Until you can
decide who wins.
***
Jervais shouts at his laggard apprentice. Fidus! More
onions! More cloves, and mind they be ground fine! Weve
a pottage to get in the oven. You keep chopping, Ill serve
forth the broth and rolls.
He hurries out with the platters and lays them out with
a bow before the three diners. Etrius casually snatches a roll
and rips it open. Malgorzata waits daintily as he ladles her
out some broth. Goratrix smiles at him and spears a bit of
cheese. He wipes his sweating hands on his apron and retreats behind the screen to fetch more wine.
I thought he was yours, Etrius says conversationally.
Oh no, I rather think hes yours. I think I lost him
some time ago, Goratrix replies just as amiably. Jervais is
amazed; hes never heard either of them sound so friendly.
He also hadnt thought Goratrix the sort to talk with his mouth
full.
I certainly havent got much use out of him of late,

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Malgorzata comments. Either of you have him if you want.

I dont know, Etrius says, Ive never been much for
leftovers.
Jervais scurries out and pours the wine for them.
Hows that pottage coming? Etrius asks him.
Its coming, but I still havent found the pork.
I wouldnt worry about that. You always think of something, the Swede assures him.
He ducks behind the screen again and starts to head
back into the kitchen, but then Goratrix speaks, and something in the way he says it leads Jervais to linger,
eavesdropping.
Well, she went down stringy, didnt she? Told you she
would.
Youre the one always complaining about told-yousos, Etrius returns. Im sure itd please you to see her
disagree with me. I notice you didnt ask for a change of
menu.
Oh no. She was getting a bit past ripe anyway. Besides, Im used to it now. One for you, one for me, thats the
way itll be for the next age I expect.
And none for me, as usual, Malgorzata puts in.
True enough, Etrius says through a mouthful, but
think of the alternative.
True, she agrees reluctantly. What about tonight?
Well, I dont know whats keeping that boy, I thought
Id made myself clear. NEXT COURSE! comes the shout,
and Jervais leaps as if struck and hastens into the kitchen.
Fidus! Whats taking so long? Why isnt that pottage
in the oven yet?
The apprentice gives him his usual rabbit-like stare. But
mastertheres still no meat in it.
Well, that hardly matters now, weve got to get something out there! Jervais bellows.
No, master, Im afraid that wont do. Its been made
clear to me. Fidus is clearing off the counter, sharpening a
large blade.
What are you doing?
What you taught me. Im making ready to carve.

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Whos made what clear, Fidus?

Everyone, master. The boy turns to him, looking a
bit forlorn. Even you. Im sorry, but you must admit you
would do the same. You have done the same. Alexia la
broche. Raban au jus. Lucien minc. To think I believed
for a while youd never serve up someone so much after your
own heart, but then Alexander got hungry.
I see. And you think youll make a better chef than I
did? No one, no one will ever be better than I was. If my
turn has come, Fidus, then so will yours.
I know, he returns with those same sad eyes, but
not tonight, and thats whats important. You taught me that,
too. Now please dont be difficult.
Difficult? Ive never been difficult in all my days, why
would I start now? He lays himself down on the cutting
board, slick with the juices of garlic and onion. I will make
a rich dish indeed, Fidus. Youll see.
I know, master, the lad agrees as he studies Jervais
for a starting place. And you already know the sauce will
be excellent.

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Chapter Nineteen
Jervais awoke to utter darkness. That was nothing new; he always awoke to utter darkness. He
hadnt been frightened of it since his first night after dying. True, that complete void held many things.
There were terrible rituals that required absolute
dark. Some of them required nakedness as well. He
had been made, once, to
No. What was this? One little bad dreamdid a
magus succumb to such things? He wriggled. Theyd
packed the dirt in very loosely. He should be able to
make just a little bit of room and get leverage. Something felt odd, though. The texture was no longer
the texture of soiltoo lumpy. There hadnt been so
many rocks, he was sure of it. He stretched out one
finger of his hand. Something cold, wet, smooth and
fibrous brushed against it.
Tree-root. He probed into it. It extended as far
as he could reach.
It was all around him.
He struggled. The mass surrounding him seemed
almost to squeeze back. Perhaps he was imagining
it. He was seized with a sudden, awful terror that he
had no idea what time it was or how deep he lay.
These roots might have dragged him yards and yards
lower in the soil as he slept.
He began to scream and thrash.
Master! Master! He was in such a state he
didnt even notice the spot of moonlight that now
shone into his living prison. But when he heard the
voice he stared out through the gap in the roots. He
could see part of Fiduss face and part of Antals.
The tree! Get me out! he shouted at them.
Patience, said Antal. It seems both you and
Hermann are swallowed.
Dont say swallowed.
Master Jervais, are you entirely sure the Telyavs
got away with nothing of yours?

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Nothing. I swear it. For once, it was true. Many

of his things were wet or broken, but none missing.
Some other means of reaching us, then. Antal
frowned. Perhaps the earth itself. No more underground sleeping in these thrice-cursed lands. We
must dig you out. The mortals, alas, have our only
ax.
Well, use your fingernails, I dont care!
Master Jervais, you must calm yourself. You are
safe. We have plenty of time.
Jervais felt something very large wrap tighter
around his leg. We havent got any fucking time,
Antal! The whoreson tree is trying to eat me! Oh
Jesu Fiduss face went absolutely aghast at hearing his master utter that word. I mean Tremere,
Great Tremere
No, no, Antal interrupted. Master Jervais,
shh. Look at me.
But the choler that hed only partly quenched
in the blood of his enemy last night was taking hold
of Jervais again. He applied every ounce of strength
blood could summon against his bonds. They seemed
to slither and weave around him with a papery,
chuckling sound. He would never get out. Never, and
these bastards would give up and leave him, theyd
go away laughinghe screamed again, this time in
fury. He felt his consciousness taking leave of his
body, removing itself to a safer distance. Heat flushed
his face, his neck. Heaven and earth reversed themselves, wheeling round.
Jervais of Ceoris! Listen to me, Im using your
name. Was that a hint of fear in the stoic voice?
Listen. Shh, shh. You are Jervais bani Tremere. You
are a magus. You are a creature of Reason. Will. Wisdom. Will you look at me?
Something cool touched against the small exposed spot on his forehead. He barely recognized the
dark eyes that hovered very close to him now.
Master Antal, Baghatur says he can take a
sample of the wood and transmute it into its antith-

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esis, whatever that means, with his alchemy A

pearlescent face with palest-blue eyes took the place
of Fiduss. It was Torgeir, who stared curiously down
at Jervais. The Dane would surely enjoy seeing his
erstwhile tormentor lost in terror and rage. He
couldnt allow the sanctimonious little rat that pleasure.
Yes, all right, Antal shushed him. Tell him
to do it, quickly. Master Jervais, dont mind them.
Look at me. The Hungarians gaze captured his own
now. He realized that Antal was forcing his mind
with blood-art, and some part of him was enraged
even further by it. But a different corner of his soul
heard his brother magus plea and understood the
necessity. Look at me. Help me help you. Reason,
will, wisdom Yes, thats it. Please, Master Jervais.
He didnt know how long he let Antal talk
soothing nonsense to him. Every so often he gave in
to the ill-advised urge to flex his muscles uselessly
against the entwining roots, which inspired a fresh
bolt of panic. But eventually he heard another flurry
of activity behind Antal.
Hold still, Master Jervais, Baghaturs voice
called.
I cant very well do otherwise, he called back.
I mean dont startle. This should hurt only the
tree, not you.
At first nothing seemed to have changed. Then
there was sort of a convulsion in the root-mass, and
a shiver, and over the next several minutes it softened and crumbled. A mighty stench arose, but at
last the tendrils loosened their grip and, with the
other Tremeres help, he worked his way out of the
decaying pod.
Antithesis of wood, you say? he asked as he
emerged. He examined the rest of the tree. It was
not only dead but foully dead. Well done, boy. A
most practical application. Your master will be so
relieved.

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Honored to be of service, milord. The young

Khazar bowed and presented him with a half-full
flagon of alchemical muck. A little ways off, a very
irritated-looking Hermann shook stinking mulch
from his hair, and the other Tremere and knights
milled about untying horses. Wigand went over to
the Kur slave (who sat, drowsy from the days guard
duty, inside a circle hed drawn on the ground with
his knifean iron fence to keep out ghosts and
velniai, or so the heathen insisted) and pulled him
to his feet.
Are you quite all right, Master Jervais? Antal
asked cautiously.
Dont fuss, Master Antal, Im fine. Weve got
to decide where to go now. My thinking, currently,
is what is the matter with Zabor.
That hadnt been at all how hed meant to finish the sentence. But now he frowned over Master
Antals shoulder at the Pole, who stood slightly separate from the group and trembling. Miklos, too, had
wandered off. He sat on a fragment of rotten log,
huddled with his head in his knees.
I dont know. Antal shook Zabors shoulder,
t h e n s l a p p e d h i s c h e e k . Z a b o r. S p e a k , l a d .
Bonisagus, hes searing to the touch.
Zabor suddenly cried out and bent over, twisting. His skin began to look oddly lit from within,
glowing with a pink-orange light. Jervais dashed over
and seized hold of the apprentices wrist, already
painfully hot. He chanted the names of principles of
ice and winter, tracing signs in the air with stabbing
motions of his finger. Ill working, I charge you begone from this flesh of my brother! I think I know a
certain little Tremere who should have confessed to
missing something. He bodily sat the now-shivering Zabor down on the ground, then went to see to
Miklos. Hermann stood helpless beside the brawny
lad. Evidently he now had tender feelings for one of
the eight Tremere, at least, since last nights battle.
Hes like stone, the Ventrue said hoarsely.

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Must be a stone-spell, then. Stand aside.

With a second exertion of will and sorcery, the
curse was repelled from Miklos as well. But, as Jervais
pointed out, Only temporarily, I assure you. These
devils will keep flinging their maledictions, and our
nights of hiding from them are over now. We need
to make camp at a nice well of vis, so our sodalicium
can cast a good strong ward to protect us all. Fidus!
My chart! Hand it to me and Ill plot out a likely
spot.
Yes, let us see the chart, Antal chimed in.
Bonisagus, save us from the journeymen, Jervais
thought, shaking his head, but he said nothing.
***
The mortals are here at last, Fidus said, trying
to rouse Torgeir. The Dane only mumbled in reply.
He and the rest of the sodalicium sat stupefied in the
same exact spots where theyd stood to enact the
large, complex ward that now ringed the hill-top.
Come. You can feed, at least a little.
No Torgeir stood. He stumbled, dizzy. Fidus
held him up. No, the slaves cant be recovered yet.
Im all right. God, is everyone drowsing? Thats no
good. Lets wake Jervais and Antal.
But Hermann had already beaten them to it. In
dribs and drabs the Cainites gathered in the middle
of the ward-circle, while the mortals around them
labored to cut new tent-poles to replace the broken
ones.
The crucial thing, Olena was saying, one finger held up for emphasis, the crucial thing is that
what Baghatur describeswood infused with blood
for sapcant have been made overnight. Perhaps
she built the box, or had it built, and trapped the
ghost all in the one night between learning of Master Jervaiss approach and his arrival. But the tree
itself she must have been feeding for weeks.
Id say more likely months or years, Baghatur
put in, nodding.

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Theres a lovely thought, Torgeir shuddered as

he sat down.
She snorted in reply. My point is that shed
never expend that kind of effort unless it were good
for more than just making the occasional spirit-box.
These trees, they must be important to her magic.
Yes, she seems to have a real predilection for
trees, Jervais said sourly.
And if theyre important, she must have more
than one. Perhaps next to this one? In an alkas?
Perhaps, perhaps. Jervais felt that some part
of his intellect was slowly getting at her meaning,
but not the part that was on speaking terms with him
at the moment. He busied himself with grating the
mushrooms hed found on the hilltop. As a mortal,
he could have simply eaten them to ingest the vis
they contained by virtue of having grown at the exact confluence of ley lines. As things were, the
process would have to be far more roundabout.
The box isnt a very good link to Deverra, as
youve said, but its got to be a marvelous link to the
stump it came from, doesnt it? So we could scry that
out instead, Olena went on impatiently. Find her
sacred grove and do something to it.
Ahh. Yes. Youre right. We should find it and
hit it hard and fast. Theyre certainly doing their best
to keep us busy. Its time we returned the favor.
But master, Zabor stammered, well have to
leave the wards protection if were to inflict anything really worthwhile on some faraway alkas. And
were already half starved just from setting it.
The former cant be helped, my boy, Jervais
said, not unsympathetically. The latter can.
But the slaves, Torgeir protested.
Were purchased for a single purpose. He
glanced at Hermann, who stiffened. Well, perhaps
theyd better leave at least a couple of slaves alive,
until the Ventrue could acquire more vessels. He
smiled. Or we might prevail on Herr Hermann to

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let a few of his men donate. They can make themselves handy for something besides killing cows.
The Saxon scowled, but then nodded. If itll
accomplish anything concrete, master wizard, then
do what you must.
***
Once again the four quarters of the directions
were called and the guardians standing in place. This
time, however, it was Torgeir who stood in the East,
while Master Antal and Jervais stood in the middle
holding the fragments of Deverras boxfoci and
conduits for the combined will of the sodalicium.
Antal was adept at raising fire, which had been the
initial plan, but he and Jervais both could conjure
lightning, so theyd decided in the end to cooperate
in that and thus amplify the magic all the more.
Olenas role was to hold and bind in a netting of gold
wire the ax that symbolized Perun, Slavic thundergo d, whom Zabor had swor n and the Kur had
confirmed was dear to Balts as well. The Tremere
would brook no interference from any self-important
local deities, particularly any that might be in congress with the Telyavs.
Perun, Pargnus, Perkunas, she crooned over
and over as she knotted the wire, warrior and judge,
be bound and bearded by our will, arms slackened,
eyes drooping, go to sleep and leave the sky
masterless
***
You must rouse, Grandmother, Jurate whispered. Deverra looked as if shed slumbered a century
and could do so for another. Her recumbent face
made Jurate think of a craggy outcropping of rock,
not so much defiant of weather as ignorant. And
surely she deserved her rest, for shed been wakeful
much of the previous two days readying and casting
charms against the invaders. But Jurate couldnt let
her.
Grandmother, please. Theres an ill cloud.

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The crone opened one eye, then summoned the

effort for the second. Ill cloud? She waited for a
moment, smelling, feeling. Yes, somethings not
right. She hobbled over to the bench of votive deities that sat along the north of the ger. Why is
everyone clamoring for libation except for you,
Perkunas? Whats this? The eye of heaven closed?
She raised her hand, restraining an urge to knock
the little idol off its perch in most disrespectful fashion. Telyavel, father, I beg you, dont drowse
alongside the ax man. Rise, take your hammer and
come with me. Zvoruna, bitch of the woods, sniff and
bay. Call the hunters. She hurriedly poured out a
bowl of mixed mead and beer before them, then
added a sprinkle of blood from her fingertip. Jurate,
daughter, help me to the hilltop. Show me this
cloud.
The younger Telyav did as she was bid. From
amid the tall grasses, waving in a wind that blew the
wrong way, they could clearly see a blackness gathering several miles awaydirectly over the alkas that
held Deverras own zaltys-snake, her shrine and
shrine-maiden, her trees and seedlings. Rumbles and
flashes milled deep within the mass of thunderheads.
Blue-white fingers of light streaked down into the
leaf-canopy.
Grandmother! Jurate exclaimed, afraid that
the old womans eyes were closing from weariness.
They came here so much more ignorant of our
ways than we were of theirs, the high priestess murmured. I was hoping theyd remain so, just a little
longer. But perhaps theyre beginning to see.
Grandmother, you mustnt despair! Jurate
pleaded.
Deverra turned to her and stroked her hair. Despair? Child, I despaired over a hundred years ago.
But I will never give up, for our god is with us. Come,
help me back down again.
When they got back into the ger, Deverra said,
We must start a fire and consecrate the ger. And

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the mirror, that little mirror you were playing with

last night, we need it again. Jurate, dont fear. The
power of Seven is a terrible thing indeed when
wielded by our old blood. But fortunately, its a good
deal easier to break than to build.
***
Jervais was a little astonished that he and Antal
could share an armful of pure lightning between them
so easily. Clearly, what Jervais had always regarded
as a useful but slightly discomfiting art was a source
of outright ecstasy for the Hungarian. He fearlessly
let the tiny sparks of illumination play among his
teeth, allowed it to set his long dark hair on end until
it floated about him like some sort of unholy halo.
He must have been one of those damned born
weather-witches in life. Jervais refused to let himself be cowed.
Once again. On my word! Antal commanded
with a wide grin. Unus, duo, tres, verbum!
Squeezing their right hands closer to each other,
they forced the sphere of blue-white chaos theyd
raised together down into the fragments of wood in
their left hands. Jervais felt the discharge leave him
with a bracing, stinging snap. Exciting as it was to
build up, it was always a relief to be rid of it.
Good! the Hungarian boomed. Good! Now
another.
***
It pained Deverras eyes to watch the reflection,
but the curse required it. In the polished silver of
the ritual mirror, the flames of her hearth-fire leaped
high. The one whod sat out in the moonlight for
hours on end chanting, whod so painstakingly carved
his name and sigil into the rim, whod no doubt spilt
blood only recently stolen from another over the
metals limitless depths, could hardly help but feel
those flames. Such ties could no more be denied than
could ones ownership of ones own body.

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Jurate came back into the ger, bowing first to

request passage from the felt gods of happiness and
fortune that guarded the door-flap. Fire, she said.
Yes, fire, Deverra said, not moving her gaze.
I mean your trees. Grandmother, the lightning
must have struck them, the grove is afire.
It was hard not to let the fear in the younger
Telyavs voice affect her. One step at a time. No tripping over oneself. That was how Deverra had
survived this long. Only if I can take the sky back I
can put out the fire, she said calmly. Only if I can
break the circle can I take the sky back.
***
Flames in the mirror.
Zabor felt it at once. It was as though the globe
of lightning in the magis hands expanded, flattened
and dispersed. Then he could see the flames, and
Deverras eyes, watery and rheumy but full of malice. She knew exactly what she was doing and exactly
how much it hurt. The worst part was that the burning started from within and moved outward, rather
than the other way around. It raged in his bones,
smoldering and blasting like the cracks of heat in a
half-burned log. He half-expected to collapse into a
puddle of skin and tallow right there, but somehow
he stayed upright.
There are words that should be had about the importance of remaining in position in ritual until
instructed to take leave of it.
Right. That was good, but lets send off one
more to be sure. Jervaiss voice seemed to float in
from far away. Zabor thought of saying something,
but between the effort of holding the South and the
effort of enduring the pain, his mouth wouldnt open.
One more, he could hold through for one more.
Your sire had the wrong idea, didnt he? Scrubbing
floors and dumping corpses, those arent humiliations.
Youre a bright lad. You know when youve truly failed.
There are spells, Zabor, where a broken quarter will kill
everyone participating. Entities who can steal your soul

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if you break eye contact. What did you think it would be

like to become magus? All power, no pain? This is why
youre still Fourth Circle after all these years, not because of your smart mouth. Everyone else stood fast.
Everyone else did their duty. And they know it. They
know now that youre the weak link, that you are more
dangerous to them than the enemy. Theyll kill you themselves before they let you lose us this war. And I shall
not stop them.
He clamped his jaw shut, but a groan escaped
nonetheless. He was melting, running like wax.
Something dripped onto his cheeks.
Very good. On my wordmake ready. On my
word. Unus.
Master Antal, somethings wrong with Fire
with the South, Zabor.
I know. Hold your quarters, all of you. Zabor,
we cant lose Fire. Not with this spell. Hold them!
On my word now. Unus.
An odd, frightening calm settled over him. He
would hold, yes.
Duo. Tres.
The mirror-flames hissed as they devoured his
innards, his heart. One especially bright and beautiful flame appeared before him. No, this was his hand,
aflame in truth. Now they would all see he was worthy.
Verbum!
Done!
Torgeir, the quarters! Now!
Zabor thought he said the words for South as
soon as Torgeir had finished East, but he wasnt sure.
He was thinking them, anyway. Syllables he knew as
well as his own name. He had no idea how he came
to be looking at the stars, no idea whether it was
someones cloak or simply the end of all earthly sense
that blotted those stars out almost immediately afterward. But he heard voices for a few moments more,
most shouting or dithering, only one close by and
intelligible.

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Good lad, it said. The voice was Antals, and

it was hoarse. Good soldier.
It was not the benediction he needed where he
was going, but as it was the only one he had, he
clutched it to his soul and rose on his own ashes into
the new dark.
***
I can choose another alkas and make it mine. I
could do it tomorrow, if I werent promised to other
tasks. Deverra handed Bernalt a cup of blood that
steamed in the cold air. Its the Samogitians who
must grieve. Those trees wont grow back for many
years. Each holy place that dies leaves behind an
empty space for the Cross to fill.
Bernalt nodded, but said nothing. He had to concentrate. Hed offered to spare her the exhausting
task of taking the winds back one by one, turning
them around so that the fire that now raged through
her alkas would not spread down to the camp or the
rest of the plain.
Tears streamed down Jurates face. She was new
in the blood and had never met her southern cousins before. She was shocked at how casually they
could blaspheme.
And all this time I thought they coveted our
lands, our power, she said.
No, Deverra said ruefully. Once, they might
have. When they were living men with living magic,
and pure self-interest forced them to husband the visflows. But now they take what they need from human
blood, and everything else is secondary.
But humankind itself cannot survive without
the holy places The young Telyav blinked. Surely
they know that.
You seek reason where there is none, daughter.
These, she gestured toward the horizon, are the
fruits of fear and desperation. It no longer matters
to them what they do or dont know. They forgot
wisdom once, long ago, and may never remember it
again.

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We must kill them, Grandmother, she said.

Kill them all, now. This cannot be allowed.
Dont lose your head, Jurate. Hate tonight, call
down the gods curses on them, then put it aside.
Tomorrow well need your cunning, not your passion.
But their sodalicium is broken, at least. Bernalt
glanced over at that. Yes. Seven have become six.
Now we can go to them, and nothing they erect will
be able to stand against our assault.
***
At least weve crippled her power by ruining
the alkas, Jervais reminded them. He opened up a
little leather folder, set it on the ground, took out
the tiny brush and the vial and began carefully to
sweep a bit of Zabors ash into it.
For the love of God, warlock, what are you doing? Wigand cried out. Jervais squinted up at his
and Hermanns scandalized faces, then he turned to
look at the other Tremere, who stood no less aghast.
What any war-commander does, he answered,
returning to his work. Conserving armaments.
Carrion-vulture!
What is done with the sainted bodies of dead
Christian knights in the Holy Land, meine Herren?
That is, when theyre not just left to rot.
Well, Wigand began, frowning, when possible, the remains are conveyed home
What, a hundred stinking corpses on a great
sailing cog? Jervais looked up again.
No. No, it is necessary, because of the long journey
Theyre cut up and boiled, arent they? he interrupted dourly. To extract the skeletons?
Hermann snorted and turned away. Wigand
didnt speak again.
Surely you dont need all of him, Miklos said
hesitantly. We could save the rest and havehave
a memorial when we get back.
If we get back. Jervais got up. Do as you wish,
lad.

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The apprentices hurried to gather up the rest of

the remains in a box, as though afraid Jervais would
change his mind.
Quite a little family weve got going, Jervais
murmured to Antal. The Hungarian sat sharpening
his ritual dagger.
Each of them is wondering who will mourn him
if he falls. Antal glanced at him. Have you never
considered that?
No. I already know no one will mourn me. He
paused. Something in Antals eyes made him uneasy.
This time he held. He did as you taught. And we
gained a victory. Brother, this is why youre here.
I know why Im here.
But do you understand whats at stake?
Antal pretended to be absorbed in studying his
edge, but he was pondering a safe reply. Jervais knew
that look intimately. War is war, he said at last.
No. Its not the Hungarian war. Do you understand why all our lives arent too high a price for
Ceoris to pay for this?
Am I your student now, Master Jervaisone
you feel needs lessoning?
I do not want, at this late stage, to doubt your
devotion to our enterprise.
Antal literally gritted his teeth for a moment,
then he shook his head. Our Art is all we have to
survive on, all we have to barter with. No one else
must possess it. No one who doesnt give sole allegiance to Ceoris. Rest assured, if I understand
anything, I understand that.
Jervais reached into his robe, brought out a winedark band of disparate threads braided and knotted
together, and showed it to Antal. One thread had
been burned to a char. No trace of it remained but a
black smudge upon its neighbors.
Antal shrugged. Nothing to be done about it,
he said.
Not so. Fidus! Bring your skinny arse over here!
My dear boy, Jervais said, putting a hand on his

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students shoulder as he arrived. The times come

at last.
The time, master? Fidus blinked at both of
them.
Youve waited so long to make Fourth Circle.
Well, here it is. Go purify yourself. We begin the
ceremony first thing tomorrow night.
Butbut you said my geometry had to improve
first, and my
We all have to get through this first, my lad, or
the only geometry that shall concern you is the concentric circles of the Inferno. Whats the matter? I
thought youd be pleased. Off with you!
Ah, how stupid of me, Antal said as he
watched the apprentice scamper away. I forgot about
Fidus. Of course. One threads as good as another.
The important thing is the weave, Jervais answered quietly. Antal chose his times and places
abominably. And to think he fancied himself a potential vis-master.
I daresay the one who holds your thread thinks
so. Perhaps I shall be there to see if you still agree
on the night it is cut.
If youre lucky, I suppose. Jervais felt the pique
rising in him. He admitted it to himself, allowed it
to smolder. Antal might despise his own role in affairs, but plainly he, like everyone else, despised
Jervaiss even more: to say what must be said, to dispense with the unnecessary and to deal with realities
as they presented themselves. The knights wanted
an unstained holy cause. The apprentices wanted to
believe in their own importance. Now Antal wanted
permission to wallow in self-loathing. In a court setting, indulging such whims was Jervaiss entire modus
operandi, but here, it was a luxury he simply couldnt
allow, and they would all hate him for it.
Well, what else could be expected, really?

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Chapter Twenty
Since Deverras grove was laid waste, the ceremony had to be held at a local cup-stone instead.
In daytime, it served the mortal natives of the region, but doubtless they wouldnt mind too much if
a throng of witches and devils borrowed it in the
small hours. If they did, they would remember
Qarakhs raiders and think better of interfering. The
alkas in which the stone lay bristled with ancient
congregations of oak and linden, betraying it as a
resting-place for the siela-souls of men and women.
The broad top surface of the slab was flat, and hundreds of indentations pockmarked ittiny little
mouths hungry for satiation. Some of the indentations were already filled with beer or mead or blood.
Those Deverra did not disturb. Local lore also held
that if you pressed a coin to a wound or boil and then
deposited it in one of the cups, the stone would devour your disease as well. Clearly it wasnt a fussy
eater.
The chosen mortala fine-boned Samogitian
convertstood before the stone, offering his final
supplications. He prayed that Telyavel would find his
blood nourishing, and he begged the god also to
mediate with both Veliona and Dievas, and to guide
him by way of the stars to the blessed abode of
Dausos. Then he rose. Deverra nodded. Each of the
other congregants, both mortal and Cainite, came
forward one by one, carefully biting off the tips of
their fingernails and placing them in baskets of oakbark for burning. This was a gesture of profoundest
gratitude for his gift. Every fraction of fingernail they
donated would help his spirit hang on during its long
climb to heaven. Other baskets contained cheese to
nourish him for the journey.
At last he lay on his stomach across the stone.
Deverra placed a sheaf of barley across his back, a

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reminder that like the grain, he too would rise again

after death. She lifted his head and kissed him
goodbye. Then she took her bone-knife and cut open
his throat. The blood gushed forth, drenching the
stone and welling up in each little hole. She let him
bleed until the god was replete. Then the vampire
priests and priestesses gathered in a close semicircle
and drank of the remaining blood, which she drained
into a large bowl for them to share. At her gesture,
his livid body was removed, carefully washed, robed
in white and adorned with jewelry, then set aside for
later burning.
It was now time for the more earthly preparations. Razors and bowls were brought out, and paints
and lengths of linen and nets of knotted hair. Deverra
smiled at the young woman who came to her with a
pot of lead white and sat down facing her.
Tremere were notoriously difficult to impress
although she hoped that her herd of aurochs had been
unexpected, at the very leastbut she was sure the
effort would be well worth it in the end.
***
And there we are. Jervais attached the little
pendant to the chain that lay across Fiduss robe.
Since there was no way to make a real Fourth Circle
sigil-charm out here, Fidus had to content himself
for now with the appropriate symbol drawn on a piece
of parchment and folded into a sheet of lead. Jervais
made a minor fuss of arranging the chains drapery
nonetheless. He remembered how much these little
honors along the way meant to one who labored so
long and hard between rewards. To deny such ornaments would be like denying a bride her
wedding-fineryimproper and unwise. And now
you have a war story of your own to tell, Fidus.
Fidus tried not to glow too brightly. Yes, master.
Hold out your hand.
The lad did so without question, nor did he seem
surprised when Jervais brought out a shunt and ex-

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tract a small vials worth of blood from his fingertip.

Jervais hadnt had near as many options open to him
for choosing Fiduss thread, but hed at last settled
for a bit of linden bast from one of the slaves bast
shoes. Linden wood was easy to carve, another virtue Jervais hoped would transmit.
One House, One Clan, One Blood. Our
sodalicium is restored, he announced. We mustnt
falter now. Then he turned to Miklos. What is it,
my lad, that the Telyavs got of yours? No more
games.
The Czech rubbed at the back of his neck. A
blood-stone, master. Forgive me. Honestly, I didnt
realize at first. The bag spilled, and I just gathered
them all up willy-nilly and didnt count them til
later.
Well, thats damned unfortunate, isnt it? Since
you have matching stones, we may be able to reach
the one they have and destroy it. Thatll be risky
He shook his head, thinking better of it. Or perhaps we can craft a talisman instead. Not nearly so
risky, but far more difficultI dont know. Well have
to see.
Thats if we even get a chance to cast any more
big spells, Torgeir said gloomily.
Well, we got a chance to promote Fidus at least.
Even they have to rest sometime.
I dont know, master. The Dane shook his
head. There were something like thirty Telyavs at
the camp. Plus Deverra. Thirty to our eightseven.
Ah, but our seven are bound in a sodalicium
circle, whereas theyve repudiated the House and
Clan. Neither can they call upon the power of Seven
nor benefit from the centuries of workings performed
by Great Tremere himself on down to hallow that
number to our use. Theyre little more than hedgewizards now, Torgeir. Powerful examples of the breed,
but hedge-wizards nonetheless. And they rely overmuch on their queen, who still remembers the true
learning. If we can kill herand that Bernalt as well,

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hes another relic of the old daysthen the rest of

them should be far easier to wipe out.
They looked rather skeptical; not that he blamed
them. Certainly theyd all been lectured on the importance of Seven before, but the true intricacies of
the numerology, the full scope of those centuries of
workings, were hardly common knowledge among the
young.
Just trust me, he finished lamely.
They also have more raiders than we do knights
and men-at-arms, Olena pointed out.
One of the captains knights is worth four of
those mangy bandits, Miklos said with feeling. Antal
flinched.
Jervais raised an eyebrow. Exactly. So well manage.
Theyve also got a lot of vessels, she pursued.
We dont. We cant keep up like this. We dont want
to go on using Hermanns men.
Well, I think the captain was planning to go
raiding tonight for that very reason.
Wizards. Hermann came over.
What is it?
This mist, is it natural?
What mist? Jervais looked out across the camp.
There was indeed some kind of haze, a bank of it
rising up sheer like a fortress wall in every direction.
Of course not, he retorted after a moment, or
else itd be coming inside the ward, wouldnt it?
I can try to drive it off, said Antal.
No, dont leave the ward.
Ill do it from within.
Well, that was unlikely to work if anyone on the
other side actively opposed him, but Jervais didnt
argue. Fine. What the deuce is your gargoyles name
again? he called after Antals retreating back.
Never mind. Rix! Falco! You other beast there! Get
up there and scout! Tell me where the enemy is.
The gargoyles looked up quizzically from grooming each other, then lumbered up into the sky.

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Hermann went to his knights and men. No,

dont mount, he ordered the ones who were already
getting on horses. Instead, he made all of them but
the handful who were good archers stand at intervals just inside the perimeter of the circle, where he
assigned each soldier, man and Cainite, a number
from one to fourteen. At his command, they marched
forward out of the circle in a spreading ring, calling
their numbers in sequence.
What in hell is he doing? Olena muttered.
Trying to buy us a moments warning, said
Jervais. Be sure to use it.
She nodded and started fishing through the purse
at her belt.
Twelve! Thirteen! Fourteen!
The second round of calls ended; the third began. They were slightly further out now.
One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six!
Silence.
That way! Jervais shouted. Except for Antal,
who continued chanting, trying without much success to drive off the fog, the Tremere turned in the
direction Jervais pointed. Olena had a globe of balefire readied in her hands, which she threw heedlessly
outward. It hissed and dampened as it passed the
wards perimeter, but continued on until the mist
obscured its light. Lightning poured forth from
Jervaiss fingers. He had no idea what or if it struck,
but he thought he heard a groan. Torgeir had picked
up a handful of dirt and molded it into something
vaguely bat- or bird-shaped. At his whispered word,
it flew out to do Tremere alone knew what. The archers, too, fired shot after shot into the unknown
distance. Jervais could hear that some of the arrows
were striking something, though it could be mostly
trees.
Meanwhile, the other Black Cross soldiers had
retreated back within the wards confines and now
pressed up against the edge where the attack seemed
to be coming from, peering vainly to see the enemy.

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Bonisagus. Theyll probably try for the ward,

Jervais suddenly realized. We should shore it up. No,
not you, Miklos. The rest of you. And Torgeir, you
lead them.
But master, Miklos said rapidly.
No arguments! Jervais snarled.
Then what do I do?
Id recommend hiding, said Jervais. And maybe
drawing a circle in the ground with your knife.
The young war-wizard looked stricken, but he
withdrew into a tent.
The others spread out to the perimeter of the
ward. Torgeir called out: Una Domus, Una Gens,
Unus Sanguis, and then they sat and dug their fingers into the earth. To Jervaiss wizard-sight, those
streams of vis that welled up from within the heart
of the hill at the ley lines intersection and then
flowed through the geometry of his beautiful ward
design flickered momentarily, then brightened.
But there were other sorcerous energies out there
as well, not belonging to the Tremere.
Enemy everywhere, Falco reported proudly as
he circled to land on one of the wagons by Jervaiss
head.
Yes, I can see that now Jervais snapped. He
ran over to Torgeir.
My God, Torgeir said as he came up. Look at
them all.
The mist literally teemed. A hundred bizarre
forms appeared and disappeared within it. There were
skull-faces and beast-faces and glimpses of hood with
no face visible at all. Here was a woman in a circlet
of tubular gold beads and heavy neck-rings, garbed
in white, blood tracked down the front of her gown.
Here was a figure in wisps of torn gauze, carrying a
scythe. Jervais sent a ball of lightning straight into
its chest, but it only whirled unconcernedly and
glided back into obscurity.
Ghosts Torgeir shuddered. Unhallowed
dead.

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You should talk. Jervais put a hand on his shoulder. No. Keep your cross by your heart, my young
friend. They cant get past the ward anyway. Hold
on. Its coming.
The attack?
Yes. Jervais cursed under his breath. He could
see glowing motes, traces of spell-work moving suspiciously, weaving. But he couldnt see what they
were attached to because of the mist. Where were
the Telyavs? They had to be here. Someone had
called up all these ghosts.
Antal ran to join them.
There, there, there! he shouted.
What did you see? Jervais shouted back. He
let his vision retract into the natural.
There! Antal repeated frantically. With a grimace of supreme concentration he thrust his arms at
the fog directly before them, his fingers curled in a
clutching gesture. A small portion of the mist fled
as though fanned away. Another eldritch figure stood
there, decked from head to toe in medallions and
figurines of amber and veiled in a long, trailing white
length of linen.
Then Jervais saw the bare, wrinkled feet.
Deverra!
The figure raised its arms. The mist at its fingertips seemed to solidify into streaking lines of frost,
which reached left and right to catch two of its fellow apparitions. They stretched out their hands in
turn, joining in. A great thick ice fog rolled from
them into the boundary of the ward. Jervais was safe
behind it, but he could still feel the chill radiating
hungrily toward him, could sense his design crystallizing and threatening to shatter under the assault.
The four Tremere buttressing the ward cried out as
one. Torgeir stiffened, his eyebrows and hair suddenly
bristling with ice, but then his voice rose in the
Hermetic cant. Jervais hurried away, to the tent
where Miklos crouched, peering through the flap,
sword drawn. From the look on the lads face, he al-

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ready felt the attack on the ward. At least Jervais

hoped that was all it was.
Miklos, he grated in Latin, Torgeir calls the
power of Seven. Join the chant. Ambrath Abrasax
sesengenbarpharangs. I am barbadnaiai barbadnai
who conceals the stars, who preserves heaven, who establishes the cosmos in truth.
Miklos
nodded.
Ambrath
Abrasax
sesengenbarpharangs
Jervais went back out again. Antal had already
sat down at the ward-border and stuck his fingers into
the earth, and Jervais did likewise. The ward, supported at least vocally now by the entire sodalicium,
waxed in strength and drove off the probing frost
tendrils of Telyav magic that sought to penetrate and
crumble it as ice cracked stone.
Were doing well. She must have been expecting to
find the sodalicium brokenWe could even push back.
Unfortunately, he couldnt tell Torgeir that without
breaking the chant, but he let the notion steep in
his consciousness, willed it to diffuse, hoping that
in the intimacy of the circle Torgeir would pick up
on it regardless.
He didnt have long to wait; or perhaps the
Dane, who was certainly a bright boy as they went,
thought of it on his own. Jervaiss hands and the tip
of his nose buzzed with a sensation rather like the
tingling of a foot that had fallen asleep.
Deverra. Get Deverra, lad
Torgeirs chant had changed slightly as well.
Words of mere summoning and potency were now
bolstered by harder sentiments. Jervais echoed as
many of them as he caught. He could feel their working change tenor, then it flooded outward all at once,
racing back through the conduits the Telyavs had
created. Jervais saw two blossoms of bale-fire burst
on either side of Deverraher unfortunate compatriotsand a veritable pillar of it rise up where the
high priestess herself had stood.

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Keep going, keep going They poured all their

will and strength into the counterassault for several
more long moments, and finally, as one, they released, spent.
There was a vast silence. Even the throng of
ghosts momentarily faded.
Then suddenly a new apparition lunged forward
from the mist toward Jervais. It was an iron face with
iron fangs, to which bits of charred detritus clung,
and its open maw glowed with red heat. The blackened remnants of the amber tunic clacked as it
reached for him, but its talon stopped at the wards
edge. Then it sat back on its haunches.
Deverra, he choked. He meant to shout it, to
warn the others, but the air wouldnt come.
We are strong in the Lord and the power of His
might, the Deverra-thing said. It hefted a hammer
that it had in its iron hand and brought it down upon
the earth. A boom of thunder rolled through the
ground, pealing and echoing. Jervais felt nauseated.
The iron cheeks bent, with the scream of a rusted
hinge opening, into a smile. Then it drew backward,
out of sight.
He leaped to his feet. Hermann was just behind
him, his face lengthened into a rictus of dread. He
grabbed the front of the knights tunic. Some of the
ghosts are Telyavs.
Theyre all demons!
You and Torgeir, Jervais hissed. Theyre vampires, thats all. Im telling you some of those ghosts
are flesh, just attired to frighten and confuse us! Tell
your men to shoot them, throw spears at them, throw
rocks at them. All of them.
The Saxon nodded dazedly. Yesyes.
Jervais went for his tent and his chests. Deverras
alkas was ash. The old crone should be weakened,
lost. Yet here she was, leading the charge and apparently still under the aegis of some vastly powerful
witching.

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We are strong in the Lord, he muttered. He

wished theyd all stop dragging religion into this.
Only Deverra surely didnt mean the Lord. She must
have meant her own go d, Telyavel. Flesh into
ironwell, there were other Tremere who could do
such things, though only the mightiest of magi, and
then there was that glow like hell-fire from her
maw No wonder the Saxons were spooked. He felt
more than a little spooked himself.
***
Miklos peered out of the tent, but he couldnt
see whether the working had ended because his
brethren had finished it, or because something terrible had happened. It felt more like the former than
the latter, but stillat last he could stand the uncertainty no more, and he stepped out. The knights
and men-at-arms were running around shooting arrows and hurling spears into the fog, and it looked
as though everyone but Jervais still guarded the ward.
Where was the old scoundrel? Surely he hadnt gone
out after the witches alone, while Miklos himself
stayed hidden in the tent like womenfolk.
Miklos.
It was a womans voice. For a moment he was
sure it was his mothers, but she was long dead. He
turned. His tent stood quite near the edge of the ward
boundary, and the ridge of the fog was only a few
feet away. He peered out into it.
Miklos, look. The voice belonged to a young
woman there, robed in a blue cloak embroidered and
decorated in metal. A snake brooch clasped her garment shut. Twin chestnut braids, thick and glossy,
descended almost down the length of her body. She
was beautiful, but he didnt allow himself to notice
that. Instead, all his attention was on what she had
in her hand: a tiny red pebble.
I brought it for you, she said, They told me
that we must kill the evil sorcerers, but they lied
you are fair and brave.

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But not stupid. Who are you trying to fool? he

returned.
All you have to do is take it, Miklos. She
stepped closer, holding up the stone. It was now only
a foot or so away from him. He stepped up to the
edge of the ward. She bent down on one knee and
carefully placed it on the ground before him. Will
you not take it?
No.
If you dont, youll remain in Deverras power,
she said sadly. Youll never be able to leave this hilltop.
He stared at the pebble. The girl couldnt trespass the ward, of course, nor could any spell she
might cast, but physical objects could move over it
easily.
Well, thats damned unfortunate, isnt it? Since you
have matching stones, we may be able to reach the one
they have and destroy it. Thatll be riskyI dont know.
Well have to see
He drew out his sword. Hold still, he said. She
did. He laid the tip of the blade against the top of
her throat. She swallowed but didnt move.
Slowly, he knelt down. With his free hand he
took out his dagger and flicked the pebble the two
inches necessary to move it inside the bounds of the
ward. Nothing happened.
He picked up the pebble and rolled it around in
his palm, looking it over with both mundane and
mystical sight, just in case it might have been tainted
or booby-trapped somehow. But no, it seemed as it
should. Inexpressible relief washed through him. He
lowered his sword and looked up at the girl, who
smiled shyly.
Then the pebble melted into a pool of cold blood
in his hand.
I did not say it was your blood-stone, she murmured. You have kindly brought part of me over the
threshold, fair one, of your own free will

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She stepped across. The force of the ward blew

her shawl back like a strong wind but offered no more
resistance than that. He swung his blade at her with
every ounce of strength he could muster. She caught
it in her bare hands. He felt the shock of the impact
all the way up his arm, but it didnt even seem to
nick her. Brambles and leaves sprouted forth from
her fingers and with unholy speed entwined both his
sword and him, wrapping his legs together and throwing him off-balance so that he hung like a fruit
suspended from her vine.
And now I have seen to the rest, she finished.
Miklos! came a cry from across the camp. She
glanced up and saw the round Tremere charging at
her full tilt, arms raised.
With another smilenot quite so shyshe
turned and fled on swift feet into the mist, dragging
her hapless prize with her.
***
Jervais shouted. Hermann! Wigand! Theyve
got Miklos! Come on!
One good thing about these Black Cross knights
was that, once recovered from the initial shock of
witnessing a strange sorcery, they fell right back into
their usual mode of quick response without a lot of
idiot questions. Hermann picked up a spear and nodded.
Jervaiswait. Antal waved at them, then
dashed into his tent. Jervais waited impatiently, using the free moment to get a willow branch out of
his purse and break it in half. A white-yellow light
bled out of the broken ends and collected into a ball
that Jervais brought into his palm to hover.
Antal emerged carrying a sword. He pulled it
partway out of its sheath to show Jervais. The blade
had an odd green glint to it.
Take this. He handed it over. Jervais wanted
to say Who do you think I am, Lancelot?, but he simply nodded his thanks and set off.
***

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Deverra shed her iron skin as she walked back

down the hill. It was a useful thing, no question, but
moving and witching were both far more difficult
under its effects. Almost immediately after, she felt
the slight thrill of a brush against her heart. Somewhere something of hers was being touched, focused
upon. This didnt worry her too greatly. Before the
battle she and several of her senior priests and priestesses had exchanged little talismans and keepsakes.
Deverra? Deverra
It was Oluksna, to whom shed given a few straws
from her ritual broom. Oluksna was one of the few
Telyavs who didnt call Deverra Grandmother or
mistress. Though not quite so old as Bernalt, she was
close to it.
Yes, my friend?
I have the boy. Shall I kill him now?
No, put a stake in his heart and take him away. We
shant try the ward again tonight.
Very well, but the fat one, that Jervais, is chasing
me. It will be hard to lose him dragging this deadweight.
So calm, Deverra marveled. We must distract him,
then. Where are you?
The north side, I think.
Daine and Ako should be nearby. Their grove is just
to the north of here. And Ako had certain blood-gifts
bequeathed by an ex-lover among Qarakhs riders.
Yes, they would do well. I will send them.
And you?
I am left to do those few things I can do with the
ward intact. We shall withdraw soon.
A silent reverberation of understanding, and
Oluksnas mind slipped away.
Jurate and Bernalt were still where shed instructed them to stand, just to one side of the great
oak that stood directly upon the main ley line axis.
Jurate held the bag tightly.
Open it up, Deverra directed her. She did as
directed. Deverra lifted out one of the dark adders
inside. Bernalt quickly followed suit. They spoke to

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the snakes in their own crude and ancient language.

The beasts were rather more surly than Deverra ordinarily liked, and sluggish in the winter cold. But
alas, for the present purpose they couldnt be soothed
with any sweet draughts of vampire blood, and the
Telyavs wills soon overpowered their feeble minds
in any case. They drew serpent after serpent out of
the sack, something like twenty in all, and set them
slithering through the snowy grass back uphill.
***
Stay close, Jervais whispered to Hermann and
Wigand as they entered the mists. Unfortunately,
there was no question of running through this haze.
Never mind Telyavs, one could knock oneself out
crashing headlong into a tree or trip over a rock and
go tumbling head over heels downhill. At least he
was doubtless more used to wandering about halfblind than these two. Hints and echoes of movement
surrounded them, and the knights kept themselves
somewhat back-to-back, swords at the ready, occasionally slashing out at one of the shades that
swooped down upon them and then immediately took
off again, shrieking something between a laugh and
a scream.
O tu zalty prakeiktas
A mutter, just on the edge of Jervaiss prickedup senses. He frowned. It seemed to be coming off a
little way to the left. He could hear nothing of
Miklos, but it was quite possible the lad was unable
to call out. He felt his way slowly toward it, holding
the globe high. Its radiance burned off some of the
mist, but only enough to illuminate nine yards or so
in any direction. He steered well clear of hanging
branches. Never again would trees be innocent in
his sight.
Even knowing that any given vision might be a
vampire rather than a spirit, Jervais still froze when
the wild-haired woman with a face painted to look
like a skull suddenly appeared. She growled, then
half-cartwheeled onto her hands and kicked out at

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him like a disgruntled mare. Her shoes were iron,

and they slammed into his jaw, sending flashes of
light popping across his field of vision. He felt his
knees crumple, but by some supreme exertion he
managed to step one foot backward and set his legs
akimbo, holding himself somewhat upright. He called
upon the strength of blood to make the world stop
spinning, then brought the blade Antal had given
him up into the base of her ribcage. It slid into her
like a hot knife into wax. She cried out. Then she
said something in her own tongue. The ghosts
emerged again and this time, though their touch remained insubstantial as ever, somehow it caught and
plucked at him. They actually managed to raise him
into the air a few inches before he fought out of their
spectral grasp.
Hermann! he shouted as best he could through
his cracked jaw, but there was no reply. He snapped
his head around. The Ventrue were nowhere to be
found. He thought he heard scuffling behind him,
but he wasnt sure.
The woman darted away. He cursed and started
to follow her, but a glimpse of two pinpoint flashes
out of the corner of his vision startled him. They
came swiftly toward him, and the next moment he
was borne down to the ground with the great weight
of an enormous bear on top of him. Its flesh was
Cainite-cold. Its snout, flaring spit, closed on his
wrist and tore. He couldnt raise his sword to use it.
His globe, however, required only a thought to move,
and so he sent it up into the creatures coal-red eyes.
It shook its head wildly and let go. He laid hold of
its fur and sent a levin bolt through its body. The
creature screameda remarkably human soundand
fell over. Then it limped away, still in bear-form.
He sat up, feeling at his ribs, unable to believe
none of them were broken. Hermann and Wigand
gone, Miklos and that girl whod grabbed him gone,
his own two attackers fled Then he smelled something and edged over toward it to be sure. Here were

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the womans footprints in the damp ground, and a

splatter of blood from her wound had dropped down
into one of them.
He felt about for the subsequent footprints.
There were more drips there. Vampire wounds didnt
usually flow the way blood driven by human hearts
did. If she were hunched over with pain, though, the
bloods own weight would conduct it down to the
ground. Groaning, he fished out one of his vials and
scraped some of the bloody earth into it. Then he
sharpened his sense of smell to as fine a sensitivity
as it could command and crawled downhill on his
hands and knees, gathering the globe under his chest
so that it both illuminated the grass and snow he
searched and, hopefully, became somewhat obscured
by his own bulk.
***
No, no more, Antal bellowed. You just waste
arrows
He flapped his hands wildly at the soldiers. They
looked to one of their number, a young ice-blond
Cainite who seemed to be the authority of resort
when Hermann and Wigand were absent. The knight
chopped his arm downward, and the bowmen brought
their weapons down.
Theyre not attacking anyway. Not attacking,
but not leaving Antal added to Baghatur in
Magyar, frowning. The ghosts still haunt us, at
least.
One appeared at the border of the ward then, its
head growing to an enormous size, and roared deafeningly at them as though to prove his point.
Shall we keep holding the ward, master? the
Khazar inquired stonily.
No, save your strength. But be ready to go again
at a moments notice. Antal walked up to the blond
knight. Forgive me, what is your name?
Landric.
Brother Landric, I mistrust this seeming calm.
As do I.

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Theyre plotting something. I think perhaps I

should leave the ward after alltruly get rid of this
mist He scratched at his beard.
Well, I hope youre not asking me, the knight
said.
One of the men-at-arms gave a lusty scream.
Antal and Landric rushed over at once. A great dark
snake dangled from the mortals leg, hanging on in
what Antal suspected to be an entirely willful fashion despite the mans frantic shaking.
Stop, stop, he said. Dont excite yourself. Let
me take it off
No, let me take it off, master, Olena interrupted, hurrying up.
He nodded. With a wavelike motion of her hand,
she caused the snake to fly off his leg, then bent its
legless body in midair until the spine snapped.
The mans face had drained to white, and he
breathed shallowly. No fear, Antal assured him.
We dont wish you to die of fright. Youll be well, I
promise. Will he not? he added with a glance at
Landric.
Yes, of course, the knight nodded. Come. He
got the man to lean on his shoulder. Then he clapped
his hands and addressed the other soldiers. Men!
Those of you with reason to fear a serpents bite, I
want you to get up on the horses and not come down
til I give word
Just then another soldier cried out.
There must be more, Antal told the other
Tremere, whod quickly gathered. The ward cant
keep common beasts out. You must find them. Search
the grass. Crawl.
Meanwhile, Landric had sat the first victim
down by the cold fire pit, and motioned for the other
to be brought to him as well. He tore his arm open
with his fangs and began to drip blood into the first
mans waiting mouth.
The wizards dispersed through the campsite parting grasses and lifting branches, and most of the

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undead knights joined in as well. Antal and Torgeir

each found a snakethe latter by suddenly having
one attached to his handand the knights between
them hacked the heads off several.
Baghatur stood up, made some little noise of dismay and then ran into a tent. Antal glanced over.
Ah yes, the tents, they had to be checked as well.
Master, come quickly! came the yell from
within.
They all did, and Antal had to shove them aside
to get through. It was the tent where the slaves were
kept
The slaves, Torgeir groaned. We forgot about
the slavesdear God.
Easy to forget about the slaves, except of course
at feeding time. But Antal cursed his slowness nonetheless as he knelt to examine the men and women
who lay on the ground in their rope bindings. One
was clearly dead already, or so close as to make no
differencemost of his head had turned a puffy,
bruisy purple and Antal could clearly see three sets
of punctures on his neck. Two of the other men
showed similar bruising on their hands, spread all
the way down from bite marks that had actually
pierced the shoulders and upper arms through their
sleeves. Their fingers were swollen, and to Antals
ears, their heartbeats were dangerously off-rhythm
and weak. The woman in the group actually had her
hands over the serpent that still nestled on her chest
where it had poisoned her, and her eyes were closed
as though in blissful sleep. The Kur rolled to turn
toward Antal as he approached. He too had an ugly
bite on his face, but he struggled to speak through
his greatly swollen lips and tongue.
Master, he said.
What happened? Antal exclaimed. Why did
no one scream?
I wokewhen snake bit me, the man managed.
Antal hurriedly began to untie his bonds. They just

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sit therethey say that mrkmadu has come to free

them. I try to call out
Antal began to roll up his sleeve to administer
the blood, but then hesitated. For these people it
might be too late to do anything but make vampires
of them. The Kur seemed best off of the lot, of
coursehe was far less often bled than the others,
owing to his function as translator. Still, even his
was a doubtful case. Anyway, if there was the slightest chance that undeath might result it had better
be a knight giving the vitae. For Antal to sire a
childe, even to exterminate it a moment later, was
technically a violation of the Code that any of these
young ones might report should the malicious whim
take them.
Baghatur. Antal glanced backward. Your alchemy.
The apprentice shook his head. Theyre dying,
master. Multiple bitesand I can smell the venom
from here. I can try.
Well, try, try! Antal snapped. The Khazar went
off to get his things. I want one of the brotherknights.
Landric shook his head. We gladly shed Cainite
blood to heal our fighting men, Master Antal. But
not for these. Especially when it might not even save
their bodies, to say nothing of their heathen souls.
***
Ah yes, bless Antals Transylvanian blade. It had
struck quite true. The snow, though half-melted from
a turn in the weather, helped Jervais to find the indentations of her metal shoes and the occasional
splats of dark blood. His clothes were soaked nearly
through. The ground leveled out for a whilehe was
definitely off the hilland then rose again. Unfortunately, he had very little idea which direction he
was going in. Vaguely north, he thought. He could
see neither moon nor stars. He was more or less following a ley line, but he didnt know which one. He
also had very little idea of times passage. He was

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absorbed in the trail of blood and footfall, and more

peripherally in the growth structures of grasses and
weeds, the traces of insectile life that remained even
in the winters bitterest cold.
The earth began to feel distinctly warmer under
his hands, yet the slush and snow remained. At last
the sensation reached the point where it penetrated
his benumbed mind, and he stood, suddenly alarmed.
Wherever he was, he wasnt wanted. The trail
continued determinedly on ahead of him, but he no
longer trusted it to lead him anywhere he wished to
go. He hadnt been attacked again yet. That wasnt
right. Surely it was just a matter of time. Even if they
were having as much trouble finding him as the reverse, one of them almost had to stumble across him
at some point.
With a curse under his breath, he took his
leather gloves out of his belt and threw them down
on the ground. Then he took off his cloak and boots
as well.
There are some advantages to being dead already,
Lord Councilor.
He knelt and called the snow to him. It came in
clumps rather than fluffy drifts, but obeyed him nonetheless, hastily forming into a pillar whose lower half
he directed to split in two. Two tapering cylinders
for the arms, and a roly-poly little head. There was
very little need for accuracy here, as long as the overall shape and size were right. The movement was
more the trickif he were Etrius, he would simply
have called up an elemental spirit to inhabit itwell,
never mind what Etrius would have done. Resigning
himself now to coming back to camp thoroughly
drenched, he dressed the manikin in his robe, boots
and gloves and set it into something like a walk with
the globe hovering over it. Then he sheathed his
blade so that its own uncanny radiance wouldnt give
away his real position and followed along behind as
quietly as he could. Keeping the globe aloft was nearinstinctualhe knew the charm that wellbut it did

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hamper his concentration on his snow-self. The going was rather slow, but that was all right. Every so
often he wiggled the haft of the sword to make sure
it hadnt stuck in the sheath.
Once again, he saw the red eyes just before their
owner leaped. The bear seemed a bit startled to
find that its headlong attack crumpled its opponent
so quickly and completely, and it tumbled to the
ground tangled up in Jervaiss cloak. Jervais rushed
in and brought the blade down onto its neck. His
blow released a great deal of blood but stuck in the
spine without severing it. Panicked, he put his bare
foot against the struggling beasts shoulder to help
pull it out. It reeled up to standing on its hind legs,
head now lolling.
There were few things more dangerous than almost slaying a Cainite, and Jervais knew it. He sent
a fork of lightning toward it before it could regain
its balance, knocking it flat. The bear-form melted
away then, hair drawing up and muscles rearranging
themselves in the space of a blink, leaving behind
the naked body of a young man. Jervais brought the
sword down again. Before it even connected, the
young man had vanished. Jervais looked around in a
panic. He felt a tickle and saw a beetle land on his
hand; in the next instant, a vicious hunting hound
was hanging from his hand. It tore off a chunk of his
flesh and sprang away. He screamed (and berated
himself a moment later for making the noise, but too
late).
Puteresse, lichieres pautonnier, he muttered savagely, clamping his good hand to the wound and
finally recovering his ice-filled glove to put on over
it. Then he ran after the dog. It was already invisible in the mist, but at least it had bled far more
copiously than the woman.
***
Yes, good Antal moved forward slowly, down
from the hilltop, knights on all sides of him, the
Tremere clustered behind and the gargoyles gliding

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along above. Clear all this rubbish out. Then we

can see what we are dealing with, whether theyre
even still here. As he moved his arms in a sort of
swimming and scooping gesture, the mists separated
and rose.
Dear heaven, Torgeir said. He looked up. Is
that the time? Master Antal
Antal looked up too, noting the height of the
moon. Yes, young Master Torgeir, I see it now.
Master Jervais and the Herren may not be able
to. Hadnt we better
Yes, wed better. Cabo! Rixatrix! Falco!
The gargoyles descended, floating down like autumn leaves in spite of their stony bodies.
Now let me think. Falco is the sharp-eyed one?
Falco, go look for your master.
His mate should Fidus began to volunteer,
then stopped. Antal stared at him, as did everyone.
Evidently Fourth Circle lent one new airs.
Yes, Fidus? Antal prompted.
His mate should go with him, the apprentice
gulped. Master Antal. Shes the fighter of the
pairah, as you can seeand Lady Virstania said
they almost think in concert. If Master Jervais and
the knights are in trouble, then
Antal blinked at him.
Of course, he said after a moment. Cabo
should be enough for us. Rixatrix, go with Falco.
Cabo, you stay with us.
Rix go, the big female grunted. She and her
mate took off, and Cabo returned to circling just
overhead.
***
The dogs trail ended abruptly at a little brook
of melt runoff. Jervais didnt know whether that
meant that hed splashed into the brook, or that hed
turned into a bird and flown away, or something else
equally aggravating.
He sat down, pulled off the glove and examined
his wound. It would take only a few nights to heal

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that was if he could hope for regular meals in the

meantime, which seemed a slim and uncertain hope
just now. But it was a good-sized hunk of flesh,
enough for some really malicious spell-work. He certainly hadnt set out to become the next risk to the
sodalicium. Damn Miklos for a fool. If hed only stayed
in the tent. Evidently the boy would follow any order without question except the order to lay low
He shook his head and took a little lodestone
out of the purse at his belt. He dripped some of the
blood from his wound into the finger of his glove,
then dropped the lodestone in and settled in to wait.
In this fog, there was no way to see an hours passage, so he quietly recited a chant he knew took
about that long to get through.
When it was done, he took the lodestone back
out and suspended it on his purse-string. Naturally
it pointed further in to what he had already determined was an alkas of some size. With a gusting sigh
he got up again to follow it. Come what may, he had
to recover his missing portion.
Not long afterward he found the stone slowly
turning left, then whirling. Just in time he dodged
out of the way as they both came at him from behind. He spun to face them. Having now seen the
enchantment once before, he spotted the vines beginning to sprout from the womans hands and caused
them to wither with a gesture and a phrase invoking
the forces of decay. The naked young man who had
been a bear slashed at him with long clawlike fingernails. The woman flicked her hand and sent a rock
flying up from the ground and dashing into Jervaiss
injured jaw. He roared and lunged at her, seizing her
arm and twisting it as he pulled downward. She
gasped.
He sent a good solid bolt into her while still
holding onto her arm and threw her aside. Then he
did the same to the man and straddled across him,
pressing his blade into the Telyavs neck.
What did you do with it? he hissed.

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With what?
My flesh.
I ate it, the young man grinned through a
bleeding mouth.
Unwise. Jervais lifted the blade and made to
plunge it into his abdomen. The young man laughed
at him. Son of a whore
Something he could only have described as a
sensation of pure malevolence brushed across
Jervaiss back. He stumbled to his feet. The Telyav
was still laughing, pulling himself up unhurriedly.
The woman had also begun to rise, but she made no
move to attack. Jervais peered up to see what was
diving at him now. Another ghost?
Then it happened againthis time to his face,
a much sharper pain. As it did, a faint patch of
brightness showed through the roiling mist above
him.
The first fingers of dawn, seeking to reach down
and touch them.
All thought of battle was abandoned. Jervais
looked wildly around. It was still difficult to see much
on the ground, but there was no sign of any hole or
hollow he could jump into. For one dazed moment
he thought of simply covering himself in a mound of
slush, but no, that might well melt away completely
if the day turned warm.
The Telyavs slowly backed away from him, no
longer laughing but eerily silent and smiling in the
purple light. Jervais ran toward the young man with
a cry, thinking he would take one with him, anyway,
and drove him up against the bole of a great tree.
A moment later he had hold of nothing. The
young mans maddeningly serene face grayed, softened and flowed backward into the very wood, soon
followed by the rest of him. Jervais turned. The last
of the womans arm was fading into the bark of a slim
linden.
Trees. Double-damned trees

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This had been the plan all along, he realized.

Or it had been the plan ever since hed undertaken
the supreme idiocy of charging out of the ward. He
deserved this fate every bit as much as Miklos. More.
Purple took on roseate hues, and the mist rose
like bread. The pain began in earnest now, and the
fear. He ran back and forth. There was nothing but
snow. Surely he could do better than snow. There
must be some charm, some incantation It dimly
occurred to him that these were his final moments
and he should do something, say something. Now was
the time to pray or curse or utter some deathless sentiment, if there were anyone here to hear it. He
offered up all he had to offer to the burning face of
Heaven: a cry of cheated hate.
And Heaven answered. He thought at first the
darkness that fell upon him was Judgment, wings of
demons come to drag his soul to hell, but then he
put out his hands and touched a familiar, pebbly texture. The smell, too, of niter caves and butchers
stalls.
Falco?
Shh. Master must be still
Sleep now, came Rixatrixs rumble. They were
embracing him between them, arcing their wings
until their bodies met at every seam, blotting out
every last bit of the horrible light.
Master is safe.
He could feel their skin calcifying around him,
entombing him immovably in the mountain-rock of
Carpathia. Yes, he remembered now, Goratrix had
had to invent the spell, gargoyles werent always
bright enough to get themselves out of the sun in
timeof course, given the circumstances perhaps he
shouldnt disparage The danger now over, the lethargy of daytime took him with unaccustomed speed.
So, then. He would owe the next night, and every
night thereafter, to the luck of fools and gargoyles.
It was certainly better than the alternative.

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Chapter Twenty-One
No sign yet? Torgeir called up to Antal, who
had actually climbed a tree just outside the ward
circle in order to get a better vantage.
No sign, the Hungarian called back.
There you are, Torgeir said, clapping a hand
on Fiduss shoulder. Now next time you can just ask
him yourself.
Arent you at all worried? Fidus entreated him
as he walked away again.
Why, what would be the point of worrying?
Well Fidus stopped in the middle of what
hed been going to say, realizing that none of the
reasons it personally worried him mattered nearly as
much to Torgeir. Well, Master Jervais was the only
one who really knew what were supposed to be doing, and why.
Were out here to kill Telyavs because the Lord
Councilor told us to, the young magus replied easily. What else is there to know? Peace, Fidus. Either
hes all right or he isnt. But knowing Master Jervais,
Id wager the former. If theres one thing the man
excels at, its taking care of himself.
***
Jervais doubled over in pain and fell to his knees,
clawing at the stake in his belly to dig it out before
the buds on it had a chance to sprout. It wouldnt
come loose, though, until he choked out a formula
of revocation. Right away the broad-set one was
charging again. Evidently all the savage had to do
was slather himself with a bit of mud to heal his
wounds, or at least he didnt seem to feel them anymore. Rixatrix picked the man up and hurled him
away.
Five. Hed fully expected to awaken to two, but
not five. Evidently hed walked into a damned orchard of Telyavs. At least the naked young man was

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still looking worse for wear, and the iron-shod

womans wound didnt seem to have healed either.
They hung to the rear. The new three, however, were
considerably fitter and haler for battle than Jervais
himself.
Jervais stayed where he was for a few moments,
hunched over, pretending to be grievously wounded.
Sure enough, the little blond girl with the bonetipped spear decided to press her advantage and ran
at him with a battle-yell. He knocked the spear away
with his sword. She raised her arm to strike again.
With his other hand he drove the stake into her foot.
Its magic had fled, but it could still cause terrible
pain. Falco swept down and knocked her on the head
with a thick fallen brancha choice of weapon
Jervais found most gratifying.
Jervais got up then and, with a sweeping motion,
sent a clump of dirty snow-slush into her face. That
bought him some time to get out of the way. All of a
sudden the smell of Cainite blood completely suffused the air. Rixatrix had taken the naked young
mans head the rest of the way off. She shot up into
the air, carrying the head aloft with a triumphant
shriek. The iron-shod woman screamed and ran up
directly underneath her. Rixatrix snuffledit wasnt
a laugh exactly, but it was as close as most gargoyles
gotand dropped her prize at the womans feet.
The broad-set man was back from wherever Rix
had thrown him. Now he stood aghast at seeing his
comrades body so used. Jervais tried to run him
through, but he overbalanced. The man easily caught
him, wrapping his powerful arms around Jervaiss
own, turning him toward the iron-shod woman.
Daine! he called hoarsely. Daine!
The woman turned to stare, but then seemed to
understand. Once again the vines and thorns shot
out of her fingers with deadly speed, and this time
Jervais couldnt make the sign necessary to stop it.
As they enveloped his head, the man who held him

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hastily stepped back. Jervais flailed at the vines with

his sword, but it became entangled as well.
Something yanked on the vines, and he fell facedown on the ground. Wriggling to raise his head, he
saw that Falco had barreled into the woman and was
now worrying at her flesh. Leaves and coils of green
twined around him as well, locking him and his opponent together.
And now the third one, the sharp-faced old man,
was chanting in Jervaiss direction.
Rix! Jervais shouted. The big gargoyle landed
beside him and caught up the vines in her mouth.
She put her front talons down on them, pulling and
shearing with all her might until they tore just above
his head. Then she seized hold of him and struggled
clumsily up into the air. A burst of orange and a flash
of heat exploded under Jervais as they rose.
A rock flew up and battered against Rixatrixs
wing, laying open a gash. The spear flew at them and
the old man sent another blossom of fire toward
them, but she managed to dodge them and stay aloft.
They spiraled upward. Jervais stared down at the
battle that continued on in his absence. The Telyavs
descended on Falco now. The poor creature tried to
break his wings free of the strands that bound them,
and he put great rakes of gore across any Cainite flesh
that was unlucky enough to come within range. Then
the bone-spear plunged into his chest, and he gave a
piercing cry that echoed across the canopy of the
alkas.
Rixatrix gathered Jervais up into her vast arms
now, so that he no longer dangled like an overripe
fruit.
Master is safe, she said for the second time in
as many nights.
I hope so, he answered, though I fear the same
cant be said of Falco. Virstania would be most displeased. Then again, the old harridan had never quite
managed to get it through her skull that the whole

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purpose of her charges existence was to die in their

owners stead.
Is true, she rumbled.
He glanced up at the gargoyles grim, knobby
face. For him, at least, it was impossible to read feeling in it. Dont you care? he asked curiously. He
was your mate.
He dies for Master. Is great honor. My great
honor come another time.
Ah yes. The kind and noble masters He
didnt expect her to catch his irony, but to his surprise she made a little demurring noise.
Some Master is cruel. No matter.
He wondered where he fell by the gargoyle
reckoning. No?
F o r M o t h e r s c h i l d r e n , i s h o n o r t o s e r v e
whether Master is kind or not. Master do as he wish.
If I serve well, then honor is mine in any case.
I see. Hed never thought to see a moment
when he would envy one of these creatures, especially knowing the existences they led, but here it
was. Then your Mother has taught you well. Better
than I was ever taught, certainly.
Yes, she said, and banked left to catch a favorable wind.
***
Rixatrix delivered him to the center of the
Tremere campsite like war booty, and he once again
had to endure the indignity of being pried free of
greenery.
Master! Thank Great Tremere! Fidus exclaimed with evident relief.
Here, boy. Take this vial and put it away safely,
Jervais gasped, squirming to get his arm out. Herr
Hermann, Herr Wigand. You made it back in before
dawn?
Just barely. But for Miklos, Hermann said solemnly, you are the tardiest of us, master wizard. Id
hoped you would recover him.

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I wish any of us had Jervais retorted, stung.

Hermann bared his teeth, and only then did Jervais
see the great wound in the knights chest. He hastily
added, Not for lack of trying, Im sure. For that
matter, I wish wed managed to stick together. I could
have used you.
Forgive us. Something ran in a circle around
us, and suddenly there were two witch-lights, and
we didnt know which one was you anymore. Obviously we guessed wrongly.
Well, I got a little distracted myself, so I suppose fairs fair.
Open up your hand, Hermann said. Jervais did
so warily. The knight deposited a pair of fangs into
his palm.
It isnt just their ghosts that fear the cross, he
went on. They do themselves. They recoil at the
sight of it. I thought I saw it during that last battle,
but I wasnt sure. This time there was no doubt.
Brother Wigand made the sign of the cross and invoked the name of Our Lord, and the witch screeched
and fled straight into my arms.
My vigor and hope are restored, Wigand agreed
heartily. This time God blesses our endeavors.
Jrgen was rightsorcerers to kill sorcerers, its all
in His plan.
Is that so? Jervais pondered. Well, it certainly
helps my plans, anyway.
Why? What are you going to do? Hermann
asked.
Learn by imitation, like any good scholar.
The Saxon nodded heavily, despite having not
the slightest idea what Jervais meant, and made for
the slaves tent. Antal started and ran after him.
Seeing the look on the Hungarians face, Jervais
shook off the last of the clinging vines and hurried
along as well.
Captain, the Hungarian was saying. Captain,
I must warn you

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Hermann stopped short in the doorway in the

tent. The two magi crowded up behind him.
There is but one left. And hes ill.
Hermann stared at the Kur, who sat up from his
rags of bedding with wide eyes.
So he is, the knight murmured. And came forward.
No. No, no, the mortal man begged. Hermann
paid him no heed. No, pleaseI can tell you
things. He looked pleadingly at Jervais. I can tell
you useful thing!
Hermann stopped again then, but his mouth was
partway open already.
If you can do that, why havent you done it
before? Jervais asked.
About Telyavel. About his shrines.
Staystay out of this, wizards, Hermann said
huskily.
Youre right. Jervais held up his hands in a pretense of apology. Its your decision. After all, hes
the only one left for you, isnt he? The only infidel.
About his shrines, please. If your enemy is high
priestess of Telyavel, one thing she must have, one
promise she must keep. I tell youif you promise no
to bite me!
The knight drew up his knees and sat. He raised
his hand to push his metal coif back off of his head,
revealing the linen arming-cap beneath.
So you guessed, he muttered to Jervais.
Finally, yes I did. Casts a much more interesting light on your religious fervor, which, as you know,
Id been finding rather tiresome. But I wont stop you.
You need your strength. Whatever he thinks he
knows, its quite possible someone else out here
knows too, and weve got to get more of them anyway Jervais shrugged.
Yo u . Yo u m u s t h a v e a n a m e , d o n t y o u ?
Hermann grated at the terrified slave.
Kalju, the man gasped.

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How about this, Kalju? You tell me this useful

thing He actually mimicked the mans accent.
Apparently hunger brought out the spite in
Hermann. If it really is useful, then I promise I wont
bite you. And if it isnt, then I promise Ill make you
wish I had done so.
Kalju told them. A little later, Jervais burst out
of the tent with Hermann and Antal following.
My chart!
Yes, master. Fidus fetched it out of his masters
tent.
Let me see. Jervais ran his finger over the
tracks of the ley lines.
Antal was at once peering over his shoulder.
Looking at the spots we couldnt reach in scrying?
Yes. Because if our Kur speaks truly, then we
should have found the place already, except if it was
in one of these spots hm. How odd. How very, very
odd. Look at this one, in the south here. He tapped
a spot.
What?
Well, this was our travel route, wasnt it? Something like this?
Slightly more west, because we crossed this
stream I think, but yes.
We went right by it. Right past it.
Comprehension dawned on Antals saturnine
features. So we did.
I know exactly what were going to do now.
Exactly. And as long as were doing thatFidus, get
me that vial. And some thread.
Which vial, master?
The one I handed you not a moment ago!
Jervais snapped. Antal laid a hand on his arm.
Stop shouting, the Hungarian warned. Were
all hungry.
Jervais rounded on him as wellbut then he caught
sight of the other Tremere. Exhaustion and over-vigilance
warred in their faces. Even Antals fingers gripped him a
little too tightly. With an effort, he nodded.

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Fidus brought the vial out again. Jervais took it

from him, suspended it from the thread and said an
incantation over it, then swung it out over the chart
until it began to spin rapidly.
So this is where I must have been last night,
the northern alkas. Its attuned to that iron-shoed
bitch probably not her alone, either. That one we
destroy for certain. And this other alkas and this
what did Zabor call it, pannean, the sacred
bogtheyre also within a half a nights journey from
the Telyav camp, so we should hit all three. Olena,
can you carry a man while you fly?
Olena blinked. Well, I havent tried, but I think
so
Good. Then youre with Master Antal.
What for? Antal exclaimed.
Baghatur, Jervais said over the other maguss
huffing. Youre with me.
The Khazar looked just as baffled as everyone
else, but he said, Yes, master, and gave one of his
little bows.
Torgeir, Fidus, youre together, and take one of
Herr Hermanns mortal soldiers with you. You two
leave tonight, since youve got the furthest to go.
The furthest to go where? Torgeir broke in.
Back south. Jervais tapped the blank spot that
he and Antal had been mulling over. Fidus, go
saddle the horses. Sit down, Torgeir, and practice
patience. Youll get all the explanation you need in
a moment. The Dane went rigid, and for a moment
Jervais honestly thought he might lunge forward, but
then he obeyed. The rest of us will set out tomorrow. But we must prepare. Above all, we must feed.
Then that means raiding a village tonight,
Hermann said.
Yes, indeed. Order a raid. And make sure to tell your
men to take all the axes they can find, because tomorrow
theyre paying a visit to the northern alkas.
Axes. Good. The Saxons eyes glinted.

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But five knights of the Blood have to stay here,

both tonight and tomorrow night. And you as well.
Remember that boon you owe me, mein Herr, he
added when he saw Hermanns scowl. The scowl
turned to a momentary look of what Jervais was gratified to label terror, but then smoothed out again.
I see. Hermann bowed from the neck. My
word is my bond, Master Jervais. My services are at
your disposal. Call me when you require them. Then
he walked away, Wigand at his side conferring with
him.
Say what you want about the Cainite traditions,
they certainly do simplify certain transactions,
Jervais remarked to the others. My brethren, and
sister, with Miklos in Telyav hands, I think you all
understand that our ward is doomed to fall and that
we will lose our safe haven once more. Now I dont
know about you, but I havent the first intention of
letting that happen without a retaliation in kind.
***
Hermann knelt grudgingly in the circle of salt
that Jervais and Antal had constructed.
Both knees, Jervais instructed.
A man only goes on both knees before God,
the monk-knight said stiffly.
Thats exactly the idea. Pray to God. Its your
devotion that we require for the spell. Just dont pray
for protection from us, or from sorcery, mind. Thatd
be rather counterproductive.
Hermann looked greatly surprised, but he folded
his hands and began intoning under his breath.
Jervais took the six Black Cross surcoats, folded them
so that their blazon showed uppermost, and then laid
them out on the ground along the inner perimeter
of the circle. Antal picked up the bowl and used the
brush to stir up the mixture of paste, gold dust and
ground lily petals.
Jervais touched Hermann gently on the shoulder to interrupt him, then proffered him a different

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bowl. Drink, he said. Replenish yourself. Youll

need it for this.
But I cannot Hermann began. Then he
sniffed, and cautiously took the bowl from Jervaiss
hand. He tasted of it, then glanced up at Jervais.
I promised him he wouldnt be harmed, he said.
A low, dangerous note entered his voice.
You promised him no such thing, Jervais returned comfortably. You said you wouldnt bite him.
You didnt. I have saved you that labor, and your
honor as well. Now drink.
There was a curse all but spoken in the Ventrues
eyes, but he drank.
***
Jervais gazed out over the plain, toward where
the Telyav camp lay, but it was useless. Too far away
to detect any but the most gargantuan working.
Whatever they might be up to, he hadnt the resources to stop it. A dark bird streaked across the
sky from that direction. He followed its flight with
interest. It circled once overhead, then it fluttered
down to land before him. It was a great, graceless
black raven. Something light-colored was wrapped
around its leg and secured with a knotted thread. He
stepped toward it. It croaked at him and lifted its
leg, looking up at him with what he thought a rather
supplicating air, as if to say I was told youd help me
out with this infernal thing.
He carefully untied the knot and extracted the
long tape of parchment, first looking it over carefully, even though no spell should have been able to
pass over the ward anyway.
The letters were learned, but cramped and a bit
wobbly. As you know, we have Miklos. We are willing
to parley for his safe return. Send reply by bird. Yours.
Antal came up beside him. Whats this? More
beastly couriers?
Rather more innocuous this time, but yes.
Jervais withdrew from the raven a bit, motioning for

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Antal to follow. Have the others fed from the new

prisoners? he asked quietly.
I assume so. We were all famished.
Then we should gather them. Im afraid theres
more work to do.
The sun dawns in a few hours, the Hungarian
cautioned him. Not enough time to purify for a
major working.
Then well do without. Not sure this is the sort
of working for which purifications are really appropriate, anyway.
He showed Antal the parchment.
They havent killed him, then? Antal murmured.
No. And this Jervais held up the braid-band.
This shows that theyre telling the truth.
You are right, Antal said heavily. There is no
other choice. The boy is part of the sodaliciumas
long as it stands, they can get at the rest of us through
him. We must break the circle.
We cant break it in the proper manner. All of
us would have to be present for that.
They were both well aware of the things they
told each other now. The essential conversation was
already had. Yet, to the faint amusement of some
disconnected corner of Jervaiss mind, they kept talking, sharing not information but resolve.
This will not please the children.
No, it wont.
He said he had other bloodstones. Well use
those.
Yes. Have Fidus bring me my pen and ink, I need
to write a reply.
Youll say yes, we shall parley. Antal nodded
his head toward the bird.
Of course.
Youll say anything, wont you?
Jervais gave Antal a churlish glance, but for once
the Hungarian seemed more curious than disparaging.

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Ill say anything required, yes, he answered.

That must be why you are sent to woo princes,
and I am sent to feed vozhd, Antal ruminated.
I would imagine so.
***
Jurate felt awkward doing chores in front of the
big auburn-haired Christian, even though he was laid
out flat, his heart spitted on a shaft of ash-wood,
unable to even turn his head to watch her. But at
last, shortly before dawn, she finished her work. Then
a perverse curiosity seized her. Deverra had firmly
instructed Jurate not to speak to him; shed said nothing about touching. Jurate went over to his still form
and with her fingers closed his staring eyes. Then
she sat beside him, studying the things he wore
around his necka handful of teeth strung on a
chain, a funny little charm with Western writing on
it. In his purse she found a quaint assortment of
things, some of them reminding her of the odds and
ends curious children might pick up. There was a bit
of thread wound on a spool, several smooth stones, a
ball of wax, some fragrant anise seed, coins from various mortal mints, a bit of willow twig and the skull
of a mouse. Then there was a little pair of wooden
boards hinged together with silk thread. She opened
them. Here, set into one of the panels, was what
looked like it had once been a portion of eggshell,
brightly painted with a colorful design. It had been
crushed flat, giving it rather the look of a mosaic,
and then shellacked into the shallow hollow of the
board.
It certainly didnt look like a tool for any fearsome sorcery. What was it? She turned it this way
and that, trying to make sense of the broken design.
Someone had labored over this, bent over it with a
tiny brush. Part of it looked as though it had been
rendered with a wax-resist technique or something
similar. And he had carefully saved it, found a way
to preserve the fragile surface and yet carry it with
him. She glanced pensively at his slack face. He

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doubtless wouldnt tell her anyway. What was the

mystery of these Tremere? They had two eyes, two
ears, and their blood was the blood that ran in Telyav
veins. How could it be that theyd wandered so far
from the life of the world, while they still went about
with old lovers tokens hidden away in their purses?
He made a noise then. She started like a rabbit
and shot to her feet. Vampires on stakes were not
supposed to be able to make noise. His eyelids fluttered. Then he moaned again. His body began to
shiver. It was the minutest possible movement, impossibly fast, visible only as a blurring at the tips of
his fingers and nose and the edges of his clothes.
Grandmother, she murmured, and then raised
her voice, backing away, still holding the little
wooden token. Grandmother! Grandmother!
What in the name of Moist Mother Earth is it,
girl? Deverra hurried in, pushing open the tent flap.
Look!
Yes, I see Deverra laid a hand on Jurates
arm. Step back. Back.
A moment later the Christians head burst into
flame, the auburn of his hair supplanted by a blazing
corona of candlelight-yellow. Jurate felt the bloodterror enter her bones, urging her to flee, but Deverra
held her fast. The rest of the body caught fire and
began to blacken.
I thought they said they wanted to meet,
blurted Jurate.
This is their true answer, Deverra returned
with a gesture at the charring corpse. Daughter, I
want you to stay here with him until he is ash. Then
you must gather every speck of him up and open the
tent to air it out. Well stay in Bernalts ger until we
have time to purify this one. Perhaps tomorrow.
Perhaps? she echoed. Where are you going,
Grandmother?
I must find the darkhan.
Jurate sat uncertainly down, clutching the token now, to keep watch over the dead as requested.

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Deverra went and sought out the current head of the

raider band, who stood conversing with the one person she had no desire to look at right now.
Darkhan Alessandro. Boyar Osobei.
They both bowed to her, the latter rather more
floridly. Mistress Deverra. How may I be of service?
the Tzimisce inquired.
I was seeking the darkhan, boyar, but Im glad
that I find you as well, because the news is the same
either way.
Oh?
Yes. She turned to Alessandro. Tell the mortals they move camp tomorrow. I want everyone gone
by sundown except for my own priests and acolytes.
Obviously that means your riders wont be sleeping
in the gers tonight. I trust they can manage.
Yes, milady. He frowned. Which way are the
mortals to go?
Any way thats far away. I would say east.
And the riders?
You will join the mortals after sundown, to lead
them.
I see. It will not please the great khan that we
left you
The great khan is not here, she replied grimly.
Nor can I concern myself with what would please
him. Instead I must do as I know he would do in my
stead.
True. Then to her surprise, Alessandro got
down on one knee and took her hand.
We will guard the tribe, and pray Father Tengri
that you rejoin us in triumph. He paused. And Father Telyavel.
She laid her other hand over his. May the wind
bear you up, darkhan.
Then she looked to Osobei. We have enjoyed
the honor of your company, boyar, she said, but it
is time for you to go now.
The emissary bowed again. To his credit, at least
he didnt smile.

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It would seem so, milady, he agreed.

***
Antal set down the platter upon which the
blood-stones had rested. It was blasted and cracked
now with the remnants of the heat.
He spoke quietly. Dismiss the quarters.
Torgeir was East, Olena South, Baghatur West,
and Fidus North. The last recited his words with
rather more care than strictly necessary. Everyone
else waited patiently, even though the sun lay in wait
just under the horizon.
Jervais put out the incense. Get some rest, everyone.
They stirred like dreamers just awakened. Antal
remained where he was, standing bent over the platter.
Everyone comes upon death by and by, he said.
The others looked at him. Not everyone has the
privilege of serving others by that death.
The futility of the sentiment hung there in the
air of the disbanded circle. Jervais sheathed the ritual
sword and stood. Antal, you idiot, this isnt helping
them. Keep your own demons out of this.
Or of being remembered. Torgeir cleared his
throat by way of preface. I have an idea. A pact.
That drew their attention sharply.
A pact? Jervais echoed.
A promise. I dont know if anyone would be interested. A promise thatwhoever falls and has
fallen, those who survive will remember. He met
Jervaiss eyes then. Not in prayer, necessarily. In
whatever way each one chooses to honor them. Once
a year. Forever.
He bit into his fingertip and let the blood run.
Olena did likewise and stepped forward, touching her
finger to his. Then Baghatur joined them, and then
not without a nervous, permission-seeking glance at
his masterFidus.
Why not? Jervais came forward as well. Master Antal. Come.

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But Antal stood as if rooted to the spot. He had

a rather odd look on his face, and twisted the end of
his beard.
A promise so much more easily made than
kept, he said.
Bring your arse over here, Antal! Jervais
blared. The Hungarian obeyed.
Zabor and Miklos.
Zabor and Miklos.
They held all their fingertips together in somber silence for a few moments, then parted.
Perhaps a sodalicium can endure even as six,
Jervais murmured to Torgeir as they made their way
back to the tents, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Well done. Your master could take a lesson from
you.
Torgeir pulled away disgustedly. Dont talk to
me now. You dont understand anything.
Jervais raised his hands and let him go. He
watched the young albino slog determinedly across
the muddy grass. He had, at one time, drawn great
distinctions of character between the Black Cross
knights and his fellow Tremere, and also distinctions
among the Tremere themselves. No more. One essential characteristic united them all, outweighing
every difference.
I do understand some things, at least, he told
himself. I understand what a promise is, and is not,
good for.

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Chapter Twenty-Two
Know any good songs to sing? Ditmar asked
Werner with a grin.
No, Im used to swinging a sword, not an ax,
Werner retorted, grimacing, as he laid another stroke
into the foot of the alder beside him. All around
them the sunlit grove echoed with the sounds of
chopping.
It would pass the time, anyway. I hope they
dont expect us to have this whole grove down today.
God save us, no. I think the idea is just to
desecrate He yanked the blade out from where it
had stuck for a moment. Trespass the pagan law,
render it unfit for their blasphemous use.
A pity a man should have to break his back for
hours on end just for that Ditmar returned to his
task, selecting a new tree, a slightly smaller one this
time. He sank his ax deep into its bole. An instant
later he cried out as dark liquid gushed forth from
the slit hed made.
Werner, look!
Werner came over at once, crossing himself.
Blood!
Theres godless filth for you Ditmar attacked
it with fervor now, all complaints forgotten. Werner
joined him. Between them, they soon had it crashing down. The blood continued to flow from it,
brighter red now.
Deo gratias! Werner exclaimed as it fell.
Ditmar echoed him. The fallen trunk before them
shivered, all its leaves shaking as though in a breeze.
Then a section of it softened and shifted. A moment
later the cloaked body of a slim youth lay before
them, its right foot severed off. The youth half-rose
and lifted his trembling hand toward them. As they

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watched, it reddened with sunburn and exploded into

a fiery mass that soon consumed him completely.
They crossed themselves again, breathing
heavily. Then all at once Ditmar broke into some
lusty song about the barons daughter and went to
find another tree.
Brothers! Werner shouted to his compatriots.
Brothers, look sharp! We must try them all, and find
the ones that bleed!
As it turned out, they could find only four in
the entire grove, but even that gave them great satisfaction. It was a victory they could report to the
senior brothers (whose Devil-inflicted daytime infirmity regrettably kept them from joining in) and
claim as their very own. Better yet, several hours into
the work a band of pagan worshipers wandered unwittingly into their midst, seeking the cup-stone that
had already been turned over and pissed on. The men
among them had spears, but that would help them
precious little.
Now theres something I know bleeds, and my
favorite sort of tree to fell moreover, Ditmar smiled
as he hefted the ax and went toward them.
***
Couldnt you just give me one of those stones,
like you gave to Torgeir? Hermann grumbled that
evening. Jervais restrained a smirk. One night the
man was terrified at the prospect of even entering a
ritual circle, the next he wanted playthings. Granted,
the signal-stones would have been simple enough for
even a Ventrue to use, since all one had to do was
trace the alpha on the sending-stone with ones finger to set the omega on the herald-stone alight.
Im afraid that was Master Antals only pair, and
Torgeirs going to be a good deal further away from
me than you are. Now Baghatur wrapped these up
very nicely for you in the proper color cloths. The
blue bags will send up blue plumes when you throw
them on the fire, and the red bags will send up red
plumes. The blue plumes are to make anyone thats

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watching think the Tremere are up here on the hill

working sorcery, so just throw one on every so often.
Then if you do get attacked, throw on a red bag.
And the other red bag?
Is to signal your victory, or at least your survival. I trust you wont ask me for one to signal
defeat.
Now it was Hermanns turn to smirk. No, Master Jervais. He rearranged Jervaiss sigil-embroidered
ceremonial cloak around his shoulders and glanced
at Landric and the other four knights, who were likewise doing their best to make Tremere cloaks fit
comfortably over knightly mail. Well. Its a good
thing we wont need to pass for sorcerers at close
range
Jervais chuckled and went to check on the young
Khazar, who was working furiously in his tent.
Ready to go yet?
Er Baghatur held up one flagon. Heres the
remnant of the antithesis I made to get you out of
those roots, it should still be good. And heres another batch.
This wont do, my lad. Its a good-sized bog.
Well need at least one more of these.
But I cant, Im out of ingredients.
What would you need more of?
Well. Baghatur started to speak, then stopped
and blinked. When he spoke again, it was more subdued. I would need some ofZabor, actually.
Ah. For the filtration? Jervais took out the vial
of ash and passed it over.
The Khazar took it uncertainly. Yes. Thank you,
master. He bowed.
Its not me you should thank, Jervais said.
Hurry. We need to be gone.
***
I give up, Antal shouted over the wind. Take
me somewhere else.
Olena shook her head. When they first took off,
her hair had been well braided in a thick rope, but

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that was long gone. One could take her for the wild
vila of so many peasant tales now, with locks black
as midnight whipping about in the chill air and her
skin chalk white under the moons radiance. Theyd
quickly found that the best course was for Olena to
hold Antals left hand. If she let him go entirely, he
was too afraid to concentrate; if she carried him, he
couldnt conjure the bale-fire properly.
Youve dried it out now, she shouted back.
One more, master.
He spread his hands, and another ball of flame
appeared between them, expanding into an amberbright bead. Then he sent it down into the forest
canopy. This time it caught. Nothing could be seen
of it other than a tiny trail of smoke, but if it or one
of its siblings would only blossom a little over the
next hour or two, then a conflagration would start
that only weather-witching of the highest order could
put out. And if several of them caught and endured,
then perhaps not even weather-witching would save
the eastern alkas.
They flew back over to another spot where
theyd been working before so that Antal could try
to fan it with a friendly wind. Olena gave a cry of
satisfaction as a glow of orange sprang up from within
the tree crowns.
There, you see? Its begun.
Yes, it has. Antal cast his gaze across the wide,
shadowy blanket of foliage. Who knew how long it
had stood here, how long the people had come? And
that other billow of ash coming out of the very edge
of the forest there, was he mistaken in thinking that
was not one of his fires, but hearth-smoke? Just as
in Hungary, no one will be able to mistake where
the Tremere have been.
***
Dont look down. Dont look down. Dont look
down
You can open your eyes, Baghatur, we are
down, Jervais called out heartily as the gargoyles

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rotated their wings and slowed to a stop just short of

the ground. The Khazars feet fumbled a bit in the
soft heaped peat and spongy moss of the bog-floor.
Then he recovered himself.
Now youve a good idea of the strength of your
concoction, dont you? the older Tremere asked.
Yesyes, master.
Good. Your job is to portion it out as evenly as
you can. Dig little holes and bury it.
Yes, master. And you
My job is to spread it. Put your hand down on
the soil here. Push on it. Feel that? Its more water
than anything else.
I see. Thats why its you and me here instead
of the others. He peered around. Interesting. Ill
be curious to see if the moss affects the rate of absorption or
Exactly. Now you understand what you need to
do?
Oh. Oh, yes. He padded here and there among
the dense stands of pine trees, pouring out a little
from the flagon each place he stopped. Jervais chose
a puddle to start from and knelt down before it,
thrusting his arms elbow-deep into the acrid muck.
This would have to begin very small and grow gradually, with careful attention to the rhythm of the
miniature tides he was generating in the mass of peatsoil. Even so, it might not be possible to kill the
whole mire. But if hed chosen his spot as well as he
hoped, then it would be enough to cripple the vis
well, and perhaps even the flow of the ley line itself.
Master!
What?
Theres augh. How, er, singular.
Theres a what? Jervais called irritably.
Well, look. Baghatur reached into the weeds
at the edge of a pond and dragged up a bloated arm.
Its black-nailed fingers flopped back. Shes weighed
down with gold jewelry.
Hedge-wizards, Jervais scoffed.

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I dont suppose youwant it?

No. You have it if you like. Go ahead and drag
her out, anyway, if its one less ghost serving the
Telyavs thats all to the good.
He bent to his work again.
***
Five ravens and a hawk touched gently down
upon the grass at the hills foot. A moment later there
were no birds at all, but a hunched old woman, a
young woman with brambles in her hair and four men
who immediately lifted their spears and began to
search the brush around them.
What a horrible stink, Daine whispered.
Yes. I know Ive smelled it before, but
Deverra frowned and stared up at the billows of bluegray smoke. All the ingredients. Its been too many
years.
Now, at least, there must be only six. Valdur
was one of the Curonian group. None of the old magi
were left among them except for Bernalt, but at least
they took this business of numbers seriously once it
was explained to them.
Yes, now theyre six. Alas, we here are only six as
well, but only six could come swiftly enough. The mortal Saxons, at least, must die before they could chop
down more trees and send more of her children to
shameful, helpless deaths in the sun. And whatever
the Tremere themselves were doing up there, all
hunched and huddled together in a tight circle, could
be nothing good.
First, the ward, she said. But then, be ready
to attack swiftly. The one thing you cannot allow
them is time to think. And remember, its better to
concentrate and kill one of them than to wound them
all, so if you see one beginning to falter, show no
mercy.
They nodded.
Suddenly Valdur fell to the ground, moaning.
My priestess

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They bent over him. He coughed, and a black

foulness splashed out of his mouth and fell upon the
ground. Where it touched, the grass withered.
My priestess, theyre poisoning me fouling
the pannean
So that was the nature of the maleficiummortals by day and vampires by night, nonstop
blasphemy. Stay here, and hold on, she told him.
She took out a zaltys snakeskin from her pouch.
Here, eat this. Itll help you purge the curse. I promise you, we wont let them finish. Will we? She
looked up at the others.
Daine nodded. For Ako, she whispered fiercely.
For all our fallen.
They climbed up with souls and minds girded and
hands linked, already speaking the prayers that would
call upon the favor of the Maker-Unmaker and enlist his aid in this particular unmaking. The Tremere
rose as their attackers crested the hilltop, startled,
but they couldnt react quickly enough. This time
the Telyavs combined will surged up against their
weakened ward and dissolved it like aqua fortis.
Forward! Deverra cried. Her voice wasnt what
it once had been, but passion carried it. Determined
to remind her kin that they did not have exclusive
purview over the flames of the Underworld, she sent
a barrage of bale-fire directly into the head of the
nearest. He fell flat on his back, dead almost in that
instant. But as he fell, the cloak opened. Underneath
was the bone-white flash of a surcoat with a great
black cross emblazoned across it.
And now the other Tremere ran forward,
throwing their cloaks back to reveal the warrior-garb
underneath. Worse, each cross was alight, outlined
in a golden glow that both mocked and invoked the
memory of the sun. As one, her Telyavs recoiled from
the sight. They didnt flee, but the advance that had
been perfectly unified and resolute suddenly became
a confusion. The knights closed in with swords upraised, screaming something in that barbaric tongue

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of theirs. It was all the Telyavs could do to raise their

spears and their most instinctive charms as the Saxons fell upon them.
***
Jervais got up, or tried to. He felt as though his
legs had been bought new that evening, and only just
now attached.
I wonder if anyone lives around this little stain
of pestilence, he said vaguely as Baghatur came to
help him.
Someone must, master. Shall we find them?
Master. Rixatrix had tried once to land in the
soft soil here, and just as rapidly abandoned the idea.
Instead, she coasted over to the trunk of one of the
sturdier pines and clung to it. Tower of red rise up.
Good, good Jervais looked in his purse and
took out the signal-stone. Nothing yet. Theoretically, that means at least some of the Telyavs are busy.
But weve still got to wait for Torgeir. Yes, Baghatur,
lets look for a house. Some lone farmstead. Hellfire,
a herd of cattle would suit at this point. The gargoyle brightened alarmingly at that and gave an eager
little whine. No, no. A farmstead. Thatll do.

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Chapter Twenty-Three
Master wizards, please
Fidus straightened his sigilsall seven of them
and turned to follow his new-minted brother magi out of
the ritual chamber. He couldnt help a quick peek at the
spectators as he did. There was Jervais, smiling broadly,
and his old grammar teacher from Compostela, and his
mother, and even Aristotle. And Lucien serving as usher,
dressed finely as ever but now bowing. He bowed to
Fidus, all the contempt in his princely face transmuted
to affectionate respect at last. Yes, it was true what his
teachers had said. Knowledge could open the gates of
the kingdom to a man regardless of his state or station.
Come, master wizards, Lucien repeated politely
But no. Lucien was ash, and this wasnt his voice
anyway. It was the voice of the young mortal knight
whod been sent along with them. The heavy tentcloths theyd wrapped themselves in for day-sleep
tugged, and the leaves on top rustled. Fidus rolled
counterclockwise and wriggled to free himself.
What did you say? he asked as he emerged. He
just wanted to hear it again.
The knight sat back. I said please wake up,
master wizards.
Im up. Torgeir
ImIm getting up. The other pile of leaves
rustled, and the albinos head and torso emerged. He
blinked at the mortal. All right, what have you
seen?
The hammering never stopped, not for more
than the space of a Pater Noster.
It was the same last nightnot even to make
water.
They all exchanged looks. Torgeir shook off the
last of his cover, and the knight loosened his sword
in its sheath.

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Well, that settles it, Torgeir said. He laid a

hand on Fiduss arm. Look out. Its going to be fiery
in there, you know.
How many corpses have I had to incinerate over
the past decade? Fidus retorted. Then he belatedly
remembered he was in mixed company, and gave the
knight a sheepish glance.
Nevertheless the Dane pondered. I think
wed better see to at least a few protections first. Even
leaving the fire aside, we have no idea what were in
for. He stood. Keep watching, sir knight. We wont
be more than an hour or two. If anything changes,
tell us immediately.
***
Saxons! Aukstakojis said brightly in that
tongue when they entered the shack. Saxon merchants always pay well!
But Torgeir answered in Latin, calling over the
noise. Were not here for ironmongery this time, Im
afraid. And you understand everything Im saying,
dont you?
The smiths face fell slightly. He stopped hammering, set down his tools and turned to them.
Even the busiest of tradesmen can usually find
time to take a piss, the Dane went on. He collected
his companions with a glance. Come on
They pinned the wiry little man against the wall.
Torgeir brought out his cross and held it up where
Aukstakojis could clearly see it. At the sight of it
the smiths eyes went wide with terror, and any fight
that had been in him drained out.
Look! Fidus exclaimed. Brother, look!
He forced down Aukstakojiss bushy mustache
with his hand and pulled back on his hair to force
his head upward. Without the thick garland of whiskers, they could all see that the smiths nose had no
nostrils.
Yes, I dont suppose imps strictly need to
breathe. Neither do we, but at least we have the souvenirs of humanity. Torgeir smiled, allowing his

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fangs to descend. No more playacting, smith. Ive

drunk a great deal of ungodly blood here already, and
Im hungry for more. So if you can kill us, then try.
If not, speak. He forced the cross in closer. Where
is it?
Where is what? the smith cried in Latin.
The fire that must never go out. The fire dedicated to Telyavel the Smith, by which his covenant
with his high priests is always sealed. She never even
told the raiders that you were its guardian, did she?
Now is it the forge itself, or only a single coal within?
Probably a coal, since she had to move it when she
came down from Livonia. Isnt that right?
Aukstakojis said nothing. Torgeir nodded at
Fidus, who rather joyously knocked his head a sharp
blow on the wall. The knight dug his swords tip into
the smiths chest.
Yes, I carried it in a bucket!
Fidus, get the tongs and get it out. Youre probably looking for something more like a glowing piece
of jet than a true coal.
All right Fiduss dark-accustomed eyes watered, but he did as he was bid, poking and grasping
gingerly. Here, this one I think. Its harder than the
rest.
Torgeir squinted at it too. It was hard to tell in
the heated air, but to his sorcerers sight the thing
did seem to radiate.
Right. Now how to destroy it?
Water? Fidus shrugged.
I doubt it, said Torgeir, but he saved a corner
of his eye for Aukstakojiss reactions, looking for
something telltale.
You cant destroy it, the smith insisted. It is
eternal.
Ill just bet. Not much of an oath for Deverra
to take, is it, to protect something thats eternal anyway?

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But Fidus hefted the tongs, considering. Master

Jervais had always said the funny thing about conj u r e d d e v i l s a s s u m i n g t h a t s w h a t t h i s r e a l l y
waswas that they never outright lied, only by omission. Well, maybe its not destruction she has to
protect it from.
What then? Torgeir paused a moment. Sacrilege?
Perhaps
Sacrilege, Dane? the smith spat. His kindly
face had contorted beyond human limits now, twisted
with immortal pain and fear. You are a walking sacrilege. And that piece of brass you hold, to you it is
nothing but a talisman to ward off what troubles
you.
Shut up, Torgeir snarled in return. This talisman is going to send you back to whatever black
underworld vomited you up.
Well, if youre going to do that anyway Fidus
interrupted.
Torgeir glared at him. It was a hard glare, rather
like one of Jervaiss, and all the more frightening for
the reddish tinge his eyes took on in the reflected
firelight.
If youreI mean, stammered Fidus, why not
just send it back with him?
The look on the smiths face decided Torgeir at
once. Right! Hold him! As the two of them
struggled to keep Aukstakojiss head still and stood
on his feet, Fidus tried to pry his mouth open. When
that didnt work, he brought the handle-end of the
tongs down onto the gritted teeth, smashing them
in. The smith gave a gurgling scream and dark blood
gushed from his lips as Fidus forced the pincer end
of the hot tongs down into his throat, then pulled
apart the handles so as to drop the coal down into
his belly. Meanwhile, Torgeir pushed the cross
against the smiths taut-stretched cheek.
Adjuro te, serpens antique, in nomine Patris, et
Filii, et Spiritus Sancti

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The knight quickly joined the chant, and even

Fidus picked it up in a moment. The smiths body
shook and smoked, giving forth a horrible boggy odor,
and then it began to deliquesce in their very hands,
first blackening and bloating like an old corpse and
then transmuting into a sludge that splashed across
them.
Ugh! No sign of the coal?
No. Fidus felt hurriedly around for it in the
muck. No, its gone.
As he said it, an enormous groan and crack
sounded throughout the shed. They turned to gape
at the forge. The very earth was giving underneath
it, tipping it in, swallowing it up. As it turned over,
Torgeir caught sight of the marks that had been
etched into it, ancient glyphs of concealment and
promises of retribution on the would-be defiler
Out! he shouted. His companions needed no
further urging. They pelted out of the shack just as
walls began to fold in on themselves and the fault in
the ground parted beneath their very feet. Before
theyd even reached the edge of the clearing, the
whole thing was already gone as though it had never
been. Only a stinking pit remained.
Telyavel had reclaimed his own.
***
Once, as an apprentice, Deverra had been sent
to gather the dew of the alchemilla plant and had
ended up clinging to the side of an outcropping of
rock whence a small growth sprang. Halfway through
the preparatory prayer, a section of it collapsed out
from under her and she was swung out, fingers desperately entwined in the herb-stems. She made the
mistake of looking down in that moment. Her heart
fell into the chasm, and for several hours afterward,
she wasnt sure it meant ever to return.
This felt much the same, except that the chasm
was bottomless. And in that one simple, irreversible
moment, a battle that was unpleasantly pitched but
winnable became a lost cause.

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Retreat. She couldnt make it sound above a

croak. Ako had been laid out nearby, a spear stuck
in her shoulder, but she was getting up already.
Deverra stumbled over to her.
Ako. Ako, call retreat.
Ako stared at her, aghast. One of the three surviving knights, a big blond, came charging at them.
Deverra swiped her arm sideways almost distractedly
and a gust of violent wind sent him flying.
Call retreat, she croaked again.
Retreat! The younger vampires voice rang out
damnably clear. Retreat!
The Saxons heard but didnt understand the
Livonian version of the word. They cried out in astonished fury as their opponents suddenly halved,
quartered and then dwindled even further in size,
sprouting feathers and rising up into the air.
***
Jervais poured a cup of mead into the little cauldron that hung over the hearth fire. He also put in a
little mistletoe that he found in a pot. Baghatur
watched him with interest.
Is it a ritus aquam, master?
Hm? Jervais looked up. The bloo d of the
farmers wife was reviving him, putting a fine warmth
in his cheeks, but sharpness of mind hadnt returned
just yet. No, I just enjoy the smell. Most of the foods
that pleased me in life sicken me with their scent,
but not mead.
I see, Baghatur said, though it was plain he
didnt really. He went to the window. Were not
going back to camp tonight, I take it?
No. Were meeting the knights at the lake, just
west of the Telyav camp.
Not Herr Hermann, the Khazar frowned, confused.
No, he and those with him stay at our camp.
They could never join us in time anyway. It may be
that theyll have the privilege of meeting the fresh
edge of Deverras wrath when she learns what weve

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done. Or possibly poor little Fidus and Torgeir will

actually earn that honor. But I think it more likely
shell run to ground among her mortals and plot
something we mustnt let her finish plotting. Therefore, we march on them tonight with Herr Wigand
and the rest. Never give Tremere time to think, my
boy.
Youve said theyre not Tremere, master.
True. Nevertheless.
Is that our hill, way over there?
Jervais pushed himself out of the chair and came
to look out of the window across the broad marshy
plain. Yes, indeed. And a new flare of red from atop
it. Good.
Now we leave?
Well, let me see. He took out the signal-stone
again. Much of him was hoping (even though it
would be bad news indeed) that it wouldnt light
anytime soon. As he held it, however, the etched
lines of the Greek letter upon it came to life, glittering. Out at the forge Torgeir was tracing alpha, which
was quite appropriate considering that the forge-fire
had been the start of a covenant. How much more
appropriate, then, that Jervais should be here
shepherding the quickening of omega.
Yes. Now we leave.
***
It took their demoralized little flock what
seemed like forever to make it back to the ordu, flying against the wind. Deverra was glad to see that
the very last of Qarakhs riders was now gone at least,
vanished into the deep, welcoming night of
Samogitia. Perhaps it would be kind to them.
Bernalt and Jurate were already running to her
even as she shook off the bird shape.
Grandmother! Back already? What happened?
They pressed around her. The closeness nauseated
her unaccountably. She waved them off. Ako began
to keen over Valdur, whom shed had to carry all the
way back. He was still in his hawk body, and did not

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move. Deverra shushed her by placing a shaking hand

on her head.
Everyone, Deverra managed. Mortal and vampire. I need everyone together. Call everyone.
At the place of sacrifice? Deverra? Bernalt took
hold of her and lifted up her chin. At the sight of
the blood tears tracking down the seamed channels
of her aged face, his own face went slack with shock.
No. No, just here.
Are they coming? he asked her.
Yes, theyre coming.
There was a moments pregnant silence.
Very well, he said. He helped her to the door
of her tent, then went to obey.
B u t J u r a t e t a g g e d a l o n g s i d e h e r, s t r i c k e n .
Grandmother. Something is very wrong! Tell me
what it is!
Deverra said nothing. She went to one of her
chests and opened it.
Were going to fight, arent we? the younger
Telyav pursued. Were going to stop them at last?
Theyll never stop. She pinned on her white
apron, then brought out her bracelets and slid them
onto her arms. They stop at nothing.
You said that youd never stop, not while
Telyavel was with us.
Yes, she said, exactly. I have endured through
these long years of hardship only because I trusted
in him, in the land that bore me, in the gods of this
good earth I knew they at least would never betray me, no matter what Id become. Jurate, the last
time I called upon Father Telyavel, he gave Qarakh
the very power of the moist black earth, so that
Alexander would fall to his fangs. He asked my
beauty of me in return for the miracle, but he did it,
and the enemy army was confounded. Nothing they
did availed them. This timewell, there is nothing
I havent offered him these past few weeks

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Then well pray with you! All together, our

voices as one! Let us spill the sweetest blood before
him! He cant ignore us then.
Yes, he can. He can do as he likes. He is a god.
She cast the rising bitterness out of her voice as best
she could. And the Tremere have blasphemed
against him in every way possible, and I could not
stop them, and he did not. Or perhaps he cannot.
Its over, my daughter.
Jurate was fighting her own tears now. We
should have called the others here. From Prussia and
Estonia.
No. Im more glad than ever that we didnt.
And what abouthim? She almost said his
name, but wisely decided against it at the last.
One of Deverras tears fell onto her apron, sullying it with red. She made no move to wipe it away.
They wont find him, because I alone know where
he rests.
Bernalt entered. He was already changed into
his ceremonial robe. Theyre coming, he said quietly. All of them. Living and unliving.
Deverra picked up her ax and followed him back
out, with Jurate on her heels. The crowd was indeed
gathering. There in the center of what had so recently been a large, rowdy encampment, they looked
few and meager indeed. What did you tell them?
she murmured to Bernalt.
Nothing. It would only be an insult.
Grandmother, you cant do this! Jurate turned
to her fellow priest. Bernalt, make her see.
She does see, the Frank said heavily. I see too,
Jurate. You dont, only because youve never been to
Ceoris.
And she shall never go to Ceoris, Deverra said.
No. As fascinating a subject for study as Im sure
theyd find her Bernalt laid a hand on Jurates
shoulder. She shuddered. Shed never seen him look
so sad before. Then he let her go again.

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Youre going to wait for them, I presume? he

asked Deverra. She nodded. Promise me that youll
kill Jervais bani Tremere.
Ill kill as many of them as I can, she said. If
no others, though, then Jervais bani Tremere for certain.
He nodded and got down on his knees before her.
Then I will be first to offer my strength.
She nodded again, kissed him on the forehead
and either cheek, and then bit into his neck.
Jurate tottered back on deadened feet, but she
couldnt tear her gaze away from the spectacle of
Deverra, drinking down the salt of her oldest surviving compatriot. As she watched, the old woman
dropped Bernalts unconscious body to the ground,
hefted her ax and chopped his neck through. Oluksna
came forward next. Then Ako, still cradling Valdurhawk in her hands, and then a sad-faced mortal
youth
Jurates nerve snapped completely then. She
bolted. Deverra didnt move to stop her, didnt even
look up from her work. One of the priests of Bernalts
group seized her arm as she ran by, though, holding
her fast with his undead strength. Their gazes met
and they had the entire argument with their eyes:
life and death, honor and hope. Then, just as suddenly, he let her go.
She knew she was committing a sacrilege, but
she didnt care. Let Telyavel strike her down if it was
not his will that one, at least, should escape to give
warning. Let his hammer fall.

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Chapter Twenty-Four
Wigand reined in his horse. You said there were
dozens of tents in the enemy camp, Master Tremere,
he exclaimed, frowning.
Hush, Jervais said desperately. There had been
dozens. Now he could see only a handful, and the
perimeter fires were out, but that wasnt the trouble.
What?
Smell, Antal hissed.
Smell what? Then the wind changed, and even
Ventrue noses couldnt miss it. Wigand grimaced.
Almighty Godwhats going on over there?
Jervais whirled on him. I dont know. Shut up,
idiot!
Wigand gripped his sword, but something in the
warlocks face warned him.
I cant see, Antal whispered.
Nor I. The tents are in the way. Herr Wigand,
if your mortals must carry torches, can they at least
stay back? Jervais pondered. Perhaps perhaps if
we circle round, quietly
Weve got to go in sometime, the Hungarian
reminded him grimly.
I know, but The protest died on his lips.
Antal was right. Whatever it was that froze the air
and set it ringing at a shrill, nigh-inaudible pitch
whatever dr owned them in the r eek of bloo d,
whatever sent the vermin running and slithering
through the grass past their mounts pawing feetit
was his bounden duty on pain of treason to meet it.
Well, lets circle round as we go.
Children. Antal gathered Olena and Baghatur
with a glance. Our horses will do us no further good,
I think.
The four Tremere dismounted. Antal joined
hands with the apprentices, then looked at Jervais.
Together, Master Jervais. Always together.

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Jervais nodded and added his own hand. He and

Antal murmured words of protection, words to
unweave enemy curses. The others repeated them as
best they could. If only Zabor were here to add his
strength in this particular artwell, never mind that.
Wigand and the other knights looked uneasy, but
they too had little choice but to do their duty by
God and Jrgen. They followed along, still mounted,
as the wizards crept through the abandoned grounds
toward the remaining tents. Jervais had positioned
himself on the left so as to keep one hand free for
calling lightning; Antal was on the right, a flickering tongue of bale-fire readied in his free hand.
The only tiny stir of sound seemed to come from
behind the tents rather than within them. All else
was silent. There were no clamoring voices, no horseskulls on pikes, no rows upon rows of dwellings
perfectly aligned with the four winds now. Some signs
of habitation remained, and nature wouldnt erase
them for months: holes from tent-poles, worn patches
of ground marking traffic, flat yellowed grass where
floor-planking had lain, remnants of fire pits. A
peoples unintentional memorial to itself, Jervais
thought. Then he came upon the gap between the
tents at last and saw how apt that description was.
There were dozens of them. An almost visible
miasma of blood-stench hung above thema thing
that should have roused the newcomers hunger in
an instant, but for the sheer magnitude of the atrocity. Mortal bodies and moldering Cainite frames lay
beside each other, sometimes on top of each other,
equal at least in death.
Deverra looked up. She pulled the ax, with some
difficulty, from the head of the man it was buried in.
Getting dull, the blade, she said. She staggered
a little. The old woman and her visitors regarded
each other.
Theyre gone. Qarakhs riders, Jervais managed
at last.

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She brushed a red-matted lock of hair out of her

eyes. I told them to flee. Your fight is not with
them.
Not yet.
Not yet is good enough for most these nights.
As for the children of Telyavel, we have no wish to
outlive either our faith or our covenant with our god.
But perhaps he will grant me this one last kindness:
that I will have the honor of ending my own existence, after having first sent your souls to him in
apology
Now! Antal shouted hoarsely. He threw his
handful of bale-fire at her. It hissed and died yards
short, as did the levin bolt Jervais tried to fling. And
suddenly the miasma around Deverra was visible. It
turned smoky, then began to bubble and seethe. Faces
appeared within it, moaning and shoutingfaces
with tiny pinpricks of light for eyes and gnashing,
ghostly teeth. Jervais realized a moment later that
hed seen some of these faces before.
They belonged to the corpses that lay right in
front of him. Deverras Telyavs were dead, but not
departed. They surrounded her now, cloaking her in
the very stuff of Hades. As many as they were, they
moved in perfect unity, as though one mind had absolute command of themwhich, given the
circumstances, was very likely the case. She lifted
her hands and brought them together in a gathering
gesture. They churned around her, through her, cycling from ground to sky like a waterwheel.
Jervais barely had time to gasp out the first
phrase of the Pater Noster before the stream of unhallowed souls descended on him. He was no
Hermann, nor even a Torgeir. The words in Latin
couldnt quite stop the languor of the grave from
stealing through his flesh, thickening his tongue and
numbing his limbs. Shreds of thought and passion
that didnt belong to him brushed against the edges
of his awareness and would have intruded, if he

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werent a magus of experience and skilled at defending his mind from just such assaults.
And then it had passed through. His drooping
eyelids snapped back open. He realized that he no
longer had Olenas hand, and he reached for it, but
too late. The younger Tremeres eyes had gone distant. She turned back toward the knights, her hands
full of eldritch flame.
Jervais yelled and grabbed her legs, knocking her
down. Even as she fell her bale-fire streaked out like
an arrow. Herr Wigand, foremost among the knights
as usual, caught it full in the chest. He screamed and
half fell, half leaped out of the saddle. Antal was
beside Jervais in that instant. In the next instant,
the Hungarian had the wooden dagger off Jervaiss
belt. He plunged it into Olenas back. She roared
hideously and tried to struggle up to standing. Antal
clung to her, swearing. Almost too quickly to see, he
jerked out the dagger and tried again. This time he
struck true. Olena collapsed.
Back! Back! Jervais gasped to Baghatur.
Baghatur stood agape, and for a moment Jervais
feared the ghosts had him too, but no, the lad was
simply horrified. He came around enough after a
moment to let Jervais drag him away from Deverra,
Jervais gamely praying all the while just in case it
helped.
The throng of bodiless faces swept forward now.
They seemed to shrink from most of the knights, but
not from Wigand, whose cross-emblazoned surcoat
was now burning to black. They swarmed over him.
Still afire, he lumbered over to the brother-knight
beside him and fell against his leg, kindling the
Cainite flesh as easily as tinder. The knights horse
cried out and reared. The knight himself fell to the
ground. He rose up in a mindless terror and fled,
sending the ranks about him into a panic.
Antal ran over to Jervais, Olena in his arms.
Jervais took out his ritual knife and stuck it into the
ground, cutting a hasty circle around them. Who

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knewheathen customs might always ward off heathen ghosts. The wraiths seemed satisfied with the
havoc theyd wreaked among the knights, at least for
the moment, and flew toward the Tremere once
again. They met the boundary Jervais had just drawn,
then fell back, but they were soon straining against
it, against the membrane of Jervaiss failing will. He
could hear Deverras throaty, bitter laugh rising
through the babble of spirit-voices.
Weve got to pull out. Shes devoured her whole
damned cult, we cant fight her like this, Jervais
blurted.
Youre right, Antal said calmly. We cant. He
put a steadying hand on Jervaiss shoulder. Jervais
turned to him with a frown. He opened his mouth to
tell Antal that if they both agreed with this assessment then perhaps they should consider acting on it
in the near future.
And then it began.
The Hungarians touch sent stabbing lances of
pain down through Jervaiss chest, threads of ill sensation that sought out his blood in the channel and
inflamed it, riled it into a raging tide. Muscle and
sinew were suddenly engorged in strength that must
be spent, thoughts suddenly abuzz and scattered. The
ten thousand petty injuries hed sustained ever since
hed first rode back into Magdeburg rose up and cried
out for retribution. He was in the grip of his Beast.
He knew this charm, hed used it countless times
himselfon enemies
Antal stepped back. Forgive me, brother. It was
n e c e s s a r y. T h e w i t c h s p o w e r s s o e x c e e d o u r
ownyouve just admitted that yourself.
Jervais didnt have to ask what he meant. He
could feel it now, what Antal had wakened in him: a
strange contagion that rose within him alongside the
fury, first mirroring and then outstripping it. It was
some insatiable, indescribable evil that battened on
his blood and anger and pressed ever harder against
the walls of his soul. It cared nothing for its con-

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tainer. When it outgrew him, it would simply explode. Even Deverras ghost-mass seemed to sense the
presence of something that matched its own malice.
It left off its frantic milling and pushing and subsided into a sort of uneasy ground fog. Deverra herself
watched the two Tremere with keen puzzlement now,
her hands frozen in midair. As for Baghatur, he was
thunderstruck, plainly completely unsure where his
obedience now lay.
I hope you dont think youre actually going to
be rewarded for this. Jervais closed the distance the
other magus tried to put between them. He could
barely put two words together through the haze of
boiling humors, but it was that important to say
something devastating to the Hungarian, that important to tear his throat out. That theyre ever
actually going to let you rest. It will never happen,
Antal.
An unexpected voicebut not an unfamiliar
onesounded in Jervaiss ears then.
Now, now, Jervais. Not Antal. Leave him alone.
Hes not the one I sent you to kill.
Jervais froze. As he watched in horror, the bulky
shadow of Etrius stepped out from behind a tent and
passed around Deverra toward the Tremere, navigating the heap of fallen bodies and the sea of
ghost-faces with suspicious ease.
You Jervais forced his voice to solidify.
Youre not really here. You cant be.
No, of course Im not, the Councilor replied wearily. Im at Ceoris, just as always. You see me because
of the spell. Whatsurely you didnt think I was going
to leave it all up to you? He smiled nastily, but for all
that he looked even more saggy and jowly than usual.
You are both my courier and my message. Youre the
ritual link.
Etrius. It was clearly something Deverra felt
rather than actually heard. She bent her wrinkled
head to and fro, peering about. Then she hissed. With
astonishing speed she snatched up the branch-staff

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of one of her fallen Telyavs and also drew a boneknife from her belt. Kuradi munnvrdjas raisk
Snake poison and snake blood, Jervais growled
suddenly. Spiders and scorpions, essences of venom.
I see your colors, Jervais, not a pretty sight. Keep at it.
This is exactly what the charm needs. Hed known from
the ingredients that it must be unpleasant, but this
was worse than even he could have imaginedthat
the old toad could so callously steal the very things
that were most precious to him in all the world, that
were his alone, his private hatreds, the vengeance
he secretly nursed, and turn them into the vehicle
of yet another damned spell.
Thats true, the Etrius-shadow acknowledged. It
was all yours to begin with, Jervais. I put nothing into
you that wasnt there already. But you know you havent
got the skill to direct this safely, and I do. Now let me in
before it kills you.
Never. Hed conceded so much already, playing
jester to court ladies, groveling before contemptuous princes, lying, smiling, the vehicle for everyones
intrigues, slogging from one corner of the earth to
another, finally abandoning even his sir e and
grandsire; all for the sake of hanging on one more
night, of surviving long enough to prove Tremere
alone knew what. There had to be an end at last.
There had to be a limit. Didnt there?
Pressing. Squeezing. The Councilors voice was
directly in his head now. It chuckled. Sign of the scorpion. And scorpion in truth: hard, venomous, cringing,
willing to lie in wait under a rock for however long it
takes. The lore also holds that sometimes the scorpion
will sting itself to death to spite a surrounding enemy. Is
that how youd have it, Jervais? Like Deverra? Or will
you try for me? You could. Make up your mind. Youve
got to sting someone. Ah, how well I chose. In fact,
youre almost too good a subject. Master Antal tells me
hes had to calm you down several times for fear youd
accidentally set yourself off.

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Antal doubtless wasnt hearing this mental converse, but he threw Jervais a half-anxious, half-guilty
look. Deverra brought her staff and knife together
with a clack, and her ghosts flocked to her once more,
muttering, humming. Once again she seemed far
larger than her wracked frame should have permitted, full to bursting with injured pride.
No wonder Etrius found Jervais to be the perfect counter.
The Councilor, or the thought of the Councilor,
had come to stand behind him. Yes. Comfort your
shriveled soul with that if you like. Loathsome as you
are, I needed you. In fact, I find myself needing your ilk
more and more all the time.
Perhaps I am the cloth out of which Tremere
are now cut, then, Jervais murmured in a kind of
bitter triumph.
Yes, perhaps you are. Lo, how the mighty have
fallen.
The old sorcerer reached out again, and this time
Jervais opened the portals of his will and mind to
him. Once again, that masterful touch invaded him,
gently pushing aside the various instinctive resistances that rose to meet it. It found the painfully
burgeoning gland of maleficium and began to squeeze.
For a moment he felt more pure malevolence than
he could ever remember feeling in over a century and
a half of existence. Then, on their own, his arms
lifted and glided in gestures of summoning and conduction. He was astonished at how effortlessly his
muscles and joints could move, how mathematically
perfect the dimensions of each shape. One exceedingly unwelcome revelation that came to him as a
result of this was that Etrius could have done Jervaiss
job at Ceoris at least three times as well as Jervais
himself.
And then it all came pouring out of him in a
flood of black bile. It came through his mouth and
ears and nose, from the tear-ducts of his eyes (which
promptly swelled almost shut in protest); through his

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fingertips and his toe-tips. So much of it, and so virulent. He felt perversely proud of his output. Hed
been holding back for such a very long time, and so
few had realized it. Well, Etrius had, obviously.
Deverra chanted rapidly. Her ghosts rushed forward to meet the onslaught and drove it backward,
causing a massive roiling between them like the collision of storm fronts. His poison-muck threw out
spits and gobbets. Wherever they touched, a voice
shrieked in agony and a face withered down to a skull
and then faded. Yet some of the shades fought their
way through. One opened its mouth and latched onto
Jervaiss wrist with its spectral fangs. He cried out,
but hadnt enough mastery of his body to do anything further; a moment later his other hand reached
over and squeezed the thing, sending gout after gout
into it until it was well and truly dissolved. Then it
forced the other interlopers back into the mass and
began pushing the whole thing outward, moving the
border of the contest slowly but surely back in
Deverras direction. She shouted and redoubled her
gesticulations, but the tide had turned against her
for good now.
She doesnt know when shes beaten. She never
concedesthe bitch. The spark of loathing that this
thought touched off in him seemed to give sudden
amplification to his magic (Etriuss magic). The bilious wave was suddenly twice as large, dwarfing
everything, blotting out his sight. He heard and felt,
but did not see, it surround and engulf the Telyav
priestess, snuffing out her power like a candlewick
and then falling upon her flesh. He heard her scream.
He heard the final curse of her lips, as well, two
words in Latin: Sicut fecisti. As you have done.
He did not know whether she meant himself,
Etrius, Jrgen or possibly the whole world.
And then the blackness evaporated. He had sovereignty over his legs again an instant later, and they
buckled. Deverra lay before him, sprawled across the
bodies of her devotees. The knights stood behind

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him, dismounted now. Herr Wigand and the other

wounded knight had vanished, probably for all eternity, but at least it seemed no others of the Black
Cross had died while his attention was elsewhere.
And his brother Tremere were at his side.
I know youll hate me forever, the Hungarian
said. He spoke quickly, seemingly knowing how unwise it was to speak at all. But I will not hate you. I
cant. Not after
Shut up, for the love of God. Oh, to have had
a drop of venom left for Antal. Jervais tried to get
up, groaned, then shook his head. Hurry. Take this
packetit must be sprinkled on her, or shell rot
away completely. After all this, we will have something to take back to Ceoris.
Yes. Antal rose and took the parchment envelope from Jervaiss trembling fingers, beckoning for
Baghatur to follow. Yes, we will, by Tremere.

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Epilogue
The smoke was all the more acrid for the remnants of curing powder that clung to the wasted
corpses skin. A pole and rope had been required to
make her sit up properly on the horses back, and
her face had been nearly unrecognizable even before
the torch was lowered. Still, Jervais had taken the
precaution of lopping off her left hand and presenting it to Etrius as evidence, so that the suspicious
old Swede could analyze it to his hearts content. And
she was dressed well for the occasion. All her queenly
heathen ornaments would doubtless outlast her, but
not, alas, the fine linen.
The three Councilors sat where he had directed
them, at one end of the courtyard in their places of
honor. Etrius stone-faced; Meerlinda, Lady Councilor
of the British Isles, outwardly calm and serene;
Goratrix had put his sleeve over his nose to block
out the fumes. Malgorzata and Curaferrum stood attendance on their respective masters.
Novel, Master Jervais, Meerlinda remarked
questioningly.
Its a Baltic custom, madame, Jervais said with
a bow. She would have wanted it so, Im sure. Gazing at the climbing bonfire, he added silently, Shed
have appreciated the irony, at least. She sacrificed to
her gods, now I sacrifice to mine.
My grandchilde has always been a sentimental
sort, Goratrix said from behind his sleeve.
Not too sentimental to get the job done, Etrius
remarked grudgingly. Or mostly done, anyway. There
might yet be survivors lurking out in that wilderness,
mightnt there?
Id be surprised if there werent, milord, Jervais
replied. But their queen is dead, their sacred pact
with their god violated. They shant regain his favor
before the crusade annihilates the last of them.

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And of course Prince Jrgen plans to renew the

crusade fully, now that Qarakh is crippled.
Of course. And your lordship willing, I and
Brother Hermann and Brother Landric will all be
there to ensure that it remains a priority of his.
Beg pardon? Goratrixs eyes lit at that and
moved from his archrivals face back to Jervaiss. He
lowered the sleeve. Malgorzata stirred too, but thank
Bonisagus it wasnt her place to add to this particular conversation. Jervais did not look at her.
Master Jervais has asked for a transfer to
Magdeburg, to head up the new chantry there. Etrius
shrugged his round shoulders. But
Magdeburg? Goratrix gave Jervais what was
evidently meant to be a friendly, teasing smile. Not
la belle France? Speaking that gravel-mouthed tongue
all night every night, and not a decent woman in
view?
Since Ive spent all these years working to establish a relationship between our clan and his
Highness of Magdeburg, milord, Jervais answered
stoically, it would seem folly not to pursue it now
that its finally achieved. I truly believe it to be the
best service I could presently render to House and
Clan.
And fairer words than that could hardly be spoken, Meerlinda said kindly.
Well, youve certainly spent long enough trying, I suppose. Goratrix squinted as the wind
changed and sent flecks of Deverras ash winging into
all their eyes. Jervais hadnt yet learned how to read
minds, but there were times he thought he nearly
had it, such as right now. He could decipher his
grandsire perfectly. The old rascal was furiously
thinking it through and nearing the realization that
he had no way to stop this. He had nothing left to
threaten or bargain with, nothing left to fetter Jervais
with, not even his daughter-in-Blood Malgorzata.
The dawning look of disbelief on both their faces

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was the dawn of a moments utter, transcendent joy

in Jervaiss starved little heart.
Still, Etrius said dourly, Im not sure we can
do without our vis-master.
Oh, there must be others in the clan who could
fulfill those duties, milord, Meerlinda pointed out.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jervais couldnt help
noticing Antals back straighten and lengthen another couple of inches. Its clear to me that your
vis-master possesses the soul of an adventurer. If his
ambitions have outgrown Ceoris, then so be it. To
keep him here when he yearns to be elsewhere would
accomplish nothing more than to make of our illustrious High Chantry a cageand we all know how
dangerous caged beasts can become. Do we not?
From the way Etrius shifted, Jervais had no doubt
that she was giving him some deadly serious advice
despite her light, courtly tone.
Yes, milady, we do, he acknowledged. Very
well. Its not an unreasonable request. And in so
doing, as Master Jervais points out, hell certainly
be helping to secure the more western portions of
my region. He laid no particular stress on the word
my, but Goratrix snorted regardless.
Meerlinda nodded. Exactly. Congratulations,
Master Jervais. Her Ladyship looked directly at
Jervais then, blue English eyes locking with his for
just one instant.
Careful, those eyes said. You are away, but not
free. They darted upward, toward the pillar of flame
and soot behind him. Even she was not quite patient
enough. And she waited a century.
I can be patient, he answered.
Can you? The lower lids, caught forever in the
only barely marred smoothness of not-quite middle
age, puckered in a hint of a smile. I shall be watching
to see.
Very well, milady. At least he didnt have to ask
her to leave his mind; her whisper-touch departed
on its own. He glanced down now, wincing, at his

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wrist where Deverras ghost had seized it. The tracery of dark green that colored the vein there had still
not faded, nor had the pain. In fact, he might not be
imagining that it had spread. He could always ask
her ladyship to take a look at it. Or even Etrius.
Doubtless they could help, although it would mean
giving up his hard-won, all-too-fleeting leverage before hed even had a decent chance to enjoy it.
No, not free, never free. The game never ended,
did it? Very well.
***
You certainly have a way with the dramatic,
Torgeir remarked. One by one, the albino carefully
took his travel-beaten books out of the chest and put
them back onto the shelf.
My dear young friend, Jervais said, a
thaumaturge who is not also a dramaturge is more
than half a fool. There, one nugget of wisdom, gratis.
Nothings gratis with you. You must want something. Perhaps youre here to gloat over how after
all this, youre still going to declare that I didnt perform my ordeal to satisfaction.
Oh, nonsense, the older Tremere exclaimed.
Theres no possible reason why I would do any such
thing. Well. Only one possible reason.
Torgeir stopped unpacking. Yes, and?
You see, Master Antal seems determined to
hook my old post, despite the fact that he isnt even
remotely qualified for it. Actually, Id planned to
nominate Olena.
Whos no more qualified. The pale eyes did not
blink.
Nor less qualified.
I see. A personal matter.
Jervais shrugged. Unfortunately, Ive reason to
believe his lordship is hardly going to take any criticism of Master Antal that I might offer seriously. You,
however, are one of his favored students.
And if I refuse to disparage Master Antal in my
report, and he winds up vis-master, then youll de-

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clare my ordeal null. In front of Lord Councilors

Goratrix and Meerlinda, and Malgorzata too.
Im pleased our close association has brought
us to understand each other so well. Jervais
stretched out his shoulders and leaned against the
doorframe.
I could try to outwait you.
You could.
Oh, for Gods sake, the Dane blurted. He took
a wad of clothes out of the trunk and fairly hurled it
onto the bed.
Thats my boy, Jervais grinned.
***
Hurry up, Fidus. Jervais indulged in a nice satisfying shove of the boot upon his apprentices skinny
backside. That was the trouble with war, one always
had to be coddling the morale of even the most insignificant foot soldier. It was good to have the luxury
of a little unrestrained lording it over again. Fidus
stumbled headlong but managed from long practice
not to drop his burden. The last saddle-pack was
bundled on in short order and Jervais got up on his
mount. His rear immediately complained of insufficient convalescence, but he ignored it. Plenty of time
for rest in Magdeburg.
Why the third horse? Jervais asked the groomsman who stood beside them, gesturing at it. Ceoris
is being unusually generous.
Dont ask the grog, the mortal man replied.
Im just told how many to saddle up.
It is because I told them that even the Fiends
havent bred the beast that would take my weight
along with yours. Master Antal stepped down into
the courtyard, his ever-meager possessions slung
across his shoulder.
Jervais tamped down a bolt of pure dread. Master Antal! Headed back out to the front?
No, he said, Brandenburg. To found a chantry,
since I am told that now that Jrgen has one, all the
Holy Roman princes will be wanting one next. Im

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also told it is not twenty leagues distant from

Magdeburg.
No, no it isnt
And no Tzimisce. Not sure what I shall do with
myself out there. Still, it is an improvement on
Bistritz, and I imagine I have you to thank for it.
Well? He secured his pack. Lead on, Master Jervais.
Surely the man with the vastly superior geographical skills should take point. Dont worry, Im right
behind you.
And Im coming too, Fidus piped up, scurrying to adjust a stirrup strap. One moment, master.
Ill be right there.
Oh, I know you will, Jervais said, snapping his
reins. I know you both will.
***
Etrius, Master of Ceoris, First among Equals,
Guardian of the Sleeper, Councilor of Hungary,
Silesia, Bohemia, Poland and the Holy Roman Empire for House and Clan Tremere, awoke gasping and
sobbing. He sat up slowly, piercing the gloom with
his sorcerers gaze as though seeking out some hidden enemy. Then he rose and threw on a battered
old robe and went to his desk, where an unfinished
manuscript sat awaiting him. His pen floated down
from its silver inkwell and into his hand. He stared
at the diagram hed been making, wishing there were
some further detail he could add, but no, it was done.
Now he had to comment upon it, say something wise
for the generations of blood-wizards to come. A drop
of red enchanted ink fell onto the page as he sat there
unmoving. With an irritated noise he touched the
nib to the blotch and it sucked the pigment back up,
leaving not a smear.
Something wise.
His ward shivered. He grimaced, but then identified the touch and with a silent wave turned the
battlement wall of the spell into a curtain light as
silk and easier to part. She came in and sat down.

Sarah Roark

281

You sleep no better, do you? she said at last.

She sounded tired. It felt like daylight still outside.
He was sorry to have roused her, but shed always
been sensitive to such things.
No, he admitted. No better.
The same dream?
The same. I have no other dreams, not anymore.
Its just this one, always expanding and expanding.
Now it chases me through the Doissetep library too.
I could never find my way out of Doissetep when I
was alive.
Yes, I remember. She gave the tiniest of smiles.
He liked her to smile, but it wasnt her old smile.
That he hadnt seen in literally ages. Still, it never
catches you, does it?
Never yet.
A long, almost processional silence.
You did what had to be done, she said. I know
that doesnt help. And she knew what path she was
choosing. I suppose that doesnt help either
He set his pen down and put his head between
his hands. And next year something else will have
to be done, and the year after that.
Ingvar. He winced to hear the pagan name of
his birth, but he raised his head.
Forgive me, Molle.
What do you want me to say, Ingvar? Ill say
anything that will help you.
Another silence.
Except for that.
Yo u d o n t h a v e t o s a y a n y t h i n g . U n l e s s
perhapsyoure in the mood to critique my diagram
of the World-Soul.
She nodded. Since were both awake, nothing
would please me more.
He started to bring his work over to where she
could see it, but then stopped midway across the
room. His heavy eyelids drooped with sorrow and
fatigue. The book sank in his arms, lower and lower,
until it threatened to slip through his fingers entirely.

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Tremere

Keep moving, she murmured, letting just a hint

of maternal firmness enter her tone.
Keep moving, he echoed mournfully.
Yes. Its all you can do, my brother. Unless you
wish our fates to catch up with us at last?
He sighed. No. God knows we cant have that.
Meerlinda smiled again, or tried to, and reached
for the book.

Sarah Roark

283

About the Author

Sarah Roark is a professional writer, violinist, teacher
and (as should be obvious from the foregoing) masochist.
She has worked on a number of White Wolfs roleplaying
products, including various supplements for Vampire: The
Masquerade, Dark Ages: Vampire, Dark Ages: Inquisitor and Mummy: The Resurrection. She has also authored
the novel Dark Ages: Ravnos and two short stories: The
Prodigal Son in Penance by Firelight, companion volume to the Dark Ages: Vampire core book, and What
Shelters Them in Demon: Lucifers Shadow. Some of
her personal projects can be viewed at the World Lit Only
by Fire website (http://www.wyrdsisters.org/), which she
co-authors with fellow White Wolf freelancers Myranda
Kalis and Janet Trautvetter.
She lives in Sammamish, Washingtonbeautiful
lakeside community and former hunting grounds of Ted
Bundyalong with her husband Brett and the worlds two
coolest cats.

Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank her friends, Janet and
Myranda, for enduring faithfully as the other two-thirds
of the Wyrd Sisters trio; her husband Brett for his patience,
love, encouragement and willingness to fetch food; her
editor Philippe for his kind words and his criticisms, both
equally welcome and valuable; and Guido, Vincent and
(again) Myranda, for help with German and Latin (any
remaining errors are, of course, the authors fault and not
theirs).