“All’s well,” I said. “The young lady and young gentleman are amicably unmarried and have no memory of Teo or our names. We have an invitation to use the library. Dono seems to be in grace with his accursed father and senses no demons in the pérasma. And the Shadow Lord is properly confounded by our methods but has seen fit to pay us.” I patted the bag suspended from my shoulder under my cloak. “I think we should buy at least a barrel of wine and share it out with whatever delectables Vashti has waiting.”
“Oh, let it be that wonder she does with mussels and garlic and cream,” said Neri. “A vat of it. I’ve been dreaming about it for a sevenday. Should we bring a cow? We could afford it.…”
He opened up his cloak to reveal a miller’s bag hung from his shoulder. “Only one was left, and it’s maybe half the weight, but it’s not nothing.”
We all commended his diligence and I said nothing of foolhardy risks.
“There’ll be pilchards, at the least,” said Dumond. “We found a great crock of them outside our door this morning.”
“Truly?” I said, my mind leaping to Teo.
“Those were from me,” said Placidio. “This lady was snoring so loudly at the woolhouse, I hiked down to the docks to fetch some, as the last got lost in that bloody flood before I got a taste.”
“That should be a new song to be presented at one of il Padroné’s fairs,” said Neri. “‘The Lay of the Lady, the Monster, and the Lost Pilchards.’”
We sang some other songs as we descended the Serpentine. I couldn’t recall ever doing that, wandering through a Cantagnan night singing. The Enemy was still strong. I still feared my dreams—and knew why. But for tonight we were going home to our family where we would feast, and tell tales, and laugh at the dangers we had faced.
I envied Livia’s talk of traveling the world. Surely celebrity could await me in a troupe of touring actors. But, certain, such celebrity would be short-lived. I would draw the notice of the philosophists, and end up in the hidden fortress of the Executioner of the Demon Tainted, who would bind me with chains and throw me into the sea. But Teo … I smiled. If Teo came again, perhaps I could persuade him to whisk me off to the Isles of Lesh for a while to introduce those who stood guard against the monster and show me the beauties of his watery home. Until then, I would be a diligent Beggars Ring law scribe and await our next adventure.
Acknowledgments
To name everyone who has supported me in my journey of words is quite impossible. Sometimes it is a singular encounter that carries me through a tough writing day—a few words from a newly returned soldier at a con, a shy hello email from a reader, a timely comment from a fellow writer. Sometimes it is another five-hour lunch with Linda the Muse, who was there at the beginning and has kept me honest at every step since. Or maybe a fortnight of walks, wine, and writing in beautiful British Colombia with Brenda. Sometimes it is my ever-faithful critiquing crew—Susan, Saytchyn, Curt, and the two most excellent Brians—who offer insight, enlightenment, or simply the poke that forces me to try harder and think deeper. Sometimes it is a long weekend with the Writers of the Hand and the generous welcoming of the Staff of the Hand that provides the focus and camaraderie to get moving on a new project or wrap up an old one. Membership in the community of writers is certainly one of the greatest rewards of this strange profession. I must also thank the Editors—Lindsey, Laura Anne, and Anne—and the one and only Agent Lucienne for their critical reading and professionalism over twenty years of publishing the tales that I want to write. And my love and gratitude, always and ever, goes to the Exceptional Spouse and our family for aiding, abetting, and understanding.
ALSO BY CATE GLASS
An Illusion of Thieves
A Conjuring of Assassins
About the Author
CATE GLASS is a writer of fantasy adventure novels. She also dabbles from time to time in epic fantasy and short fiction. For more information, check out categlass.com or follow her on Twitter @cbergwriter. Or sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Maps
Chimera: A Summoning of Demons
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Acknowledgments
Also by Cate Glass
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A SUMMONING OF DEMONS
Copyright © 2021 by Carol Berg
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Alyssa Winans
Maps by Rhys Davies
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates
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New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-31105-4 (trade paperback)
ISBN 978-1-250-31104-7 (ebook)
eISBN 9781250311047
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First Edition: February 2021