The Lady Read online

  ALSO BY K. V. JOHANSEN

  Blackdog

  The Leopard

  Published 2014 by Pyr®, an imprint of Prometheus Books

  The Lady: Marakand, Volume Two. Copyright © 2014 by K.V. Johansen. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, digital, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or conveyed via the Internet or a website without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Characters, locales, and events portrayed in this novel either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Cover illustration © Raymond Swanland

  Cover design by Grace M. Conti-Zilsberger

  Inquiries should be addressed to

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  The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:

  Johansen, K. V. (Krista V.), 1968–

  The lady / K. V. Johansen.

  pages ; cm. — (Marakand ; volume 2)

  ISBN 978-1-61614-980-2 (softcover) — ISBN 978-1-61614-981-9 (ebook)

  I. Title.

  PR9199.3.J555L33 2014

  813'.54—dc23

  2014023968

  Printed in the United States of America

  There’s a gang that’s been reading my stuff since—forever. If they see shadows of a certain ancient character in both Holla and Ahj, well, even literary characters have ancestors. Or descendants. So, this one is for April, Marina, Chris, Tristanne, and Mum.

  Contents

  Dramatis Personae

  Part One

  Chapter I

  Chapter II

  Chapter III

  Chapter IV

  Chapter V

  Chapter VI

  Chapter VII

  Chapter VIII

  Chapter IX

  Chapter X

  Chapter XI

  Chapter XII

  Part Two

  Chapter XIII

  Chapter XIV

  Chapter XV

  Chapter XVI

  Chapter XVII

  Chapter XVIII

  Chapter XIX

  Chapter XX

  Chapter XXI

  Chapter XXII

  Chapter XXIII

  Chapter XXIV

  Chapter XXV

  Chapter XXVI

  Chapter XXVII

  Chapter XXVIII

  Chapter XXIX

  Chapter XXX

  Chapter XXXI

  Chapter XXXII

  Chapter XXXIII

  Chapter XXXIV

  Chapter XXXV

  Epilogue

  About The Author

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  Adva—The Serakallashi third wife of the Grasslander Ketsim, the Lake-Lord’s governor of Serakallash, murdered with her daughter during the Serakallashi uprising.

  Ahjvar—Surnamed the Leopard, a Five Cities assassin suffering under more than his fair share of curses; originally from Praitan.

  Andara—Deyandara’s god; god of the Duina Andara in Praitan.

  Anganurth—A wizard of unknown origins, who became the devil Jasberek.

  Arhu—A devout priest of the Lady, sent to speak for her in the Duina Catairna.

  Arrac-Nourril—One of the Twenty Families alleged to have founded Marakand.

  Ashir—A priest, the Right Hand of the Lady, husband of Rahel.

  Asmin-Luya—A Grasslander man of Gaguush’s caravan gang, killed in battle at Lissavakail, father of Zavel.

  Attalissa—Goddess of the lake Lissavakail in the mountains called the Pillars of the Sky; foster-daughter of Holla-Sayan, formerly protected by the Blackdog.

  Auntie—Midwife living with Talfan the apothecary; former nurse of Jugurthos Barraya.

  Austellan—A blind Catairnan lord, ally of the Seneschal and Marnoch.

  Aylnia—A sandal-maker’s wife and diviner, taken by Red Masks.

  Badger—A mastiff belonging to Deyandara, slain defending her against brigands.

  Barraya—A Family or clan name in Marakand; one of the Twenty Families, supposed founders of the city.

  Bashra— A Black Desert god, god of Gaguush’s folk.

  Beccan—Sister of Nour, late wife of Hadidu; she died in childbirth before this story began.

  Belmyn—Senior-most patrol-first in the Sunset Gate company of the street guard under Jugurthos Barraya.

  Beni Sessihz—An elderly senator of Marakand.

  Bikkim—Serakallashi former member of Gaguush’s gang; mortal husband of the goddess Attalissa.

  The Blackdog—Thought to be a guardian spirit who bonded with a chosen warrior of Lissavakail to protect the goddess Attalissa; now the Westgrasslander caravaneer Holla-Sayan, free of Attalissa and said by Moth to be the damaged soul of a devil wounded and lost in the world in a forgotten devils’ war.

  Cairangorm—A king of the Duina Catairna in Praitan; some songs say he was murdered by his elder son, some by his young wife, on the Day of the Three Kings, about ninety years before this story takes place. The songs are still popular among the bards in Praitan, though they are not often sung in the royal hall of the Duina Catairna. It is believed the land and the folk have been under a curse of ill fortune since that day.

  Catairanach—Goddess of a spring and patron of the Duina Catairna.

  Catairlau—Son of Cairangorm’s first wife, his heir, champion, and wizard. Alleged by some to have murdered his father; died not long after him on the Day of the Three Kings.

  Cattiga—Queen of the Duina Catairna, aunt of Deyandara, murdered by Marakander envoys.

  Chieh—A mercenary woman from the Five Cities, one of Ketsim’s tent guard, wife of Lug.

  Choa, high lord of—Ghu’s former master, ruler of a province of northern Nabban.

  Cricket—Deyandara’s pony.

  Costen—A lord of the Duina Catairna, at feud with Lord Hicca.

  Dellan—A Catairnan lady, daughter of Lord Austellan and his representative with Marnoch’s warband.

  Demrios Xua—A senator of Marakand.

  Deyandara—Illegitimate half-sister of Durandau, king of the Duina Andara and high king of Praitan. Niece and blood-heir of Catigga of the Duina Catairna. Sometimes called Deya.

  Django—A member of Gaguush’s gang, originally from the Stone Desert, brother of Kapuzeh.

  Dotemon—One of the seven devils, otherwise the wizard Yeh-Lin the Beautiful.

  Durandau— King of the Duina Andara and elected high king of Praitan; eldest brother of Deyandara.

  Ead, “Young” Ead—A street guard of the Eastern Wall.

  Elias Barraya—A senator of Marakand; wife of her cousin Petrimos Barraya; mother of Jugurthos. She was executed in the cages shortly after the earthquake.

  Elissa—Praitannec lady, one of High King Durandau’s wizards.

  Ergos Arrac—An elderly sandal-maker of the suburb.

  Ermina—Second daughter of Varro and Talfan.

  Esau—Son of the priestess of Ilbialla and only person from that family to survive the earthquake and the subsequent slaughter of all priests but the Lady’s. His name was changed to Hadidu and he was raised by the family of the Doves coffeehouse.

  Fairu—A lord in the eastern part of the Duina Catairna.

  Faullen—A huntsman of the Duina Catairna in Marnoch’s service, later in Deyandara’s service.

  Feizi—One of the Twenty Families of Marakand.

  Gaguush—A Black Desert caravan
-mistress and gang-boss on the western road, recently married to Holla-Sayan.

  Gelyn—A bard of the Duina Catairna.

  Geir, Red Geir—One of the first three kings in the north, nephew of the wizard Heuslar.

  Ghatai—One of the seven devils, otherwise the wizard Tamghiz, also known as Tamghat, the Lake-Lord of Lissavakail. Father of Ivah.

  Ghu—Ahjvar’s servant and companion; has been a slave horse-boy, groom, sailor, beggar, and other things besides in his life to date.

  Gilru—Young son of Queen Cattiga, murdered by Marakanders.

  Goran—A lord of the Duina Catairna, loyal to the Seneschal and Marnoch.

  Gurhan—Hill-god of Marakand, formerly served by a clan of hereditary priests.

  Guthrun—A Northron caravaneer, camel-leech in Kharduin’s gang.

  The hag—Ahjvar’s name for the ghost which possesses him.

  Haildroch and Hallet—Catairnan wizards, kinsmen of the bard Lady Gelyn.

  Hassin—Street-guard captain of the Riverbend Gate garrison in Marakand.

  Haukbyrgga—The lake-goddess of Varro’s folk.

  Heuslar—Red-haired Northron wizard who became the devil Ogada, uncle of Red Geir.

  Hicca—A lord of the Duina Catairna, allied with Ketsim, aspirant to the kingship of the Duina Catairna.

  Holla-Sayan—A Westgrasslander caravan-guard, who unwillingly became the host for the Blackdog of Lissavakail and foster-father to the goddess Attalissa; now one with the Blackdog and a free agent. Husband of Gaguush.

  Hravnmod the Wise—One of the first three kings in the north, brother of Ulfhild, said to have been slain by her.

  Hyllanim—Son of Hyllau, successor of Cairangorm and Catairlau as king of the Duina Catairna on the Day of the Three Kings.

  Hyllau—Second (and much younger) wife of Cairangorm, King of the Duina Catairna. She is said in many songs to have murdered her husband; died on the day of the Three Kings.

  Ilbialla—Goddess of a well in Sunset Ward in Marakand, patron of Sunset and Riverbend Wards, served by a single hereditary priest or priestess.

  Iris—Third of Varro’s and Talfan’s four daughters.

  Itulyan—A clerk in the Sunset Gate company of the street guard.

  Ivah—A wizard, daughter of Tamghat, who was the devil Tamghiz Ghatai, though Ivah did not learn this until after his death.

  Jasberek—One of the seven devils, merged with the wizard Anganurth.

  Jasmel—Eldest daughter of Varro and Talfan.

  Jing Xua—A street-guard lieutenant at the Eastern Wall.

  Jiot—A dog, black and tan, one of two strays from the streets of Marakand that have chosen to follow Ghu.

  Jochiz—One of the seven devils, called Jochiz Fireborn; bonded with the wizard Sien-Shava.

  Judeh—A Marakander-born caravaneer of Gaguush’s gang.

  Jugurthos Barraya—Captain of the Sunset Gate fort of the Marakander street guard; son of two executed senators and dispossessed heir of the main branch of the Family Barraya.

  Jui—A dog, white and ash-grey, one of two strays that have chosen to follow Ghu.

  Kapuzeh—A member of Gaguush’s gang, originally from the Stone Desert, brother of Django.

  Keeper—Moth’s sword, forged by the demon wolf-smith, inherited from her grandmother. “Keeper” is the meaning of its proper name, Kepra.

  Kepra—Moth’s Northron sword. For the inscriptions on it, see “The Storyteller.”

  Ketsim—A Grasslander claiming to be warlord of the Orange Banners; formerly among the chiefs of Tamghat the Lake-Lord’s noekar, or vassals, and the governor of conquered Serakallash, now a mercenary hired with his followers to take the Duina Catairna for Marakand.

  Kharduin—A caravan-master from the eastern deserts, Nour’s partner in business and otherwise on the eastern road.

  Kurman—A temple guardsman, cousin of Lieutenant Jing Xua.

  The Lady of the Deep Well, Lady of Marakand—The foremost of the original three gods of Marakand, served by a large number of priests and priestesses. Though the most-worshipped of the three gods, she never appeared to any but her priests. The Voice of the Lady was her intermediary in dealings with the city. About thirty years before this story, following a devastating earthquake, she, through her Voice and temple, assumed rule of the city.

  The Lake-Lord—Title taken by Tamghat (Tamghiz Ghatai) as ruler of Lissavakail.

  Lakkariss—A black sword, possibly made of obsidian, belonging to Moth.

  Launval the Elder—Praitannec lord, High King Durandau’s champion.

  Launval the Younger—Praitannec lord, one of High King Durandau’s wizards.

  The Leopard—see Ahjvar.

  Lilace—The Voice of the Lady, assassinated by Ahjvar.

  Lin—A wandering Nabbani wizard who entered High King Durandau’s service, also tutor to Durandau’s sister Deyandara.

  Lu—A Five Cities caravaneer and horse-dealer involved with Nour and Hadidu in smuggling the wizard-talented out of Marakand.

  Lug—A Grasslander warrior, one of the mercenary Ketsim’s noekar and tent guard. Husband of Chieh.

  Lysen—Ketsim’s second wife, a Grasslander, in grief for whom he neglected his duties as chief of the tribe and was driven into exile by his brother.

  Maca—Ketsim’s long-dead first wife, a Grasslander.

  Mag—A Catairnan wizard.

  Mansour—Member of the family of priests of the Marakander hill-god Gurhan; father of Zora.

  Marnoch—Queen Cattiga’s chief huntsman, son of Lord Seneschal Yvarr, warleader of the Duina Catairna after Queen Cattiga’s murder.

  Mikki—Moth’s demon lover, a verrbjarn, or werebear, bear by day and man by night; his father was a Northron sea-raider turned homesteader, his mother a bear demon of the Hardenwald and the guardian of the grave of the devil Vartu.

  Moth—A Northern wanderer, wizard, warrior, storyteller, sister and King’s Sword of Hravnmod the Wise, allegedly his murderer; the devil Ulfhild Vartu, called Kingsbane.

  Mother Nabban, Father Nabban—River and mountain, the only gods of the Nabbani empire.

  Nour—Marakander wizard and caravaneer of the eastern road, brother-in-law of Hadidu, business partner and lover of Kharduin.

  Ogada—One of the seven devils, bonded with the Northron wizard Heuslar.

  Orsa—The goddess of a stream and swamp in the Duina Catairna.

  Orta Barraya—A street-guard captain stationed at the Eastern Wall.

  Pagel—A Catairnan scout and soothsayer of Lord Fairu’s household.

  Pakdhala—Name used by the goddess Attalissa as Holla-Sayan’s supposed daughter.

  Palin—A bard and prince of the Duina Catairna, alleged true father of Deyandara, brother of Queen Cattiga.

  Pazum—A magistrate of the suburb of Marakand.

  Petrimos Barraya—Senator of Marakand, husband of his cousin Elias Barraya, father of Jugurthos; executed in the cages shortly after the earthquake.

  Praitanna—Goddess of the River Praitanna and the Duina Praitanna, one of the seven tribes of Praitan; regarded as the greatest of the seven patron deities of the duinas.

  Rahel—A Marakander priestess, Beholder of the Face of the Lady, wife of Ashir. Killed on Zora’s orders.

  Rasta—The elderly master of a caravanserai in Marakand’s suburb, where Gaguush’s gang usually puts up. Fond of cats.

  Rozen—Catairnan scout appointed as Deyandara’s servant.

  Sayan—A god of the Sayanbarkash in the Western Grass, Holla-Sayan’s god.

  Senara—Older lady of a northern region of the Duina Catairna.

  Sera—Goddess of Serakallash, a town in the Red Desert on the western caravan road.

  Sessihz—One of the Twenty Families in Marakand.

  Shaugh—One of Deyandara’s bench-companions, that is, a warrior of her household, among her personal guard.

  Shemal—Young son of Hadidu, nephew of Nour.

  Shenar—Master of a caravanserai in Marakand’s suburb where
Kharduin’s gang is lodged.

  Shiwasa Xua—A senator of Marakand.

  Sien-Mor—A wizard from the southern ocean who became the devil Tu’usha; younger sister of Sien-Shava. Her body was consumed past restoration by fire, though some aspect of her soul lives on within Tu’usha.

  Sien-Shava—A wizard from the southern ocean who became the devil Jochiz; older brother of Sien-Mor.

  Siman—A Grasslander, leader of Ketsim’s rebellious sons.

  Storm—A bone-horse, a necromantic creation anchored to a horse’s skull; Storm appears to have ideas of his own, which a bone-horse should not.

  Styrma—Storm’s name in Northron.

  Surey—A lieutenant in the Temple Guard and an agent of Revered Ashir, the Right Hand of the Lady.

  Talfan—A Marakander apothecary, wife of Varro, mother of Jasmel, Ermina, Iris, and an infant daughter.

  Talwesach—One of King Cairangorm’s wizards in the Duina Catairna, a century or so ago.

  Tamarisk—A Salt Desert girl newly hired into Gaguush’s caravan gang.

  Tamghat—Name used by the devil Tamghiz Ghatai when he conquered Lissavakail.

  Tamghiz—Grasslander chieftain and wizard bonded with the devil Ghatai; onetime husband of Ulfhild; father of Ivah.

  Thekla—A Westron woman in Gaguush’s gang.

  Tihma—A Marakander magistrate of the suburb.

  Tihmrose—A Marakander woman in Gaguush’s gang.

  Tulip—Adjutant (and mistress) of Captain Jugurthos Barraya of the Sunset Gate garrison in Marakand.

  Tu’usha—One of the seven devils, called Tu’usha the Restless by the Northron skalds; bonded with the wizard Sien-Mor.

  Ulfhild of Hravnsfjall—King’s Sword of Hravnmod the Wise and his younger sister; wizard who became the devil Vartu Kingsbane. She, however, maintains she did not murder her brother. Once married to Tamghiz; their children were Maerhild and Oern; see Moth.

  Varro—A Northron man in Gaguush’s gang, married to the Marakander apothecary Talfan.

  Vartu—One of the seven devils, bonded with the wizard Ulfhild; see Moth.

  Viga Forkbeard—One of the first three kings in the north.

  Watcher—The apothecary Talfan’s watchdog.

  Xua—One of the Twenty Families of Marakand.

  Yeh-Lin the Beautiful—A Nabbani wizard, courtesan, general, and regent, or possibly empress, depending upon which history you prefer to believe; became the devil Dotemon. Ruled Nabban again at some point after she became a devil.