'It grows on you,' said Benito, putting his arm around her again. 'Part of the magic of this place.'
Eneko Lopez tasted the wine. 'Rough magic,' he said with a grimace.
'But good and strong,' said Maria, laughing.
* * *
In the high valley in the shadow of Pantocrator, the faun played on his panpipes a part of the ancient dance that is love, life, death, joy, sorrow and Corfu.
CHARACTERS
Principal Characters
Aldanto, Caesare: Sellsword, spy, Milanese of aristocratic family; formerly a Montagnard agent, now enslaved by Jagiellon.
Bartholdy, Elizabeth: Hungarian Countess, great-great aunt of King Emeric of Hungary; a sorceress, appearing to be about twenty years old.
Casarini, Bianca: Florentine resident on Corfu; follower of Elizabeth Bartholdy.
De Belmondo, Renate: Wife of the Podesta, priestess of the Mother Goddess.
De Chevreuse, Francesca: Courtesan, formerly of Orleans.
Emeric: King of Hungary.
Hakkonsen, Erik: An Icelander, and bodyguard and mentor to Manfred.
Jagiellon: Grand Duke of Lithuania; possessed by the demon Chernobog.
Lopez, Eneko: A Basque cleric and ecclesiastical magician.
Manfred, Prince, Earl of Carnac, Marquis of Rennes, Baron of Ravensburg: nephew to the Holy Roman Emperor.
Mindaug, Kazimierz: Count, advisor to Jagiellon. A student of western magic.
Montescue, Katerina (Kat): Lodovico's granddaughter, married to Marco Valdosta.
Shaman of Kandalaksha: His name remains a closely guarded secret. He is the servant of Jagiellon.
Thordardottar, Svanhild: only daughter of a powerful Vinland trading house.
Tomaselli, Nico, Captain-General: Venetian Military commander of Corfu.
Tomaselli, Sophia: wife of the captain-general.
Valdosta, Benito: grandson of the Duke of Ferrara, illegitimate son of the
Valdosta, Marco: grandson of the Duke of Ferrara.
Verrier, Maria: former Venetian canaler, married to Umberto.
Verrier, Umberto: Master in the Caulker's Guild.
Verrier, Alessia: Daughter of Maria.
Minor characters
Bartelozzi, Antimo: Agent and advisor to Enrico Dell'este.
Beg, Iskander: Illyrian chieftain, know as the Lord of the Mountains.
Bespi, Fortunato: Former Montagnard assassin, now bodyguard for Marco Valdosta.
De Belmondo, Alexio: Podesta of Corfu.
Dell'este, Enrico, Duke of Ferrara: The Old Fox. One of Italy's leading military tacticians; grandfather to Benito and Marco.
Dorma, Petro: Doge of Venice. Head of the commercially powerful House of Dorma.
Dorma, Angelina: Petro Dorma's younger sister.
Evangelina, Sister: A Hypatian Sibling.
Falkenberg, Ritter: A Prussian Knight-Proctor. Master of siege-craft.
Fianelli, Marco: A Corfiote criminal; and a spy for King Emeric.
Hohenstauffen, Charles Fredrik: Holy Roman Emperor.
Kari: Half-Osage tribesman. Hearthman to the Thordarsons.
Kosti: Fisherman, crewman on Taki's boat.
Leopoldo, Commander: Commander of the garrison, Corfu Citadel.
