This book is dedicated to
MY PMTni-)
reat thanks are due, as always, to the boys of Clockwork Storybook: Bill Willingham, Chris Roberson, Mark Finn, and Bill Williams, for providing encouragement and feedback during the writing of this book.
As with Midwinter, a special debt of gratitude is owed to Bill Willingham, who again graciously allowed me to borrow a couple of concepts that he included in his (as yet!) unfinished novel Just Another Ranker, back in the days when we all wrote stories set in the same worlds. If he ever asks for them back, I'll be in dire straits.
Thanks to Dave Justus, who worked tirelessly to comment upon and proof the original manuscript, and to my editor at Pyr, Lou Anders, who is basically awesome.
Thanks to Margaret and Kevin for watching the girls that time.
Thanks to Samantha, Amy, Jenn, Terrie, Lynn, Emma, Jacob, Abby, Patti, Nate, Jeremy, James, Alison, and Yvonne for keeping me fueled up throughout.
And especially, thanks to my wife, Stacy, and my daughters, Millie and Mercy, for allowing me to essentially abandon them for two months while I finished.
Pibil.
Uvenra slept among the ash at Belekh; the daughter of Uvenchaud was dead by the hand of Uvenchaud and slept among the ash. For a week and a day the king wept. Then Uvenchaud took his chariot and drove it to Prythme, where the gods dwelled.To confront the gods he went there. He shook his sword at the gate; he shook his shield at the gate. Uvenchaud struck the earth with his sword and the earth trembled. The gate opened. At Uvenchaud's threat did it move upon its mighty hinge.
Uvenchaud went into the courtyard at Prythme. In the courtyard Uvenchaud called out. 'I am Uvenchaud, whose fist is iron, who united the wild Fae clans; the Fae clans have submitted to my will. As the ruler of them I demand parley.'
Uvenchaud stood in the courtyard for a week and a day. For another week and for another day he stood and there was no answer. Uvenchaud struck the earth again with his sword and called out. One of the gods came.The bearded god Althoin, god of Wisdom whose Gift is Insight, came to match his wits against Uvenchaud.
'Why do you come here?' said wise Althoin. 'Why does Uvenchaud come here to disturb the thoughts of the gods?'
'Uvenra my daughter sleeps among the ash. She is dead by my hand, for she betrayed me to my enemy Achera, the dragon who has slain many.'
'You have come here to be judged by the gods.'
'I do not come to be judged by the gods. I come to defy the judgment of the gods.'
Althoin spoke. He said,'You cannot escape the judgment of the gods.We are seated above you to judge you and to command you.'
'Who seated you there?'
'We seated ourselves.'
'Then I will unseat you' Uvenchaud struck the earth with his sword, and the god laughed at the sword.
'You cannot kill a god,' said Althoin.
Uvenchaud struck at Althoin for a week and a day. After a week and a day he stopped and Althoin was
