Jacqueline Carey - Kushiel 02 - Kushiel's Chosen

Kushiel's Chosen

byJacqueline Carey

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To all my friends, kith or kin, near or far—for understandingthe struggle, for forgiving the lack of time,

for space givenand grace granted, for sharing in the joy( andjoie), for asking,for listening, for notes

written and sent, for evenings on theporch, for champagne drunk and toasts given, for reading, for letting

the wings of story soar, for spreading the word: Thank you. A thousand times, thank you.

phèdre's household

Anafiel Delaunay de Montrève—mentor of Phèdre

(deceased)

Alcuin no Delaunay—student of Delaunay(deceased)Phèdre nó Delaunay de Montrève—Comtesse de

Montrève;

anguissette

Benoit, Gemma—household staff

Fortun, Remy, Ti-Philippe—chevaliers, a.k.a. Phèdre's BoysEugenie—kitchen-mistressJoscelin

Verreuil—Cassiline Brother (Siovale)Purnell Friote—seneschal of MontrèveRicheline Friote—wife of

Purnell

MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY: TERRE D'AnGE

Ysandre de la Courcel—Queen of Terre d'Ange; wed to

Drustan mab NecthanaGanelon de la Courcel—former King of Terre d'Ange;

grandfather of Ysandre(deceased) Isabel L'Envers de la Courcel—mother of Ysandre

(deceased)

Rolande de la Courcel—father of Ysandre(deceased)Barquiel L'Envers—brother of Isabel; Duc

L'Envers

(Namarre) Baudoin de Trevalion—son of Lyonette and Marc; Prince of

the Blood(deceased)Bernadette de Trevalion—daughter of Lyonette and Marc;

wife of Ghislain de SomervilleLyonette de Trevalion—great-aunt of Ysandre; a.k.a. Lioness

of Azzalle(deceased)

Marc de Trevalion—husband of Lyonette; former Duc of

Trevalion (Azzalle)Nicola L'Envers y Aragon—cousin of Ysandre

MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY:laSERENISSIMA

Benedicte de la Courcel—great-uncle of Ysandre; Prince of

the BloodMaria Stregazza de la Courcel—wife of Benedicte

(deceased)

Etaine de Tourais—second wife of Benedicte de la CourcelImriel de la Courcel—son of Benedicte and

second wife Marie-Celeste de la Courcel Stregazza—daughter of

Benedicte and Maria; Princess of the Blood; wed to

Marco StregazzaSeverio Stregazza—son of Marie-Celeste and Marco; Prince

of the BloodThérèse de la Courcel Stregazza—daughter of Benedicte and

Maria; Princess of the Blood; wed to Dominic Stregazza

(deceased)

D'ANGELINEpeerage

Isidore d'Aiglemort—son of Maslin; Duc d'Aiglemort

(Camlach)(deceased)Marquise Solaine Belfours—noble; Secretary of the Privy

Seal Cecilie Laveau-Perrin—wife of chevalier Perrin(deceased);

adept of Cereus House; tutor to Phèdre and Alcuin Roxanne de Mereliot—Lady of Marsilikos

(Eisande)Quincel de Morhban—Duc de Morhban (Kusheth)

Lord Rinforte—Prefect of the Cassiline BrotherhoodEdmée de Rocaille—betrothed of Rolande

(deceased)Paragon Shahrizai—Duc de Shahrizai (Kusheth) Melisande Shahrizai—noble (Kusheth)

(Tabor, Sacriphant, Persia, Marmion, Fanchone—members

of House Shahrizai; Melisande's kin)Ghislain de Somerville—son of Percy; wed to Bernadette de

TrevalionPercy de Somerville—Comte de Somerville (L'Agnace);

Prince of the Blood; Royal CommanderTibault de Toluard—Marquis de Toluard (Siovale) Gaspar

Trevalion—Comte de Forcay (Azzalle); cousin of

MarcApollonaire and Diànne—joint holders of the Marquisate de

FhirzeVivienne Neldor, Marie de Flairs—ladies-in-waiting to

Ysandre

Lord Amaury Trente—Captain of the Queen's Guard Lady Denise Grosmaine—Secretary of the

Presence

NIGHTcourt

Moirethe Lereux—Dowayne of Eglantine House

Favrielle no Eglantine—seamstress

Raphael Murain no Gentian—adept of Gentian House

three sisters

Master of the Straits—controls the seas between Alba and

Terre d'AngeHyacinthe—apprentice to Master of the Straits; Phèdre's

friend; Tsingano

alba and eire

Drustan mab Necthana—Cruarch of Alba, wed to Ysandre de

la Courcel

Eamonn mac Conor—Lord of the Dalriada(deceased)Grainne mac Conor—sister of Eamonn; Lady of

the DalriadaNecthana—mother of Drustan

(Breidaia, Moiread(deceased), Sibeal—daughters ofNecthana)

la serenissima

Cesare Stregazza — Doge of La Serenissima

Marco Stregazza — eldest son of the Doge

Ricciardo Stregazza — younger son of the Doge

Allegra Stregazza — wife of Ricciardo

Benito Dandi — noble, member of the Immortali

Orso Latrigan — noble, candidate for Dogal election

Lorenzo Pescaro — noble, candidate for Dogal election

Bianca — Priestess of the Elect; Oracle of Asherat

Vesperia — Priestess of Asherat; Oracle-in-training

Giulia Latrigan — noble

Magister Acco — astrologer

Serena Pidari — wife of Phanuel Buonard

Felicity d' Arbos — former lady-in-waiting to Maria Stregazza

The Warden of La Dolorosa

Constantin, Fabron, Malvio, Tito — prison guards

illyria

Vasilii Kolcei—Ban of Illyria, a.k.a. the Zim Sokali Zabèla Kolcei—wife of the Ban Pjètri

Kolcei—middle son of the BanCzibor—commander of the Ban's GuardKazan Atrabiades—pirate

captain(Epafras, Gavril, Lukin, Nikanor, Oltukh, Pekhlo, Spiridon,

Stajeo, Tormos, Volos, Ushak—Kazan's men)Daroslav—Kazan's brother(deceased)

Glaukos—Kazan's man, fonner Tiberian slaveZiJje—wife of GlaukosMarjopí—Kazan's housekeeper

Njësa Atrabiades—mother of KazanJanàri Rossatos—Ambassador to La Serenissima

kriti

Oeneus Asterius—Hierophant of the TemenosPasiphae Asterius—the Kore of the TemenosDemetrios

Asterius—Archon of Phaistos Timanthes—noble, Archon's lover Althaia—noble, sister of Timanthes

others

Maestro Gonzago de Escabares—Aragonian historian;

Delaunay's former teacher Thelesis de Mornay—Queen's PoetQuintilius Rousse—Royal Admiral

Emile—member of Hyacinthe's former crew Jacques Brenin—Phèdre's factorNahum ben Isaac—the

Rebbe Hanna—Yeshuite womanMicheline de Parnasse—Royal Archivist Tarren d'Eltoine—Captain of

the Unforgiven, Southfort

(Camlach)(Octave, Vernay, Svariel, Fitz, Giles—soldiers of the

Unforgiven)

Phanuel Buonard—guardsman of Troyes-le-Mont Louis Namot—Captain of the shipDarielleBrys nó

Rinforte, David nóRinforte—Cassiline BrothersGregorio Livinius—Principe of PaventoDuke and

Duchess of MilazzaGilles Lamiz—apprentice-poet

Micah ben Ximen, Sarae, Teppo—Yeshuites; Joscelin's allies Cervianus—attendant in Temple of

Asherat

ONE

No one would deny that I have known hardship in mytime, brief though it has been for all that I have

done in it.This, I think, I may say without boastfulness. If I answernow to the title of Comtesse de

Montrève and my name is listed in the peerage of Terre d'Ange, still I have knownwhat it is to have all

that I possess torn from me; once,when I was but four years of age and my birth-mother soldme into

servitude to the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers,and twice, when my lord and mentor Anafiel Delaunay

wasslain, and Melisande Shahrizai betrayed me into the hands of the Skaldi.

I have crossed the wilds of Skaldia in the dead of winter,and faced the wrath of the Master of the Straits

on the teem-ing waters. I have been the plaything of a barbarian warlord,and Ihave lost my dearest friend

to an eternity of lonelyisolation. I have seen the horrors of war and the deaths ofmy companions. I have

walked, alone and by night, into thevast darkness of an enemy encampment, knowing that I gavemyself

up to torture and nigh-certain death.

None of it was as difficult as telling Joscelin I was re-turning to the Service of Naamah.

It was thesangoire cloak that decided me; Melisande'schallenge and the badge of my calling that

marked me asananguissette, Kushiel's Chosen, as clearly as the mote ofscarlet emblazoned since birth in

the iris of my left eye. Arose petal floating upon dark waters, some admirer oncecalled it.Sangoire is a

deeper color, a red so dark it bordersupon black. I have seen spilled blood by starlight; it is afitting color

for one such as I, destined to find pleasure inpain. Indeed, the wearing of it is proscribed for any who is

not ananguissette. D'Angelines appreciate such poetic ni-ceties.

I am Phèdre nóDelaunay de Montrève, and I am the onlyone. Kushiel's Dart strikes seldom, if to good

effect.

When Maestro Gonzago de Escabares brought the cloakfrom La Serenissima, and the tale by which he

had gainedit, I made my choice. I knew that night. By night, my courseseemed clear and obvious. There

is a traitor in the heart ofTerre d'Ange, one who stands close enough to the throne to touch it; that much,

I knew. Melisande's sending the cloak made it plain: I had the means of discovering thetraitor's identity,

should I choose to engage in the game.That it was true, I had no doubt. By the Night Court andby

Delaunay, I have been exquisitely trained as courtesan and spy alike. Melisande knew this—and

Melisande re-quired an audience, or at least a worthy opponent. It was clear, or so I thought.

In the light of day, before Joscelin's earnest blue gaze, I knew the extent of the misery it would cause.

And for that, I delayed, temporizing, sure in my reasoning but aching atheart. Maestro Gonzago stayed

some days, enjoying the hos-pitality I was at such pains to provide. He suspected some-what of my

torment, I do not doubt. I saw it reflected in hiskind, homely face. At length he left without pressing me,

his apprentice Camilo in tow, bound for Aragonia.

I was left alone with Joscelin and my decision.

We had been happy in Montrève, he and I; especially he,raised in the mountains of Siovale. I know

what it cost Jos-celin to bind his life to mine, in defiance of his Cassilinevow of obedience. Let the

courtiers laugh, if they will, buthe took his vows seriously, and celibacy not the least ofthem. D'Angelines

follow the precept of Blessed Elua, whowas born of the commingled blood of Yeshua ben Yosefand the

tears of the Magdelene in the womb of Earth:Loveas thou wilt.Alone among the Companions, only

Cassielabjured Elua's command; Cassiel, who accepted damnationto remain celibate and steadfast at

Elua's side, the PerfectCompanion, reminding the One God of the sacred duty evenHe had forgotten.

These, then, were the vows Joscelin had broken for me.Montrève had done much to heal the wounds

that breakinghad dealt him. My return to the Service of Naamah, whohad gone freely to Elua's side, who

had lain down withkings and peasants alike for his sake, would open thosewounds anew.

I told him.

And I watched the white lines of tension, so long absent,engrave themselves on the sides of his beautiful

face. I laidout my reasoning, point by point, much as Delaunay wouldhave done. Joscelin knew the

history of it nearly as well asI did myself. He had been assigned as my companion whenDelaunay still

owned my marque; he knew the role I had played in my lord's service. He had been with me when

Delaunay was slain, and Melisande betrayed us both—andhe had been there that fateful night at

Troyes-le-Mont, whenMelisande Shahrizai had escaped the Queen's justice.

"You are sure?" That was all he said, when I had finished.

"Yes." I whispered the word, my hands clenching on therichsangoire folds of my cloak, which I held

bundled inmy arms. "Joscelin ..."

"I need to think." He turned away, his face shuttered likea stranger's. In anguish, I watched him go,

knowing therewas nothing more I could say. Joscelin had known, fromthe beginning, what I was. But he

had never reckoned onloving me, nor I him.

There was a small altar to Elua in the garden, which Richeline Friote, my seneschal's wife, tended with

great care. Flowers and herbs grew in abundance behind the manorhouse, where a statue of Eíua, no

more than a meter tall,smiled benignly upon our bounty, petals strewn at his mar-ble feet. I knew the

garden well, for I had spent many hoursseated upon a bench therein, considering my decision. It was

there, too, that Joscelin chose to think, kneeling before Elua in the Cassiline style, head bowed and arms

crossed.

He stayed there a long time.

By early evening, a light rain had begun to fall and stillJoscelin knelt, a silent figure in the grey twilight.

The au-tumn flowers grew heavy with water and hung their brightheads, basil and rosemary released

pungent fragrance on themoist air, and still he knelt. His wheat-gold braid hung mo-tionless down his

back, runnels of rain coursing its length.Light dwindled, and still he knelt.

"My lady Phèdre." Richeline's concerned voice gave mea start; I hadn't heard her approach, which, for

me, wasnotable. "How long will he stay there, do you think?"

I turned away from the window that looked out at thegarden loggia. "I don't know. You'd best serve

dinner with- out him. It could be a good while." Joscelin had once helda vigil, snow-bound, throughout an

entire Skaldic night on some obscure point of Cassiline honor. This cut deeper. I glanced up at Richeline,

her open, earnest face. "I told him I am planning to return to the City of Elua. To the Serviceof Naamah."

Richeline took a deep breath, but her expression didn'tchange. "I wondered if you would." Her voice

took on a compassionate tone. "He's not the sort to bear it easily, mylady."

"I know." I sounded steadier than I felt. "I don't chose it lightly, Richeline."

"No." She shook her head. "You wouldn't."

Her support was more heartening than I reckoned. Ilooked back out the window at the dim, kneeling

figure ofJoscelin, tears stinging my eyes. "Purnell will stay on asseneschal, of course, and you with him.

Montrève needsyour hand, and the folk have come to trust you. I'd not haveit otherwise."

"Yes, my lady." Her kind gaze was almost too much tobear, for I did not like myself overmuch at this

moment.Richeline placed her fist to her heart in the ancient gesture of fealty. "We will hold Montrève for

you, Purnell and I.You may be sure of it."

"Thank you." I swallowed hard, repressing my sorrow."Will you summon the boys to dinner, Richeline?

Theyshould be told, and I have need of their aid. If I am to do this thing before winter, we must begin at

once."

"Of course."

"The boys" were my three chevaliers; Phèdre's Boys, theycalled themselves, Remy, Fortun and

Ti-Philippe. Fighting sailors under the command of Royal Admiral QuintiliusRousse, they had attached

themselves to my service afterour quest to Alba and the battle of Troyes-le-Mont. In truth,I think it

amused the Queen to grant them to me.

I told them over dinner, served in the manor hall withwhite linens on the table, and an abundance of

candles. At first there was silence, then Remy let out an irrepressiblewhoop of joy, his green eyes

sparkling.

"To the City, my lady? You promise it?"

"I promise," I told him. Ti-Phílippe, small and blond,grinned, while solid, dark Fortun looked thoughtfully

at me."It will need two of you to ride ahead and make arrange-ments. I've need of a modest house, near

enough to thePalace. I'll give you letters of intent to take to my factor inthe City."

Remy and Ti-Philippe began to squabble over the adven-ture. Fortun continued to look at me with his

dark gaze. "Doyou go a-hunting, my lady?" he asked softly.

I toyed with a baked pear, covered in crumbling cheese,to hide my lack of appetite. "What do you

know of it, For-tun?"

His gaze never wavered. "I was at Troyes-le-Mont. Iknow someone conspired to free the Lady

Melisande Shahrizai. And I know you are ananguissette trained by AnafielDelaunay, who, outside the

boundaries of Montrève, somecall the Whoremaster of Spies."

"Yes." I whispered it, and felt a thrill run through myveins, compelling and undeniable. I lifted my head,

feelingthe weight of my hair caught in a velvet net, and downed ameasure of fine brandy from the

orchards of L'Agnace. "Itis time for Kushiel's Dart to be cast anew, Fortun."

"My lord Cassiiinç will not like it, my lady," Remy cau-tioned, having left off his quarrel with Ti-Philippe.

"Sevenhours he has knelt in the garden. I think now I know why."

"Joscelin Verreuil is my concern." I pushed my plateaway from me, abandoning any pretense of eating.

"Now Ineed your aid, chevaliers. Who will ride to the City, andfind me a home?"

In the end, it was decided that Remy and Ti-Philippe both would go in advance, securing our lodgings

and serving no-tice of my return. How Ysandre would receive word of it,I was uncertain. I had not told

her of Melisande's gift, normy concerns regarding her escape. I did not doubt that I hadthe Queen's

support, but the scions of Elua and his Com-panions can be a capricious lot, and I judged it best to op-

erate in secrecy for the moment. Let them suppose that itwas the pricking of Kushiel's Dart that had

driven me back; the less they knew, the more I might learn.

So Delaunay taught me, and it is sound advice. One mustgauge one's trust carefully.

I trusted my three chevaliers a great deal, or I would neverhave let them know what we were about.

Delaunay soughtto protect me—me, and Alcuin, who paid the ultimate pricefor it—by keeping us in

ignorance. I would not make hismistake; for so I reckon it now, a mistake.

But still, there was only one person I trusted with thewhole of my heart and soul, and he knelt without

speaking in the rain-drenched garden of Montrève. I stayed awakelong that night, reading a Yeshuite

treatise brought to meby Gonzago de Escabares. I had not given up my dream offinding a way to free

Hyacinthe from his eternal indentureto the Master of the Straits. Hyacinthe, my oldest friend, the

companion of my childhood, had accepted a fate meant for me: condemned to immortality on a lonely

isle, unless Icould find a way to free him, to break thegeis that boundhim. I read until my eyes glazed and

my mind wandered.At length, I dozed before the fire, stoked on the hour bytwo whispering servant-lads.

The sense of a presence woke me, and I opened my eyes.

Joscelin stood before me, dripping rainwater onto the car-peted flagstones. Even as I looked, he

crossed his forearms and bowed.

"In Cassiel's name," he said, his voice rusty from hours of disuse, "I protect and serve.”

We knew each other too well, we two, to dissemble.

"No more than that?"

"No more," he said steadily, "and no less."

I sat in my chair gazing up at his beautiful face, his blueeyes weary from his long vigil. "Can there be no

middle ground between us, Joscelin?"

"No." He shook his head gravely. "Phèdre ... Eluaknows, I love you. But I am sworn to Cassiel. I

cannot betwo things, not even for you. I will honor my vow, to protectand serve you. To the death, if

need be. You cannot ask formore. Yet you do."

"I am Kushiel's chosen, and sworn to Naamah," I whis-pered. "I honor your vow. Can you not honor

mine?"

"Only in my own way." He whispered it too; I knew howmuch it cost him, and closed my eyes. "Phèdre,

do not askfor more."

"So be it," I said with closed eyes.

When I opened them, he was gone.

TWO

When last I entered the City of Elua, it was riding intriumph in the entourage of Ysandre de la Courcel,

freshfrom victory over the Skaldi, with the Royal Army andDrustan mab Necthana and the Alban

contingent at our side.This time, my return to the city of my birth was considerably less dramatic, although

it meant a great deal to me.

It is a powerful thing, homecoming. I had come to loveMontrève, with its green mountains, its rustic

charm; butthe City was my home, and I wept to see its white wallsonce more. My heart, a year and more

accustomed to thesedate pace of the countryside, stirred within my breast andbeat faster.

We had been long days on the road, while the briskweather of autumn turned to the chill of impending

winter.When I had travelled before, it had been with no more thanmy companions and I could carry on

sturdy mounts. Now,we were accompanied by laden wagons of wool, product ofthe last shearing of the

season, with an entire wagon for my goods, which included the volumes and scrolls of Yeshuiteresearch I

had accumulated within a year.

It was a goodly amount, for the followers of Yeshua werea prolific folk. Their history is ancient, reaching

back longbefore the time when Yeshua ben Yosef, the true-gotten son of the One God, hung upon a

Tiberian cross, his blood min-gling with the tears of the Magdelene to beget blessed Elua.I had not yet

discovered in their writings a clue to unravelthegeis that bound Hyacinthe, but I was yet hopeful.

Also in our train was a wagon for our gear, tents and foodstuffs, and pack-mules for my retainers'

possessions.There was even a pair of saddle-horses we led unridden,fresh mounts for Remy and

Ti-Philippe, who dashed backand forth between our slow party and the City.

"You'll need a carriage," Fortun said pragmatically as wedrew near to the City. "It won't do for the

Comtesse deMontrève to ride astride, my lady. But I reckon it can waituntil we've sold the wool."

"It will have to." I had supposed, before Ysandre's Chan-cellor of the Exchequer had informed me that I

was the inheritor of Delaunay's estate and never-claimed title, thatall D'Angeline nobles had coin in

abundance; in truth, itwas not so. I drew a modest income from my holdings atMontrève, and I had funds

from the recompense of Delau-nay's City house. It had been seized upon his death, whenI was judged in

absentia to be his murderer. Now, my namewas clear, thanks to Ysandre's intervention. In the City of

Elua, it is known that I loved my lord Delaunay well and had no part in his death; as he named me his

heir, so did I inherit. Still, I had no wish to dwell in the place where hedied.

So, his estate of Montrève I inherited, and I accepted rec-ompense for the sale of his home in the City;

but the pro-ceeds from the former went toward the payment andequipage of my retainers, and the latter

toward the purchaseof a home for us. Of the small amount that remained, Iconfess, a great deal went into

my library.

Those purchases, I did not regret. All knowledge is worth having, Delaunay used to say; and I had every

intention of putting what I garnered to good use. But it left me with littlein the way of capital.

I had a diamond, once, that would have financed the be-ginnings of a salon any courtesan might envy.

Thinking on it, I touched my bare throat where it used to hang. I wouldrather have starved than profit

from that gem.

As we rode nigh to the southern gate, Fortun raised thebanner of Montrève; green, a crescent moon in

argent upper right, and sable crag lower left. The City Guard hoisted theirspears in answer, a shout

sounding from the white walls—Ti-Philippe, dicing with the Guard, had been awaiting ourarrival. I heard

a ragged chant arise, all too familiar: the marching-song of Phèdre's Boys, born out of our desperatequest

to Alba.

Glancing at Joscelin, I saw his shoulders set with resig-nation.

So we entered the City.

In some parts, it was small, and in others, vaster and morelovely than I remembered, gracious and

proud. Ti-Philippe scrambled down to meet us, and led us inward, along the winding course of the river

toward the Palace. In the street,citizens paused and watched curiously, marking our passage.I could hear

the rumors begin to spread. To the east, the hillof Mont Nuit sloped upward. The Night Court was there,

with its Thirteen Houses, where I had received my earliesttraining; in Cereus House, First among the

Thirteen. At itsfoot lay Night's Doorstep, my refuge, where Hyacinthe hadestablished himself as the

Prince of Travellers.

That was the past. The future lay before us. In sight ofthe Palace, at the juncture of a narrow street,

Remy met us.After a hurried conference, Ti-Philippe took stewardship ofthe wool-wagons, leading them

to the worsters' district.

Jacqueline Carey - Kushiel 02 - Kushiel's Chosen

相关推荐

开通VIP享超值会员特权

作者详情

相关内容

热门标签

举报选择: