Kushiel's Dart
Jacqueline Carey
 Phèdre is born to Liliane de Souverain, a Servant of Naamah, and Pierre Cantrel, a merchant's spend-thrift son. She is born fair-skinned and black-haired, and given a cursed Hellene name. She is distinguished most by a red mote in her left eye, a flaw that is believed to render her unsuitable for work as a Servant of Naamah. Due to poverty and Pierre Cantrel's unwillingness for his wife to continue in the Service of Naamah, Phèdre is sold to Cereus House of the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers. Phèdre grows up in Cereus House but is somewhat outcast, given her flaw that keeps her outside the canons of the Night Court. As a result, she can never become an adept of one of the Houses of Court of Night-Blooming Flowers. Since she will never be an adept, she must pay off her marque by earning money with any talent she has. One day, after learning about The Eluine Cycle, Phèdre pricks her hand with a pin. The look in her eyes causes the Dowayne to call in the lord Anafiel Delaunay, a learned poet. He recites lines from an ancient epic poem that identifies Phèdre as an anguissette, Kushiel's Chosen, who will always find "pleasure in pain". He buys her marque. To make her fit for his service, Phèdre begins learning the Caerdicci tongue (analogous to Italian / Latin) at age eight, and at age ten, begins her apprenticeship with Delaunay. Delaunay's other pupil, Alcuin nò Delaunay, becomes her foster brother. They are trained physically, mentally, and sexually to be scholars, spies and Servants of Naamah. Her nature as an anguissette is kept secret from all of Delaunay's guests, to make her more valuable as she grows and learns. At age thirteen, Phèdre first meets Melisande Shahrizai, who is one of the few people to identify her as an anguissette at first glance. When they enter the Service of Naamah, Delaunay uses their skills as spies for his court intrigues, the nature of which Phèdre and Alcuin nó Delaunay do not always know. At fourteen, Phèdre officially dedicates herself as a Servant of Naamah. Her virgin-price is bought by Childric d'Essoms when she is sixteen. His patron-gift allows her to begin work on her marque, which Delaunay commissions. When her bodyguard is killed in an incident involving Alcuin nó Delaunay and the political intrigues of the Stregazza family, Delaunay contracts the Cassiline Joscelin Verreuil to protect his charges. An immediate discord strikes up between Joscelin and Phèdre as he does not approve of Phèdre's line of work or her nature as an anguissette, and Phèdre finds him dour and too imposing. Delaunay eventually learns that Alcuin made his marque (became a free D’Angeline citizen) that night. One of the facts of D'Angeline existence is the riddle of the Master of the Straits. Terre d'Ange is separated from Alba by a small channel of water, but which no one has been able to cross for eight hundred years. It is said that the "Master of the Straits" controls the water and will not allow any meeting between the two nations. Phèdre becomes increasingly frustrated when she sees Alcuin working to solve this mystery and yet he will not tell her why. On the Longest Night, Melisande Shahrizai contracts Phèdre for herself for a midwinter masque. She parades Phèdre before the nobles of Terre d'Ange. Phèdre loses herself entirely to Melisande that night, and when Melisande uses flechettes on her, she gives her signale (safeword) for the first time. Phèdre accidentally reveals to Melisande that Delaunay is waiting for word from Quintilius Rousse. Melisande's patron gift provides Phèdre enough money to complete her marque. Joscelin accompanies her to the marquist's, but before the marque can be finished, they are interrupted by a sailor, bearing a message from Admiral Quintilius Rousse to Delaunay; he knows that Delaunay's house is being watched, and seeks to give the message to Phèdre instead. She only believes him when he gives a password, which Phèdre believes to refer to a ring she saw Ysandre present to Delaunay. Rousse's message in return makes no sense to Phèdre but, given that the soldier said Delaunay's house was being watched, she believes that her lord is in danger. Dying, Alcuin tells Phèdre to tell Ysandre what has happened, to trust Admiral Rousse and the remaining Trevalions, that Thelesis de Mornay knows about Alba, and that the important figure is the Dauphine, not Ganelon. Phèdre and Joscelin rush to the Palace, but before they can reach Ysandre, they are betrayed by Melisande, who drugs them and sells them into slavery in Skaldia. Joscelin initially refuses to submit to the Skaldi, and most likely would have gotten himself killed, but that Phèdre steps in and persuades the Skaldi not to harm him. He is instead chained with their dogs until Phèdre can convince him that they will be best served by obedience. She begins to teach him the Skaldic language. Phèdre becomes the bed-slave of Gunter Arnlaugson, the lord of the steading. She is protected somewhat by Hedwig Arnildsdottir, the daughter of the previous lord, and spends some of her time learning songs and stories from the Skaldic women. The relationship between Phèdre and Joscelin first begins to change on the night Gunter and his men return from raiding a D'Angeline town. It reminds them of the severity of their situation, and forges truer compassion and understanding between them. Gunter takes Phèdre and Joscelin to the Allthing held by Waldemar Selig, presenting them both as gifts to Selig. Phèdre becomes Selig's bed-slave, and learns of his plans to invade Terre d'Ange by betraying the traitor Duc Isidore d'Aiglemort. Her knowledge of the political machinations becomes even greater when she sees in Selig's room a letter to him from Melisande Shahrizai, who is helping Selig to betray Isidore. In this way Melisande is playing both Isidore d'Aiglemort and Waldemar Selig and that no matter which one wins, Melisande will have been in league with them, and will benefit. Phèdre comes up with an escape plan and persuades Joscelin to go along with it. Initially she means to take Melisande's letter with her, but decides against it, realizing that would let Selig know she knows his plans. Joscelin disguises himself as a Skaldic warrior, killing several guards so that he and Phèdre may escape from the camps. It takes Selig's best riders four days to catch up with Phèdre and Joscelin; while Joscelin battles several of them, the young Harald the Beardless out of Gunter's steading attempts to recapture Phèdre; she kills him with her dagger in order to escape. Several days out on their journey, Phèdre and Joscelin take shelter in a cave, where Phèdre patches his wounds, and the two make love. The next morning, they find etched on the cave wall the sigil of Blessed Elua, and realize that he and his Companions rested in that same place during their wanderings. Phèdre and Joscelin eventually reach Terre d'Ange. Once back in Terre d'Ange, Phèdre and Joscelin encounter the men of the Marquis le Garde, one of the Allies of Camlach; she borrows names from Cereus House and tells them she is Suriah of Trefail, and that Joscelin is her cousin Jareth, refugees from a town that has been set upon by the Skaldi. When it looks as though they are going to be taken into custody, Joscelin holds their commander at knifepoint and demands horses for their escape. They proceed down a road called Eisheth's Way, until they encounter a Yeshuite wagon on the road. The Yeshuites give them shelter when they recognize Joscelin for a Cassiline, with whom their people share an affinity. They take Joscelin and Phèdre all the way to the City of Elua; in gratitude, Phèdre gifts them with the small grey pony that has come with her all the way from Skaldia. Once inside the City of Elua, Phèdre decides that the only person she can trust is her old friend Hyacinthe, whom she and Joscelin seek out immediately. From Hyacinthe, Phèdre learns that she and Joscelin were tried and convicted in absentia for the murders of Delaunay, Alcuin, and the entire household. Some few spoke on their behalf, including Gaspar Trevalion and Cecile Laveau-Perrin. Deciding upon the best course of action to reach Ysandre, Phèdre sends a message to Thelesis de Mornay, written as a love poem in Cruithne, that it might not be understood if intercepted. Thelesis comes to Hyacinthe's to fetch them and bring them to Ysandre right away. Ysandre wants to clear Phèdre's and Joscelin's names immediately, but Phèdre persuades her that to do so would be to reveal their hand too soon, and would let Isidore know that Ysandre knew of his betrayal. Ysandre instead places Phèdre, Joscelin, and Hyacinthe into royal custody. During this time, the extremely ill King dies. The newly crowned Queen Ysandre de la Courcel can only trust the few courtiers that she is sure aren't working for Melisande. She gathers these trusted peers in a secret conference where she reveals Phedre and Joccelin and the threat to the realm they have discovered. During this secret council, it is mentioned that Ysandre is in love with and was betrothed secretly to the heir of Alba, Drustan mab Necthana. The council knows that without the support of Isidore d'Aiglemort's army, Terre d'Ange must have the support of Alban troops to defeat the Skaldi. The trouble is, Drustan's throne has been stolen by Maelcon The Usurper and he and his family are currently refugees with the Eiran Lords of the Dalriada. Thanks to the Hyacinthe's mother's old fortune, however, this plan is not forsaken and Ysandre decides to make Phèdre - one of the few who can speak Cruithne - her ambassador to Alba and Eire. As well, as the Black Boar is the symbol of Drustan's clan, Elder Brother should allow them to pass. Phèdre must now go to Alba and Eire and convince the Dalriada to help Drustan reclaim his throne, so that Drustan can bring his army to Terre d'Ange to help defeat the Skaldi. Phèdre agrees, if somewhat reluctantly, doubting her aptitude to serve in that capacity. Joscelin, loathe to leave her, swears his sword into Ysandre's service, becoming anathema to the Cassiline Brotherhood, and is allowed to accompany Phèdre to Alba. In a demonstration of her benevolence, Ysandre secretly brings the marquist Robert Tielhard to Phèdre so that her marque may be completed before her journey, allowing her to leave as a truly free D'Angeline citizen. When Phèdre tries to kneel to her, Ysandre dismisses it, declaring them bed-cousins. Ysandre then also Phèdre the diary of her father Rolande, as much was written there about Phèdre's master Delaunay. Hyacinthe comes up with the idea to transport Phèdre safely to Admiral Quintilius Rousse by traveling along the Tsingani routes that are unknown by D'Angelines. He disguises Phèdre as his cousin, a Tsingani prostitute's by-blow, and Joscelin as a Mendacant, a traveling bard from Eisande. At the horse fair in Kusheth, Hyacinthe is reunited with his grandfather and extended family; being unanimously accepted as one of them. While at the horse fair, Phedre sees Melisande Shahrizai and becomes frozen with fear that she will be found. Hyacinthe uses the dromonde (a gift of fortune-telling held by the Tsingani) to assure her that Melisande will not see her. For this, Hyacinthe's family casts him out because only Tsingani women are supposed to use the dromonde. While traveling across Kusheth, the party is intercepted by Quincel de Morhban, the reigning Duc of Kusheth. In order to gain safe passage to Quintilius Rousse's fleet, without questions about their mission, Phèdre suggests a one night assignation with the Duc. This is accepted and the next morning they reach Rousse's fleet. The Master of the Straits attempts to halt their passage to Alba, coming to them in a fierce storm as a face in the waves, and demands a toll. Remembering the story of Thelesis de Mornay, Phèdre pays their passage with one of the Skaldic hearth-songs taught to her by Hedwig Arnildsdottir. The Master of the Straits lets them pass, and they come to the far western shore of Éire, where a delegation is waiting for them; Moiread, Drustan mab Necthana's younger sister, saw their coming in a prophetic dream. Phèdre and her companions are taken to meet the Dalriada. Here Phèdre informs Drustan that the price of marrying Ysandre is helping her to secure her throne from invasion, and that the Master of the Straits will only allow the Albans to cross to Terre d'Ange after Drustan wins his own throne back. The joint Lords of the Dalriada, Grainne and Eamonn, greet the D'Angeline delegation and become part of the discussion on whether or not to go to war. They are eventually reconciled only when Phèdre has sex with Grainne. As Eamonn can not stand Grainne having something he does not, he asks Phèdre why she continues to refuse him. Phèdre says to him that D'Angelines like strong men and not those that are afraid of battle. Eamonn then says he is not weak and will prove his courage by going to battle for Drustan. In the ensuing battle, Phèdre spends it with Necthana and her daughters, with Joscelin as their guard. Unfortunately, this location proves unsafe as they are attacked by a small group and one of Necthana's daughters, Moiread, dies. After the battle is over, Phèdre knights those of Quintilius Rousse's men that survived. That night, she sleeps with Hyacinthe, to comfort him over the sorrow of Moiread's death, and thus comes to understand the view of Naamah expressed by Balm House. After the battle, Rousse tells Phedre that he pledged to his men that all who survived the battle would be knighted and receive the title of "Chevalier". Phèdre keeps Rousse's pledge and, as the Queen's emissary, knights his men. These men see Phèdre as a charm of good luck and make her their personal symbol, calling themselves Phedre's Boys. On their march to the coast, they create a flag for themselves, which they present to her. Phèdre announces that, for those who survive, she will throw open the doors of the Night Court and have a party like none of them have ever seen. On their trek back across the straits to Terre d'Ange, the Master of the Straits accosts them one last time and exacts a terrible price: he needs an apprentice before the ships can leave. To determine who, he gives them a riddle to solve. Phèdre manages to solve it but before she can answer, Hyacinthe uses the dromonde to get the answer, and upon saying it, must take the curse for the rest of his days. That night, Phèdre sleeps with Hyacinthe again as a last tribute to their friendship. They finally reach Terre d'Ange in the midst of battle with the Skaldi. They learn that the D'Angeline army is mostly holed up in the fortress of Troyes-le-Mont. Phèdre comes up with a plan to trap the Skaldi between the walls of the city and an advancing army. In order to break through the Skaldi lines, however, they will need more men. Phèdre achieves the impossible when they accidentally stumble upon Isidore d'Aiglemort's traitorous forces. She tells d’Aiglemort about Melisande's betrayal of him to Waldemar Selig, and that he will be a dead man no matter what. She offers him the choosing of the manner of his death, proposing that he regain his honor and die a hero by fighting for Terre d'Ange. D'Aiglemort vows to help the D'Angelines so that he can spite Melisande and kill Selig himself. They plan to charge the Skaldi army the next morning and aim straight for Selig. Knowing this plan will work most effectively and give the D'Angelines the greatest advantage if those inside the city know of it beforehand, Phèdre decides to make a suicidal attempt to sneak through the Skaldi lines and warn those on the battlements not to fire on Isidore's troops. Knowing that no one will let her sacrifice herself like this, she silently slips out of the Alban-D'Angeline camp in the dead of night. She manages to gain the wall and shout a message to be delivered to Ysandre before the Skaldi drag her down. When Selig learns what she has done, he begins to skin her alive as a message to Ysandre. He is interrupted almost immediately, however, by Joscelin, who, having followed Phèdre from the camp, challenges Selig to the holmgang. As Joscelin realizes that even if he wins the fight they will not escape alive, he begins the terminus (the act where a Cassiline kills himself and his ward at exactly the same time). Upon seeing a rescue force leaving the fort, however, Joscelin quickly changes his mind and kills Phèdre's captor. They are brought inside by Barquiel L'Envers and Ysandre immediately brings a healer to Phèdre. Phèdre then informs her face-to-face that an army of seven thousand is approaching the city and will attack in the morning. She also assures Ysandre that Drustan is alive and crowned. Phèdre watches the next day's battle with Ysandre, looking out from the battlements. She sees Isidore d'Aiglemort, not yet dead of the seventeen wounds he took in battle, charging for Waldemar Selig. He kills Selig and the battle is won, with the defeated Skaldi fleeing back to Skaldia. After the battle, Phèdre is on the fields helping to comfort the wounded and give the wounded and dying water. She finds Isidore and gives him water before witnessing his death. Phèdre spends much of the next few weeks translating for Ysandre and others, as she is one of the few d'Angeline who speak Cruithne or Skaldi, and the only one who can be wholly trusted. Soon after, the Duc de Morhban, brings Melisande Shahrizai, who has been sold out by her kinsmen Marmion and Persia Shahrizai, to the fortress in chains. She is convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed the next morning. Melisande requests for Phèdre to visit her in her cell during the night. In that conversation, she reveals that rather than allowing Selig to rule Terre d'Ange, she had every intention of seizing control of Skaldia. Phèdre leaves her and spends the night alone on the battlements of the city, only to discover later that Melisande somehow escaped her cell before daybreak. Ysandre interrogates everyone, even Phèdre, but then apologizes for casting any suspicion on her. Ysandre clears Phèdre's name entirely, and bestows all of Anafiel Delaunay's estates onto her. At this point, Phèdre officially becomes the Comtesse de Montrève, inheriting Delaunay's mother's estate in Siovale as well. After the wedding of Ysandre and Drustan, Phèdre travels to Montrève with Joscelin. After settling in, Phèdre and Joscelin travel to L'Arène to find Taavi and Danele; they return with Seth ben Yavin, a Yeshuite scholar who agrees to teach Phèdre the Yeshuite language, that she may find the secret to freeing Hyacinthe from his island. Later, a visitor from La Serenissima comes bearing Phèdre's sangoire cloak, which she had lost when Melisande sold her to the Skaldi. This is Melisande's challenge to Phèdre: to find her.