Raven's Ladder (54 page)

The pact had to hold. The people of the Expanse would never really know the truth unless they found it for themselves, made that climb, beheld that view. They had to discover—or better, remember—the golden thread within them and follow it home. Telling them would never do.

Milora took a broom in her white glassworking mitts, and proceeding cautiously on her bare feet, she swept marbles and fragments of colored glass aside.

“Everybody marvels at my window,” grumbled Obrey, “but they never thank you for it.”

“That’s because they all think
you
made the window,” Milora sighed. “They assume so many things. Since I live with you and your grandfather, well… I
must
be your mother, right? Since I know glasswork, I
must’ve
grown up in Frits’s clan, right? If they asked more questions, they’d learn how wrong they are. But oh well. Scissors and scraps. It’s not important. So long as they don’t disrupt your play, what harm can that do?”

“Why do they think I made the window?”

“Because since the day I made it for your playroom, everyone has called it Obrey’s window. And it
is
your window, my dear. It’s there to inspire you because I love to watch you play. I’m sure I used to mess around like you do. But life’s got a way of beating the play right out of you.” She knelt, set the broom down, and put her arms around Obrey. “I’ll never, ever let life beat the play out of you, my dear.”

Bauris bit his tongue until it hurt.

Milora narrowed her eyes. “Why do you look at me like that?”

“This is my favorite part,” he said.

Milora sat down on the workbench and studied the window, unbinding her head scarf. “I’ll have to ask Frits to cut my hair again.” As the scarf slipped to the ground, the viscorcat got to his feet. Purring so rapturously it was almost a snarl, he rubbed a furry cheek against her shoulder, then threw himself down to playfully wrestle the loose scarf.

She rubbed the cat under the chin. He pressed his eyes shut, smiling, and groaned. “You want me to take off my mitts don’t you?” She began to slowly unwind the strips of her mitts. “Cal-raven,” she said absently. “He’s a strange, impulsive man.”

“He has a funny name,” Obrey announced.

Milora cocked her head. “He does, doesn’t he? Well, he’s lucky to have a name that means something, I guess.”

“What’s wrong with ‘Milora’?”

“Nuthin’s wrong with it.” She spread her unwrapped fingers, and the white strips fluttered to the floor. “I like it because Frits gave it to me. But I want my real name.”

“Must’ve been weird for Grandfather. Findin’ a grown woman lyin’ bare
by the river like that. I remember him carryin’ you in. Even though you were asleep, you wouldn’t let go of those milora flowers in your hand.”

“No clothes. No memories.” Milora pushed her hand through the air toward Bauris. “Erased.
Whoooosh.”

The emerjade ring on her finger caught his attention. She fingered it with curiosity, tracing the shape of the figure that she saw so vividly in dreams. Then she shrugged and reached down to scratch the cat behind his ear. “Dukas,” she murmured.

“I hope Cal-raven’s back soon,” said Obrey. “I like him. I want him to live with us.”

Milora smiled, amused, then whispered his name again as if it were strangely familiar, and she watched Obrey get lost in her play.

House Abascar
(AB-uh-skar)

ale boy—A former errand-runner in Abascar; friend of Auralia; gifted as a firewalker who can pass through fire without burning; now a survivor responsible for leading hundreds from the rubble of Abascar and south to the gathering in the Cliffs of Barnashum. Some call him “Rescue.”

Auralia (o-RAY-lee-uh)—A young, artistic girl discovered by Krawg in the wilderness when she was an infant. Her artistry was an extraordinary revelation of color that inspired many and stirred up dissension in House Abascar. She disappeared in the calamity of House Abascar’s fall, and only the ale boy witnessed what happened to her.

Bowlder (BOL-der)—An Abascar defender, distinct in his size and strength.

Brevolo (BREV-o-lo)—A swordswoman; daughter of Galarand, sister of Bryndei.

Bryndei (BRIN-day)—An archer; daughter of Galarand, sister of Brevolo.

Cal-raven (cal-RAY-ven)—A stonemaster; king of House Abascar; son of Cal-marcus.

Cortie (KOR-tee)—The young daughter of the merchants Joss and Juney.

Jaralaine (JAYR-uh-layn)—Former queen of House Abascar and wife of King Cal-Marcus; ran away from the house and disappeared when Cal-raven was young.

Jes-hawk (JES-hawk)—The finest archer among Abascar’s defenders.

Krawg (KROG)—Formerly a thief in House Abascar, known as “the Midnight Swindler;” arrested and cast out to be a Gatherer; now a harvester, famous for discovering Auralia.

Krystor (KRIS-tor)—A glass crafter of the remnant of Abascar.

Lesyl (LES-el)—A musician who was restricted to singing songs of praise for the king during the reign of Cal-marcus.

Say-ressa (say-RESS-uh)—A healer; wife of the former captain of the guard, Ark-robin, who was killed in the Abascar calamity.

Snyde—(SNIDE)—Formerly King Cal-marcus’s director of arts; now a leader of the resistance (the “grudgers”) against Cal-raven.

Tabor Jan (TAY-bor JAN)—Formerly man-at-arms to Prince Cal-raven during the reign of Cal-Marcus; now captain of the Abascar guard.

triplets—Luci, Madi, and Margi (LOO-see, MAD-ee, MAR-gee)—Three young Abascar survivors gifted with the extraordinary powers of stonemastery and thoughtspeaking.

Warney (WOR-nee)—Formerly a thief known as the “One-Eyed Bandit;” then a Gatherer; now a harvester in the remnant of Abascar.

Wynn (WIN)—The young son of the merchants Joss and Juney.

House Bel Amica
(bel AM-i-kuh)

Cesylle (SES-il)—Emeriene’s husband; a court representative in Bel Amica.

Cyndere (SIN-der)—The daughter of Queen Thesera and King Helpryn; widow of Deuneroi; sister of Partayn.

Deuneroi (DOON-er-oy)—A court representative; husband to Cyndere; murdered while striving to rescue the people of House Abascar after the collapse of that house.

Emeriene (EM-er-een)—Cyndere’s closest friend since childhood and highest-ranking of her attendants, the sisterlies.

Gelina (jel-EE-na)—A prostitute.

Hedley (HED-lee)—One of the sisterlies, assistants to Cyndere.

Helpryn (HEL-prin)—King of House Bel Amica; husband to Thesera; father of Cyndere and Partayn; died in a shipwreck while exploring the islands of the Mystery Sea.

Henryk (HEN-rik)—A Bel Amican soldier serving as a guard at the harbor caves.

Malefyk Xa (MAL-uh-fik kZAH)—One of the Seers; master hunter and trapper; devotee of the faith of the moon-spirits who advise Queen Thesera.

Panner Xa (PAN-er kZAH)—One of the Seers; overseer of the Mawrnash mine; devotee of the faith of the moon-spirits.

Partayn (par-TAYN)—Cyndere’s older brother; heir to the throne of Bel Amica; a gifted musician.

Pretor Xa (PRE-ter kZAH)—One of the Seers, devotees of the faith of the moon-spirits who advise Queen Thesera.

Ryllion (RIL-ee-un)—Captain of the guard at House Bel Amica; apprentice to the Seers.

Thesera (TES-er-uh)—Queen of House Bel Amica; widow of King Helpryn; mother of Cyndere and Partayn.

Tyriban Xa (TEER-i-ban kZAH)—One of the Seers; master of surgery and alteration; devotee of the faith of the moon-spirits who advise Queen Thesera.

Wilus Caroon (WIL-us ka-ROON)—A guard at the Bel Amican outpost of Tilianpurth.

House Cent Regus
(KENT REJ-us)

Jordam (JOR-dum)—One of four beastman brothers, twin to Goreth; the first beastman to overcome the Cent Regus curse through the influence of Auralia’s colors.

Mordafey (MOR-duh-fay)—Jordam’s oldest brother.

Skell Wra (SKEL RA)—The chieftain of the Cent Regus beastmen; controller of the Essence.

Between the houses

Dukas (DOOK-us)—A viscorcat; once a faithful companion of Auralia in the forest. Injured by an arrow, he was eventually captured in the wild and adopted by Deuneroi.

the Keeper—A massive, mysterious creature who appears in the dreams of all children, and some say the adults as well. It is perceived by children as a benevolent guardian, but most determine that it is only a figment of dreams, probably imagined out of a need for comfort. Some believe it is real and moving about in the wild with vast powers of perception and influence.

Rumpa (RUMP-uh)—A vawn tamed by Scharr ben Fray; carried the ale boy through adventures in
Cyndere’s Midnight
.

Scharr ben Fray (SHAR ben FRAY)—A renowned mage, a wandering stonemaster, and a wildspeaker; formerly an advisor to Abascar’s King Cal-marcus, and a mentor to Cal-raven.

Tammos Raak (TAM-os RAK)—Legendary ancestor of the four houses’ royal families. Stories say he led the peoples of the Expanse in a daring escape from an oppressor, bringing them over the Forbidding Wall, a line of mountains in the north, to settle in the Expanse. Accounts disagree regarding the manner and cause of his disappearance.

First, thanks to all who have encouraged me at
LookingCloser.org
, Facebook (
facebook.com/jeffreyoverstreet
), and Twitter (
twitter.com/Jeff_Overstreet
) this year. When I need a break from writing, you provide immediate, inspiring company.

To write
Raven’s Ladder
in less than a year while working a full-time job and fulfilling other commitments, I needed patience, grace, and encouragement from a whole community. I’m grateful to friends and family who were understanding and respectful when Anne and I regretfully declined invitations to coffee, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, birthday parties, movies, concerts, readings, recitals, sporting events, getaways, housewarmings, going-away parties, book-release parties, etc. To climb
Raven’s Ladder
, we needed every evening and every weekend. I hope you like the story that was born while the sign read Do Not Disturb.

WaterBrook Press—especially editor Shannon Marchese, who understands my vision for The Auralia Thread—has been patient with me, giving me time to tell the whole story. Mick Silva has given me encouragement and counsel. Kristopher Orr and Mike Heath have created another breathtaking cover illustration. I’m so grateful.

In some future novel I should name a hero after editor Steve Parolini (
www.noveldoctor.com
), who asked thoughtful questions about every single page and answered the phone when I needed help with a storytelling crisis. I have a lot to learn from Steve.

I’m blessed to have an agent who is also a great friend. Lee Hough at Alive Communications is generous with his time and expertise and is passionate for my work and well-being.

Thanks to you, Carol Bartley, and your crackerjack team of copyeditors. If this book earns any praise, you deserve so much credit for your meticulous attention to details. You helped me see what needed repair and revision.

Thanks to those who provided other substantial help: Tommy Fong and Vivian Bennett gave Anne and me a fabulous place to live and work. Dave Von Bieker gave me a better Web site. Adrienne Lema offered good, blunt criticism. She, Anastasia Solano, and Claire Wilson all brought extraordinary meals on days when Anne and I were hunched over hot laptops. Claire and her husband Tom, Rachel and Steve Beatty, and Danny Walter were always there when we needed them. Kristin Wilhite at The Grinder served me countless cups of coffee with a smile, even when I was grouchy. I found more hospitality and caffeine at the Laughing Ladies cafe and Richmond Beach Coffee Company during long Saturdays of rewrites.

Jennifer Gilnett and my co-workers at Seattle Pacific University, Gregory Wolfe at
Image
journal, Mark Moring at
Christianity Today
, and the team at
Filmwell.org
were all patient when I was exhausted and late with assignments. It’s great when your editors and supervisors are also your friends.

Thanks to Bob and Laurie Denst; Bryan and Tara Owens; Rick Paul and Wendi Poole; Robert Clark; Bart Cusveller and his family; Peter van Dijk; Julie Mullins, Mary Kenagy Mitchell, and Anna Johnson at
Image;
Wayne Proctor and the Thomas Parker Society; Mike Capps and Kimberly Alexander at the Trinity Arts Conference; Steven Purcell and Marcus Goodyear at Laity Lodge; John Wilson, Luci Shaw, John Hoyte, Walter Wangerin Jr., Eugene Peterson, Gina Oschner, Matthew Dickerson, and others in the Chrysostom Society.

Raven’s Ladder
is about preserving a vision of hope through doubt, disappointment, distraction, and disaster. I found inspiration in the music of Over the Rhine (Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist) and Sam Phillips. Thank you, my inspirations and my friends, for such a feast of beauty. “I hear music up above…”

If I’ve found a family among writers, then I’ve found a sister in Sara Zarr. Her telephone pep talks have been a blessing.

And finally, thanks to my parents, whose prayers make such a difference.

J
EFFREY
O
VERSTREET
grew up in Portland, Oregon. He is writing the fourth and final volume of The Auralia Thread. The first two volumes,
Auralia’s Colors
and
Cyndere’s Midnight
, were published in 2007 and 2008 by WaterBrook Press. Since 1996, Overstreet’s award-winning writing about art—especially cinema—has been posted at his Web site,
LookingCloser.org
. His work has also appeared in
Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion, Paste
, and
Christianity Today
. His “travelogue of dangerous moviegoing,”
Through a Screen Darkly
, was published by Regal Books in February 2007.

Jeffrey and his wife, a poet and freelance editor named Anne, spend time writing in the coffee shops of Shoreline, Washington, every week. He works in Seattle as the contributing editor for Seattle Pacific University’s
Response
magazine.