The Burning White

by Brent Weeks

  So there it was: the admission Teia had been hoping for. There were no others. This was the last root of the Order, the last tiny smoldering ember.

  “No,” Teia said. “That’s not how it’s gonna be.”

  “Excuse me?” Grinwoody said. “Young lady, if I have to teach you lessons in obedience as I did your master, I—”

  “It was me,” Teia said. “I never left the Jaspers. I told Guile you planned to betray him. I killed Halfcock and Aglaia Crassos and Ravi Satish. I followed Atevia Zelorn, and I poisoned the bloodwine. All of it was me.”

  Full-spectrum light suffused the entire room as Grinwoody hit some hidden switch as Aram snapped into a ready position with his spear. The look of black rage suffusing the Old Man’s face was fearsome to behold.

  “Well, now you’ve made a very big mistake. Why would you tell me such lies? Do you think this is a game?” The Old Man slapped a hand down, triggering something that slapped a bar down over the cloaks hanging on the pegs, clicking as it locked them into place. He threw back his hood, released the voice-changing collar. “Aram, kill her if she moves. Child, do you want to die?”

  “Oh yes, but not today, I think.”

  His eyes narrowed. He didn’t believe her. He didn’t think she was capable of all she’d done.

  She said, “You know, Sharp liked to think of the Order as piranhas. But he told me once that there’s a fish that hunts piranhas. Vampire fish, they call it. Fangs longer than my fingers. Said he never could get those fangs to work in his dentures. Too long to fit in his mouth without stabbing himself, he said. He thought that was appropriate, because though he always entertained a fantasy of killing you, he was never willing to bleed to do it.”

  “So you killed Elijah, too?” Grinwoody had his hand under the desk, clearly holding a pistol.

  “I found this mask in his workshop. With some help from my friends, I finished it. And now I’m going to finish what Elijah started, and what you started, too.” She pulled out the alien, skeletal half mask. With leather loops over the ears to hold it up, it covered only from the forehead to the upper lip. Vampire-fish fangs hooked down from the upper jaw. A black cloth draped below that to conceal the lower half of the face and the neck. The cloth was imbued with orange luxin to make an illusion of a skeletal, monstrous neck and a toothy lower jaw snapping up to meet the hungry upper fangs.

  Teia said, “You wanted to make me dangerous. I’ve become ever so much more than that. Do you want to know the biggest secret about my shimmercloak?”

  Grinwoody stood, a pistol in each hand, trembling with rage, but he didn’t fire yet. He needed to know. He always had. His eyes shot a glance to her shimmercloak, locked to its peg.

  “The secret is…” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I don’t need it anymore.”

  Before she settled the mask into place with its illusory teeth, before the Mist Walker disappeared, before the report of the muskets, before the thuds of flesh and the final hopeless begging, before the blood leapt onto the walls, before the last gurgling breaths of evil men drowning in their own blood, she flashed a smile at them, and her eyes were an open grave, and her teeth were very sharp.

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  By Brent Weeks

  Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella

  THE NIGHT ANGEL TRILOGY

  The Way of Shadows

  Shadow’s Edge

  Beyond the Shadows

  Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy

  The Night Angel Trilogy: 10th Anniversary Edition

  THE LIGHTBRINGER SERIES

  The Black Prism

  The Blinding Knife

  The Broken Eye

  The Blood Mirror

  The Burning White

  Character List

  Abaddon: Also known as the god of locusts, the Day Star, the Lord of the Flies. One of the chief immortals of the Two Hundred. Often depicted with crippled ankles, giant insect wings, and pallid features.

  Adrasteia (Teia): One of the smaller Blackguards, a skilled paryl drafter, and a luxor for the Iron White. She is a double agent in the Order of the Broken Eye.

  Agnelli, Lucia: A Blackguard scrub, she had a forbidden romantic relationship with Cruxer. Murdered by Quentin Naheed during a training exercise.

  Aleph, Derwyn: Commander general of the Cwn y Wawr.

  Aliyah: Married to Halfcock in secret. She has a teenage son from her first marriage, Eliazar.

  Alvaro: A young, rebellious mirror slave.

  Amadis: An older man, overseer of mirror slaves on the Jaspers.

  Amazzal: One of the six High Luxiats, most notable for his commanding presence and rich voice.

  Amzîn: Awkward young Blackguard, charged with protecting the White.

  Appleton, Aodán: A nobleman and member of the Council of the Divines for the Blood Forest city of Dúnbheo.

  Aram: A failed Blackguard scrub with a grudge against Kip Guile and Cruxer. Elevated to commander of Zymun Guile’s Lightguard.

  Arius: One of the newest members of the Mighty.

  Arthur, Rónán: Deceased twin brother of Conn Ruadhán Arthur. Full-spectrum polychrome and member of the Shady Grove will-casters.

  Arthur, Ruadhán: Conn of the Shady Grove will-casters.

  Arun: Manager of an inn on the Jaspers.

  Asafa ar Veyda de Lauria del Luccia verd’Avonte: Keeper of the Word, Chief Librarian of the Great Library in Azûlay, Katalina Delauria’s father.

  Aspasia: Karris Guile’s room slave.

  Azmith, Akensis: A scion of the Azmith family. Killed by Karris White Oak during the choosing of the White.

  Azmith, Caul: A Parian general, the Parian satrapah’s younger brother. Briefly served as commander of the Chromeria’s allied armies. He led his troops to devastating losses against the White King at Ox Ford, almost shattering the alliance, after which he was demoted. His family seeks to return him to power.

  Azmith, Tilleli: Parian satrapah, older sister of Caul Azmith and spymaster for Paria’s Nuqaba. Andross Guile had intended for her to take power after his assassin killed the Nuqaba, but on Karris’s orders, Teia killed Tilleli as well.

  Beliol: Incorporeal (imaginary? immortal?) assistant to the Ferrilux.

  Ben-hadad: A former Blackguard, Ruthgari, and a member of the Mighty. A blue/green/yellow polychrome and a brilliant engineer.

  Blue-Eyed Demons, the: A mercenary band that fought for Dazen Guile’s army during the False Prism’s War. They later attempted to set up their own kingdom. Stomped out by Prism Gavin Guile.

  Blunt: A Blackguard watch captain.

  Bonbiolo, Benetto-Bastien: One of the four Ilytian pirate kings, rumored to trade under the pseudonym Marco Vellera.

  Borig, Janus: A Mirror who painted true Nine Kings cards. Was assassinated by the Order of the Broken Eye.

  Brightwater, Aheyyad: Orange drafter, grandson of Tala. Defended Garriston by designing the murals on Garriston’s Brightwater Wall; given the second name ‘Brightwater’ by Prism Gavin Guile.

  Brook, Justinia: Served as White two hundred and twelve years ago.

  Buskin: A venerable Blackguard and excellent archer.

  Caelia Green: A talented drafter, a dwarf, and formerly a servant of the Third Eye. Named Green on the Chromeria Spectrum after Gavin Guile decreed Seers Island a satrapy, New Tyrea.

  Carver Black: A non-drafter, as is traditional for the Black. He is the chief administrator of the Seven Satrapies. Though he has a voice on the Spectrum, he has no vote.

  Clara: A young and diminutive discipula.

  Comán, Cu: A nobleman and member of the Council of the Divines in Dúnbheo.

  Council of the Divines in Dúnbheo: A group of elderly noblemen in Blood Forest. They are Aodán Appleton, Ghiolla Dhé Rathcore (nephew of Orea Pullawr), Breck White Oak (third cousin of Karris White Oak), Cúan Spreading Oak (grandson of Pris
m Gracchos Spreading Oak), Culin Willow Bough, and Lord Golden Briar (newest member).

  Crassos, Aglaia: The youngest daughter of a wealthy noble family, she lives at the Chromeria as a Blackguard sponsor. A sadist who enjoys the pain she inflicts on her slaves. Has a powerful hatred of the Guile family, and Teia—whom she once owned.

  Cruxer: He was perhaps the most talented, dedicated Blackguard of his era, now one of the Mighty.

  Daelos: A Blackguard, very small but intelligent and talented with blue. Left behind at the Chromeria when he was gravely injured fighting as one of the Mighty.

  Danavis, Aliviana (Liv): A yellow/superviolet bichrome drafter from Tyrea. Formerly a discipula at the Chromeria whose contract was owned by the Crassos family. Grew up in Rekton with Kip Guile. Daughter of Corvan Danavis. She served the White King for a time; now the superviolet pagan god, Ferrilux.

  Danavis, Corvan: A red drafter. A scion of one of the great Ruthgari families, he was also the most brilliant general of the age and the primary reason for Dazen Guile’s success in battle during the Prisms’ War. Now the satrap of Seers Island, he is married to the Third Eye.

  Daragh the Coward: The bandit king of Blood Forest. Known for his many scars.

  Dariush, Lord: Felia Dariush Guile’s father. A wealthy Atashian noble and art collector. His full name is Roshe Roshan Dârayavahush.

  Darjan: A warrior-priest of the Ancient Tyrean Empire. A statue of him once stood near the orange groves in Rekton, known as the Broken Man.

  Daughters of Caoránach (pl. caoránaigh): Wights who have adapted their bodies for living in water. Also known as ‘river wights,’ they took their name from the mother of demons in Blood Forest folklore.

  del’Angelos, Ferkudi: A member of the Mighty. A goofy and awkward blue/green bichrome who excels at grappling. Gifted mathematician/statistician but misunderstands social cues.

  Delarias, the: A small farming family in Rekton.

  Delauria, Katalina (Lina): Kip Guile’s mother, died in King Garadul’s siege of Rekton. She was a librarian in Paria before fleeing in disgrace, eventually settling in the Tyrean town of Rekton.

  Einin: A new member of the Mighty from Blood Forest. Orange/red/sub-red polychrome, mother of ten.

  Elos, Gaspar: A green wight, he saved Kip Delauria’s life before the destruction of Rekton.

  Elos, Ysabel: Particularly cruel overseer of mirror slaves; sister of Gaspar.

  Essel: A Blackguard Archer. Her young mother, Delilah Tae, was a sub-red drafter and one of the first drafters Freed by Prism Guile.

  Estratega, Gaspar: One of the most famous and brilliant military strategists in history.

  Fiammetta: Felia Guile’s trusted room slave, manumitted by Lady Guile in her will, though Andross didn’t enact this provision of his wife’s wishes. Gavin eventually did, sending her home with protection.

  Finer: A legendary Blackguard commander who developed knee braces with sea-demon bone before going wight and attempting to assassinate his Prism.

  Fisk: He barely beat Karris White Oak during their testing as scrubs to enter the Blackguard. He rose through the ranks to become a Blackguard trainer, then served as commander after Ironfist was fired.

  Galden, Jens: A magister at the Chromeria, a red drafter with a grudge against Kip Guile.

  Garadul, Rask: A satrap who declared himself king of Tyrea; his father was Perses Garadul.

  Gates, Anjali: A senior diplomat in the Chromeria who came out of retirement to serve the Iron White.

  Golden Briar, Cathán: Cousin to both Arys Greenveil and Ela Jorvis. Eva Golden Briar’s elder brother. He replaces Arys Greenveil as the Sub-red on the Spectrum after she dies.

  Goss: A Parian Blackguard inductee, one of the best fighters, and a member of the Mighty before he was killed by the Lightguard.

  Greenveil, Arys: Served as Sub-red on the Spectrum. A redheaded Blood Forester, cousin of Jia Tolver, sister to Ana Jorvis’s mother, Ela. She has thirteen children by thirteen different men and died giving birth to her last son.

  Greyling, Gavin (Gav): A legacy Blackguard. Younger brother to Gill Greyling, named after Gavin Guile. He is Freed by Karris White after he breaks the halo on a reconnaissance mission to find her husband.

  Greyling, Gill: A legacy Blackguard. He is the elder brother of Gavin Greyling, and the more intelligent of the two.

  Greyling, Ithiel: Late Blackguard. Father of Gill and Gavin Greyling.

  Grinwoody (né Amalu Anazâr Tlanu): Andross Guile’s head slave, secretary, and right hand. Worked as a Parian legalist before entering Blackguard training; his contract was bought by Andross just before his swearing in as a Blackguard. He is secretly the Old Man of the Desert, the head of the Order of the Broken Eye.

  Guile, Abel: Andross Guile’s elder brother and the heir to the Guile ‘fortune’ before he signed it over to his brother.

  Guile, Andross: Father of Gavin, Dazen, and Sevastian Guile, husband to Felia Guile. He drafts yellow through sub-red, although he is primarily known for drafting red, as that was his position on the Spectrum. Now the promachos, and the longest-serving member of the Spectrum.

  Guile, Darien: Andross Guile’s great-grandfather. He married Zee Oakenshield’s daughter as a resolution to their war.

  Guile, Dazen: Younger brother of Gavin. He fell in love with Karris White Oak and triggered the False Prism’s War when ‘he’ burned down her family compound, killing everyone within.

  Guile, Draccos: Andross Guile’s father. Notorious for gambling an entire hyparchy for the hand of a woman, the young Orea Pullawr, on a horse race. He lost the race, the woman, and his family’s entire fortune. It was revealed decades later that his opponent, Juldaw Rathcore, had cheated. The Spectrum refused to expel the Rathcores at that time, leaving the Guiles as wool traders. Implicated in the murder of his brother, but as the only witnesses were slaves whose testimony was thereby inadmissible, the case wasn’t prosecuted by local magistrates or the satraps. (Orea ended up later marrying Juldaw’s brother.)

  Guile, Felia: Born Firuzeh Eszter Laleh Dariush, a brilliant linguist and orange drafter from Atash. Wife of Andross Guile, mother to Gavin, Dazen, and Sevastian. Cousin of the Atashian royal family. Freed at Garriston just after the first battle with the Color Prince. Her mother was courted by Ulbear Rathcore before he met Orea Pullawr.

  Guile, Gavin: The Prism. Two years older than Dazen, he was appointed Prism at age thirteen.

  Guile, Kip: The illegitimate Tyrean son of Gavin Guile and Katalina Delauria. He is a superchromat and a full-spectrum polychrome. Leader of the Mighty, married to Tisis Malargos.

  Guile, Sevastian: The youngest Guile brother. He was murdered by a blue wight when Gavin was thirteen and Dazen was not yet eleven.

  Guile, Zymun: A young drafter and former member of the White King’s army. Also known as Zymun White Oak, he claims to be the son of Karris and Gavin Guile and has been declared Prism-elect.

  Gunner: né Uluch Assan, legendary Ilytian pirate famous for having killed a sea demon. His first underdeck command was as cannoneer on the Aved Barayah. Worked for Dazen Guile during the False Prism’s War. He later became captain of the Bitter Cob.

  Halfcock: One of the oldest Blackguards at forty years old. Sub-red/red bichrome. Refuses to retire.

  Hill, Ruarc: A nobleman and leader of Dúnbheo.

  Holdfast: A Blackguard. His son is Cruxer and his widow is Inana, another Blackguard.

  Holvar, Jin: A woman who entered the Blackguard the same year as Karris White Oak, though she is a few years younger.

  Hanishu: Tremblefist. A Blackguard. He was Ironfist’s younger brother and was once the dey of Aghbalu. His Nine Kings card is the Butcher of Aghbalu.

  Harrdun: Ironfist. Former commander of the Blackguard, a blue drafter. Parian. Brother to Haruru (the Nuqaba) and Hanishu (Tremblefist). Member of the Order of the Broken Eye. Takes the title of king of Paria after his sister is assassinated.

  Haruru: The last Nuqaba in Paria, she was assassinated by T
eia for the Order of the Broken Eye.

  Inana: Cruxer’s mother, and once a Blackguard. Widow of Holdfast, also a Blackguard. She retired from the Blackguard in order to marry him.

  Izemrasen: A ghotra-wearing Parian, forty years old, green drafter. He lost his legs after breaking his back during his training to enter the Blackguard. Now a scout-drafter for Kip Guile’s Nightbringers.

  Jalal: A friendly storekeeper. Karris’s favorite kopi seller on Big Jasper.

  Kadah: Formerly a magister at the Chromeria who taught drafting basics. Now a researcher for the Chromeria.

  Kallikrates: Teia’s father. He ran the silk route as a trader before losing everything due to his wife’s reckless behavior.

  Keeper of the Flame, the: A chi drafter. Member of a secret religious order in Dúnbheo.

  Kerea: A Blackguard and an Archer.

  Klytos Blue: The Blue on the Spectrum. He represents Ilyta, though he is Ruthgari. A coward and Andross Guile’s tool.

  Leonidas: Aka Leo. A member of the Mighty, hugely muscular, drafts red and sub-red. Better known as Big Leo.

  Lorenço: One of High General Corvan Danavis’s lieutenants.

  Lucidonius: The legendary founder of the Seven Satrapies and the Chromeria, the first Prism. He was married to Karris Shadowblinder.

  Malargos, Antonius: Cousin of Eirene and Tisis Malargos. A handsome young red drafter. Later a military leader of some skill for Kip Guile’s Nightbringers. A devout follower of Orholam.

  Malargos, Eirene (Prism): The Prism before Alexander Spreading Oak (who preceded Gavin Guile). She lasted fourteen years.

  Malargos, Eirene (the Younger): The older sister of Tisis Malargos. She took over the family’s affairs when her father and uncle didn’t return from the False Prism’s War.

  Malargos, Tisis: A beautiful Ruthgari green drafter. Her father and uncle fought for Dazen Guile. Her older sister is Eirene Malargos, from whom she will likely inherit the wealth of a great trading empire, as Eirene has refused to bear children. Now married to Kip Guile.