The Night Angel Trilogy

by Brent Weeks

  GWINVERE KIRENA/ MOMMA K: One of the Nine, Mistress of Pleasures.

  GYLE, KINGDOM: Layinisa Guralt was the Seeress of Gyle (princess), joined Alitaeran Empire through marriage to Emperor Jorald but left after Jorald died.

  GYRE (GHIRE/GUY err):

  REGNUS GYRE, DUKE: Called by the young men of Khalidor the Rurstahk Slaagen, the Devil of the Walls.

  CATRINNA GYRE (NEE GRAESIN): Older half-sister of Terah Graesin by 20 years; wife of Duke Regnus Gyre.

  LOGAN GYRE: The scion of House Gyre. An idealistic young man, handsome, intelligent, naïve.

  HANA: A student at Chantry.

  THE HOLE/HOLERS:

  FIN: Leads the “animals”; nastiest resident, always working on sinew rope

  LILLY: The only woman in the Hole.

  JAKE: Tossed into the Hole in first fight.

  SNIFFLES: One of the “animals”; killed and eaten.

  SCAB: One of the “animals”.

  LONG TOM: Killed by Logan for meat.

  NINE-FINGER NICK: Another occupant of the Hole.

  YIMBO: One of the “monsters”; a big-boned red-haired Ceuran whose tongue had been cut out; killed by Fin.

  TATTS: One of the “monsters”; a pale Lodricari covered in tattoos who could speak but never did.

  GNASHER: One of the “monsters”; a misshapen simpleton with massive shoulders and a twisted spine and teeth filed to sharp points.

  HAYLIN, GRAND MASTER: An armorer.

  HIDEO WATANABE (Heh DAY oh WAT ah GNAW bay): Ceura’s regent; his son is Mitsurugi. They dueled and Mitsurugi slew him when he found out Watanabe intended to kill Lantano Garuwashi.

  HOPPER/VONDEAS HIL: A toeless old eunuch of the Khalidorans.

  HU GIBBET: The second-best wetboy in Cenaria. The son of Saron and Jade Marion. Famous for his sadism.

  HURIN GHER (HER in GHER): Commander Gher, originally a lieutenant; promoted by Godking Ursuul.

  HURLAK, KING: Had honeycombed his expansion of Castle Cenaria with secret rooms and spy holes.

  HUROL II, KING: Cenarian king, during whose reign an amendment to the common law provided that dukes could only be arrested with habeas corpus, two witnesses, and a motive; incarceration required two of those three.

  HYRILLIC: The language Curoch is inscribed with. See Gloss.

  ISTARIEL WYANT (IST are ee ul WHY ent): Speaker of the Chantry, sister of Ariel Wyant Sa’fastae.

  JADWIN:

  TRUDANA JADWIN, DUCHESS (TRUDE AHN uh): sexually voracious and middle-aged, the king’s mistress, and an artist of note.

  JADWIN, DUKE: Trudana Jadwin’s serially cuckolded husband. A diplomat kept travelling by the king to make his affairs easier to conduct.

  JAEDAN: Alitaeran, identical twin brother of Caedan on the Sho’cendi mages’ expedition.

  JA’LALIEL (JA LAY lee ul): The head of the Black Dragon Guild.

  JARL: Childhood friend of Kylar; Ladeshian, assistant to Momma K.

  JESSIE AL’GWAYDIN: Godking’s spy in Chantry; later goes to Torras Bend.

  JONISSEH, MISTRESS: In charge of discipline at the Chantry.

  JONUS SEVERING: A wetboy with fifty kills to his name.

  JORALD HURDAZIN, EMPEROR: Early Alitaeran emperor; a skilled and wise leader, in his younger years he solidified Alitaeran control from what is now Ymmur in the east to the west coast of Midcyru (Waeddryn and Modai) at the time of this narrative.

  JORSIN ALKESTES, EMPEROR: The last great emperor of Midcyru. An archmagus of unrivalled power. His list of attributes reads like a god’s: handsome, charming, a brilliant tactician, a warrior of unparalleled skill on all levels, a peerless magician, et cetera. Even if one casts a jaundiced eye on such lists, Alkestes’ list of actual accomplishments makes many of them at least plausible. Early in reign, ruled seven kings and styled himself the High King. Three of seven kings rebelled: Rygel the Blue, Einarus Silvereyes, and Itarra Lachess, and when he conquered their lands again, he became “Emperor” Jorsin Alkestes.

  JULUS ROTANS, OVERLORD (JOO luss row TANES): In his late forties, leader of the Lae’knaught and brother to Dynos Rotans.

  KAAV: a Khalidoran soldier/torturer

  KAEDE WARIYAMO (KAY dee wear EE AH mo): Last empress of Seth.

  KAGÉ (COG ay): another name for Kylar

  KA’KARIFERS/JORSIN’S SIX CHAMPIONS:

  ARIKUS DAADRUL: (ARE ick us DAY ah DRULL) Daadrul gets a skin of silver liquid metal that makes him impervious to blades.

  IRENAEA BLOCHWEI (EYE rin AY ah BLOCK way): Receives the power of everything green and growing.

  TRACE ARVAGULANIA (ARE vag YOU LANE ee ah): Went from grossly ugly to the most beautiful woman of the era; one of the original Champions, possessor of the White ka’kari.

  CORVAER BLACKWELL/CORVAER THE RED (CORE vair): The master of fire.

  SHRAD MARDEN: Controls water and can suck the very liquid from a man’s blood.

  OREN RAZIN (OR in RAY zin): Ezra’s only friend besides Jorsin; fought with twin war hammers, the master of earth; weighed a thousand pounds and could turn skin to stone.

  KALDROSA WYN (KALL dro suh WIN): Sethi pirate captain marooned in Cenaria without a ship or crew. Married to Tomman.

  KHALI (CAUL ee/ KA lee): The goddess of Khalidor.

  KIROF, BARON: Former vassal of the Gyres; one of the first Cenarian nobles to bend the knee to Garoth Ursuul.

  KYLAR STERN/KYLAR BLACKSON/KYLAR DRAKE: The name a young orphan boy Azoth takes after apprenticing with Durzo Blint. Later, Marquess, Lord of Havermere, Lockley, Vennas, and Procin, Wolfhound. (Also known as Marati, Cwellar, Spex, Kagé, The Night Angel, Shadowstrider, The Scales of Justice, Shadowslayer, He-Who-Guards-Unseen, Nameless.)

  LANTANO GARUWASHI (LAN tan o gare oo WASH ee): The most famed sa’ceurai in the world. Born to an iron sword (id est, nearly a peasant), he is a warrior who has never lost a duel or a battle.

  LAYINISA GURALT: The Seeress of Gyle, Jorald’s empress, essentially the princess of Gyle.

  LEFTY: Guard of the Nine.

  LEHROS VASS: Young replacement leader at Screaming Winds.

  LILLIAN ROSSY: A young woman convicted of murder when her abusive husband found her with another man.

  LOGAN VERDROEKAN, KING: one of the earliest kings of Cenaria

  LUCIUS, LORD: Leader of the Six Sa’seuran magi expedition; A Seer.

  MAKELL: (House wiped out in 8 Years War)

  DARVIN MAKELL: a friend of Count Drake’s father (who inherited a large fortune) and mingled with Gordin Graesin and Brand Wesseros.

  MALAK MOK’MAZI/MALAK FIREHANDS: Allegedly took Corvaer the Red’s ka’kari after the Battle of Jaeran Flats.

  MARAHK ANSOZI: The object of a famed panegyric.

  MARCUS GUERIN, AMBASSADOR: Alitaeran ambassador to the Chantry.

  THE MIKAIDON: Keeper of Civil order in Hokkai.

  NAMELESS, THE: Another name for The Night Angels.

  NEPH DADA: Counselor and seer to Garoth Ursuul, a Vürdmeister and former tutor to Dorian, current supervisor of Roth, and a Vürdmeister of the 12th shu’ra.

  NINER: A dismissive name for King Aleine Gunder IX.

  NORTHMEN: Another term for the Khalidorans, particularly the Highlanders.

  NUEC VIN BROEMAR: Royal Alitaeran perfumer.

  OSHOBI TAKEDA: The Mikaidon of Hokkai.

  OTARU TOMAKI: Lantano’s captain and advisors.

  PHINEAS SERATSIN: The Sa’kagé’s Master of Coin.

  POL: A young man in love with Elene Cromwyll.

  PON DRADIN: The Shinga of the Cenarian Sa’kagé, master of the Nine.

  PRICIA: A member of Garoth Ursuul’s harem.

  PROCL, MASTER: The best locksmith in Cenaria City.

  PTURIN: Login’s short Ymmuri guard.

  PULLETA VIKRASIN: Maja who married a magus and broke compulsion from head of one of orders. Instigated a political crisis.

  QUOGLEE MARS: A talented bard at the Cenarian court with Luc Graesin and Natassa Graesin.

  RAT: At age 16, the Fi
st of The Black Dragon Guild–fat(nicknamed Ratty Fatty by Azoth).

  REAVER, THE: See DARK HUNTER, THE.

  REN VORDEN, MASTER: Regnus’s guards master.

  RINGSMITHS: Makers of the compulsion rings that are commonly used in weddings/marriages.

  ROTH GRIMSON: One of the Sa’kagé’s rising stars, guild head of the Red Bashers, owner of an opulent estate built in the middle of the Warrens.

  RUEL, LORD: Among the first to die from poisoning during the Khalidoran invasion.

  RURSTAHK SLAAGEN (RER schtock SLAY ah gen): A Khalidoran term for Regnus Gyre meaning devil of the walls.

  SA’SACEURAI HIDEO MITSURUGI: Son of Hideo Watanabe. He killed his father in a duel. His full title is Sixth Regent Hideo, Lord of Mount Tenji, Protector of the Holy Honor, Keeper of the High Seat, Lord General of the Held Armies of Ceura.

  SCARRED WRABLE: A wetboy, a friend or acquaintance of Durzo Blint.

  SHADOWCLOAKED: Another term for the Night Angel.

  SHADOWSTRIDER: Another term for the Night Angel.

  SHEL: A prostitute at the Craven Dragon

  SHINGA: SHING gah—Leader of the Sa’kagé

  SIA (SEE ah): Pregnant member of Garoth Ursuul’s harem.

  SIJURON TOFUSIN, EMPEROR: Deceased at the time of this narrative; brother of Solon, former Sethi emperor, son of Emperor Cresus Tofusin.

  SMILEY: Grand Master Haylin’s fifth son.

  SOLONARIWAN TOFUSIN (SOL on ar ee wan to FOO sin): Son of Emperor Cresus Tofusin, companion of Dorian and Feir, mentor of Logan Gyre. A version of his titles under which he spends most of his time in Midcyru: Lord Solon Tofusin, of House Tofusin, Windseekers of Royal House Bra’aden of the Island Empire of Seth. In truth, he is the son of Emperor Cresus Tofusin, Light of the West, Protector of the Isles, and High Admiral of the Royal Fleets of Seth. Later known as Solon Stormrider. Earned his blue robes at the Sho’fasti school; also studied at the Sho’cendi school.

  SOULSWORN: A contingent of Khalidoran elite soldiers who give up much of what is human to serve Khali (mages).

  SPEX: Another term for Kylar.

  STIGLOR, CHANCELLOR: The first of the nobles to die of poisoning during the Khalidoran attack on Cenaria.

  TALWIN NAGA, GENERAL: Paerik’s general.

  TAYABUSA, SECRETARY: A secretary at the Sethi court.

  TERTULUS MARTUS: Questor of the Twelth Army of the Lae’knaught, attaché to Overlord Julus Rotans.

  TEVOR NILE: Husband of Drissa; also healer and magus.

  THADDEUS BLAT: An officer who is drowned by Regnus in a brothel.

  TITAN, THE: A creature believed killed by Jorsin, buried at Black Barrow, has claws, is the height of 13 men.

  TOBBY: Khalidoran crap room slave.

  TOM GRAY: A thug whom Kylar and Elene encounter at a toll and who later pursues them.

  TOMMII (TOE my, TOE mee): A tribe/people who used “shitting” as an intensifier, like we say “damn lucky,” they might say a person was “shitting lucky.” Nothing else is known about them.

  TOMMAN: Kaldrosa Wynn’s husband.

  ULY/ULYSSANDRA: Supposedly Vonda Kirena’s daughter.

  USASI, KING: King of Ceura whose son and seven daughters were killed.

  URSUUL (Ur soo OOL):

  DORIAN URSUUL: A prophet; Sa’seuran and Hoth’salar, and once a Vürdmeister of the twelfth shu’ra; first acknowledged son of Garoth Ursuul.

  DRAEF URSUUL: Another aetheling.

  GAROTH URSUUL, GODKING (GARE-oth): Godking of Khalidor, father of dozens of children, only the Talented or ‘wytchborn,’ and only the boys, are recognized as aethelings (throne-worthy sons).

  TAVI URSUUL: 15-yr-old aetheling.

  MOBURU URSUUL (MOE boo roo): For a time, Garoth’s only acknowledged son after Dorian left. Also known as the adopted son of Aurelius Ander, Moburu Ander.

  ROYGARIS URSUUL, GODKING: Long-past Khalidoran ruler, founder of Khalidor, rival and friend and later bitter enemy of Jorsin Alkestes. An archmage, a Lord of Healing.

  PAERIK URSUUL: Dorian’s younger brother.

  UDRIK URSUUL: Came home from exile to beg for mercy from Dorian, was killed by him.

  TENSER VARGUN, DUKE: One of Garoth’s aethelings.

  RUGGER: A bastard son of Dorian’s older brother, a guard at Khaliras.

  RIVIK URSUUL: Another aetheling, Tavi’s sidekick; killed.

  DURON URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  GVESSIE URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  HESDEL URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  JULAMON URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  JURIK URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  PORRIK URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  ROQWIN URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  VIC URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  WHERISS URSUUL: Deceased brother of Dorian.

  URWER, LORD: One of the Cenarian nobles caught in the castle when Khalidor invaded Cenaria.

  VIN ARTURIAN, CAPTAIN: A guard captain.

  VI/VIRIDIANA SOVARI: Hu Gibbet’s young female apprentice, Talented, red-haired, buxom.

  VONDA KIRENA: Momma K’s sister, dead, former lover of Durzo Blint.

  WENDEL NORTH: Regnus Gyre’s steward.

  WESSEROS:

  BRAND WESSEROS, DUKE: Queen Nalia Gunder’s father.

  NALIA WESSEROS: See NALIA GUNDER

  HAVRIN WESSEROS, DUKE: Son of Brand Wesseros, brother to Nalia, a supporter of Terah Graesin.

  WOLF, THE: A yellow-eyed being encountered in Antechamber of the Mystery.

  XANDRA: Floor Monitor at the Chantry.

  YORBAS ZURGAH: Chief Eunuch at the Citadel in Khaliras.

  YOSAR GLIN, COUNT: A client who betrayed Durzo Blint.

  YRRGIN, KEEPER: Predecessor to Dorian’s keeper of the dead; had apparently done some research on the origins of the krul, as he told Ashaiah Vul about Roygaris Ursuul and the krul.

  YVA LUCRECE CORAZHI: Rumored to Moburu Ursuul’s daughter, she was born to the Alitaeran king’s sister; she and her wetnurse were kidnapped/disappeared.

  ZORALAT, MASTER & MISTRESS: Innkeepers at Torras Bend.

  Javar,

  That should be everything. If you have any other questions, please do ask me. Also, do you happen to know anything about seeds and roots? The king’s herbalist and apothecary both are being unhelpful due to perceived slights long in the past. I could be convinced to put in a good word for you if you do.

  Laerin

  extras

  meet the author

  Travis Johnson Photography

  BRENT WEEKS was born and raised in Montana. After getting his paper keys from Hillsdale College, Brent had brief stints walking the earth like Caine from Kung Fu, tending bar, and corrupting the youth. (Not at the same time.) He started writing on bar napkins, then on lesson plans, then full-time. Eventually, someone paid him for it. Brent lives in Oregon with his wife, Kristi. He doesn’t own cats or wear a ponytail.

  bonus chapters

  Dear Readers,

  The trouble of writing an epic story is the middle. Epic fantasy writers are good at middles. We write them well, or we wouldn’t get published; we enjoy writing them, or our books would be short. But middles are treacherous things. (See middle age, mid-list, midsection.) Have an idea for a new character halfway into your series? Voila! An elvish vampire prostitute with a lisp. Hilarious! Another! A cross-eyed genius obsessed with crickets who’s actually a genie trapped in a mortal body until he can answer why crickets chirp but will be trapped forever if he tells anyone? Brilliant! Another!

  And then reality hits in the form of the two heaviest words in Middle Earth: The End. You’ve made this mess, and now you have to clean it up.

  I had the luxury of not getting published for a long time. (If you aspire to write, may you not be similarly blessed!) I wrote almost the entire Night Angel trilogy before it got picked up for publication. Though I didn’t know it for all those years in my apartment with its turquoise door next to t
he projects, this was a mercy. The mercy was that I could go back and trim things that ballooned the text without advancing the plot. Beyond the Shadows wanted to be truly massive—or perhaps it wanted to become Beyond the Shadows, and Even Farther Past Those Shadows, and We’re Really Leaving Those Shadows Behind Now.

  Writing more books in a series is great, but I want a narrative to have a certain shape, and I want each book to have turning points and enough of a climax to justify being its own novel. I wanted each book to tell a complete story, and I didn’t see how splitting Beyond the Shadows would leave two whole novels, even if I could have gotten seven hundred pages out of each half.

  So I cut. Deeply. In most places, this strengthened the novel. In some, it changed the novel, and I stitched the events together in new ways. If I shared those cut chapters, they wouldn’t make sense, because I changed the rest of the novel to accommodate the new way.

  But one cut in particular I’ve regretted. In Beyond the Shadows, Feir Cousat goes into Ezra’s Wood and, somehow, impossibly, comes out again.

  This is that story.

  Brent Weeks

  BONUS CHAPTER

  1

  Is this insanity what men call courage?

  Feir’s heart was a thunder in his ears as he walked toward the Hunter’s Wood. He knew the history, and it wasn’t comforting.

  Seven hundred years ago Ezra the Mighty, the brightest star in the magical firmament of Jorsin Alkestes’ short-lived Kingdom of Summer, had come to this wood. He came here defeated, bereaved, embittered. He created a monster, a perfect hunter to wreak his revenge. In the end, it escaped his control, turned on him, and killed him. Ezra’s only victory over the creature was confining it to the wood.

  The first mages and meisters had probably come to study that Hunter. They had never returned. Others had entered armed with their mightiest artifacts. They had never returned. Soon, ignoring the bans of their elders, young magi were flocking to the wood and dying in droves. Within that first century, the goal changed from studying the Hunter to eluding it. The prize became the hundreds of artifacts the previous magi had brought to the wood.

  No one came back.

  After the purges and the Alitaeran conquests and the Finaean campaign and the Alliance of Brothers, the magi knew they were a shadow of their former glory. A magus here and there would disappear in times of war or upheaval, sure that his great need would somehow overcome his greater inadequacies.