The Mask of Mirrors by M. Carrick; (lightest ebook reader txt) 📗

the stone. She waited even after he was gone.

Then one hand slid into her pocket, feeling the roughness there. She’d brought it with her today as a kind of talisman, a prayer for good luck. And maybe, in a twisted fashion, it had worked.

She drew out the black rose mask and spread it in her hands. “Fine, then,” she whispered softly. “This is your game? Let’s play.”

~~Ninat~~

The story continues in…

Book Two of the Rook & Rose trilogy

Keep reading for a sneak peek!

Acknowledgments

Any story this large and complex is not the work of a single mind—or even two, working together.

First and foremost, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the players of The Path to Power: Kyle Niedzwiecki, Emily Dare, Wendy Shaffer, and Adrienne Lipoma, who put up with us when a couple of character relationships in the game ran off to become their own little side soap opera, and then encouraged us when that side story grew into a novel trilogy. Particular thanks to Adrienne, who served as our alpha reader, and was very tolerant of us pestering her to live-blog her reactions to each chapter as we finished it. She’s also responsible for the lyrics to the creepy Fingers song. We’d also like to acknowledge the players from the original, short-lived incarnation of The Path to Power: Rachel Reader, Beth Dupke, Jesse Decker, and Alec Austin. The last of those is the ancestor of Sedge, by way of a character originally named Thorn, and we thank him for letting us borrow that for this story; Ren wouldn’t be the same without her brother.

After that, we have to thank all the people who assisted us in making this book a reality. This includes our beta readers Cory Skerry (whose own liveblog was highly entertaining), Carlie St. George, Daniel Starr, Emiko Ogasawara, Conna Condon, and the aforementioned Wendy Shaffer and Emily Dare, as well as Alyc’s supporters in the Clarion West Write-a-Thon, Heather Kalafut, Siobhan Carroll, Blythe Woolston, Georgina Kamsika, and Bob Angell. Additional thanks to Emiko, whose enthusiasm for the idea of crafting Ren’s dreamweaver mask was very encouraging to a pair of writers who want to make all the things from this novel.

Special thanks to every person who tried to help us name the pattern cards—a process that literally took almost two years to complete, with us wailing for assistance periodically. They are too many to list individually (and since we wailed for assistance in about eight different places, including ephemeral locations like Twitter, we don’t even know who all of them were), but we appreciated all the suggestions, including the ones we didn’t end up using; every bit of it helped prod our brains toward phrases we could be happy with. We also thank everyone on Codex who assisted with random research questions along the way, from perfume, to the mathematics of card game probability, to short-term cons, to Slavic-style music for Marie to listen to while writing.

And finally, we have to thank our agents, Eddie Schneider and Paul Stevens, and our editor Priyanka Krishnan for bringing this book into the world.

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Dramatis Personae

Ren—aka Renata Viraudax, aka Arenza Lenskaya, a con artistNOBILITY

House Acrenix

Eret Ghiscolo Acrenix—head of House Acrenix

Carinci Acrenix—his stepmother

Sibiliat Acrenix—his daughter and heir

Fadrin Acrenix—a cousin

House Coscanum

Eret Naldebris Coscanum—head of House Coscanum

Marvisal Coscanum—his grandniece

Bondiro Coscanum—his grandnephew

Faella Coscanum—his sister

House Destaelio

Era Cibrial Destaelio—head of House Destaelio, Prasinet in the Cinquerat

House Extaquium

Eret Sureggio Extaquium—head of House Extaquium

Parma Extaquium—a cousin

House Fintenus

Egliadas Fintenus—a cousin

House Indestor

Eret Mettore Indestor—head of House Indestor, Caerulet in the Cinquerat

Mezzan Indestor—his son and heir

Breccone Simendis Indestris—married in from House Simendis

House Novrus

Era Sostira Novrus—head of House Novrus, Argentet in the Cinquerat

Benvanna Ecchino Novri—her latest wife

Iascat Novrus—her adopted heir

House Quientis

Eret Scaperto Quientis—head of House Quientis, Fulvet in the Cinquerat

House Simendis

Eret Utrinzi Simendis—head of House Simendis, Iridet in the Cinquerat

House Traementis

Era Donaia Traementis—head of House Traementis

Leato Traementis—her son and heir

Giuna Traementis—her daughter

Gianco Traementis—her late husband, former head of House Traementis

Crelitto Traementis—Gianco’s father, former Fulvet and head of House Traementis

Letilia Traementis—Gianco’s sister, formerly called Lecilla

Colbrin—a servantDELTA GENTRY

Tanaquis Fienola—an astrologer and inscriptor working for Iridet

Agniet Cercel—a commander in the Vigil

Ludoghi Kaineto—a lieutenant in the Vigil

Rimbon Beldipassi—a rising success

Orrucio Amananto—a ubiquitous gentlemanVRASZENIANS

Grey Serrado—a captain in the Vigil

Kolya (Jakoslav) Serrado—Grey’s brother

Koszar Yureski Andrejek—leader of the Stadnem Anduske

Idusza Nadjulskaya Polojny—a radical in the Stadnem Anduske

Dalisva Mladoskaya Korzetsu—granddaughter of the Kiraly clan leader

Mevieny Plemaskaya Straveši—a szorsa

Ivrina Lenskaya—Ren’s mother, an outcastTHE STREET

Derossi Vargo—crime lord and enterprising businessman

Nikory—one of Vargo’s lieutenants

Pavlin Ranieri—a constable in the Vigil

Arkady Bones—boss of the biggest knot in the Shambles

Dvaran—keeper of the Gawping Carp

Oksana Ryvček—a duelist

Tess—Ren’s sister

Sedge—Ren’s brother

Ondrakja—former leader of the FingersFOREIGNERS

Kaius Sifigno—aka Kaius Rex, aka the Tyrant, conqueror of Nadežra

Varuni—sent to safeguard an investment in Vargo

The Rook—an outlaw

Glossary

advocate: An individual licensed to conduct business within the Charterhouse, usually on behalf of a noble house.

alta/altan: The titles used for nobility who are not the heads of houses.

Argentet: One of the five seats in the Cinquerat, addressed as “Your Elegance.” Argentet oversees the cultural affairs of the city, including theatres, festivals, and censorship of written materials.

aža: A drug made from powdered seeds. Although it is commonly spoken of as a hallucinogen, Vraszenians believe that aža allows them to see into Ažerais’s Dream.

Ažerais’s Dream: This place, called “the realm of mind” by inscriptors, is a many-layered reflection of the waking world, both as it was in the past, and as it may be metaphorically expressed in the present.

Ča: A title used when addressing a Vraszenian.

Caerulet: One of the five seats in the Cinquerat, addressed as “Your Mercy.” Caerulet oversees the military affairs of the city, including prisons, fortifications, and the Vigil.

Ceremony of the Accords: A ritual commemorating the signing of the peace agreement that ended the war between the city-states of Vraszan and Nadežra, leaving the latter in the control of its Liganti nobility. The ceremony involves the ziemetse and the members