Chartres, winter, 1325–1326 The forest had given way to rolling fields of stubbled grain. At noon Shasha said, “What’s that?” and they followed her pointing finger to the massive stone spires rising up from the horizon, as if to knock at the very doors of heaven itself. “That would be the cathedral,” Alaric said. Chartres…
Excerpt… “Look up,” Hari said. “Look up, now.” Obediently they opened their eyes and looked up, and were assaulted by a blaze of colored light shining through windows that on every side reached for the sky, for the heavens, for the stars themselves. Crowned figures royal and religious, common folk wielding axe and saw and…
Excerpt… Wu Cheng was seen to be pacing impatiently up and down in front of the East Gate of Chang’an, alternately kicking and cursing any camel unfortunate enough to get in his way. Johanna waved. “Uncle Cheng! Uncle Cheng!” He halted, staring at the three horses galloping in his direction, and then waved back vigorously…
Excerpt… 1322, Cambaluc “MY HUSBAND IS dead,” the widow said. Not “Your father.” Not the more formal “The head of the house of Wu.” Just the exclusive, proprietary “My husband.” The widow was selfish even in her alleged grief. There was also a hard glitter of triumph in her dark eyes, for those with the…
Excerpt… 1312, Five days from Kashgar JOHANNA HAD GRADUATED to her own camel. Her father, Wu Li, had told her that if she managed to keep her seat from the beginning of Kuche to the city of Kashgar that he would let her off the leading string for the journey home. Shu Ming’s protest had…
Read more All three of them stared at the desiccated limb that her mount’s hoof had exposed.
Excerpt… “And Shu Ming?” Bayan’s face lightened. “Alive. The doctors say she has suffered no harm. No physical harm.” Bayan nodded at the open door of his study, and Wu Hai went through into the garden, where once again the plum trees were in bloom. Shu Ming sat with her back to one of the…
Excerpt… 1292, Cambulac “He is leaving this life,” Bayan said, his expression somber, “and he knows it. While he lives, you are safe here in Everything Under the Heavens. When he dies…” It was nothing Marco had not known before he had requested this audience. Many times over the past several years, ever since the…
Read more “But he holds my wife and my daughter hostage against my return!”