Contents
11. The Lady of Sourbrine
Overview
Kinch, Galva, and the blind cat depart Cadoth, but Galva diverts them north to seek the witch Pernalas Mourtas. Days of harsh rain test them. They encounter Baroness Seldra of Sourbrine riding a rare surviving mare, stirring Galva’s grief for lost horses, and learn of Hornhead, a magically bolstered bull-mixling terrorizing the region.
Summary
Kinch prepares to depart Cadoth with Galva, striking a strict, silent pact with the seemingly enchanted blind cat he names Bully Boy. Galva corrects his plan to go west, insisting they detour north to meet the witch Pernalas Mourtas, brandishing a letter as her reason for confidence.
They oil gear and set out into relentless, unseasonable rain. Kinch muses on possible sea routes west via Norholt and on Molrova’s greed and neutrality during the wars, underscoring the difficulty of their broader journey. The march is miserable—cold, floods, hunger—and Kinch contributes by stealing a roast chicken, while Galva maintains a punishing training regimen in all weather.
On the road, a small armed column overtakes them: Baroness Seldra the Fair of Sourbrine rides a rare surviving mare, heavily guarded. Recognizing Galva as a goblin-fighter, Seldra lets Galva feed the mare, which visibly moves Galva, who withdraws to grieve privately.
Kinch questions a bowwoman in Seldra’s force and learns they hunt “Hornhead,” a human–bull mixling. The soldier describes Hornhead’s great strength, rage, a protective battle-ward tattoo, and a half-dozen companions—dangers severe enough to demand a significant patrol. The warning raises immediate regional stakes for Kinch and Galva as they continue north toward the witch.
Who Appears
- KinchNarrator-thief; makes a pact with the blind cat, endures harsh travel, and gathers warnings about Hornhead.
- GalvaSpanth raven-knight; redirects course north to seek Pernalas Mourtas, trains relentlessly, and is moved by Seldra’s rare mare.
- Bully BoyBlind cat; accompanies Kinch under a silence pact, travels quietly through rain and hardship.
- Seldra the Fair, Baroness of SourbrineLocal noble leading a patrol; rides a rare mare and honors Galva’s grief for lost horses.
- HornheadFeared human–bull mixling; magically warded, leading a small gang, the current menace of Sourbrine.
- Pernalas Mourtas (Deadlegs)Notorious witch in Norholt; Galva seeks her via letter, prompting the northern detour.
- Bowwoman of SourbrineSeldra’s archer who briefs Kinch on Hornhead’s strength, magic, and companions.