The Innkeeper’s Song is the story of young Tikat’s search for the lover whose death and resurrection he witnessed. It is a search that will lead him into a world of magic and mystery beyond his comprehension, for his wild ride sets him on the trail of three women who are blessed—or cursed—to undertake an impossible mission of their own. Each of the three has secrets—from the world, from the two others, from herself. Each is followed by demons she can never escape. And all their destinies will be irrevocably linked in a far distant inn, when hunted and hunters finally meet. Karsh, the innkeeper, has no choice but to let the tangled drama unfold beneath his roof; his stable boy, Rosseth, is so mesmerized by the three cloaked women that he is soon finds a way to uncover what is perhaps their deepest secret; and Tikat continues his journey, refusing to let death bring an end to his love. But it is not until the once-powerful man who has called the three women joins their number that the true quest will begin. And this is a challenge that may claim all their lives before they are done. For he who has been their mentor in the past, he who has been the greatest of wizards, lingers now at the very edge of death. And only they can save him from the enemy who has brought this doom upon him, an enemy who is heir to all the ailing man’s magic, an enemy whom even Death has not been able to defeat…

Broomsticks... Black cats... Pointy hats. They can mean only one thing—somewhere nearby, there is sure to be a witch. From fairy tale to film to contemporary fiction, witches cast their spells and capture our imaginations. Now the biggest names in fantasy and YA literature have come together to create a little magic of their own. Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Diana Peterfreund, Margo Lanagan, Peter S. Beagle, and Garth Nix are just a few of the authors who have toiled over their cauldrons and conjured up bewitching new creations inspired by and celebrating the might and mystery of the witch. Assembled by one of the most well-regarded anthologists in the science fiction/fantasy world, this rich, intelligent collection will enchant readers of all ages.

A fenséges stílusban, kápráztató ötletességgel ábrázolt történetekben A fogadós énekéből ismert régi ismerősök mellett új hősök is felbukkannak. Lal és Szoukian egy utolsó veszedelmes útra indul életük alkonyán, megismerjük a királyság legünnepeltebb dalnokának szomorú titkát, csepűrágók társulata esik csapdába a királyi intrikák szövevényében, és megtudjuk, mi a sorsa annak, aki a világ legnagyobb varázslóját szolgaságra akarja kényszeríteni. Peter S. Beagle hat új elbeszélésében megmutatja varázslatos, idegen világának legtitkosabb tájait.

Short story originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, May 2004