A Brightness Long Ago

by Guy Gavriel Kay

The story is set about 1,000 years after the events of The Sarantine Mosaic duology, 25 years after the demise of Sarantium. It begins as a narrative recollection by Guidanio Cerra, an aging councillor nicknamed Danio who in his youth was admitted to a prestigious school despite being a tailor's son. This leads him to meet the chief steward of nobleman Count Uberto, and later a woman named Adria Ripoli. The latter is daughter of a duke, and plans to assassinate The Beast.

From Danio's recollection the plot shifts attention to a healer named Jelena, and subsequently to a political conflict between Folco Cino d’Acorsi, who is the uncle to Adria, and Teobaldo Monticola di Remigio. Danio's narrative describes the military and personal clashes between Cino and Monticola. Adria and Cino conceive a plan for her to reside in a farmhouse near the city, which eventually brings her to the attention of Uberto, known as "The Beast" for his sexual and murderous proclivities. Danio, now employed in the palace of Uberto, may endanger himself or Adria when she is summoned by Uberto to the palace.