Two noble houses fight for control of the Temple Quarter and the fallout leads to riot inside the City against the emperor.
Nahid begins to learn the game of politics. Eventually Nahid discovers the ability to leave her body and explore the City unseen and the Matron takes her in as a spy and protégée. Schooled in history and philosophy, Nahid confides about magical ability to a friend and the Matron of Nettles takes interest in her. Named Nahid Chesheman Abato because of my brilliant blue eyes I was beloved by a woman I knew as mother and feared by a father named Hassan who judged me a bastard to an unfaithful wife.'īorn under an ill-omen, Nahid’s father sells her to the House of Nettles to become a courtesan to the rich and powerful of Tresdian. 'One should understand that I am not Hellenic, but born Sasanian to a wealthy merchant from Ctesiphon who claimed no daughters as legitimate and considered my own birth an ill-omen because the moon turned to blood just as I left my mother’s womb.
