Prologue

Mother always told me my father was Ezra the Blacksmith from two towns over. She was young and silly, he was strong and kind, and they shared each other's company for a few nights in summer.

Ezra has arms as thick as tree trucks, and hair nearly as red as fire. He has a great booming laugh, and everyone likes him.

Mother wanted to marry Ezra, but she is an Arreson - a clan of born entertainers. When soldiers come to town, the pretty girls and handsome boys ply them with food, drink and music for the night. By morning those men are lucky to still have the shirts on their backs, but they are all very happy. The Arreson clan are seen as a necessary evil in small places like our village, and all our reputations are terrible.

I was born an Arreson, and I don't expect to marry either. I'll probably have a few children, and it's unlikely they'll share a father. I'll entertain, just like everyone in the clan. Eventually I'll be like Gram Essefa - old and worn out, with 15 grandchildren.

Mother always told me that she loved me, no matter what. That we would always be family. That nothing could tear us apart.

It turns out, everything my Mother said was a lie.