“And Blow Them at the Moon”

Henry Garnet’s breathing was the only sound inside the room, marking the passage of time like a ragged and desperate clock. Everything else was remote, muffled, the street outside as distant as a foreign land. He knelt with both hands clenched white before him, trembling as his lips shaped the words. Domine, adjuva me.

Soundless as those words were, they sent a faint chill rippling across Magrat’s skin. But she stayed and watched, because she’d made one mistake already, and didn’t want to make a second.

For some of you, all I have to say about this story is that it takes place in 1605. For others, I should add that it concerns the Gunpowder Plot, the attempt by Catholic conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament, with all of Parliament inside.

You didn’t know there were faeries involved, did you?

This being an Onyx Court story, the fae are up to their immortal little eyeballs in the situation. To learn more, you’ll have to read the story, which was published first in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, with an audio version as well), then in my Onyx Court omnibus In London’s Shadow and my historical fantasy collection Ars Historica.

Music for this story was — what else? — the soundtrack to V for Vendetta.

Cover Gallery

Beneath Ceaseless Skies #50 cover

Ars Historica cover