This time, the book's focus is on the various holidays celebrated around Valdemar, and in each case, the celebration plays a prominent role in the tale being told.
One Town at a Time by Jennifer Brozek: A newly minted Herald on her first circuit. Her mission is to go undercover as a merchant during the Harvest Festival in order to track down a growing anti-Herald movement in a border town. As it turns out, she not only discovers who is behind the mischief, but also their goals in convincing the town of Grag's Bluf to secede from Valdemar and join Hardorn.
A Midwinter's Gift by Kristin Schwengel: Jo Amberdale is a young noble woman who overhears a plot during a ball and is determined to follow up. It sounds like another young lady's virtue might be at stake, but who is behind the plot and what are the details? She decides to investigate, but she can't be too obvious.
Unknowable Consequences by Elizabeth A. Vaughan: A continuation of the Lady Cera Miniseries, this story follows Lady Cera, a noble woman struggling to start her life over after her husband's traitorous actions. In this story, Cera discovers that the Herald responsible for her corner of Valdemar has been attacked. Now she needs to juggle caring for the Herald and hosting a Midsummer Festival. But this surprising turn of events might just lead to some unexpectedly fruitful new acquaintances.
The Price of Friendship by Doyle A. Dermatis: The next installment in the Herald Syrriah Miniseries takes place during a Harvest Festival. In this story, Herald Syrriah is done with her training and is actually helping to train another Herald-to-be. They are on a circuit when they learn that a girl has gone missing in a nearby village. She disappeared the night of the Harvest Festival, which also just happens to be just after a Companion showed up and Chose her. While investigating the disappearance, Syrriah is shocked to learn that another boy has gone missing the next day, and he has also just been Chosen. Syrriah and her trainee must not only find the two missing people, but discover what, if anything, this has to do with the Companions that recently arrived in the town looking for them.
The Gift of Love by Anthea Sharp: This story follows Bard Shandara Tem, who has been tasked with helping to train some young Bard trainees prepare for a recital during the Spring Fair. As the group practices, she quickly realizes that one of its members is acting out in some unexpected ways. She enlists the help of some of her friends in order to better understand the boy and hopefully resolve his inner turmoil before he takes center stage in a solo performance.
No Place for a Proper Kyree by Ron Collins: The Kyree Nwah Miniseries continues with Nwah, Kade and Winnie arriving in Haven just in time for the Harvest Fair. The trio waste no time in sending Kade to the Healer's Collegium in order to see if his Gift is enough to get him admitted. Meanwhile, Winnie shows the Kyree around the festival and Nwah can't help but notice the stink and close quarters of the city, while Winnie takes delight in the festivities. When an incident causes the crowd to see the magic that Nwah has at her command, the trio's story takes another unexpected turn.
An Omniscience of Godwits by Elisabeth Waters: While most of the miniseries in these anthologies follow specific characters, Waters' focuses on a rare Gift, Animal Mindspeak. In this story, Lena and Kevin are newlyweds who learn that some local birds are being hunted for their feathers because of a fashion trend. With Lena's Animal Mindspeak, the pair track down the poacher and work out a solution that doesn't involve killing the birds.
Going Home by Louisa Swann: Liana, a refugee from a Tedrel Mercenary camp, along with her twin babies, have found safety at Haven, or so she hopes. While out picking flowers to sell at the Midsummer celebration, she discovers her baby boy has been abducted. With the help of a Herald and his Companion, she and a small group track down the kidnappers who not only have baby Reneth, but apparently some other children as well.
Holiday Reunions by Dylan Birtolo: Paxia is the leader of a band of fighters with a grudge against Valdemar. As the leader of the group, she is preparing her company to attack a Valdemar town during their Sovvan Night celebration. While her troupe is focused on the town, Paxia has her mind set on the Herald and her Companion that is close by. Paxia's mage gifts clash with the protection that keeps Valdemar safe from magic users, the Vrondi, which leads her to have to make a tough decision when she is confronted by the people she grew up with. Now she has to decide to continue our her vengeful attack, or help save someone she used to know.
Cloudwalker by Michele Lang: The Sparrow and Cloudbrother Miniseries continues as Sparrow, Herald Cloudbrother and their son prepare for The Summer Gathering where they will join Cloudbrother's adopted clan in a celebration unique to the Hawkbrother people. As the trio prepare for the festivities, Sparrow has an unnerving feeling that this trip could be their last as a family. What she fears, and what the other two members of her family also suspect, is that the malevolent force that has poisoned their forest might make its presence known and Cloudbrother might have to confront it once again.
Preparing for the Worst by Brigid Collins: While this story doesn't focus on Herald Marli, it is related to that Miniseries in that it follows the family of Marli's friend, Simen Areshinn. In this story, Sir Dreyvin finds himself having to defend the Areshinn Hold against a troupe of invaders. While he isn't alone in the fight, since all of the able-fighting men have left for the annual Sovvan Night hunt, the only people he is left with to help defend the manor are the serving women. It will take more cleverness than brute force to fend off the invaders if Arshinn Hold is to survive the night.
The Rose Fair by Fiona Patton: In this continuation of the Watchmen Miniseries, Sergeant Hektor Dann of the Haven City Watch is helping prepare his little district of the capital city for the Rose Fair. Not only does he and his precinct have to help wrangle the merchants, but they are also going to complete in the tug-o-war competition as they do every year. Unfortunately, Dann's captain has decided to put several of his squad's strongest men on duty during the big match. Hektor must find a way to keep the peace, both on the streets and at his work, while trying to find a way to still win the match, all while entertaining some extended family and friends.
The Maralud Comes A-Knocking by Stephanie Saver: This story is part of the Bard Lelia Miniseries and follows Herald Wil's time recovering after a recent encounter with the villain Madra. While recovering at Lord Grier's estate, Madra sends Herald Wil a strange Sovvan gift. Not only is it strange because gifts aren't usually exchanged on this holiday, but also because the nature of the gift portends Wil's imminent death. As if on cue, Wil's recovery takes a turn for the worse and Grier must use all of his knowledge as a Healer to keep the man alive. Meanwhile, Wil's daughter, Ivy, spends her days exploring the Grier household and learns some interesting facts about the family and their Sovvan traditions.
Seeing the Truth by Angela Penrose. Herald Josswyn detours from his circuit in order to spend the Spring Fair back at home and reacquaint himself with old friends and family. When a young woman at the fair claims to have been assaulted, Josswin uses the Herald's Truth Spell to learn that the accused didn't commit the act, but more and more women proclaim similar experiences with the young man. What's worse, when put under the truth spell, each of the women believe what they say. Josswyn and his Companion must work out exactly how these two conflicting views can both be true, or else worry that the Truth Spell itself, a major tool wielded by Heralds, is failing.
A Darkling Light by Phaedra Weldon: Manou and Twill are a young boy and girl tasked with lighting the candles throughout the village during the night of the Harvest Festival, but their evening quickly becomes a fearful one as they start to see evidence of vengeful spirits walking through the woods at night. To make matters worse, one of their friends has recently gone missing, and it isn't a stretch of the imagination to think that he might have been taken away by the same spirits their candles are meant to dispel. Before their night is over, these young ones will have quite an adventure, and the true nature of these spirits will be revealed to them.
A Midnight Clear by Mercedes Lackey: This story takes place in a small hamlet that borders the Pelagiris Forest along Healer Vixen and Herald Vanyel's circuit. At Midwinter Eve, the pair decide to stay in the small collection of houses for the holiday, and it's a good thing they did, because that night the community is attacked by bandits. Thankfully, Vixen and Vanyel are able to rally the locals, as well as their special pets from the nearby forest, in order to rebuff the attack and, hopefully, send a message to anyone else who might want to harm the community of Kettleford.
Seasons is another fully-packed collection of stories that only serves to enrich an already fully fleshed out fantasy setting. Since learning about Lackey's approach to these anthologies, I have been impressed and delighted by her cleverness to harness other talented writers to build her setting up more and more with each release, and Seasons is no exception to this trend.
