A novice monk (Brother Beowulf) is sent by the Church to help Spook Johnson write his memoirs, but he is really supposed to be spying on him gathering evidence for an Inquisitor. When Johnson is captured, Wulf seeks aid from Spook Tom Ward, who agrees to help, leaving Alice alone at home despite the imminent arrival of their child. Alice is a witch, evildoers from all Wulf has been taught, and yet she follows them south with her newborn because she knows they will need her guile and help to overcome the evil lurking in the south. Everything Wulf is taught is called into question as he has to decide for himself what is good and what is evil. Lines are blurry, but Wulf is made of solid moral fiber, and possesses great inner strength in overcoming obstacles and determining the course of his life (and his new friends and mentors.) I liked Alice's fierce mothering, but thought that Delaney could have done better with developing the Spooks' characters further, especially Tom. Johnson was kind of dislikable actually. ( )