The Narrow Road Between Desires

In Newarre, about a month before Chronicler arrives, Bast slips out of the inn at dawn. By a lightning-struck tree, he meets the village kids and trades secrets, advice and small magic for gifts. Bast knows how to bargain, but not how to owe. When he takes something for free, he's bound by a debt. Rike, a boy who once broke Bast's rules, asks for help getting his violent father out of the family's life, without killing him. Bast spends the day torn between what he owes Rike and what he owes Kote. Bast's schemes come together, and Rike's father ends up out of the family's life. Bast heads back to the inn more tied to the people of Newarre than he'd like.

1. Behind the scenesTwice as long

   It's a reworked version of The Lightning Tree, first published in 2014 in the Rogues anthology, at about twice the length and with art by Nate Taylor.

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2. Behind the scenesWritten in two weeks

   The original story was Rothfuss's fourth attempt for the anthology. After fellow writer Sam Sykes told him to have fun, he finished it in under two weeks.

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3. Behind the scenesWhile book three waits

   Editor Betsy Wollheim published this novella in 2023. The third novel, The Doors of Stone, still has no date.

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4. ReferenceThe book Bast won't read

   Kote has been pushing Bast to read Celum Tinture for almost a month. That places the story shortly before day one of Kvothe's tale.

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