Woe the Day

Seanan McGuire

“Woe the Day” is Seanan McGuire’s September 2026 Patreon reward story. She introduces it as follows:

(Image: A very fluffy high white caliby Maine Coon looks at the camera with big green eyes. The wall behind her is yellow, with blue jellyfish tendrils hanging down.)
Tybalt is continuing his progress toward the man we know and love today, with a stop in Paris as he runs ahead of near-certain doom. He is not having a great time.
Hopefully all of us are.
More to come!

This story follows the August reward story “Your Piteous Heart” almost immediately. Tybalt is pretty beaten up, since he was just defeated in a claw-to-claw battle by his heir at the Court of Silvered Cats in London. Tybalt intended this to happen. He was previously King of Silvered Cats, a responsibility he wanted to pass on to his heir. The ceremony for royal passage among cats is a battle to the death, although the winner may offer clemency to the loser. That’s what happened in this case.

After beating the stuffing out of Tybalt, his heir, the new king, Corentin, allowed Tybalt to leave alive. He is still being pursued by Asier, who will kill him if he catches him. Thus McGuire’s remark that “He is not having a great time.”

Tybalt flees to the Court of Illuminated Cats in Paris. As an Englishman, Tybalt is not especially welcome, and as a deposed king he has no status. He therefore asks the Queen, Faustine, for permission to remain in Paris a week while he equips himself with clothing and supplies. She allows it, not with great grace, but that was what he expected.

There in Paris he meets some changelings who ask for his help. In his straightened circumstances there is not a lot he can offer, but he does what he can, hinting to Faustine that it may be to her benefit to treat them kindly.

The story ends with Tybalt setting out for Cambria, which is, I gather, just another name for Wales. Presumably that’s where we’ll see him next.

Brok3n Engines

★★★☆☆ “Woe the Day,” by Seanan McGuire