The Narrow Road Between Desires

Published in 2023, Patrick Rothfuss’s The Narrow Road Between Desires is a fantasy novella set in the world of the Kingkiller Chronicle series. The story focuses on Bast, the Fae companion of the series’ protagonist, Kvothe. Over the course of a single day in the village of Newarre, Bast engages in a series of bargains and interactions that reveal deeper aspects of his character and the magical world he inhabits. The novella explores themes of obligation, identity, and innocence. Rothfuss’s work has earned many honors, including the Alex Award, the Locus Award, and the Quill Award.

This guide refers to the e-book edition released by DAW Books in 2023.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of death, physical abuse, child abuse, and substance use.

Plot Summary

The novella takes place over the course of a single day in the life of Bast, the Fae apprentice to the legendary Kvothe. Kvothe, now retired from his adventures and going by the name Kote, runs the Waystone Inn in the town of Newarre. Early on Midsummer morning, Bast attempts to sneak out of the inn, but Kote calls him back inside. He gives Bast a book to study and asks him to pick up some carrots and eggs while he’s out. He also mentions that a boy named Rike Williams is looking for Bast.

Bast climbs to the top of a hill where the remains of a lightning-struck tree stand. From this vantage point, he meets with the local children and strikes bargains with them. In exchange for local gossip and objects called embrils that are used to divine the future, Bast helps the children concoct lies and plans for petty vengeance. His favorite of the local children is a clever boy named Kostrel. Kostrel delivers a gift from Rike to Bast. When Bast breaks his personal rules by accepting the gift, he is magically bound to Rike. However, neither Rike nor Kostrel intended this nor realize what has happened.

Later that day, Rike asks Bast to help him kill his father, Jessom, who is abusive to him and his mother. When Rike speaks Bast’s name, he unknowingly invokes the bond, and the Fae feels weak and breathless. Bast assures Rike that he can ensure that his father leaves town and never returns, and the boy decides to let his father live because killing him would go against his conscience. By making this bargain with Bast, Rike releases the bond that he inadvertently placed on him and places himself in Bast’s debt. Bast tells Rike to collect some objects that he’ll need to make a magic charm, such as a river stone with a hole in the middle and a needle borrowed from a house where no men live.

While Rike is busy gathering the objects, Bast goes to the boy’s home. Although the fields have been left unplowed for a long time, the small house is tidy and has a well-tended garden. Rike’s mother, Nettie, answers the door. Bast asks about her husband, and she tells him that Jessom will likely be away from the house all night. Bast chops wood in exchange for some carrots from the woman’s garden. When he notes the apiary near the house, Nettie explains that only two of the hives still have bees due to a series of economic misfortunes and natural disasters. When she says that maintaining the hives might not be worth the trouble, he replies that keeping a little sweetness in one’s life is always worth the effort. Bast shows Nettie a wild beehive, and she catches a queen, allowing her to revive her apiary. Next, Bast attacks Jessom and convinces him to leave town.

Rike returns to the lightning tree with the river stone and the borrowed needle. Bast tells him that they can use these objects to create a charm that will drive away anything that wants to hurt the wearer. When Bast says that the charm will only protect one person, Rike insists that Bast make the charm for his mother instead of him because he’s terrified that he will grow up to be like his father. Bast embraces the sobbing child and tells him that he is a good person. As Rike washes tears and dirt from his face in the nearby stream, Bast sees that the boy is covered in bruises.

Bast tells Rike that he must give the river stone to his mother and tell her that he loves her every day for the charm to work. Then, he directs the boy to say his father’s name, prick his finger on the needle, and let three drops of blood fall on the stone. Suddenly, Bast sees that the crescent moon above Rike resembles some of the embrils he drew that day. He laughs in wild elation, realizing that the world is offering him the chance to do something powerful and beautiful. He tells Rike to hold the charm and reflect on who he wants to be and on his love for his mother.

While Rike reflects under the lightning tree, Bast hurries to the Waystone Inn. The inn’s usual patrons discuss the latest gossip about Jessom, who seems to have injured himself by falling off a cliff in a drunken stupor. That very night, Jessom enlists in the king’s army and flees to a town called Baedn.

Bast returns to the lightning tree and asks Rike who he is and who he wants to be. The boy sees many faults in himself, including deceit and anger. He begins to cry when he says that he wants to be the person he is when his father is away. Bast reminds Rike that, according to the terms of their bargain, he owns every part of the boy. He declares that he’s taking the damaged and damaging parts, such as his self-loathing. Bast walks in circles around the lightning tree, casting a magic spell on the boy. With the spell complete, Bast brings Rike home to his mother.

All the patrons are gone when Bast returns to the Waystone Inn. Over a late dinner, Kote observes that his apprentice should devote more time to his studies. Bast indignantly retorts that he learned many things that day.