Mira’s Last Dance – Lois McMaster Bujold

This novella picks up immediately at the end of Penric’s Mission, where Penric had been sent on a covert mission to Cedonia, which had failed rather spectacularly. He’s now on the run with General Arisaydia, and his widowed sister Nikys. He’s decided to get them as far as Orbas, where Arisaydia believes he can find shelter. You absolutely need to read the prior book to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing, but the action is a lighter diversion from the much more serious events of the last book.

The Mira of the title is one of the prior personalities of Penric’s demon, and she’s able to help them in their journey. It’s a nice end to this arc, though I do wonder if Nikys will return.