The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - By N. K. Jemisin Page 0,15

That would be an offense to the Skyfather, our only true god, and those of the Skyfathers children who stayed loyal. But we cant call them slaves, either. After all, we outlawed slavery centuries ago.

This was the sort of thing that made people hate the Arameritruly hate them, not just resent their power or their willingness to use it. They found so many ways to lie about the things they did. It mocked the suffering of their victims.

Why not just call them what they are? I asked. Weapons.

Sieh glanced at me, his gaze too neutral to be a childs in that instant.

Viraine winced delicately. Spoken like a true barbarian, he said, and though he smiled, that did nothing to alleviate the insult. The thing you must understand, Lady Yeine, is that like our ancestress Shahar, we Arameri are first and foremost the servants of Itempas Skyfather. It is in His name that we have imposed the age of the Bright upon the world. Peace, order, enlightenment. He spread his hands. Itempass servants do not use, or need, weapons. Tools, though

I had heard enough. I had no idea of his rank relative to mine, but I was tired and confused and far from home, and if barbarians manners would serve better to get me through this day, then so be it.

Does Enefadeh mean tool, then? I demanded. Or is it just slave in another tongue?

It means we who remember Enefa, said Sieh. He had propped his chin on his fist. The items on Viraines workbench looked the same, but I was certain he had done something to them. She was the one murdered by Itempas long ago. We went to war with Him to avenge her.

Enefa. The priests never said her name. The Betrayer, I murmured without thought.

She betrayed no one, Sieh snapped.

Viraines glance at Sieh was heavy-lidded and unreadable. True. A whores business can hardly be termed a betrayal, can it?

Sieh hissed. For an eyeblink there was something inhuman about his facesomething sharp and feraland then he was a boy again, sliding off the stool and trembling with fury. For a moment I half-expected him to poke out his tongue, but the hatred in his eyes was too old for that.

I will laugh when youre dead, he said softly. The small hairs along my skin prickled, for his voice was a grown mans now, tenor malevolence. I will claim your heart as a toy and kick it for a hundred years. And when I am finally free, I will hunt down all your descendants and make their children just like me.

With that, he vanished. I blinked. Viraine sighed.

And that, Lady Yeine, is why we use the blood sigils, he said. Silly as that threat was, he meant every word of it. The sigil prevents him from carrying it out, yet even that protection is limited. A higher-ranking Arameris order, or stupidity on your part, could leave you vulnerable.

I frowned, remembering the moment when Tvril had urged me to get to Viraine. Only a fullblood can command him off now. And Tvril was awhat had he called it?a halfblood.

Stupidity on my part? I asked.

Viraine gave me a hard look. They must respond to any imperative statement you make, Lady. Consider how many such statements we make carelessly, or figuratively, with no thought given to other interpretations. When I frowned in thought, he rolled his eyes. The common folk are fond of saying To the hells with you! Ever said it yourself, in a moment of anger? At my slow nod, he leaned closer. The subject of the phrase is implied, of course; we usually mean You should go. But the phrase could also be understood as I want to go, and you will take me.

He paused to see if I understood. I did. At my shudder, he nodded and sat back.

Just dont talk to them unless you have to, he said. Now. Shall we He reached for the ink dish and cursed as it toppled the instant his fingers touched it; Sieh had somehow lodged a brush underneath. The ink splattered across the tabletop like

like

and then Viraine touched my hand. Lady Yeine? Are you all right?

* * *

That was how it happened, yes. The first time.

* * *

I blinked. What?

He smiled, all condescending kindness again. Been a hard day, has it? Well, this wont take long. Hed cleaned up the ink spill; there was enough left in the dish that apparently he could continue. If you could hold your hair back