you even want to return to Khul Bashab? You don’t have to. You can go anywhere.”
They all wanted to return, which disappointed but did not surprise me.
“I can’t go back myself,” I said, “because I killed those cavalrymen and I don’t want to be under the viceroy’s control. But you owe it to yourselves to think about what he will want from you once you submit to him.”
Sudhi’s lip curled. “I don’t want to submit. That’s a terrible idea.”
“It will be that or die, Sudhi,” Tamhan said. “He won’t have it any other way. So once you submit, what will he want you to do? Follow his orders. And you might not like them.”
“What kind of orders do you mean?” he said.
“Well, he’ll ask you to tame wild horses and put bridles on them, Adithi, so he’ll have more cavalry. You’ll be attached to the cavalry and have a military role. I can guarantee it.”
She scowled, and Tamhan continued. “Hanima, you’ll be his leverage against farmers.”
“What? How?”
“If farmers don’t pay enough tax or plant what he wants, you’ll keep bees from visiting their crops.”
“No, I won’t! That’s evil.”
“He would say it’s good government. He’ll think of some way to exploit you that will increase his power at the expense of others. And Sudhi, you’ll be an assassin.”
“No way. I’m not killing anyone.”
“Not you. Your snakes.”
“That’s disgusting, and I would never do it. If I did that even once, then charmers would be viewed as spies and assassins forever.”
“He’s not going to worry about that. In his eyes you are resources to be used. And not just his eyes—this is how we’ll be seen by any government official. We either serve them or must be eliminated.”
“Where are you getting these ideas? They’re horrifying,” Adithi said.
“They’re not ideas. They’re educated guesses. Leaders will do almost anything to hold on to their position. It’s what makes them smile in the morning, the idea that they’re the boss of everything they can see under the sky. If you can help them, they will use you; if you threaten them, they will throw you to the wheat dogs. Since you are a threat but also of potential use, they’ll try to control you. That’s how it is in all the other countries.”
Sudhi pointed out, “The blessed are sometimes in charge. The pelenaut of Brynlön is a tidal mariner. The mistral of Kauria is a cyclone.”
“But they are elected and still serve the government. They are still controlled by the responsibilities of office. They’re not retiring to a quiet life of gardening and grumbling about the weather.”
“Well, I could have one glorious garden now,” Hanima said, “but I don’t want to keep this to myself. I want to change things.”
“There has to be a third option,” Adithi insisted. “A way that we can help people as we wish without the government controlling our lives.”
“I agree that there should be,” Tamhan said, nodding. “But look at every other country with a kenning. Almost without exception, the blessed serve the government’s interests in some way. Especially those with the greatest powers. They are immediately conscripted into military service. The Raelech juggernauts, the Fornish greensleeves, the Hathrim furies—”
“But there are exceptions?” Hanima asked.
“There are those who serve in helpful roles but are still technically under the government’s control. The hygienists in Brynlön who clean water and wounds and cure disease. The stonecutters in Rael who build walls and so on.”
Adithi brightened. “My father is in a clave; he’s a tanner. Clave members get paid better for their work, and the government likes it because they pay taxes regularly. And of course the government uses them when it needs something, too, but I don’t think the government can force the clave to do something against its own interests. Why don’t we form a Beast Callers clave? Anyone can employ our services, and we retain the right to refuse work we don’t want to do.”
Sudhi and Hanima liked that idea and Tamhan had no objections, so I encouraged them to try. “Apply to the viceroy and see what happens.”
“Or simply announce it to as many people as possible so that the government has to acknowledge us,” Adithi offered.
“Count me in,” I said, “though only as a member, not an officer.”
Tamhan said, “I’d make sure you have a charter that clearly defines what the government can and cannot order you to do. And it will have to be signed by the king eventually. I would get legal advice. Move cautiously when you