A Plague of Giants (Seven Kennings #1) - Kevin Hearne Page 0,58

the priestess and the houndsman were out of earshot, Sefir kept her voice low and spoke her concerns. “What are you hoping to kindle here, Gorin? Confronting her like that could complicate matters.”

“She would also be a complication if I did nothing. Better to control the fire when it starts than let it burn freely. You saw her at the hearth. She has far too much charisma. Let her continue to preach about returning to Hathrir and that’s all we’ll hear about.”

“Fair point. But she’ll go straight to Olet now and blacken your name for this. She may try to get the marriage called off.”

“Let her. I only agreed to the arrangement so as not to provoke Winthir. Let Jerin choose his love and be chosen in turn, as we did.”

Sefir hummed with pleasure. “That would be my wish for him. And if he truly likes Olet, then…”

“Of course, of course. It’s too soon to tell.”

“You should make some art with him as soon as possible. New glass, new steel for our new city. Inspire others with your fire and hers will be doused.”

“That’s a fine idea. I’ll begin building a smithy tomorrow.”

“Good.” My bride released my hand and turned around, surveying the site. “Are we settling our hearth here, then?” We were slightly elevated above the rest of the plain and could see the dozens of campfires spread out beyond us, stretching to the beach on our left. Behind us lay the roots of the Godsteeth, inestimable riches in fuel growing on their slopes. An excellent spot: the view was priceless, yet we were not so high that people would think we were looking down on them.

“It suits me well if it suits you. But then I am well suited wherever you are.”

Sefir smiled at me and ran the tip of her finger along my jaw, through the beard. “Gorin?”

“Yes?”

“Have you been reading Raelech romances again?”

“Shh! Halsten might hear.”

Sefir laughed low in her throat, and her eyes sparkled at me. “He might, but he would never dare speak of it.”

“He’d better not.”

“I am content, Gorin. We will build our new hearth here, and it will be the envy of the world. Give it time and fire and the hammer and you will see.”

The orange glow of open hearths didn’t look like much at that time, but I knew Sefir was right.

This humble refugee camp will be a great city someday. I should probably start thinking of a name for it.

—

Once he returned to his normal form, the bard paused for a drink and then raised both hands, a seeming stone in one of them.

“Now I need to introduce you to a new figure, Melishev Lohmet, the viceroy of Hashan Khek and closest Nentian government official to Gorin Mogen’s occupation of his country. His city is many leagues away from the Godsteeth, but the responsibility to confront Mogen will still be primarily his.”

The black smoke curled around the bard, and his tailored Raelech silhouette faded away to be replaced by a formal Nentian tunic, the kind with excessively flared lapels that roamed uphill to the shoulders and around them, providing a stage of sorts for the new glossy black hair that fell to the middle of his torso. Pale green with silver accents to let the hair shine, the tunic was belted at the waist with a silver sash embroidered with vertical lines of gold thread. Very fine clothing indeed, but the viceroy’s expression failed to reflect similar refinement. His broad cheeks and generous nose were pinched in a scowl, and his voice dripped contempt like bitter syrup..

I despise unctuous shits, yet I am surrounded by them.

And I am sure that there is someone in Hashan Khek who envies my position as viceroy, but if they knew what I had to deal with, they might reconsider.

I have demands from authority in Talala Fouz that have nothing to do with reality.

I have transient families that enjoy the city’s services and drain its coffers yet never pay taxes.

Corrupt merchants do the same and profit immensely by it but then pull out their giant hairy balls, plop them on the dining table of my welcome hall, and complain that I’m not doing enough for them.

I have a military that can’t be trusted to do anything but sleep on duty and eat everything.

I have the responsibility to defend a huge portion of the country with that same military.

And the Raelech stonecutters, whose services come at great cost, are taking far too long to expand