A Plague of Giants (Seven Kennings #1) - Kevin Hearne Page 0,75

we have the Canopy to serve, and that is what the White Gossamers care about. I for one would welcome reconciliation with the Black Jaguars, but that appears beyond my powers.”

“Perhaps my clan could help.” The plain disbelief on my face caused him to add, “I’m being serious.”

“If the Blue Moths wish to broker a peace between our clans so that the Canopy may thrive, that would be fine. But if you have in mind some scheme where the White Gossamers would be indebted to the Blue Moths for services rendered, then I will respectfully pass.”

Tip snorted. “Don’t be so naïve. Favors are currency in politics.”

“No, I’m not naïve. I understand the game you’re playing, ben Lot. I just refuse to play it.”

“You’d rather let your clan languish in obscurity, then, when you were once so bold?”

“That wasn’t me. My elders strayed out too far on the wrong branch; it broke, and they fell. I’m a bit more cautious. Canopy first, clan second, and myself third.” I didn’t mean to chide him with the oldest moral maxim of our people—I’d recited it as my guiding principle, not as an indictment of his behavior—but I supposed he took it as a personal insult. Perhaps he had been putting the Canopy third and that was why he huffed and reined in his horse, dropping back a rank or two and urging Yar Tup Min to join me at the front.

My cousin grinned knowingly and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tease me. “It’s a good thing you don’t have political ambitions, Nel,” he said, “because you’re making friends about as fast as furry swamp fungus.”

I was about to retort when movement ahead caught my eye. Far ahead—straight ahead—a grand moss pine that was only a splinter in the distance toppled over into the plains, silhouetted against the sun, a silent death drowned out by the sound of our horses. I couldn’t see what caused it, but I could guess. I signaled to everyone behind that we needed to halt, and once we did, the other greensleeves asked why. I turned my ride around, as did Yar, to face the others.

“I saw a tree fall ahead. Maybe it was natural. But it’s more likely the Hathrim cut it down.”

Pak Sey ben Kor sneered and said, “A fallen tree that no one else saw is not proof the Hathrim are here.”

“I know that. We’re going to take a closer look. But we’re going slower, and I recommend getting weapons ready.” I pulled out one of my two net launchers and hefted it in my right hand before guiding my horse west once more, forestalling any more debate. I let the horse walk at its own pace instead of trot and heard the others follow. The land ahead was not entirely flat; it had waves to it, the trailing roots of the Godsteeth causing gentle rolls of land and hiding the ocean from our view.

We couldn’t see anything for a while as we negotiated a small valley in the foothills, but when we crested the next hill, we had a beautiful view of the ocean and all the Hathrim glass boats flashing in the sun. We lined up, taking it in, and saw what could only be called a settlement. Walls were rising out of the grass, visibly growing as we watched, which indicated that they must have Raelech stonecutters working for them. A large swath of ground appeared to have been plowed and planted, soon to be irrigated with water diverted from a stream into a canal that another stonecutter was shaping as we watched. I saw him, a tiny ant of a man at this distance, with the equivalent of a swollen grub beetle looming over him. Seeing a Hathrim next to someone of normal stature is always sobering.

“Are you all seeing this?” I said. “That’s an entire population of Hathrim on our border building walls in front of us. Cutting down these beautiful old moss pines and occupying land that belongs to the people of Ghurana Nent.”

“I sure see it,” Yar growled.

“I do, too,” Pen said, and then Kam echoed her.

“I see it,” Tip Fet ben Lot said, “but I can scarcely believe it. This is illegal. I mean it goes far beyond a timber raid. It could be called an invasion.”

“Invasion?” Pak Sey ben Kor sounded incredulous. “I hardly see an army there. I agree the Hathrim shouldn’t be cutting down trees or occupying the land without permission, but it looks