plum farmers and Fireworkers. I want to enjoy my youth while I have it.”
“You have duties, Siv.”
“As you and the tutors remind me every day . . .”
The king sighed and adjusted his eyeglasses. “Perhaps you should pay a visit to your mother’s people in Trure. Your grandfather will put you to rights. It may be time for you to begin seeking a wife there as well. Certainly settled me down.”
“I’ve barely turned twenty,” Siv said. “That’s years away yet. More importantly, I don’t think I should take a Truren wife when the time comes. It worked out well enough for you, but I’m sure our people would prefer a Vertigonian lady for their next queen. It’d be a chance to make extra special friends with a powerful noble family too.”
The king raised an eyebrow. “You’ve thought it through.”
“Believe it or not,” Siv said, leaning conspiratorially toward his father. “I keep my wits about me when drinking with Bolden. I might have met a promising candidate or two in his company.”
“I’m listening.”
“Don’t want to show all my cards just yet.” Siv took a plum from the table and tossed into the air. “But I have an alliance in mind that could pan out.” He caught the plum with a grin. “Trust me.”
“I want to trust you, son, but in the meantime I need to see you taking some responsibility.” The king stood and put a weighty hand on his son’s shoulder. He always made Siv feel safe, firmly planted in the soil of the mountain. Siv really did want to please him. Eventually.
“I’ll work on it.”
“Good. Now, that goat stew is getting cold. Have a bowl.”
5.
Practice
WHENDara stopped by the Ruminor dwelling after leaving the castle, her mother had still been deep in conversation with Farr, Master Corren’s apprentice. They were chatting away about Firesmiths and access restrictions, so Dara avoided any questions about where she had been. She managed to get out of the house again with plenty of time left to meet up with Kel and Oat for a bite to eat before practice.
She found her friends in Stone Market near Furlingbird Bridge, which connected Village and Square Peaks. They were easy to spot in the bustling market because Oat—who was already exceptionally tall—had climbed onto a barrel outside a tavern. He waved his long arms over his head to get Dara’s attention.
She pushed her way through the crowd, enjoying the enticing smell of soldarberry pies and fresh-baked bread. A handful of vendors hawked their wares from baskets strapped to their backs, but most had set up permanent stalls along the two levels of the market.
Stone Market was built across two terraces near the bridge entrance, with steps connecting them on either end. A rocky outcropping separated the two levels, and since it was summer people were perched on the stones, enjoying their lunches in the rare sunshine. The steps were extra crowded today. Dara clambered across the rocks to get to the upper level, where Kel and Oat waited.
“It’s about time!” Kel said. “The salt cakes are going to run out.”
“Sorry,” Dara said. “I had to take care of something at home.”
“You’re always taking care of things.”
“My parents need me.”
“We need you,” Kel said. “I don’t have any coins. Can you spot me lunch?”
Dara dug into her pocket with a sigh. “You’d better pay me back,” she said. “You’re the one with the patron.”
“I know, but Lord Bolden does love to gamble,” Kel said. “I’ve got to keep up with him.”
“I’m sure that’s why,” Dara said. “You’d never, ever go out to the parlors, otherwise.”
“Indeed,” Kel said sagely. “I’d be a regular workhorse if it weren’t for my liege.”
Oat hopped off the barrel beside them. “Where are we eating?”
“Tollia’s?” Dara said.
“Better not,” Kel said. “One of the serving women is a dueling fan. Last time I was there I couldn’t finish my goat pie with her lurking
“You have duties, Siv.”
“As you and the tutors remind me every day . . .”
The king sighed and adjusted his eyeglasses. “Perhaps you should pay a visit to your mother’s people in Trure. Your grandfather will put you to rights. It may be time for you to begin seeking a wife there as well. Certainly settled me down.”
“I’ve barely turned twenty,” Siv said. “That’s years away yet. More importantly, I don’t think I should take a Truren wife when the time comes. It worked out well enough for you, but I’m sure our people would prefer a Vertigonian lady for their next queen. It’d be a chance to make extra special friends with a powerful noble family too.”
The king raised an eyebrow. “You’ve thought it through.”
“Believe it or not,” Siv said, leaning conspiratorially toward his father. “I keep my wits about me when drinking with Bolden. I might have met a promising candidate or two in his company.”
“I’m listening.”
“Don’t want to show all my cards just yet.” Siv took a plum from the table and tossed into the air. “But I have an alliance in mind that could pan out.” He caught the plum with a grin. “Trust me.”
“I want to trust you, son, but in the meantime I need to see you taking some responsibility.” The king stood and put a weighty hand on his son’s shoulder. He always made Siv feel safe, firmly planted in the soil of the mountain. Siv really did want to please him. Eventually.
“I’ll work on it.”
“Good. Now, that goat stew is getting cold. Have a bowl.”
5.
Practice
WHENDara stopped by the Ruminor dwelling after leaving the castle, her mother had still been deep in conversation with Farr, Master Corren’s apprentice. They were chatting away about Firesmiths and access restrictions, so Dara avoided any questions about where she had been. She managed to get out of the house again with plenty of time left to meet up with Kel and Oat for a bite to eat before practice.
She found her friends in Stone Market near Furlingbird Bridge, which connected Village and Square Peaks. They were easy to spot in the bustling market because Oat—who was already exceptionally tall—had climbed onto a barrel outside a tavern. He waved his long arms over his head to get Dara’s attention.
She pushed her way through the crowd, enjoying the enticing smell of soldarberry pies and fresh-baked bread. A handful of vendors hawked their wares from baskets strapped to their backs, but most had set up permanent stalls along the two levels of the market.
Stone Market was built across two terraces near the bridge entrance, with steps connecting them on either end. A rocky outcropping separated the two levels, and since it was summer people were perched on the stones, enjoying their lunches in the rare sunshine. The steps were extra crowded today. Dara clambered across the rocks to get to the upper level, where Kel and Oat waited.
“It’s about time!” Kel said. “The salt cakes are going to run out.”
“Sorry,” Dara said. “I had to take care of something at home.”
“You’re always taking care of things.”
“My parents need me.”
“We need you,” Kel said. “I don’t have any coins. Can you spot me lunch?”
Dara dug into her pocket with a sigh. “You’d better pay me back,” she said. “You’re the one with the patron.”
“I know, but Lord Bolden does love to gamble,” Kel said. “I’ve got to keep up with him.”
“I’m sure that’s why,” Dara said. “You’d never, ever go out to the parlors, otherwise.”
“Indeed,” Kel said sagely. “I’d be a regular workhorse if it weren’t for my liege.”
Oat hopped off the barrel beside them. “Where are we eating?”
“Tollia’s?” Dara said.
“Better not,” Kel said. “One of the serving women is a dueling fan. Last time I was there I couldn’t finish my goat pie with her lurking
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