Read Online Prodigal Steelwielder (Seals of the Duelists Book 3) by Jasmine Giacomo - Free Book Online
Authors: Jasmine Giacomo
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of two Shawnash indentureds.
Her hand trembled as she raised it to point at the chanter’s pouch. “Use the Waarden one. And if you would please, make a change to the permanent record at your home den. The other chanters in your rotation will need to know, too.” She lifted her chin, but she couldn’t manage her usual dead stare. She felt too much chaos swirling behind her eyes. Just when I was getting used to who I am. “My name is Kiwani t’Eshkin, and I am a Waarden duelist.”
At the Pleasure of the Emperor
Eward forced his shoulders back and stood as tall as he could on the arena sand as his Head Duelist berated him in front of the entire duel den. A corner of his mind coolly observed that Cavan’s fury looked strikingly similar to his pleasure, his curiosity, and his exasperation.
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice, duelist?” Cavan monotoned. “Did you think you could bring your twisted ways to my duel den and continue just as you have been? Did you think that, because of your inherent strength with elementalism, I would let your unseemly habits slide, that I would wink them away in exchange for the benefit of your participation in our duel den? Did you really think that you were so sints-damned important that I would change the way I have run this duel den for the last dozen years just for you?”
Cavan turned in a slow circle, his hooded eyes seeming to pierce every watching duelist that surrounded him and Eward. Their faces were still, their eyes wide. “And have we, your fellow duelists, not suffered at your hands? Have we not been forced to defend you to the uncomprehending public? Have you not made us complicit in your depravities?” He completed his turn and faced Eward once more. “That stops now. You’ll answer for your heinousness and summit to my correction, or I will remove you from my roster and have you reassigned—No. That would not be fair. I will not have you inflicting yourself on another duel den. You will submit to my correction, or I will have you potioneered .”
Potioneered? Is he serious? Eward scanned the faces of his fellow duelists, gauging their reactions to Cavan’s words. Most of them seemed genuinely surprised at Cavan’s threat of potioneering, but a few of them—Seela, Bergam, and Ashlen—just looked so irritated at Eward’s continued existence that they didn’t seem to mind the overly harsh punishment. This situation has spun off into the realm of the truly insane. If I don’t talk to Philo about this right away, I’ll be in real trouble. I’d rather be exiled like Bayan than potioneered. He felt a twinge of guilt for Odjin and his potioneer colleagues.
“Well? Speak.”
Eward took a deep breath and marshaled his response. “Head Duelist Cavan, I assure you, there is nothing to correct. This has all been a gross misunderstanding. That girl in the market—”
“—came to me unprompted. I have no reason to doubt her word, nor any of the other girls’ words. It is your word, in fact, with which I am currently most concerned. Your behavior has been absolutely reprehensible, and I will not have a member of this duel den besmirching its reputation amongst the populace whom we serve. Am I in any way unclear?”
Eward schooled his features to stillness. Cavan liked it when his duelists imitated his expressionless calm, as if it were the signature feature of his duel den, indicative of a close connection to the void . I’m pretty far from the void right now. Why do these rapine accusations keep popping up? I don’t even remember the girl from the market, let alone assaulting her in her father’s back storeroom.
“Duelist Eward? I await your reply. Will you or will you not accept my correction?” Cavan crossed his arms, a sign that he was truly infuriated.
Maybe I can channel Kiwani just enough to get me out of this bind. Eward tipped his head down and gave Cavan a dark look from below his brows. “Are you quite sure that you want to threaten
Her hand trembled as she raised it to point at the chanter’s pouch. “Use the Waarden one. And if you would please, make a change to the permanent record at your home den. The other chanters in your rotation will need to know, too.” She lifted her chin, but she couldn’t manage her usual dead stare. She felt too much chaos swirling behind her eyes. Just when I was getting used to who I am. “My name is Kiwani t’Eshkin, and I am a Waarden duelist.”
At the Pleasure of the Emperor
Eward forced his shoulders back and stood as tall as he could on the arena sand as his Head Duelist berated him in front of the entire duel den. A corner of his mind coolly observed that Cavan’s fury looked strikingly similar to his pleasure, his curiosity, and his exasperation.
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice, duelist?” Cavan monotoned. “Did you think you could bring your twisted ways to my duel den and continue just as you have been? Did you think that, because of your inherent strength with elementalism, I would let your unseemly habits slide, that I would wink them away in exchange for the benefit of your participation in our duel den? Did you really think that you were so sints-damned important that I would change the way I have run this duel den for the last dozen years just for you?”
Cavan turned in a slow circle, his hooded eyes seeming to pierce every watching duelist that surrounded him and Eward. Their faces were still, their eyes wide. “And have we, your fellow duelists, not suffered at your hands? Have we not been forced to defend you to the uncomprehending public? Have you not made us complicit in your depravities?” He completed his turn and faced Eward once more. “That stops now. You’ll answer for your heinousness and summit to my correction, or I will remove you from my roster and have you reassigned—No. That would not be fair. I will not have you inflicting yourself on another duel den. You will submit to my correction, or I will have you potioneered .”
Potioneered? Is he serious? Eward scanned the faces of his fellow duelists, gauging their reactions to Cavan’s words. Most of them seemed genuinely surprised at Cavan’s threat of potioneering, but a few of them—Seela, Bergam, and Ashlen—just looked so irritated at Eward’s continued existence that they didn’t seem to mind the overly harsh punishment. This situation has spun off into the realm of the truly insane. If I don’t talk to Philo about this right away, I’ll be in real trouble. I’d rather be exiled like Bayan than potioneered. He felt a twinge of guilt for Odjin and his potioneer colleagues.
“Well? Speak.”
Eward took a deep breath and marshaled his response. “Head Duelist Cavan, I assure you, there is nothing to correct. This has all been a gross misunderstanding. That girl in the market—”
“—came to me unprompted. I have no reason to doubt her word, nor any of the other girls’ words. It is your word, in fact, with which I am currently most concerned. Your behavior has been absolutely reprehensible, and I will not have a member of this duel den besmirching its reputation amongst the populace whom we serve. Am I in any way unclear?”
Eward schooled his features to stillness. Cavan liked it when his duelists imitated his expressionless calm, as if it were the signature feature of his duel den, indicative of a close connection to the void . I’m pretty far from the void right now. Why do these rapine accusations keep popping up? I don’t even remember the girl from the market, let alone assaulting her in her father’s back storeroom.
“Duelist Eward? I await your reply. Will you or will you not accept my correction?” Cavan crossed his arms, a sign that he was truly infuriated.
Maybe I can channel Kiwani just enough to get me out of this bind. Eward tipped his head down and gave Cavan a dark look from below his brows. “Are you quite sure that you want to threaten
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