wanted,
and sometimes they wasted golds doing it. They’re not doing foolish things
anymore, and there’s another thing. They’ve started a cooperative wagon run to
Borlan and down the high road to Krost. Maybe farther. Sharing the cost. They’re
bringing back Vyan Hills wines cheaper, and they’re running them out to Dereka
once a season.”
“If
they’d been that smart five years ago—” began Lucenda.
“It
wouldn’t have worked with the tariffs between the Iron Valleys and Lanachrona,”
Wendra said. “Father looked into it, because he heard the cost of barrels was
so high in Borlan and Salaan. The tariffs cost more than the barrels.”
“Kustyl
told me one more thing,” Royalt said slowly. “Several of the old-line
traders—they’ve died in the past year. Three or them. Died in their sleep.
Kustyl said it didn’t feel right.”
When
a herder said something didn’t feel right, he was
almost always correct, Alucius knew, and Kustyl, old as he was, was certainly a
herder who was no one’s fool.
“Is
someone trying to take over the old traders’ council?” asked Lucenda.
“He
doesn’t know,” Royalt admitted. “He just says the whole city feels strange.”
Alucius’s
stomach tightened, but he didn’t comment. All too many things were feeling
strange around the Iron Valleys.
Royalt
finished a large mouthful of stew before glancing at Alucius. “Lucenda said you
two took the flock well east. No more creatures?”
“We
didn’t see or feel anything. Not a hint of anything. Haven’t in more than a
week. We told you that.”
“You
did… but we’ve never seen any Talent-creatures here, except soarers and
sanders.” Royalt frowned, then asked, “How are the shoots there?”
“They’re
good. Didn’t see any sanders or sandwolves,” Alucius replied. “We probably
ought to take them there more in the next few weeks.”
“Good
idea, but we’d better have two of us with them.” Royalt nodded. “Feel like it’s
going to be another dry winter. Been too many lately.”
“How’s
the ramlet?” Alucius asked his mother.
“He’s
doing fine—for a lamb born six months too late to a mother who’s got no milk. I’d
appreciate it if you’d crush some more of the quartz in the morning, and if you
could get it really fine. He can tell the difference.”
“I’ll
take care of it,” Alucius offered.
“I’ll
feed him in the morning,” Wendra promised. “You both wanted to get to town
early, didn’t you?”
“That
would help,” Lucenda admitted. “The rest of the barrels are supposed to be
ready, and that way Royalt and I could get one of them filled with flour at the
mill…”
Alucius
relaxed more as the conversation drifted back to the night-sheep and the stead.
Less
than a glass later, after dishes had been done and the nightsheep and stables
checked, Alucius closed the bedchamber door and eased off the nightsilk-covered
herders’ vest, slipping it into place on the clothes rack in the corner.
Wendra
sat on the side of the bed and looked up at her husband. “You’re worried, aren’t
you?”
“I
am. The last time something started to look this bad, I ended up spending four
years in the militia and Northern Guard.”
“You
didn’t say much about it looking bad,” she pointed out. “Not tonight. Why not?”
“You
know why, dear one,” he said gently. “We have Talent-creatures and soarers
showing up. We haven’t seen them in years, and some are the kind no one has
seen before. Now… something strange is happening in Dekhron as well, a
different strangeness.”
“You
think they’re connected?”
“I
feel they are, but I don’t know why.”
“And
because you don’t… you think this will all go away?” Wendra asked, again
gently.
“No.
Things like this don’t go away. But I don’t have an answer. The last time, when
the Matrites invaded, at least we could see the problem. I wasn’t all that
smart. I was going to save the Iron Valleys and be
and sometimes they wasted golds doing it. They’re not doing foolish things
anymore, and there’s another thing. They’ve started a cooperative wagon run to
Borlan and down the high road to Krost. Maybe farther. Sharing the cost. They’re
bringing back Vyan Hills wines cheaper, and they’re running them out to Dereka
once a season.”
“If
they’d been that smart five years ago—” began Lucenda.
“It
wouldn’t have worked with the tariffs between the Iron Valleys and Lanachrona,”
Wendra said. “Father looked into it, because he heard the cost of barrels was
so high in Borlan and Salaan. The tariffs cost more than the barrels.”
“Kustyl
told me one more thing,” Royalt said slowly. “Several of the old-line
traders—they’ve died in the past year. Three or them. Died in their sleep.
Kustyl said it didn’t feel right.”
When
a herder said something didn’t feel right, he was
almost always correct, Alucius knew, and Kustyl, old as he was, was certainly a
herder who was no one’s fool.
“Is
someone trying to take over the old traders’ council?” asked Lucenda.
“He
doesn’t know,” Royalt admitted. “He just says the whole city feels strange.”
Alucius’s
stomach tightened, but he didn’t comment. All too many things were feeling
strange around the Iron Valleys.
Royalt
finished a large mouthful of stew before glancing at Alucius. “Lucenda said you
two took the flock well east. No more creatures?”
“We
didn’t see or feel anything. Not a hint of anything. Haven’t in more than a
week. We told you that.”
“You
did… but we’ve never seen any Talent-creatures here, except soarers and
sanders.” Royalt frowned, then asked, “How are the shoots there?”
“They’re
good. Didn’t see any sanders or sandwolves,” Alucius replied. “We probably
ought to take them there more in the next few weeks.”
“Good
idea, but we’d better have two of us with them.” Royalt nodded. “Feel like it’s
going to be another dry winter. Been too many lately.”
“How’s
the ramlet?” Alucius asked his mother.
“He’s
doing fine—for a lamb born six months too late to a mother who’s got no milk. I’d
appreciate it if you’d crush some more of the quartz in the morning, and if you
could get it really fine. He can tell the difference.”
“I’ll
take care of it,” Alucius offered.
“I’ll
feed him in the morning,” Wendra promised. “You both wanted to get to town
early, didn’t you?”
“That
would help,” Lucenda admitted. “The rest of the barrels are supposed to be
ready, and that way Royalt and I could get one of them filled with flour at the
mill…”
Alucius
relaxed more as the conversation drifted back to the night-sheep and the stead.
Less
than a glass later, after dishes had been done and the nightsheep and stables
checked, Alucius closed the bedchamber door and eased off the nightsilk-covered
herders’ vest, slipping it into place on the clothes rack in the corner.
Wendra
sat on the side of the bed and looked up at her husband. “You’re worried, aren’t
you?”
“I
am. The last time something started to look this bad, I ended up spending four
years in the militia and Northern Guard.”
“You
didn’t say much about it looking bad,” she pointed out. “Not tonight. Why not?”
“You
know why, dear one,” he said gently. “We have Talent-creatures and soarers
showing up. We haven’t seen them in years, and some are the kind no one has
seen before. Now… something strange is happening in Dekhron as well, a
different strangeness.”
“You
think they’re connected?”
“I
feel they are, but I don’t know why.”
“And
because you don’t… you think this will all go away?” Wendra asked, again
gently.
“No.
Things like this don’t go away. But I don’t have an answer. The last time, when
the Matrites invaded, at least we could see the problem. I wasn’t all that
smart. I was going to save the Iron Valleys and be
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