Read Online Twixt Heaven And Hell by Tristan Gregory - Free Book Online
Authors: Tristan Gregory
Ads: Link
lied.
“Come in out of the hall. You’re just in time for supper. Come on.”
“No doubt precisely what he had in mind,” Balkan said with a smile as he led his friend to the adjoining dining room. “Well done.”
“At least I can claim one victory today,” Darius said. The look in his eyes told his friend much. Neither man delved further into the subject – such things were not fit for the table.
Kaylie did most of the talking during the meal, wanting to catch Darius up on all she’d done while he’d been away from Bastion. Most of which consisted of besting her friends – the majority of them boys, sons of generals and other officers – in one contest or another.
“I can run faster and farther than any of them,” Kaylie bragged around a bite of brown bread, earning a rebuke from her mother not to speak with her mouth full. After finishing it, she carefully set her bread down before continuing. “And I beat Charlie in war today,” she claimed proudly.
“War?” Darius asked incredulously. “What’s this game?”
“Sword fighting,” Maggie said. “That Charlie has managed to cajole sword lessons for his friends, one of the Lieutenants is teaching them. I don’t like it, but Balkan says not to stop it,” she explained, casting a displeased look at her husband.
“It’s harmless,” Balkan protested. “They use the little padded swords we start the boys on when they’re ten, and they have proper supervision at all times – I made sure. Besides,” he added, contemplating his wine, “Kaylie always wins. Isn’t that right, Kaykay?”
“Don’t call me that! That’s a baby name.”
Balkan grimaced. “Old people get to call other people by baby names, Kaylie. It’s a law.”
“That’s not true! Darius, is that true?”
“Your father knows more about the laws than I, Kaylie,” Darius said. “You should probably believe him.”
“Oh, stop it, both of you,” Maggie interrupted. Balkan grumped something about spoiling the fun, but she ignored him. “Kaylie, it’s time to do your sewing.”
Kaylie immediately put on a hurt face. “I don’t want to, I hate sewing.”
“You do not, you used to love it. It's important to know.”
Darius chuckled, drawing all eyes to him. He nodded earnestly. “She’s right, Kaylie. Sewing is a very important skill to have.”
By the peculiar way of children, Kaylie wouldn’t believe it from her parents – but she took it as truth from Darius. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Why, my soldiers are learning more of it right now.”
Balkan gave him a puzzled look. Maggie gave him a thankful one, for Kaylie excused herself from the table, heading into the spacious sitting room to practice her needlework.
“Darius, I could swear you were speaking truth just now.” Balkan said, perplexed.
"I was." Darius told him the events from the marketplace – but omitting his heated exchange with Lazarus. “I have about a third of my men helping the armorers each day. First they’ll be throwing up a building to work in, but after that they should be able to turn out the new armor at a good rate.”
Maggie shook her head. “It’s silly that the Council hasn’t already seen to this. What’s more important than keeping our men safe?”
“Keeping tradition, avoiding change, ensuring that we fight the War in exactly the same way it’s been fought since the Forging,” Darius grumbled. He would have continued, if not for a warning look from Balkan.
“Maggie, perhaps Kaylie would like some company?” Balkan asked, though he had little need. Maggie knew well enough when the wizards needed privacy. She kissed her husband and exited the room.
“Come, Darius. I’ll show you my recent work,” Balkan said, rising from the table.
As a wizard, Balkan was subject at any time to be sent to the lines for battle or command. This was technically true for any wizard within Bastion. However, the Council kindly took his status as a husband and father into
“Come in out of the hall. You’re just in time for supper. Come on.”
“No doubt precisely what he had in mind,” Balkan said with a smile as he led his friend to the adjoining dining room. “Well done.”
“At least I can claim one victory today,” Darius said. The look in his eyes told his friend much. Neither man delved further into the subject – such things were not fit for the table.
Kaylie did most of the talking during the meal, wanting to catch Darius up on all she’d done while he’d been away from Bastion. Most of which consisted of besting her friends – the majority of them boys, sons of generals and other officers – in one contest or another.
“I can run faster and farther than any of them,” Kaylie bragged around a bite of brown bread, earning a rebuke from her mother not to speak with her mouth full. After finishing it, she carefully set her bread down before continuing. “And I beat Charlie in war today,” she claimed proudly.
“War?” Darius asked incredulously. “What’s this game?”
“Sword fighting,” Maggie said. “That Charlie has managed to cajole sword lessons for his friends, one of the Lieutenants is teaching them. I don’t like it, but Balkan says not to stop it,” she explained, casting a displeased look at her husband.
“It’s harmless,” Balkan protested. “They use the little padded swords we start the boys on when they’re ten, and they have proper supervision at all times – I made sure. Besides,” he added, contemplating his wine, “Kaylie always wins. Isn’t that right, Kaykay?”
“Don’t call me that! That’s a baby name.”
Balkan grimaced. “Old people get to call other people by baby names, Kaylie. It’s a law.”
“That’s not true! Darius, is that true?”
“Your father knows more about the laws than I, Kaylie,” Darius said. “You should probably believe him.”
“Oh, stop it, both of you,” Maggie interrupted. Balkan grumped something about spoiling the fun, but she ignored him. “Kaylie, it’s time to do your sewing.”
Kaylie immediately put on a hurt face. “I don’t want to, I hate sewing.”
“You do not, you used to love it. It's important to know.”
Darius chuckled, drawing all eyes to him. He nodded earnestly. “She’s right, Kaylie. Sewing is a very important skill to have.”
By the peculiar way of children, Kaylie wouldn’t believe it from her parents – but she took it as truth from Darius. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Why, my soldiers are learning more of it right now.”
Balkan gave him a puzzled look. Maggie gave him a thankful one, for Kaylie excused herself from the table, heading into the spacious sitting room to practice her needlework.
“Darius, I could swear you were speaking truth just now.” Balkan said, perplexed.
"I was." Darius told him the events from the marketplace – but omitting his heated exchange with Lazarus. “I have about a third of my men helping the armorers each day. First they’ll be throwing up a building to work in, but after that they should be able to turn out the new armor at a good rate.”
Maggie shook her head. “It’s silly that the Council hasn’t already seen to this. What’s more important than keeping our men safe?”
“Keeping tradition, avoiding change, ensuring that we fight the War in exactly the same way it’s been fought since the Forging,” Darius grumbled. He would have continued, if not for a warning look from Balkan.
“Maggie, perhaps Kaylie would like some company?” Balkan asked, though he had little need. Maggie knew well enough when the wizards needed privacy. She kissed her husband and exited the room.
“Come, Darius. I’ll show you my recent work,” Balkan said, rising from the table.
As a wizard, Balkan was subject at any time to be sent to the lines for battle or command. This was technically true for any wizard within Bastion. However, the Council kindly took his status as a husband and father into
Similar Books
