“Good morning,” a voice whispered, gently cracking Lerran’s eyes open. The room was bright, illuminated by a band of sunlight entering the curtained window. The light was blocked by the pillow Lerran’s arms were wrapped around. He lay in fetal position, under the blankets, clutching the pillow. He was damp with sweat, and his head immediately pounded with the light that blinded his eyes. Continue reading Lerran 18
Antha sat near Lerran’s desk with her feet up on the tabletop as he spoke with her. Her sandals were covered in dirt, and it was already collecting on the edge of his desk. He had offered her wine from his pitcher, but she drank from a small flask held in her muscular arms. Her short brown hair hung back.
“So, why did he do it?” she asked. Continue reading Lerran 17
For a few days after the Massacre of Sheld, the city seemed stunned. No shouts could be heard from the streets, no fights broke out in taverns, and a muted fog rose during the mornings. Before the sun had even evaporated it on the 2nd, Lerran finally received Captain Vagond of the City Watch. He had first spoken with that old man after they marched out of Worker’s Rise—he with wounded Isar leaning on his shoulder and Paksis with their unconscious captive thrown over hers. The City Watch had likely made the right decision in guarding the perimeter instead of sending in more men to die, but Captain Vagond had still seemed like a lazy, corrupt official. Continue reading Lerran 16
Lerran’s back hurt. He was hunched, with a lock-pick and a hook, trying to get past the pins in his father’s lock. If he did, the mysterious safe in his father’s office would be his. It was midday, humid, and he was sweating. Continue reading Lerran 15
It had been a long week, settling into his new office, and Lerran was almost ready for a break. As Gadra was speaking, he was looking at his new desk, once battering ram, and its random scratches. He would need to get it sanded and polished, he decided. They had already repaired the doors of Gharo’s old office. Continue reading Lerran 14
It was an overcast day, Lerran noticed, when he finally left his apartment that morning. The sky couldn’t make up its mind, to rain or not to. Lerran wore his freshly cleaned red jacket, with a belt and scabbard over top of it. At his waist, he sheathed his real sword, though he prayed he would not need to spill blood this day. Continue reading Lerran 13
Lerran walked down to the Emerald Eye that afternoon, to plan his father’s downfall. At his side, Tass strode purposefully, with her brown hair pulled back behind her shoulders and a grey blouse on. Her arms held his right arm, as they descended the hill to the Gharo’s loyalty tavern. They were admitted without question or charge into the two-storey pub built out of small grey bricks and teak beams. Continue reading Lerran 12
The sun rose over the jutting points of Tieko’s Ridge, and the muted orange glow that had hung over Sheld cleared. On his balcony patio, Lerran shared a breakfast with Tassina; they dined on scrambled eggs and sausages, with a warmed honey mead. From their balcony, they could see the north side of the Gharo estate, where a two-man patrol of their family’s guards continued their rounds. The estate had a single storey stone wall around it, with no rampart. On each corner and on the longest sides, a small tower rose, where a guard could climb up to look off the property. Continue reading Lerran 11
Storm sailed up Comet’s Cove as the sun began to rise, the occasional dark rock jutting out of the foliage overgrown banks on either side of them. Anxious to be home at last, Lerran paced at the prow. Sheld came into view when the sun brushed the mountain peaks to the east, its black outer wall and wooden trimmings. From the water, Lerran could see the Worker’s Rise, the enormous dome that the Lord Employers ruled from. They handled most of the city’s affairs, the last that Lerran had heard, and kept Gharo out of all they could. That said, a Lord Employer visited the Gharo estates weekly to do business with the wealthiest and most dangerous man in the city. Continue reading Lerran 10
Despite what Havard had told Lerran, and the agreement they had come to, Lerran decided to respect the appointment with the Mining Group that Kolt had set up for him. Four days after his visitation to the various factions, he rowed ashore from Storm with Silver again, and they trekked across the city of Kedar to the lavish business. Continue reading Lerran 9