I laughed and looked around at the keep. “It’s not that large; you could fit our keep into the king’s palace at Estian a dozen times over. The trade with the dwarves isn’t much yet, but Axiel tells me that the mysterious illness that had afflicted his people is over. There are dwarven children now, after so many years, and soon there’ll be more time to spare for the making of luxury goods for trade.”

Tosten nodded. “Good for him. I haven’t talked to him since he came here last winter and helped finish your room.”

“Neither have I,” I said, “but Oreg visits him now and again.”

“How is Tisala?”

“The only thing we’re still worried about is her left hand, but she’ll live even if Oreg doesn’t manage to save it.”

He nodded again and turned his attention to the floor. After a little while he began humming a ballad. When he began singing, I joined in, too. After a bit we began to attract a group of children, so we hammed it up a little. Tosten found a song with male and female roles. He took the male in a high squeaky voice, and I sang the female in bass. We entertained the children and worked on the floor until it was time for dinner. Even Tosten was hoarse, but the cook brought in hot-mulled cider and kissed his cheek in gratitude for keeping the children at bay while their mothers cooked and cleaned.

3
WARDWICK

Rejecting properly sent invitations is impolite and can cause lasting harm to one’s future.

AFTERIFINISHED EATING,IVENTURED UP TOcheck on my guest. One of the maidservants had told me she’d brought soup and bread up but Tisala had been sleeping.

The Lord’s Chamber at Hurog would show well against any room I’d ever seen, including the royal chambers at Estian. It had been a gift from the dwarves who’d snuck in while I was away at Iftahar working out some business with my uncle.

The wood trim was some exotic southern hardwood, full of swirls and rich color. The dwarves had taken advantage of the complex grain and carved fantastical shapes in odd places. The walls were layered in plaster drawn into soft patterns gleaming with powdered gemstone. High above, skylights let in slits of sunshine through narrow strips of thick, clear crystal. It was luxury I still could not accustom myself to—and it was distinctly odd in the spare style of Hurog keep.

“You live well for a poor northern barbarian,” commented Tisala hoarsely.

Her eyes had been closed when I came into the room, but she was awake now.

I waved an arm at the whole room and said, “A gift from the dwarves.”