And a week after graduation, Pat’s parents put on an affordable wedding for them at St. John’s United Methodist in Buena Vista—Pat, determined not to be a bridezilla, put her foot down whenever anyone proposed something extravagant. But she couldn’t prevent Danny from giving her an absolutely amazing, yet perfectly tasteful, ring.

“You didn’t borrow this from some jewelry store, right?” she asked.

“I understand that you had to ask,” said Danny, “but no. I had it made for you by a metalmage in Westil. He was very proud of his work, and it’s not like he needed a lot of money for it, since he can draw gold up out of the earth whenever he wants.”

“So how did you pay him?” she asked.

“A couple of amulets of healing,” said Danny. “The ring was easy for him, the amulet was easy for me. But a fair exchange, for a man still raising stupid, reckless children.”

“You got to know his kids?”

“All children are stupid and reckless. Just … some more than others.”

And then they set about producing some stupid, reckless children of their own, while keeping track of their friends and making new ones and then doing a fairly lazy job of working their way through college while pursuing their real career, which was to try and make each other and their children amazingly happy every day of their lives.

About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ORSON SCOTT CARD is the author of the international bestsellers Shadow of the Giant, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Hegemon, and Ender’s Shadow, and the beloved classic of science fiction, Ender’s Game, as well as the acclaimed fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina. You can sign up for email updates here.

By Orson Scott Card from Tom Doherty Associates

BY ORSON SCOTT CARD FROM TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES

ENDER UNIVERSE

Ender Series

Ender’s Game

Ender in Exile

Speaker for the Dead

Xenocide

Children of the Mind

Ender’s Shadow Series

Ender’s Shadow

Shadow of the Hegemon

Shadow Puppets

Shadow of the Giant

Shadows in Flight

The First Formic War (with Aaron Johnston)

Earth Unaware

Earth Afire

Earth Awakens

Ender Novellas

A War of Gifts

First Meetings

THE MITHERMAGES

The Lost Gate

The Gate Thief

Gatefather

THE TALES OF ALVIN MAKER

Seventh Son

Red Prophet

Prentice Alvin

Alvin Journeyman

Heartfire

The Crystal City

HOMECOMING

The Memory of Earth

The Call of Earth

The Ships of Earth

Earthfall

Earthborn

WOMEN OF GENESIS

Sarah

Rebekah

Rachel & Leah

THE COLLECTED SHORT FICTION OF ORSON SCOTT CARD

Maps in a Mirror: The Short Fiction of Orson Scott Card

Keeper of Dreams

STAND-ALONE FICTION

Invasive Procedures (with Aaron Johnston)

Empire

Hidden Empire

The Folk of the Fringe

Hart’s Hope

Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus

Saints

Songmaster

Treason

The Worthing Saga

Wyrms

Zanna’s Gift

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