Children of Chaos by Dave Duncan

Author:Dave Duncan [Duncan, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780765314833
Google: Knh1EHXJ2tcC
Amazon: 0765314835
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2015-06-17T04:00:00+00:00

There were several of them. They let him hear their footsteps moving around him, but took their time before speaking. Despite his confidence, he was strung tight in expectation of sudden bone-shattering agony.

“Ready to talk?” growled a low voice. “Mmm?”

Even without his familiar mooing mannerism, Eide Ernson always sounded like a hungry, rather sullen, bull. He thought like one, too.

“How may I serve my lord?” Horth was admitting nothing. Any man dangling in a dungeon would address his captor as “lord.”

“I want your daughter as wife for … a certain young man.” Eide, simple soul, had almost said more than he had been told to say.

“A match approved by my lord would be an enormous honor. But I fear our ancestry is not worthy.”

“Yours, no. Do you know who she is, mmm?”

Who else was present? Saltaja included her bovine husband in important meetings only when she needed testimony from a Witness. If a seer were present, Horth must not lie.

“I know. She does not. Her foster mother did not tell me—I made it my business to find out.” There were times in negotiation when knowledge must be concealed. There were other times when it could be volunteered to advantage. “I have made it my business to keep abreast of Celebrian affairs ever since. Frena’s father the doge rallied somewhat in the spring, but his health still causes great concern. I understand that a successor must be found, but I naturally assumed that one of Frena’s brothers would be selected.”

Outflanked by unexpected information, the satrap grunted.

“Is he telling the truth?” inquired the throaty voice of Saltaja Hragsdor.

Silence.

“Is he telling the truth?” Eide echoed.

“He is speaking what he believes to be the truth, lord,” a woman said in the singsong voice of a seer witnessing. “His information concerning Celebre must be hearsay, as is yours.”

“Mmm? Hadn’t heard about the doge man rallying before.”

Eide and the seer were both in front of Horth, and Saltaja lurked somewhere behind, and very likely there would be Perag or another henchman to wield the club if the meeting turned sour.

“The prisoner’s information may be more up-to-date than yours, lord. I can judge only what he believes.”

Eide grunted again. “Do you consent to the match, mmm?”

Horth drew a deep breath. “Will my lord do me the honor of describing the young man I shall be so honored to welcome into my house?”

“Who do you expect?” asked the Queen of Shadows.

“It would be absurdly presumptuous of me to—”

“Answer, or I’ll have Perag break your legs.” Saltaja had the reputation of never bluffing.

“My lady is kind,” Horth sighed. “The last I heard from Kosord, the city was preparing to celebrate the imminent initiation of the satrap’s youngest son into the Heroes. He is two years older than Frena. Since all your own sons and all your nephews were sent over the Edge as soon as they were blessed, Cutrath would seem to be a very logical candidate to become puppet ruler of Celebre.”

“Mmm?” Eide bellowed. “He’s been spying on us! Seer, how does he know that?”

“Ask him, my lord.

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