Seeds of War (The Smokesmiths Book 1) by João F. Silva

Author:João F. Silva [F. Silva, João]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: João F. Silva
Published: 2023-04-30T16:00:00+00:00

He removed his nightgown, put on his white silk robe, and combed his hair, then opened the doors of his quarters and left.

“Distance,” he said to the four armoured soldiers posted outside the room. “You shall not approach me unless you’re protecting me from imminent danger.”

“Yes, Highest One.”

Orberesis couldn’t help but feel threatened. Even the walls looked like they could hide invisible men ready to strike him. Even his mind seemed to be trying to overthrow him from the inside out.

He shook himself and hurried, always making sure the guards stayed at a distance. He strolled through the hallways and was relieved to find that the soldiers had cleared them as he commanded.

He was the first to arrive at the council room. It was still early and he hadn’t been able to sleep. He took a seat in his large, ornamented chair, and the guards stood on both sides. And he pushed away the bottle of wine, despite the headaches.

The governing councillors arrived all together in animated chatter and sat in their normal seats. He wondered if they were making a mockery of him in their local dialects. Solvi came in after them, eyes puffed in sleeplessness and dark rings around them. Tavanar on her tail.

“Good morning, Highest One,” one of the councillors said.

Orberesis still didn’t know his name and simply gave him a nod. Instead, he looked down at the table in front of him. The King came in last, the Queen holding his arm and guiding him through the halls. Guards all over them. Once everyone sat, he shifted his eyes to see them.

“Do we have news about the assassin?” the King asked.

Solvi cleared her throat. “I’ve been all night with the best trackers in Sirestir, Your Majesty. trying to find the archer. They are still searching with their bloodsleuths. We will find whoever was responsible for this horrific attempt on the Highest One.”

“Yes, you will. Gather the best archers in the Two Nations and investigate anyone skilled enough with the bow to try that shot.”

The King looked pale. Did he blame himself for what had happened? Orberesis doubted the man was capable of anything other than navel-gazing and talking about histories no one cared about. The more he thought about the archer and the assassination attempt, the more he realised it didn’t matter. Someone had ordered it, but perhaps finding the archer was key in discovering who had been behind it. Killing someone wasn’t cheap and killing God Himself would certainly cost even more than the average person. It had to be someone with access to archers or enough money to convince one to shoot the arrow.

“Highest One, if I may?” the grey-haired councillor asked after adjusting himself in the chair.

Orberesis nodded.

“Many people have yet to experience your grandeur. There were hundreds of witnesses to your miracle. You also showed your might when you took care of the assassin. Your worship leaders have written their accounts multiple times. It is clear we are looking at God Himself, but even if many of the commoners believe it, they have yet to see it.

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