Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles Book 1) by Penelope L

Author:Penelope, L. [Penelope, L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Publisher: Heartspell Media
Published: 2015-01-13T08:00:00+00:00

As the Council of Regents meeting bled into its fourth hour, Jack longed for nothing more than to be back in Jasminda’s arms. Her touch still shivered across his skin, and he could swear her scent suffused the air. If he did nothing else but listen to her soft breaths until the day he died, he would not consider it a wasted life.

The reality of the Council Room and the petty squabbling among a group of grown men was cold water thrown on his reverie. His temper flared at the intrusion. The Minister of Finance and the Minister of the Interior bickered like an old married couple and could be counted upon never to agree with each other. Even in a circumstance as dire as imminent war.

Alariq would have been able to follow this miserable meeting quite adeptly, and known just what to say to bring the petty quarreling to an end. It was, after all, what his brother had trained for his whole life. Military training had done nothing to dull Jack’s edges into a tool of political usefulness. His manner was ill-appreciated by the men. Minister Stevenot of the Interior sputtered like a flooded engine when Jack interrupted him.

“I do not want to hear another word about the allowable roof colors in East Rosira. They can paint them pink with blue dots for all I care!” Jack slammed his hand on the table; several of the old men jumped. “How much longer must we go on discussing this ridiculous minutiae? Objections to the fabric of the shipbuilder’s guild’s new uniforms? Reshodding the mounts of the dock guard? None of this will matter in mere days when the Mantle comes down, yet you all refuse to seriously discuss the most pressing issue.”

The faces around the table resembled fish, wide-eyed with their mouths opening and closing mutely.

“Your Grace,” Pugeros, the Minister of Finance, said, his face taking on a fatherly quality that held more than a little condescension. “Lagrimar has given no indication they plan to attack. And it has only been five years since the last breach. They have always needed far longer than that to build the dark magic needed to cross the Mantle.”

“Why would they warn us of an attack? I have seen their preparations, Minister. I am warning you. And the time between the breaches has grown shorter and shorter. They are finding new ways to use their dark magic, as you call it. We need to inform the people, especially those near the border. Perhaps even evacuate.”

“That would be extreme, Your Grace,” Stevenot said. “We do not want to alarm the populace and cause a panic. Our superior technology and skilled army will easily defeat their witchcraft as we have done in the past.”

Red stained Jack’s vision. “Easily?” he said through clenched teeth. No one in this room aside from him had ever seen combat.

“The last breach was barely even three months long.” Stevenot turned away as if he’d made his point. As if three months in the trenches was merely an extended vacation.

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