Rebellion - Book 1 of the Califia Trilogy by Jan Suzukawa

Author:Jan Suzukawa [Suzukawa, Jan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

***

The Ruling Council was still in an uproar.

The retrieval party left just that morning. Though all in the village already knew what had happened, the council was at odds as to how to word the news on the public boards in the square.

Not only that, but the councilwomen were still second-guessing the decision to send that many men. There was an obvious danger that the group sent to bring the rebels back might decide to join them instead, and no one wanted to think what that might lead to.

In other words—the council was even more divided than before.

The High Councilor hadn’t been surprised by the rebellion, just at the timing and how it had been carried out. The rebel men hadn’t protested or gone on strike; they’d simply left Califia. What was their aim? Would they return to raise arms against the queendom? Or were they simply striking out on their own to settle elsewhere?

“How soon before we hear any news from the front?” Kieren Cassidy asked, and Chen Lee gave Kieren a look the High Councilor could read easily: They only left this morning. Are you serious?

The High Councilor knew Kieren was only being concerned though. “Perhaps you can ask the Queen’s Knight when it is his time to speak.”

Everyone on the council knew at least some of the men in the retrieval party—as well as men in the rebel group. All were torn in one way or another by this.

“Are there any matters to discuss before the Queen’s Knight’s briefing?” She looked at each member and seeing no takers, nodded to Cindin.

Her assistant opened the double doors and reappeared a moment later with Eduardo. The Queen’s Knight bowed to the council, and proceeded to the speaker’s spot where the semi-circle of tables opened up.

Eduardo briefly recounted the details of the retrieval party’s departure, adding, “Her Highness is hopeful that this situation will be resolved very soon. In the meantime we are continuing to seek out citizens who may have information on what the objective of the rebels might be, and if there is a clear and present threat to Califia.”

“Is there new information since yesterday that we should know about?” Chen asked.

“We questioned Rai Groner, whose bond mate Lainto Adams is one of the rebels. The rebels had been meeting in secret locations outside the village and according to Rai—their leader is Richard Shue.”

A murmur went around the circle. “Richard Shue,” Kieren said. “He’s the one whose father died on the hunt.”

“Yes,” Eduardo said.

The councilors grew quiet. The hunt was dangerous and fatalities among the hunters were not unknown, but normally they were the young and inexperienced, the impetuous ones who made mistakes when the buffalo were rampaging. This summer’s hunt had seen two men die but they were older men. One was the assistant master and the other had been Richard’s father.

Richard and his mother had received compensation from the Queen’s treasury for their loss, and counseling was offered to both. But Richard became a shut-in after his father’s death, working at home and seldom being seen out in town.

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