Arrows Of Change (Book 1) by Honor Raconteur

our government really
was. Because of the research, I decided that the only thing to do was to split
off—form my own country and give people a place to go so that they could have a
chance at a decent future.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “It’s turned
out to be a more complicated enterprise than I’d imagined.”
    Riana nearly choked on her apple. “Ye thought it’d be
simple?”
    “Well, no, but less complex than this, certainly.” He
grinned at her. “You know, Ashlynn looked at me the same way when I complained
that this was more than I signed on for. Especially since I was the one that
talked her and Ash into helping me to begin with.”
    Aye, she could imagine.
    “Well, we’ve had our challenges, but so far it’s going
well.” Edvard popped an apple slice into his mouth and happily chewed. “I’m terribly
glad that you and your father were found, too. You have no idea how happy I am
about that. A lot of trouble has been following my wizard-siblings recently.
People somehow assume that if not for them, I wouldn’t be able to maintain my
kingdom or win any battles.”
    Well, those rumors might be about half-right, but Edvard
possessed that special something that drew people to him, and encouraged
amazing bonds of loyalty. He could be a complete idiot when it came to strategy,
and still, people would follow him into battle.
    Ash came to them and handed Edvard a new scroll. Edvard
popped the last apple slice into his mouth to free up his hands, then rolled it
out. He nodded, “mmming” approval around his mouthful.
    “I take it that it meets your approval, and you want me to
build it immediately?” Ash translated dryly.
    “Mmm-hhmm, mmmm.”
    “There are no take-backsies on this one, alright? Once it’s
built, no magic will move it.”
    “Hmmm. Mmm.”
    “Fine, then I’ll get to work. Riana?”
    How in the world had he kenned any of that? Amused, Riana
got to her feet, nodded goodbye to Edvard, and followed her wizard out the
door.

    Somehow, in the time that they’d been working, beds had been
found and brought up to the wizards’ rooms. The narrow poster beds were shoved
into the corners, with chests sitting at the end of the footboards. Broden had
wondered where he and his daughter would sleep that night, but with a castle of
this size, he’d assumed they’d be given a place of their own. At least for
tonight, until things were sorted.
    But that seemed not to be. Were both wizards so determined,
then, to keep their newfound partners close by?
    Ash had gone confidently inside, gesturing for him to
follow, but when Broden hesitated at the doorway, the wizard looked back up at
him in confusion. “Well, don’t just stand there; come in.”
    Broden did not budge an inch. “There be magical doohickeys
hanging about from the ceiling, glowing circles on the walls, and a carpet on
the floor that looks like those—” his fingers made a scribbling motion in the air
“—things ye draw afore ye chop down trees, and ye want a man to just casually
enter? I think no’.”
    Throwing back his head, Ash laughed aloud. “They’re not
dangerous! I promise you. In fact, they’re here to prevent danger.”
    That was a fine thing to say to a man about his sleeping
space. “What sort?”
    “Magical attacks, for the most part. Some of them are alarms.
Like this one here—” he pointed to one that hung from the ceiling “—is
connected to a city alarm. We’ll know if a fire breaks out. And with this one,
we’ll be alerted if a large body of men approaches Estole.”
    Oh. Like that wavy-lined trinket of Ashlynn’s? That be fine,
then. Reassured, he entered all the way and got a better look at the rest of
the room. If a man could ignore the magic squiggles, it seemed ordinary enough:
just beds, trunks for clothes, and a washstand next to the window. An open
hearth was against the back wall, a fire already going, chasing away the
evening chill. He’d slept in far worse places.
    Satisfied,