Return to Kinthaldith

Return to Kinthaldith: Chapter 24

"You didn't recognize the killers?"

"No," said Jesh. "I went to his side, and he looked up at me. 'Don't let the Prenth have Kinthaldith,' he said and then passed out. The police came and arrested me. They thought he had beaten me, and I had fought back and killed him. Later, they told me that Lord Demminsantlan had died from the wounds."

"Why would they kill him?"

"The media had portrayed the Kinthaldan Lords as slavers, and a lot of people protested dealing with them. It generated a lot of hatred among the Prenth."

Risser considered this sullenly. "So, you must have been popular after that."

Jesh hesitated. "Yes. I guess I still am."

"A hero," Risser said bitterly.

"I didn't want your father to die," he said fervently.

Risser sat back and studied Jesh. "You're a fool, you know that, Jesh, for all your education."

Jesh stared at him.

"On Prent, you had everything: fame, honor, money, a future. You were probably as important there as I am here. No, more important. After all, I'm just a provincial lord, a barbarian, a petty leader on a backward world. Is that how you see me?"

Jesh shrugged." That's how they see you."

"And you?"

"You're the Lord of the Hasson, one of the largest and most ancient Houses of Kinthaldith. You could be very influential if only you applied your intelligence."

"Now you sound like my father," said Risser sullenly. "Always going on about books and learning and the obligation of a Hasson lord to knowledge, et cetera. Nothing I did was good enough. 'Why can't you learn to read? Even servants can do it--look at Jesh. He reads very well.'"

Something suddenly made sense to Jesh. "My lord, you can read, can't you?"

Risser looked at him defensively. "Of course, I can read." He paused warily. "I know the alphabet and quite a few words."

Jesh stared at him. "You can't read." Now, Jesh understood why Risser and his father had so many arguments and why Lady Tireth disapproved of Risser.

Risser stared at him a moment. "When I was young, I was afraid that if I learned to read, I'd turn into a lunatic like my father. After he died and I got older, I was too embarrassed to admit that I couldn't," Risser confessed.

Jesh laughed. "That's silly."

Risser glared at him.

"Does Lady Tireth know?"

"Probably," said Risser. "I'm sure they all do."

"I can teach you to read," said Jesh.

Risser sat back and looked at him cautiously. "I never said I wouldn't take you to Talleighdoran. This is only a delay. After we go to Farhoven, I still might."

This gave Jesh's stomach a twist. He had begun to hope Risser had changed his mind. "Well, we have until then," said Jesh.

"I don't have any books," said Risser. Then he got a mischievous look. "Unless you'd like me to read Alisa's love letters."

At this, Jesh glared at him.

"I have a book," said Jesh, suppressing his anger. He pulled the book out of his bag. It was a history of the Terresheldeneth, the rival to the House of Hassonlandith. He'd borrowed it from Lujen before the trip.

At this, Risser glared at him. "How dare you? I forbade you to read."

"I haven't been reading it."

"Huh," was all Risser said.