Return to Kinthaldith

A novel by Meredith Skye

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One afternoon, Jesh rubbed down a horse when Natt came over, scowling slightly. "Stop that. Go get your gear."

Jesh stared at him, not sure of his intentions.

"Are you deaf? I said get your stuff--you're being transferred."

That surprised Jesh. Things had been going so smoothly, and he was beginning to feel at home in the stables—now he would have to start over. Had the Heir found a new place to send him where he could give him trouble?

"Transferred to where?"

Natt hesitated. "To the Arbitrator."

Work for Lujen, the House lawyer! Jesh felt a surge of hope. Without any further prompting, he rushed back to the bunkhouse to gather his things. Not long after that, Jesh arrived at the Arbitrator's House with his bedroll and pack. He knocked, the door opened, and Lujen's page boy let him in.

"Ah, you're here," said Lujen, smiling. "Couldn't wait until morning, could you?"

"Is that all right?" asked Jesh.

Lujen laughed. "Of course." He nodded to the page, who took Jesh's things.

"I'm surprised Lord Risser'toranth allowed it," said Jesh. The Heir had seen that things were difficult for Jesh at the stables.

"He didn't," said Lujen.

"No one asked him?" said Jesh, surprised.

"He's gone out."

"What do you mean?"

"Gone to Yannishannor. Probably getting drunk with Lord Darrish. Lady Tireth'darra approved your transfer."

Jesh considered this a moment. Lujen headed back into the dining room. Jesh followed him. "Would you like some tea?" asked Lujen, putting a pot of water on the stove.

"Thank you," said Jesh. "So, I'm going to be your apprentice?"

"Your talent is wasted out in the stables. Anyway, I could use a scribe," said Lujen. "And I thought you might like a little extra reading time."

Jesh nodded enthusiastically.

"And there is one other thing. This problem with the Prenth has me worried." Lujen looked at Jesh. "You said we could stop the Prenth?"

Jesh stared at Lujen and couldn't help a sudden suspicion that Risser had put him up to this to break his oath.

Lujen saw his hesitancy. "You can't talk about it," he said and nodded.

Jesh nodded.

Thinking, Lujen got up and paced around. "I'll see if I can arrange a time with Lady Tireth'darra. I think you'd be within your bounds with her there."

"Could you do that?" asked Jesh, excited at the prospect of discussing it. He'd spent so much time getting used to life on Kinthaldith that he'd had little time to think about it.

"I'll talk to her," said Lujen.

"Thank you!" Jesh's heart soared. Risser was gone for now, and Jesh might soon get to talk to Lady Tireth'darra. Everything was going so well.

Now, each day, Jesh woke up with enthusiasm instead of dread. Lujen had a printing press! The metal contraption looked old-fashioned to Jesh, who was used to technologies far in advance of this basic machine. Each letter was kept in a box and had to be fetched out and arranged on a plate to print each page, a very laborious process.