Born of Fire (The Cloud Warrior Saga Book 8) by D.K. Holmberg Read Free Book Online

by a length of plain rope. She grasped the fabric of her dress in her hands as she stood in front of him. “I mean the strength of the people. How many do you think have these bonds?”
    Tan hadn’t thought about how many in Par-shon had bonds but suspected that only those working for the Utu Tonah, his shapers, had been bonded. “Tell me, Marin, what I don’t know.”
    She lifted the three ceramic bottles and balanced them in her arms. “May I speak freely, Utu Tonah?”
    When Tan nodded, she started forward, toward the city. Par-shon had a unique style of construction to its buildings, with flat roofs stretching over the streets, shielding them from the sun. Down one street, Tan saw one of the strange lizards that he’d noticed during his initial visit, with two people sitting atop the creature as it made its way through the streets. Many were dressed in thin wraps, and some had wraps that covered their necks and faces.
    “You are an outsider, Utu Tonah, and so there is much that you don’t know. The people need guidance, leadership, and mostly security. If you are not willing to provide those things, then perhaps another would be better.” She stopped at a gate along a long, low wall and twisted the handle to enter the fenced-in area. “For the people, and for Par-shon.”
    “Would that be you?”
    She lowered her eyes again. “I provide guidance for their souls, Utu Tonah.”
    “I intended for another to rule,” Tan started, “but when I get word that nothing has changed, and that those who sought to lead in my time away from Par-shon revert to patterns and behaviors that led to this war in the first place, I was given no choice but to return and see if there is anything that I can do to influence the people.”
    “Influence?” Marin asked. “Is that what you think you were doing when you destroyed generations of bindings?”
    “You mean your bonds?” When Marin nodded, Tan suppressed an annoyed sigh. Was this going to be the conversation that he would have to have with everyone in the city? Would he be forced to convince each person about why they could not bond the elementals, and what the consequences from him would be if they did? “How many generations of bonds did the previous Utu Tonah possess?”
    Her mouth twisted slightly. “Generations? It is unfortunate that you know so little, Utu Tonah.”
    “Then explain it to me,” he said. “Help me understand.”
    Marin pushed open the door and started through. “If you will excuse me, Utu Tonah, but there are others who need my services.”
    She paused long enough for him to nod to her, and then disappeared behind the gate, closing the door.
    Tan lingered for a moment, wondering what she might have meant by that. How could he know so little? He had seen the effect of the Utu Tonah, and had seen the way that he had forced the bonds, stealing them from other shapers, and foraging—harvesting—elementals. Didn’t he know enough?
    But maybe there was something more that he hadn’t understood. Hadn’t he once thought Incendin simply wanted to attack the kingdoms because they enjoyed the destruction? There had been another reason, one that Tan had only learned when he discovered Par-shon. He had never known—and had not been able to appreciate—the fact that Incendin had faced Par-shon far longer than any other nation, and that they struggled with their shapers, using the shaping that kept the Fire Fortress burning, to prevent Par-shon from attacking. Wasn’t that safety worth something? There had been a cost, and Incendin had paid it, with shapers willing to embrace fire and turn into the lisincend so that the rest of Incendin could be safe.
    He made his way through the street, walking instead of shaping himself along. Amia should be with him. She would have insight gleaned from her years of travel with the Aeta. As a wandering people, they were accustomed to visiting strange places and integrating into the different cultures. But she had