Glasswrights' Progress by Mindy L Klasky Read Free Book Online Page B

He wanted all the swanchildren in Amanthia, all the potential leaders from Shea’s rebellious province, even though the Uprising was over, had been over for years.
    Poor Serena. The pale, moonstruck child was sleeping even now, huddled in her tiny private room beneath the eaves. The sun’s strong rays were too great for Serena – how could the swangirl possibly survive King Sin Hazar’s military camp?
    â€œVery well,” Shea acceded after a long minute’s indecision. The words tasted bitter in her mouth. “To save my children.”
    Hartley nodded his approval. “All right, then. Let’s get everyone organized. We’ll head to the stream and try to catch some fish. The trout should finally have begun their run.”
    â€œWatch your step, Lion!” Shea snapped. “We sunfolk know about gathering food, not you lions. Have you already forgotten what happened when you decided to hunt a boar?”
    Hartley looked abashed, and Shea swallowed the anger that constricted her throat. First she was arguing with an owl, and now she was angry at a lion! What was the world coming to? What evil had King Sin Hazar worked, even in her own house?
    There was no sense in making Hartley look foolish, especially in front of the others. “You’re right, though,” Shea said after an uneasy pause. “Fish would be sweet on the tongue.”
    Only when Hartley had gathered the children together did Shea decide not to accompany them. “You go ahead, Hartley. Take the owls along with the suns. They all need sunlight and fresh air. No, no, Torino. No arguments. Take your owls and play your debates by the brook. Tain, keep an eye on everyone.”
    â€œBut aren’t you coming?” Tain seemed concerned.
    â€œI have things to do here. This house doesn’t take care of itself.”
    Hartley frowned. “I can’t spare extra lions to guard you.”
    â€œNonsense. You need to leave someone to watch over Serena, in any case.”
    â€œBut there’s an additional risk, with the prisoner.”
    â€œWith a fifteen-year-old boy, tied to a chair? I may be a sunwoman, Hartley, but I’m not daft. I can take care of myself.” Hartley grumbled, and he left his two best lions to guard the cottage. He glanced back with every step, but he led the other children toward the distant riverbank.
    Shea made sure that the lions left behind were busy scanning the horizon before she ducked back inside her cottage. She was moving to the hearth before she knew it, looking down at Crestman.
    Crestman. Such a sturdy name for so young a soldier.
    Hartley had tightened the youth’s gag, and the rough cloth sawed into the corners of the young lion’s mouth. His blindfold had slipped off sometime during the night, and he glared at her, his scarred cheek livid in the gloom beneath the rafters. Shea thought of Pom, of the way her son had raged when she had punished him for stealing boiled sweets in the village. “ I had nothing to do with this, child. The lions protect us. You should remember that much, from the days before you cast your lot with King Sin Hazar. Now I’ll feed you, if you swear to stay quiet. If the lions outside hear you, I’ll have Hartley to answer to. Do you promise?”
    She held a bowl of porridge so that he could see the food he was missing. She imagined his belly clenching in hunger. Berries were no meal for a growing boy. Besides, he’d eaten their meager hoard hours before. At last, Crestman nodded. She set the bowl on the floor as she loosened his gag.
    â€œLet me go!” he whispered as soon as he had worked spit back into his mouth.
    â€œI can’t do that, boy.”
    â€œThey’ll kill me!”
    â€œAnd King Sin Hazar will kill us all, when you lead him here. Kill us or steal my boys for the Little Army.” Shea kept her voice quiet, fighting for reason as if she were an owl.
    â€œI won’t lead him