Realm Of Blood And Fire (Book 3) by Dionne Lister Page B
Authors: Dionne Lister
could never afford the meat, she spent the rest of her money on potatoes and rice—at least it would go further , and rice would last.
She strode swiftly uphill, all the way back to the castle, replaying the scene with the fruit vendor over and over in her head. By the time she reached the courtyard, her cheeks were flushed and her teeth clamped together. Edmund, who was walking out to find Perculus, approached his wife but stopped short when he saw her face. “I don’t know if it’s wise, but I’m going to ask anyway—what happened?”
She snorted out an angry breath. “You should see what they’re charging for food down there, and they’re using the war as an excuse. How dare they! At this rate, our people will be starving before this war even starts.” She placed the hessian bags of potatoes and rice on the ground and lifted the basket that contained the berries up to Edmund’s face. He leaned his head back to avoid being hit. “These cost one silver piece! One silver piece! Our people are being robbed by their own countrymen. I’ve never seen anything like it.” She lowered the basket. “I would like you to make it stop, please.”
Edmund looked around the courtyard, futilely searching for an excuse to walk away. When Gabrielle wanted her way, she usually got it. “That does sound a tad high, but I have more urgent things I need to attend to. And I hate to say it, but I can’t tell vendors what to charge—it’s a free market.”
“But they’re robbing them blind.”
“Well, if they can sell their produce and people are paying, then there’s nothing I can do.” He shrugged.
Gabrielle shook her head. “I’m disappointed in you, Edmund Victor Laraulen.”
The use of his full name caused him to wince. Things were going to get ugly . Unless he could get her to see sense, he’d be down at the bottom of the city by this afternoon, wasting time with vendors instead of dealing with more pressing matters.
Straightening his shoulders, he looked his wife in the eyes. “My queen, I cannot go down there. Firstly, I have to find Perculus. He has the lists of provisions and weapons, and I have to know exactly what we have so we know where we stand when the gormons get here. Secondly, if I go and interfere with what’s going on down there, I’ll have rebellion on my hands. We’ve had strikes before, and you know how stubborn those farmers can be. They could turn around and go home, and then we would all starve. Please, Gabrielle, understand why I can’t do anything right now. If we survive this war, I’ll bring in some measures to stop this happening again, but right now, we have to let it go.” He had moved closer to her and was caressing her arm.
She looked at his chest, too angry to look into his eyes. “I’m not happy, but if you promise to change things after the war. . . .”
“Yes, of course. I promise.” He pulled her to him and leaned his cheek on her jasmine-scented hair. “Sorry, my love, but I have to go. Gods know where in the Third Realm Perculus is.”
Gabrielle finally looked up at him. “Better to find him now than have to share a meal with him later.” She smiled. He returned her smile and continued on his way out of the courtyard. He would start with the soldier’s quarters.
***
Hermas followed Perculus as he turned right down an alleyway between rows of two-story terraces, halfway down the hill from the castle. Hermas tried to look as old as he could and leaned on his walking stick, pretending to need a rest, and snatched a look down the narrow lane, careful his quarry didn’t see him.
When Perculus reached the end of the alleyway, he turned left. Losing his semblance of age, Hermas jogged down the passageway, ducking his head around the next corner in time to see Perculus enter the gate of a well-cared-for terrace on a tree-lined street. What is that scoundrel up to? Hermas wondered. He had been following Perculus for the last couple of weeks, from one
She strode swiftly uphill, all the way back to the castle, replaying the scene with the fruit vendor over and over in her head. By the time she reached the courtyard, her cheeks were flushed and her teeth clamped together. Edmund, who was walking out to find Perculus, approached his wife but stopped short when he saw her face. “I don’t know if it’s wise, but I’m going to ask anyway—what happened?”
She snorted out an angry breath. “You should see what they’re charging for food down there, and they’re using the war as an excuse. How dare they! At this rate, our people will be starving before this war even starts.” She placed the hessian bags of potatoes and rice on the ground and lifted the basket that contained the berries up to Edmund’s face. He leaned his head back to avoid being hit. “These cost one silver piece! One silver piece! Our people are being robbed by their own countrymen. I’ve never seen anything like it.” She lowered the basket. “I would like you to make it stop, please.”
Edmund looked around the courtyard, futilely searching for an excuse to walk away. When Gabrielle wanted her way, she usually got it. “That does sound a tad high, but I have more urgent things I need to attend to. And I hate to say it, but I can’t tell vendors what to charge—it’s a free market.”
“But they’re robbing them blind.”
“Well, if they can sell their produce and people are paying, then there’s nothing I can do.” He shrugged.
Gabrielle shook her head. “I’m disappointed in you, Edmund Victor Laraulen.”
The use of his full name caused him to wince. Things were going to get ugly . Unless he could get her to see sense, he’d be down at the bottom of the city by this afternoon, wasting time with vendors instead of dealing with more pressing matters.
Straightening his shoulders, he looked his wife in the eyes. “My queen, I cannot go down there. Firstly, I have to find Perculus. He has the lists of provisions and weapons, and I have to know exactly what we have so we know where we stand when the gormons get here. Secondly, if I go and interfere with what’s going on down there, I’ll have rebellion on my hands. We’ve had strikes before, and you know how stubborn those farmers can be. They could turn around and go home, and then we would all starve. Please, Gabrielle, understand why I can’t do anything right now. If we survive this war, I’ll bring in some measures to stop this happening again, but right now, we have to let it go.” He had moved closer to her and was caressing her arm.
She looked at his chest, too angry to look into his eyes. “I’m not happy, but if you promise to change things after the war. . . .”
“Yes, of course. I promise.” He pulled her to him and leaned his cheek on her jasmine-scented hair. “Sorry, my love, but I have to go. Gods know where in the Third Realm Perculus is.”
Gabrielle finally looked up at him. “Better to find him now than have to share a meal with him later.” She smiled. He returned her smile and continued on his way out of the courtyard. He would start with the soldier’s quarters.
***
Hermas followed Perculus as he turned right down an alleyway between rows of two-story terraces, halfway down the hill from the castle. Hermas tried to look as old as he could and leaned on his walking stick, pretending to need a rest, and snatched a look down the narrow lane, careful his quarry didn’t see him.
When Perculus reached the end of the alleyway, he turned left. Losing his semblance of age, Hermas jogged down the passageway, ducking his head around the next corner in time to see Perculus enter the gate of a well-cared-for terrace on a tree-lined street. What is that scoundrel up to? Hermas wondered. He had been following Perculus for the last couple of weeks, from one