The Shamer's War
Page 29
“It’s just… Carmian. I think she really likes Nico. Or did. Or—” It was confusing because Carmian didn’t know that Nico was alive. “She said she wanted to be castellaine and that it didn’t matter if he loved her or not. But I think it did matter. And now—” Now she was on her way to Dunark to rule the town and the castle that Nico didn’t want. Once, the Spinner had said that Carmian and I would do each other much harm and much good. But to let her think that Nico was dead, that was probably the worst thing I would ever do to her. Nico had said that it had to be that way, for Carmian’s sake as well as for Dunark’s, but it was hard.
“What will Nico do? When he is well again?”
“He wants to be a tutor. He wants to teach children to read and write and… and to trust in themselves, I think.”
“That is a fine profession.”
“Yes. I just wish he could… that he could have his fine profession a little closer to Baur Kensie.”
“He would never be safe here. Sooner or later he would be recognized. It is bad enough that so many people already know that he is alive. How long can a girl like Melli keep that secret, do you think?”
“Melli won’t tell.” Or at least, I thought she wouldn’t.
Tano looked at me for a long time.
“If you could,” he said, slowly and carefully, “when you are older, would you then go with him?”
I shook my head, and the slight movement made me feel the weight of the new clasp and the unusual tidiness of my hair.
“No. Not now,” I said.
Because even though you don’t want anyone to own you, it doesn’t mean that there is nowhere you belong.
DAVIN
The New Smith
The winter made it hard to get started on the new smithy. So far, Rikert and Tano had lived with Maudi and shared Master Maunus’s workshop, and this made Melli happy. She leaped into Rikert’s arms every time she saw him and clung to him so much that I didn’t understand how he could stand it. But apparently he could.
It was Rose who said it. I don’t know if she meant anything by it or not. I rarely know what Rose really means when she says things.
“Anyone would think she was his own,” she said. “Just look at them!”
Anyone would think she was his own. It made me think. I thought about it for several days, and in the end I went across to the workshop and was lucky enough to catch Rikert on his own.
“Rikert, what made you decide to come up here?”
He put down his hammer and wiped his forehead with a corner of his smith’s apron.
“You have to have someone,” he said. “Or things don’t make sense. Since Ellyn died, I’m no good on my own.”
“You’ve always been fond of Melli, haven’t you?” I said, fumbling my way. How did you ask something like that?
He smiled without thinking.
“Yes. Ellyn was too. Remember? And we never had children of our own, of course.”
“Rikert…”
He must have heard something in my voice.
“Did you talk to your mother?” he asked.
“No.”
“Maybe you should.”
“I’d rather talk to you.”
He sighed. “All right then, lad. If you have something to ask, ask it.”
“Are you Melli’s father?”
He didn’t answer right away. He sipped a bit of water from the barrel and then passed the ladle to me, all without speaking.
“Your mother wanted children,” he finally said. “And there weren’t all that many people she could ask.”
“But Ellyn…”
“The first time, that was before I met Ellyn. But with Melli, she knew. It was after we realized that she couldn’t herself.” He wiped his forehead once more. “She wasn’t like most women, Ellyn. She was generous. Never petty or mean about anything. And she knew that she was the one I wanted, right enough.”
The first time. But that meant—
He met my eyes just as the truth dawned on me. And nodded faintly.
“Yes. You too, boy. You too.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
An award-winning and highly acclaimed writer of fantasy, LENE KAABERBØL was born in 1960, grew up in the Danish countryside and had her first book published at the age of 15. Since then she has written more than 30 books for children and young adults. Lene’s huge international breakthrough came with The Shamer Chronicles, which have been published in more than 25 countries selling over a million copies worldwide.
TEEN AND YA FICTION FROM PUSHKIN PRESS
THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES
MARESI
NAONDEL
MARESI RED MANTLE
Maria Turtschaninoff
Translated by Annie Prime
‘Combines a flavour of The Handmaid’s Tale with bursts of excitement reminiscent of Harry Potter’s magic duels’
Observer
THE BEGINNING WOODS
Malcolm McNeill
‘I loved every word and was envious of quite a few… A modern classic – rich, funny and terrifying’
Eoin Colfer
THE RECKLESS SERIES
1. THE PETRIFIED FLESH
2. LIVING SHADOWS
3. THE GOLDEN YARN
Cornelia Funke
‘A wonderful storyteller’
Sunday Times
COPYRIGHT
Pushkin Press
71–75 Shelton Street
London WC2H 9JQ
Original text © 2003 by Lene Kaaberbøl
English translation © 2005 by Lene Kaaberbøl
The Shamer’s War was first published as Skammerkrigen in Copenhagen, by Forlaget Phabel in 2003
First published in English in 2005 by Hodder Children’s Books
First published by Pushkin Press in 2019
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ISBN 13: 978–1–78269–232–4
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from Pushkin Press
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