“Have you brought me five thousand carisle?”
“We do not have it, milord. Instead, I have come to offer you half our crops for the season. We have two hundred acres growing nicely; they should yield fifty thousand carisle at harvest.”
The duke snorted. “You have so much, yet your mother failed to pay.”
It was so much at one time, but the price of crops had gone down, the costs of running the manor had gone up, we didn’t have the workers we once did, and our generous profit had shrunk considerably. Taxes and the Ghoul War had taken their toll on everyone in Tempest.
“We still haven’t recovered from the Ghoul War and the loss of my father, milord.”And your ridiculous, out-of-control taxes.But those words were a sure way to get me in trouble.
The king sighed. “Yes, those atrocious ghouls. Dreadful creatures, all of them. They’re one of the many reasons why I closed off Tempest. It is the best way to protect you all from such monsters.”
The sickeningly sweet way he said this made my mouth twitch toward a sneer. I bit my tongue against calling bullshit; that’s not why he did it at all.
I yearned to tell him how awful he was, how little I thought of him, and exactly what his decision toprotectus had done for the amsirah. Iloathedthis man almost as much as the duke.
Instead of telling him where to shove his good intentions, I said, “It was a wise choice, milord.”
The words were bitter on my tongue, and I questioned if I sounded as disgusted by them as I felt. I must not have, as the king continued speaking like everything was fine.
“So, you’re willing to give me one hundred acres worth of crops in exchange for your mother; what do you think, Veni? Should I take the deal?”
My teeth ground together, and my stomach rumbled loudly enough for them to hear, something the duke proved by smirking at me. I had no doubt this man was why I sat on that bench for three days.
“If they can offer so much, why not take more?” the duke inquired.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE
Ellery
“One hundred acresis worth at least fifty thousand carisle,” I said as I tried to control my rising panic. “That’stentimeswhat you’ve asked in exchange for my mother.”
Ryker had promised to get us through this, but there wasnoway I could explain the manor staying afloat after this if we hadfewercrops to sell this year. We wouldn’t be able to feed ourselves.
“So it is,” the king remarked. “But there is also a fine for failure to pay taxes, and of course, interest on the penalty.”
I gulped. “I was told five thousand carisle, milord.”
“But you do not have five thousand carisle; you have crops.”
My heart slammed against my ribs as more sweat broke out on my forehead, my blood pressure soared, and hunger ate at my insides. For an awful couple of seconds, I feared I might pass out as my vision blurred and a strange hum sounded in my ears.
Then, thankfully, the moment passed, and I managed to stay on my feet as my knees wobbled. I wouldn’t have been prepared for this, even if I was well fed and rested; as it was, I could barely think past my exhaustion and starvation.
I hadn’t taken care of myself since the guards took my mother. Those three days on the bench had pushed me over the edge into what? I didn’t know, but I had to get out of here before I said or did something I regretted.
The duke bent and whispered something in King Ivan’s ear. The king laughed before shaking his head. “Oh, Veni, you do amuse me.”
When he turned toward me, the duke’s smile remained, but malice flashed through his eyes. He played the game well, but he despised the king.
“I’ll take half your crops, but I’ve also heard much about your horses. They say they are the finest in the land.”
It took more time than it should have to respond. “They are, milord.”
“I’ll have the first choice of three of the foals born this year.”
I didn’t want to argue with the man, but there was a problem… “First choice has already been sold off, milord.”
“Then you will have to refund their money.Iwill have first pick of three of your foals.”
