Free The Dead God's Due (The Eye of the Lion Saga Book 1) by Matt Gilbert

richly appointed, though not so well as the rest of the
house. It was a simple truth that form followed function, and slave
areas were necessarily functional. After a few twists and turns,
they came to a cistern room. Slat heaved the cistern cover aside and
snatched a bucket from the floor. Aiul did likewise, provoking a
harsh glare of disapproval from the Chief Slave. “Have I
taught you nothing? It is inappropriate.”
    “Shall we let Amrath’s
Library burn over such foolishness? Come!”
    Slat answered with a resigned
nod. Together, they rushed back to the library, water sloshing from
their pails, Slat muttering about the mess they were making. Aiul
tried the door, and cursed to find it locked. “Open the door!”
he shouted. “We have water!”
    “All is well,”
Maranath called out. Someone turned the handle from the other side,
and the doors opened to reveal Ariano, Maranath, and Narelki all
gathered around the fireplace. Aiul did a double take and looked
behind the door in shock, but there was no one there.
    “What…” he
began, but the words died in his throat. He had imagined it, of
course. Too much stress was causing his mind to play tricks on him.
The door must never have been locked at all. Yes,
it’s safer to believe that, because the only other rational
explanation is unthinkable .
    “Maranath stomped the
coals out like roaches,” Ariano said, beaming once again.
    “I’ll have it
cleaned at once, Mistress,” Slat promised, but Narelki held up
a hand.
    “Later. I must speak with
my son now. You are dismissed.”
    Slat nodded and left the room,
closing the doors behind him. Aiul stared at the handle briefly,
then pushed his thoughts aside. It was just a moment of confusion,
he assured himself.
    Narelki rose and cleared her
throat. “Well, that was exciting.” She looked at the
statue of Amrath and smiled. “Perhaps it was Great Father’s
way of forcing a break and letting us cool our heads, hmm?”
    “I suppose,” Aiul
said with a nod. “But cooler head or no, I am still resolved
on my choice of wife.”
    Narelki nodded and pursed her
lips. “I suspected such. But I have reconsidered. I will not
forbid you, and I will not make my disapproval known.” She
held up a finger of caution. “But, I will not assist you in
this madness, either. If you will go against my counsel, then you
will do it on your own. You have money and property a plenty. You
can afford a splendid home. But I will not speak for you on the
Cradle. That is asking too much of me.”
    Aiul clenched his teeth, biting
back his anger, and nodded. It was better than the alternative, to
be certain. “Very well, Mother.”
    “Oh, my,” Ariano
said. “This was too much excitement for one my age! I am
suddenly very tired.”
    “Of course you are,”
Narelki said, her tone sullen and almost insulting, but Ariano
seemed not to notice.
    “Aiul, would you be so
kind as to walk me home?” Ariano asked. “Maranath lives
in the opposite direction, and his legs pain him so. I couldn’t
ask him to walk so far just for my sake.”
    Maranath chuckled. “Aye.
I’ll be lucky to make my own trip without falling.”
    Aiul smiled at Maranath's
wordplay a moment, then turned to Narelki. “Mother, would you
have any other words with me before I go?”
    Narelki shook her head, seeming
very tired herself. “We’ve had enough words today, I
think.”
    “Then I bid you good
night, and you as well, Maranath. Thank you for coming, and forgive
us for airing our private matters in front of you.”
    “Think nothing of it,”
Maranath said with a smile. “I have seen far worse. Life is
full of such things. You learn to embrace even the rough spots as
time passes.”
    Aiul offered his arm to Ariano.
She reached for him gingerly and slowly pulled herself to her feet.
“Oh, it’s been quite some time since I walked arm in arm
with such a handsome young man!”
    It was a fairly short walk to
Ariano’s home, and Aiul’s escorting her was