Page 26 of Ogres Don't Play

I gave her a skeptical look. “And Arrook’s really putting all this effort into your musical education?”

“Some. Politics also.”

“Politics can only explain so much.”

“Not look gift in mouth.” She said it so seriously.

I patted her arm. “It’s don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. But there’s also, ‘beware Trojan horses.’”

“Trojan?” Her brows came down in an ominous scowl.

“Yes. Arrook clearly has things that he isn’t explaining to me. Still, that’s to be expected. So, Lanise, tell me, what delicacies would a nice ogre like the one I was talking to like to eat?”

“Nice?” She blinked at me while I opened the door and walked in.

She had to duck to get into the small room, and then she dwarfed it. I went to the harp, the largest basic harp we had in the place, and gestured her over in front of it. She came, still frowning at me.

She sat on the floor and then reached up, and her thick fingers went over the strings, almost like they knew what they were doing.

I immediately forgot all about ogre recipes, because this was potential right here, and the scent of musical potential was the headiest thing in the world. She really was interested in music, but probably not singing, because when I had her hum a line, she squeaked, like she was nervous about it.

“It’s okay, Lanise. You can sing,” I said, encouragingly.

She shook her head and focused back down on the harp. “Not sing. Play.”

“Yes, your playing isn’t bad, but your voice is your greatest tool when learning music magic. You must learn music magic, or you can’t tune the lamps. Come on. Let’s go tuning.”

I grabbed her hand and started out the door, almost running into Tiago who had apparently been lurking.

“Ah, the young ogre has been playing well,” he said, giving her a slight smile while his eyes twinkled. “Perhaps I could have a word with you, Music Master.”

I sighed heavily, because while I’d been listening to Lanise, and giving her some productive feedback, my mind had been going a hundred miles a minute in another direction. More like two directions. Three if you want to get technical. One, goblins. Two, the Jubilee. Three, Rook the Luthier who needed to explain things to me, like why he was willing to pay for ogres to do extremely expensive stonework on my music hall. “Sure. Lanise, go to the kitchen and get something to eat. Also, get me something to eat if you don’t mind. We’ll meet at the back doors.” Getting rid of her was an essential element in my life, butat the same time, she really did play well, and have some kind of trauma around singing that I’d help her break through. Rook had sent her to me for that, and with the price of stone work he was doing, I definitely wouldn’t fail. I would also find out why he was paying such a high price for such a small thing. I’d take someone who could actually play for free. No, I’d pay them. Mostly in catering day, but also in room and board. Mostly just room.

Lanise hesitated, studying me like she was suspicious of my motives before glancing back at the grand hall where you could hear the tap tap of chisels and hammers before she headed towards the kitchen, which should be fairly well stocked the day after catering day. It’s like she trusted the other ogres to keep me from getting murdered by goblins while she was away.

“Tiago, you had something to say?” I asked.

“Are you serious about getting involved in the Mayor’s hopelessly optimistic jubilee? I’m concerned about you and the hall after Cutter’s unfortunate demise. Should the music guild come here in force to shut it down, I’m not sure what you could do. All these stone workers, are they working for the fee that the music guild will receive when they sell the building? It’s prime real estate and will go for a pretty penny.”

I snarled at him. “No one is selling my music hall.”

He cocked his head, and I felt bad for snapping at him.

“Sorry, Tiago. I think that the Jubilee is an opportunity to establish the music hall so absolutely that no one can possibly think of doing away with it.”

“Ah. I see the mayor isn’t the only hopeless optimist in the city. Mirabel, you are extraordinarily talented. If you wished to tour, you could make it very well amidst the highest echelons of society.”

Of course I could, for five minutes before my dad heard about me and dragged me home. “But that wouldn’t be makinga difference. Here, music is more than art, it’s streets that don’t collapse into Song. It’s woven into the very fibers of this city, and it echoes with every in-tune street lamp. The music and the city are worth saving.” These were also very noble reasons, and I’d practiced that speech several times for the time I had to face my dad and argue for the worthiness of my cause. My dad was really big about holy causes. Almost like he was the Commander of HOSTS or something.

“And if you’re thrown out of the music hall?”

“Then I’ll make my own!” I crossed my arms while he slowly smiled.

“The music guild could use some competition. Of course, they would probably prosecute and imprison you first. They have connections with all the major guilds.”

I ran a hand through my hair, tangling my fingers. If things got that far, if my dad stepped in, I wouldn’t be worried about imprisonment by anyone else. “Sure. We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it. For now, I need to do a big announcement in Song about the Jubilee.”

His brow furrowed. “So recently after Cutter’s…”

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