Page 322 of Of Empires and Dust

Kira’s uncle, Alrick, and her three cousins stood with Erani, as well as half a score of warriors from the various kingdoms.

“Are the sack and bindings necessary?” Kira asked, allowing the axe to hang by her side, ensuring her arm regained its familiarity with the weapon’s weight.

“Well, he bit me, so yes.” Erani pulled back her sleeve to show teeth marks in her forearm. “He wasn’t gentle either.”

“Remove the sack,” Kira said, shaking her head.

Erani shrugged and pulled the black sack from the seated dwarf’s head to reveal a knotted length of rope shoved into his mouth and tied tightly around the back of his head. Rikber Lars’s eyes grew wide as soon as he saw Kira, and he tugged against his bonds. The dwarf’s skin was time-touched, his beard thick and grey with no rings, his head bald as polished stone.

“Remove the rope, Erani.”

“Let him bite you,” she said as she pulled a knife from her belt and slid it between the rope and the back of Rikber’s head. “See how you feel then.”

She slit the rope, and the dwarf gasped for air, lurching in the chair.

Kira leaned forwards and pressed her left hand into the tabletop, the axe in her right clinking against the stone. “Rikber Lars, is it?”

The dwarf heaved in a breath. “Queen Kira…” He stared at her for a few moments, as though taking in a ghost. “I had heard tale that you were chained in Volkur’s dungeons – or dead.”

“As you can see, I am neither. Does that make you happy or sad?”

“Makes me curious.” If Rikber held any fear at being captured, he did not show it.

“I’ve had you brought here because I’ve been told you are a scholar of Hafaesir.”

“One of many, Your Majesty. If I may be so bold, why me in particular?”

Kira smiled. “What is your loyalty to King Hoffnar?”

“He is my king, Your Majesty.”

Kira raised an eyebrow, and Rikber returned her smile.

“I do not know him, and from what I do know, I care little. Though I also do not know you. But I am a quick learner.” He leaned his head back to look at the bonds that held his hands, then stared up at Erani and Alrick. “Did you attack me in my home and place a sack over my head because you thought I had some kind of blind loyalty to a king I’ve never met who suddenly proclaims himself ruler of all Lodhar?” In the brief silence that followed, Rikber shook his head and sighed. “Youth is wasted on the young.”

“You bit me,” Erani snapped.

“And I’ll bite you again if you put your hands on me without warning. My only loyalty is to Hafaesir and to knowledge. Now, if you can please untie my hands, my fingers have been tingling for quite some time now.” When Erani didn’t move, Rikber looked to Kira. “I have seen over a hundred cycles. My right hip is as fragile as the skin on this one’s hand,” he said, nodding at Kira’s sister. “And the only time I’m holding anything sharp is when I’m trying to open a letter. Even if I wanted your blood, I’d have trouble enough just climbing over this table.”

Rikber leaned forwards and stretched his arms out.

Kira nodded to Erani, and her sister sighed before cutting the dwarf’s bonds.

“Better?” Kira asked.

“Much.” Rikber rubbed the red friction marks on his wrists. “Hoffnar wishes to lead us to the outer world, to have us claim lands beneath the sun’s light.” He let out a long, disgruntled sigh. “We are dwarves. Our ancestors were carved from the mountains, forged by Hafaesir. This is our home. Why would we leave it? To become like the other races? I think not. There is beauty and mystery enough beneath the rock of Lodhar. Hoffnar’s preachings do not stir me. Now, what need have you for a scholar of Hafaesir?”

Kira glanced at Vikmar, who nodded and commanded two of the Queensguard to close and lock the main door while he drew the hastily erected curtains across the old, open window.

“Well,” Rikber said, pressing his open palms against the table, “now I’m certainly intrigued.”

“What would you say if I told you we had found the lost city of Vindakur?”

“I would say you were lying through your teeth.”

“And what if we had excavated a mostly intact Portal Heart within the city limits?”

“I would say that Efialtír has touched your mind. And I would ask when we are leaving.”

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