A House Divided (Astoran Asunder, book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Nicole Ciacchella
Moiria's standards for her son, but a union between Cianne and Lach would bring undeniable connections to the family, what with Daerwyn's being on track to become an Elder. Such a union might dilute the bloodlines, but Moiria placed so much stock in her son's Adept abilities that she was confident the strength of Lach's blood would offset the weakness of Cianne's. From time to time, even two non-Adepts could produce an Adept child, so surely even Cianne's polluted blood couldn't diminish the strength of Lach's line. Besides, Daerwyn was such a useful man, and such a dear friend of Moiria's.
Cianne knew all this because she'd read all of Moiria's diaries and correspondence. Twice. She wondered if Lach had the first idea about the true substance of his mother's character.
"Yes, the dinner party at Elder Borean's manor," Daerwyn said with obvious relish. He'd worked hard to ingratiate himself with Borean, and his efforts had paid off richly.
"I was thinking of wearing my yellow gown. Elder Borean complimented me on it the last time I wore it."
"A good choice," her father said with an approving nod. He and Cianne butted heads with regular frequency, but she was careful not to do anything that threatened his grasp on power. Daughter or no, Daerwyn wouldn't stand for Cianne's disrupting his grand plans.
"I'm glad you think so, Father," she said, hoping her deference and sly change of topic would be enough to make him forget about Lach. They weren't.
"You're twenty-two, Cianne," he said, as if imparting some knowledge on her that she herself was lacking. He surveyed her over the rim of his goblet. "You will need to announce your intent soon."
"Father, you know of my fears," she said in a quiet voice. She lowered her eyes and blinked several times, wanting him to think her on the verge of tears.
Lately, she'd had the sense that her marriage to Lach played into some plan her father was hatching, but she hadn't been able to uncover the nature of the plan, and that disturbed her. Daerwyn was a circumspect man who kept nothing untoward in their home. Cianne had searched time and again to no avail. This struck her as odd. Experience had taught her that no one was as clean as her father. Everyone had their secrets. Wasn't she living proof?
Could her father be moving to seize power from the Elders? No matter how much she tried to push the thought aside, it continued to assert itself in her mind. She tried to tell herself that it was ridiculous, that Daerwyn had spent his life doing everything the House asked of him for the express purpose of protecting the House, but she couldn't force the suspicions from her mind. Something strange was going on.
"While it's noble of you to worry about the dilution of his line," her father said, his annoyance ill-concealed, "I counsel you not to give your fears too much sway. Think, Cianne, of the advantages to yourself. If you were to marry Lach, you could embark on his voyages with him."
Yes, that temptation again. Her father was fond of dangling it in front of her, and the problem was that it worked. He knew full well that she would like nothing better than the chance to get out and see the world, but she had no means of doing so on her own. Only Adepts were permitted to crew House Staerleigh's vessels, and only House Staerleigh's vessels were large enough to ply the open seas. The House controlled all major sea trade routes in Astoran, while the Caravanists controlled all major overland routes.
Plenty of Astorans resented this arrangement, but they hadn't much of a leg to stand on. No one was outright forbidden from conducting their own trade, but the Houses' Adept abilities made their routes far more profitable and far safer. A few smaller companies in other cities stubbornly persisted, and some had achieved modest success, but they couldn't hope to match the prowess of their House counterparts. One of them might delight in hiring a defector from House Staerleigh, but Cianne would have to
Cianne knew all this because she'd read all of Moiria's diaries and correspondence. Twice. She wondered if Lach had the first idea about the true substance of his mother's character.
"Yes, the dinner party at Elder Borean's manor," Daerwyn said with obvious relish. He'd worked hard to ingratiate himself with Borean, and his efforts had paid off richly.
"I was thinking of wearing my yellow gown. Elder Borean complimented me on it the last time I wore it."
"A good choice," her father said with an approving nod. He and Cianne butted heads with regular frequency, but she was careful not to do anything that threatened his grasp on power. Daughter or no, Daerwyn wouldn't stand for Cianne's disrupting his grand plans.
"I'm glad you think so, Father," she said, hoping her deference and sly change of topic would be enough to make him forget about Lach. They weren't.
"You're twenty-two, Cianne," he said, as if imparting some knowledge on her that she herself was lacking. He surveyed her over the rim of his goblet. "You will need to announce your intent soon."
"Father, you know of my fears," she said in a quiet voice. She lowered her eyes and blinked several times, wanting him to think her on the verge of tears.
Lately, she'd had the sense that her marriage to Lach played into some plan her father was hatching, but she hadn't been able to uncover the nature of the plan, and that disturbed her. Daerwyn was a circumspect man who kept nothing untoward in their home. Cianne had searched time and again to no avail. This struck her as odd. Experience had taught her that no one was as clean as her father. Everyone had their secrets. Wasn't she living proof?
Could her father be moving to seize power from the Elders? No matter how much she tried to push the thought aside, it continued to assert itself in her mind. She tried to tell herself that it was ridiculous, that Daerwyn had spent his life doing everything the House asked of him for the express purpose of protecting the House, but she couldn't force the suspicions from her mind. Something strange was going on.
"While it's noble of you to worry about the dilution of his line," her father said, his annoyance ill-concealed, "I counsel you not to give your fears too much sway. Think, Cianne, of the advantages to yourself. If you were to marry Lach, you could embark on his voyages with him."
Yes, that temptation again. Her father was fond of dangling it in front of her, and the problem was that it worked. He knew full well that she would like nothing better than the chance to get out and see the world, but she had no means of doing so on her own. Only Adepts were permitted to crew House Staerleigh's vessels, and only House Staerleigh's vessels were large enough to ply the open seas. The House controlled all major sea trade routes in Astoran, while the Caravanists controlled all major overland routes.
Plenty of Astorans resented this arrangement, but they hadn't much of a leg to stand on. No one was outright forbidden from conducting their own trade, but the Houses' Adept abilities made their routes far more profitable and far safer. A few smaller companies in other cities stubbornly persisted, and some had achieved modest success, but they couldn't hope to match the prowess of their House counterparts. One of them might delight in hiring a defector from House Staerleigh, but Cianne would have to
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