Chapter 42

Caedmon's face darkened, appearing to absorb the heat of the surrounding lanterns.

"Listen closely to what I'm about to tell you, and never forget it. Those of House Silverkin place value on strength and ability above all else. It was my father's hope to sire many male heirs, and to charge them with overseeing his lands in place of the previous lords, my uncles with whom he had strained relations. He did just that, only, my mother passed away during childbirth, and the last child that she bore was your mother. Since Father is a devout follower of the faith, he had sworn himself to a single woman, as I have, and thus couldn't remarry.

"He…wasn't pleased about the situation, and things only became worse when he learned that Laisha's talents in the arcane were limited to the healing arts. He was more upset about this than losing my mother, just as he'd been when he learned that I preferred fine arts over the study of battle magics and swordplay."