A Clash of Magics by Guy Antibes (read this if txt) 📕

are quite a few people who, if given the chance to be naughty, will choose the darker path. Dryden pities them,” Brother Yvan said.

Reena laughed. “Selara isn’t quite so tolerant,” she said. “She seeks out a beneficial equilibrium.”

Brother Yvan’s eyes lit up. “I sense an ecclesiastical discussion coming on,” he said with a smile. “I haven’t heard of the concept of beneficial equilibrium. I am familiar with Dryden’s justice. Is it similar?”

“Similar, but not quite the same. Good people work toward a solution where both parties are pleased with the results. That should be the case in every phase of life, from a parent-child relationship to merchants selling goods to their customers.”

“And should it apply to rulers?” Lissa asked.

“Especially rulers. Focuses are perpetually counseling Jarkanese kings and queens to exercise beneficial equilibrium. I think that King Turgul will do a better job of ruling by that philosophy than my queen did.”

“So easy to violate,” Brother Yvan said. He looked back at Trevor, riding with Lissa behind him. “Your father?”

“Naughty on a darker path, definitely,” Trevor said. “It isn’t a hard concept. That was what I was taught by Brother Yvan. Dryden would prefer you to do good in the world. I suppose the equilibrium part includes the gratitude of those you do good to.”

“It does,” Reena said. “Follow the principle and you’ll make a wonderful duke. Removing the stocks in Parkintown is an act that helped maintain beneficial equilibrium. You have to approach the concept realizing that it is a dynamic state, both in a social sense among others and in a personal sense in how you deal with ethical problems.”

“So I can exercise beneficial equilibrium among my family and not adhere to the concept as a constable who is in league with Northern Road robbers?” Lissa asked.

Reena smiled and nodded. “Yes, you could do just that.”

“Something to think about,” Brother Yvan said.

Trevor laughed. “You’ve told me much the same thing without labeling it a specific concept,” he said.

Brother Yvan rubbed his chin. “I suppose I have.” He gave Reena a playful look. “I’m glad we share the same outlook, my dear.”

Reena narrowed her eyes at the cleric. “On that point, anyway.”

Chapter Four

~

O nce off the Northern Road, the land turned mostly flat. The fields were tilled or filled with grazing animals. This was the heart of Okora’s agricultural prowess. Trevor was impressed. Not that much farther south, the land wasn’t as uniformly under cultivation. On the road between Listenwell and Jarkan, there were stretches of woods and unused terrain.

The towns that supported caravans of goods moving east to Grilla, Viksar, and Presidon were farther apart, but it seemed the group rode through villages every hour or two.

They stayed at a larger village claiming to be a half day away from Tiralina. Either Trevor’s map was drawn incorrectly or the claim wasn’t accurate. Lissa and he walked the streets in the late afternoon and passed a village marshal’s office. Trevor led Lissa through the door and asked to speak to the marshal. Once they were ushered into a tiny office, Trevor told the marshal about the robbers on the Northern Road and colluding constables.

“What can we do to help stop them?” Trevor said.

The marshal shrugged. “It looks like you’ve done about all you can do in the town. If you want more help, I’d see the Minister of Internal Affairs in Tiralina. Although the local towns and villages run their own enforcement offices, they are under the loose direction of Internal Affairs. I wouldn’t expect much in the way of help, but you can tell your story to her. There isn’t that much robbery between the Northern Road and Tiralina. Our criminals find easier venues to commit crimes. Tiralina isn’t the most secure city you will visit,” the marshal said.

“We need to be careful in the capital?”

“If you are there for a day or two, I suppose you can come away unscathed. Spend more time and the scam vultures will descend.”

“Scam vultures?”

“People who have taken misrepresentation of the truth to a high art.”

Trevor smiled. “I ran into a scam vulture in Bassington.”

“They exist everywhere, but Tiralina has more than its fair share.” Another marshal put their head through the open door.

“Fight at the Horn,” the interrupter said.

“If you will excuse me,” the marshal said, getting out of his seat. “Good luck.”

Trevor and Lissa exited the office and proceeded down the street. “Not as serene as I thought,” Lissa said, strolling down the wooden sidewalks, looking at the passersby.

“Parkintown wasn’t any different,” Trevor said. “I suppose it takes a lot of energy to reach the beneficial equilibrium that Reena talked about.”

“Effort to get there and effort to stay,” Lissa said.

They walked toward a market. Most of the stalls were closed, but there were plenty of food stalls open for Trevor to taste some of the local delicacies. It seemed that Okorans liked a lot of their food fried in oil. With all the livestock, Trevor guessed it was easier to get rendered fat than it was in most places.

The array of different foods battered and fried astounded both of them. They didn’t overeat, but neither of them ate with appetite at dinner.

“The marshal said that we could visit the Minister of Internal Affairs,” Trevor said.

Brother Yvan nodded. “I think we will visit the Okoran seer to get an invitation. You are doing the right thing spreading our story around. I would guess that most of those traveling with Oliva and Bartell never made it off the Northern Road.”

Trevor nodded. “Tomorrow, we will visit Tiralina, and then we can head to Jiksara.”

“I’m all for that. I miss my daddy,” Lissa said with a grin.

Trevor learned that the map was more accurate than the innkeeper. They plodded into Tiralina just before the