He opened his mouth. His jaw and lower lip quivered, just as they had when he was a small child and was about to bellow forth his discontent. Then he shut his mouth with a snap. Without a word he rose from the table and turned away from it.

“We are not finished here!” Jani Khuprus warned him.

“I am.”

“No. You are not. Come back to this table and tell us what you have learned from the parchments so far. I demand it.”

He turned back to them. His eyes had gone cold and dark. “You demand it? This is what I demand, then. Make it worth my while. If you will not give me the dragon, then give me some of your precious money, Mother. Because one way or another, I will help my beloved. I will not go to the Bingtown Ball, take her hand, dance with her and then leave her as beggared of hope and coin as when I arrived there. I won't.”

It was Bendir's turn to be outraged. “When did you stop being a member of this family? Must we bribe you to do your family duty? Should we pay you for giving back a measure of what you have taken? I will be damned first!”

“Then be damned!” Reyn replied coldly.

“Reyn.” Jani tried to keep her voice reasonable. “Speak plainly. Exactly what do you ask of us? What would we have to offer you to have you surrender this dragon dream of yours ?”

“Mother, I refuse-”

“Hush, Bendir. Hear what he asks before you say no.” She prayed she had not given too broad a hint of her plan. Reyn had to believe he walked into this of his own will. “What are you asking for, son?”

Reyn licked his dry lips. He looked furtive and cornered, now that he finally had to speak the words aloud. He cleared his throat. “First. Forgive the Vestrits' debt for the liveship. It's but a formality anyway. It was openly acknowledged that that would be my bridal gift to Malta. Give it now, while it is needed most. Don't let her believe that we would continue to wring coins from her family when they are sorely beset. Don't make her fear,” and his voice went hoarse, “don't make her fear that for the sake of coin, she must come to wed me, whether she would or not. I don't want her that way. I don't want her to fear that we will invoke the blood agreement.”

“She would come to love you in time, Reyn. Don't doubt that. Many a bride who has come to the Rain Wilds reluctantly has soon learned to love-”

“I don't want her that way,” Reyn repeated stubbornly.

“Then we won't invoke that part of the contract,” his mother assured him.

“Fine, it's done. We'll just throw the contract away. Now. What did you learn from the parchments?” Bendir spoke brusquely, his voice thick with fury.

“There's more,” Reyn said implacably.

“Oh, what else can there be? Do you wish to be Satrap of the Rain Wilds?” Bendir demanded sarcastically.

“No. Only ruler of my own life. I want to be able to go and see her whenever I wish, until we are wed and she comes here. I want an allowance issued to me, money I can spend without accountability to anyone. In short, I want you to treat me as if I were a man. You had a purse of your own when you were younger than I am now.”

“Only because I also had a wife! When you are wed, you will have your income. Right now, you don't need it. I have never been stingy with you. Mother has always indulged you far above the rest of us. The more we give, the more you ask!”

“You may have that, also,” Jani broke in relentlessly.

Bendir's face went from incredulous to furious. He threw up his hands. “Why am I here at all?” he asked rhetorically. “It seems I have no say in anything!”

"You are here to witness your brother giving his word to me. Reyn.

This is what we have asked of you: that you will give up the dragon dream, and not visit the log anymore. You will no longer claim a say in what becomes of the log. You will do your duty to your family, employing your skills as we ask. You will not enter the city, save with the approval of your brother and me, and then only for work we sanction. In return, we will void the contract for the liveship Vivacia, issue you a man's independent allowance and allow you to visit your beloved as you wish. Do you agree to this?"

She had phrased it formally. She watched her son consider it as she had taught him, going over each phrase, committing to memory the terms of the agreement. He looked from her to his brother. His breath began to come faster. He rubbed his temples, as if he waged some internal battle with himself. The terms of the contract were steep, for both sides. She was offering much to gain much. He was taking too long to reply. He would refuse. Then, “Yes. I agree.” He spoke hastily, as if his words hurt him.