Page 20 of The Serpent King

“What?”

“She said someday I’d learn that I’m no better than my name.”

“Well, she’s wrong. And we’ll talk about that and some other stuff when we get a chance.”

They went their separate ways. As Dill hurried to class, he caught a whiff of some astringent industrial cleaning chemical.

Suddenly he’s twelve years old, helping his father clean their church on Saturday morning so that it sparkles before Saturday evening worship. He’s finished feeding the snakes in their wooden crates, and now he’s scrubbing one of the pews when his father looks at him and smiles and tells him that God is happy with him and that by the sweat of his face shall he eat his bread. And Dill’s heart sings because he feels that he’s pleased his father and God.

Times are simpler when no one hates you because of your name and it doesn’t occur to you to be ashamed of it.

Raynar Northbrook’s day’s labors were almost at an end. As Lord of Northhome, he didn’t need to soil his hands with work. He did it because he loved the sweet, spicy smell of cut wood and the rich, earthy smell of damp soil. A man’s work kept the back and arm strong for war. And he would need every ounce of strength in the coming days…

“Travis!” his father shouted over the din of the saw. Travis glanced up. His father tapped his watch and made a circular motion with his finger pointed in the air. “Quitting time! Wrap it up.”

Travis finished his task and switched off the saw. He’d only been working a few hours. He was on work release from school, so he got to leave early. He checked his phone. Two messages from Amelia. He felt a pulse of excitement.

How was your first day of school?

Oops forgot you’re at work now huh.

Travis hurried to text her back.

Yeah, at work. First day wasn’t bad. I was a little tired from how late we talked LOL. How was your day?

Hehe, tired too. Ugh every day of school sucks. I’d rather spend a month at the Siege of King’s Port than one day at my stupid school.

But remember at the Siege of King’s Port they had to eat rats and boiled leather until King Targhaer’s brother broke the siege. I love food, Travis replied.

Hehe, true, me too. Maybe too much, which is one of the things I get crap for at school.

Don’t listen to those people. I bet you look great. Travis blushed as he typed. He almost didn’t hit “send.” But he did.

He stood there for a couple of minutes waiting for a response. His heart sank deeper with every moment that none came. He knew he shouldn’t have hit “send.” He put his phone in his pocket and started to walk toward the office. His phone buzzed. He almost dropped it removing it from his pocket. Amelia had sent a picture of herself, taken at a sharp angle and heavily filtered. She had dyed bright-red hair, large gray eyes with dramatic eye makeup, and a soulful pout on her round face. She held a piece of paper that said “Hi, Travis.”

I was right, Travis typed, his pulse pounding. He went through his photos and found the best one that Lydia had taken of him with his staff. He texted it to Amelia with the message Here’s me. Sorry, didn’t have anything to write on.

What a great picture. Nice staff! If we ever hang out, you have to bring it.

LOL, my friends hate it when I bring my staff places. Ok! Gotta go, my dad’s waiting for me.

See you on the forums tonight?

Yep.

Bye bye!

Bye!

Travis pumped his fist, mopped the sweat from his forehead, and walked to the office, where his father and Lamar were sitting in the cool of the air conditioning, shooting the breeze, dipping snuff, and spitting in empty Diet Coke cans.

Lamar tossed Travis a cold Coke. “Got yourself a hot date tonight, boy?”

“No sir. Hanging out with my friends tonight and doing some homework,” Travis said, enjoying the feeling that he may have been lying a bit. Or at least only telling half the truth.

“You realize you said ‘Travis’ and ‘date’ in the same sentence, Lamar? Don’t you know him at all?” Travis’s father said.

As if you know me at all.