I stood at the railing of the balcony, looking out over my favorite view. Ostrogotho stretched out beneath me, the repairs mostly completed, the cluster of suns overhead shining down on the black stone city. New rock had just arrived from the mines at Bilhaeder. I'd had a brief conversation with Questorin, the new supervisor of the mining operation there. He seemed to be taking his responsibilities very seriously, a fact that made me both happy and almost giggly.

"It was the ...