The Book of Forbidden Wisdom Read Online Free PDF

wouldn’t touch her, at least for now. He was after the one who had the most to lose.
    â€œWe can’t make enemies of Leth’s family,” said my father. He seemed uncertain, and I thought that perhaps, finally, he was going to stand up to Kalo. I wanted to get down on my knees and kiss the ground in front of his boots in the ultimate gesture of deference.
    The Arbitrator broke in. “Even if you pay the penalty,” he said, “if the marriage and merger do not proceed, there will be bad feeling.”
    Now I wanted to kiss the ground in front of the Arbitrator’s boots, too.
    â€œAll right,” said Kalo. “Let Leth take her. But if she marries without my consent, she forfeits her dowry.”
    â€œNo one will take a woman without a dowry,” said Father.
    â€œIn that case, it will be Leth’s refusal,” said Kalo. “We won’t even have to pay the penalty.”
    Leth’s refusal. Suddenly the fear within me turned to hope.
    Because it didn’t matter what Kalo or Leth’s father or his mother-­the-­witch thought. I had some money from my mother that I had hidden away. I knew that Leth himself had some land that belonged solely to him and not to his family—­enough to yield a kitchen garden. Not much, but enough, if we were frugal, to live on. Leth was an honorable man, and we were pre-­contracted. Minutes away from being contracted. We would find a way to get by.
    More importantly, I would not marry an unknown ‘Lidan. The rumors said that the ‘Lidans branded their women—­a small brand, an indelible mark of ownership—­and enforced them to silence. I didn’t want to be branded, and, besides, I wasn’t good at silence.
    Then I looked at my father. I knew he loathed to side with Kalo, but I could see the land greed in his eyes again. Once Mother had died, the love of land was all that was left him. I was a noisy, willful disappointment. Silky was even worse because she looked exactly like Mother. She was a constant reminder of his loss. He didn’t dislike us, but he didn’t have much affection for us, either.
    Land was easy to love.
    â€œIf Leth and his family refuse the penalty,” said my father, “and if they freely give her up, you have my leave to make this alliance.” He wouldn’t meet my eye.
    â€œThank you, Father,” said Kalo. His tone was mocking.
    I should have kept silent, but I couldn’t.
    â€œYou’re not going to have your way, Kalo,” I said. “ ’Lidan alliance or no ‘Lidan alliance.”
    â€œYou think Leth will take you without a dower?” Kalo smiled. The smile turned into a frown, and he looked speculatively at Silky. “I’m going to work out something for you, too, Silky. Perhaps a ‘Lidan Lordling.”
    â€œI don’t want to marry a ‘Lidan,” said Silky. “I want to stay in Arcadia.”
    â€œYou’d certainly have to learn to be silent,” said Kalo, as if musing to himself.
    â€œThey’ll hurt me.”
    â€œThat part doesn’t take long at all. It’s a small mark. Many ‘Lidan women consider it a sign of beauty.”
    â€œThen they’re idiots .”
    The Arbitrator ushered Silky and me out of the room. As we left, I heard him say, “It’s time to bring in the Nessons. Send a servant who knows how to hold his tongue.” He was speaking to Kalo now—­ceding to my brother what should have been my father’s prerogative.
    Silky and I went to my bedroom. We were to be no part of the planning and negotiations.
    Silky slumped onto the cushioned long-­chair and took off her chaplet of flowers. It had seen better days, although the small red sun-­discs in her hair still glowed. I noted how beautiful she was. I was pretty enough but had missed beauty somehow—­maybe it was the set of my nose. Silky said it was because I wouldn’t