Segnbora tai-Enraesi has spent the last few years fighting a war against the Shadow, helping her husbands King Freelorn and Hereiss Hearn's son, consolidate power in Arlen, and learning to a sorceress and, at least partly, dragon.
Now her wife and liege-lady, Eftgan, Queen of Darthen, has set her a new responsibility, or at least, told her it's time to get on with the responsibility she's been dodging for a decade: taking up the duties of the Head of House tai-Enraesi, one of the Forty Noble Houses of Darthen. It's one of the smallest and least significant, because of mismanagement by her father and grandfather. It needs to be brought back, and that means Segnbora has to start actively doing the work of the Head of House.
When she sets out on her rounds, visiting each of her house holders in turn, she discovers that things are worse than she knew. It's too bad you can't retroactively trade in parents and grandparents for more decent models.
Segnbora has even more repair work to do on the House and its reputation among the tenants than she realized. At one holding in particular, though, she discovers both an unexpected threat, and something strangely hopeful.
We get to see not just more of Segnbora and House tai-Enraesi, but also more of the world, and how the Five and their family interact when not under major crisis. It's very enjoyable, very satisfying.
Recommended.
I bought this book.
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