Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 682
figure out now."
He hesitated. "What would you do?"
"Can you remake the world? --Turn night into day,
heavy into light, black into white? What can you do?"
can change the atmosphere, or strip it away entirely. I can
drain the seas, if I want. I can change the surface of this world
into practically anything."
"Can you free my people from poverty and grief?"
He shrugged. "That would be among the easiest things I
can do."
"Will you?"
Armiger hesitated again. He put down his soup bowl.
"Should I?" he asked. "Be careful how you answer."
and hungry and afraid, and in that I am finally one with the
majority of my countrymen. There is not a single person out
there," she gestured at the dark countryside, "who would not
"Is that all you want for them?"
She turned to look at him. He sat now with his hands
dangling between his knees, his face expressionless. She was
suddenly acutely aware that she was the only human being
seated at this fire.
"You could do it," she whispered.