David Coe - Bonds of Vengeance

It was the only proper response she could have given, but still he was relieved. “Thank you. And what about his other question? How did you answer that?”

“I wasn’t certain what to say, my lord. I told him that you were not as close to the new dukes in Tounstrel and Noltierre as you had been to their fathers, and that you didn’t have as much influence with them as the question implied.”

Tebeo frowned. “Frankly, First Minister, that’s more of an answer than such a question deserved.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Still, it’s close enough to the truth, and it doesn’t give Numar much hope that I can act on his behalf if Vistaan and Bertin the Younger refuse to comply. Under the circumstances, things could be far worse.”

“Thank you, my lord.” She opened her mouth to say more, then stopped herself, taking a breath and playing absently with the satin edge of her robe.

“Out with it, Evanthya. If there’s more to your conversation with Pronjed I’d best know it now.”

Still she paused, seeming to search for the correct words. “I’m not entirely certain that he was asking these questions on the regent’s behalf, my lord.”

He had thought that nothing more could surprise him, that between Numar’s unexpected visit and the archminister’s blunt questioning of his first minister he had been inured to shock. But this was too much. “Explain.”

“He told me that he didn’t think the regent trusted him and that Numar only brought him to Dantrielle and the other dukedoms because he didn’t trust the minister enough to leave him alone in Solkara.”

“Do you think the regent fears for the queen?”

She shook her head, playing now with a strand of white hair. “No, I think he fears Chofya and Pronjed’s ties to her.”

At that the duke felt a surge of hope. “Did Pronjed indicate that he still remained loyal to her?”

“Not really, my lord. He told me that he was asking me these other questions on no one’s behalf, but rather as one Qirsi to another.”

Just as quickly, the duke’s hope vanished to be replaced by a feeling of coldest, deepest dread. “What does that mean? Do you think he’s with the conspiracy?”

“I think it’s possible. It’s also possible that he thinks I am, and that he hoped to determine this for certain.”

“Why would he think you were a traitor?” He tried to keep his tone neutral, but he could see from the way she regarded him that he had failed.

“You of all people should know the answer to that, my lord.” She gave a sad smile. “With all that’s happened in Aneira and throughout the Forelands, all Qirsi are suspect. Traitors seem to lurk in every corner, be it in Solkara, or Orvinti, or here, in Dantrielle.”

Tebeo nodded again, but said nothing.

“I’ve told you this before, my lord, and I’ll say it again. I have not betrayed you, nor do I intend to. But I believe this war must be stopped before it begins. It will bring ruin to the realm, perhaps to all the Forelands.”

“Do you know this? Have you gleaned something?”

Evanthya shook her head. “No, my lord. This is my opinion, it’s not prophecy.”

He almost wished it had been a vision. A part of him felt just as his first minister did. But Dantrielle would fare no better if her duke was labeled a traitor and her castle besieged by the royal army. At least in this war, his people might have a chance to prove their mettle or die loyal subjects of the kingdom. The alternative was unthinkable.

“I share your fears, Evanthya. You know I do. But you’re asking me to exchange one war for another. If I defy House Solkara it will put us on a path to civil war, a hopeless war at that, and one that will be no less ruinous for the kingdom than this alliance with the empire.” He shook his head. “I can’t do it.”

“You could at least speak with Lord Orvinti, my lord.”

“To what end? The regent told us that Brall supports this war.”

“Of course he did, my lord. What else would he say? But what if Lord Orvinti feels as we do, and only said what he did to avoid angering Numar? What if Bertin the Younger and Vistaan of Tounstrel do the same? The dukes chose Numar over Henthas because they didn’t want a kingdom governed by fear and the threat of violence. Yet isn’t that what we have?”

“Numar isn’t Henthas!” the duke said, flinging the words at her like a blade.

Evanthya looked away. “No, my lord.”

She didn’t deserve his anger. As with so many things, she was right about this. He feared the coming war, but had been compelled to pledge his support by a regent he feared even more. And Dantrielle was one of Aneira’s stronger houses. If Numar could force his compliance, couldn’t he do the same to the dukes of Kett and Noltierre, Rassor and Tounstrel?

“Have you received word from Fetnalla since the regent’s visit?” he asked. “Do you have any reason to believe that she and Brall have similar doubts?”

“I’ve heard nothing, my lord. For all I know, the regent was correct in saying that he had Lord Orvinti’s support. But if I may be so bold, even if Lord Orvinti is in favor of this war, as you seem to be, it strikes me that you would benefit from such assurances right now.”

“I probably would. But assurances can be conveyed by messenger. If we’re to discuss defying the regent, we’d best do so in Orvinti.”

Evanthya met his gaze again, her bright yellow eyes dancing like torch fire. It took the duke a moment to remember that she and Brall’s first minister were lovers. A journey to Orvinti meant more to her than just an opportunity to press her argument again.

“Then we’re going?” she asked.

“Yes. But hear this, First Minister: if Brall truly supports the war, this is over. There will be no correspondence with Noltierre or Tounstrel on the matter.”

“Of course, my lord. Without Orvinti we can’t stand against House Solkara.”

They held each other’s gaze for another moment before Tebeo sent her off to prepare for the journey. But long after she had left him, he continued to shake his head at the memory of this last comment. Notwithstanding her kind manner and reasoned thinking on matters of state, there were times when Evanthya spoke of war and rebellion with chilling indifference.

They rode at dawn the following day, steering their mounts into the teeth of yet another icy storm. Tebeo could not remember the snows lasting this long in past years. It almost seemed that the gods themselves were trying to keep the land’s armies from marching to war. The duke kept his company small, much as Numar had. Evanthya rode with him of course, as did eight of his finest soldiers, four swordsmen and four archers. Brigands tended to move south during the colder turns and though some of them might have come north again, fooled by the brief warm spell that had come at the end of Eilidh’s waning, most would not be haunting the roads again for another turn or two. Eight men would be more than enough.

He had sent a message ahead, informing Brall of his impending visit and telling the duke to expect him within the first five days of the waning. He hadn’t waited for a response, nor did he expect the messenger to find him again in the forest. Such was the nature of his friendship with Brall that no reply was necessary. Both the duke and Pazice, his wife, would have welcomed them even without such a courtesy, just as he and Pelgia would have opened their home to Brall. But in this case Tebeo reasoned that the nature of his visit would be enough of a surprise. There was no need to compound the matter by arriving unannounced.

They traveled swiftly despite the weather-or perhaps because of it. No one in the company had any desire to linger on the road. By midmorning on the sixth day, they had come within sight of the Hills of Shanae, rising above the Plain of the Stallions and gleaming with fresh snow. It would be another day before they reached Lake Orvinti and Brall’s magnificent castle, but seeing the hills, the duke felt his spirits rise. Even faced with the prospect of war, he looked forward to speaking with his friend. Brall had his faults. He could be arrogant at times, and he was even more likely than Tebeo to take a position in the Council of Dukes based not on what he believed but rather on what he thought the majority of dukes wanted. But he could also be thoughtful and uncommonly clever. And Tebeo knew that when the two of them spoke privately, he could depend upon Brall to be entirely honest with him. With Bertin and Chago dead, he could not say the same about any other noble in the realm.