Rowena Daniells - The King's bastard

'Springdawn is dead. She took a lover and when it was discovered, killed herself and the lover.'

King Rolen blinked then frowned. 'I always thought she had too much to say for herself. Who was he?'

'Your manservant, Valens.'

The king sagged as if he'd been struck. Piro couldn't bear to see her father suffer. She helped him sit on the bed. His hands trembled as they had done this morning before Valens worked on him.

She sprang between him and the others. 'Get out. Go on. Father's had a shock. He needs time to think.'

When the king did not object they backed out, all but Cobalt.

'I would be failing in my duty as Protector of the Castle if I left before the warder arrived,' he said.

'Then you can leave now, in good conscience,' Autumnwind said, entering the room. He bowed to Piro's father. 'I came as soon as I heard, my king.'

King Rolen nodded distractedly.

Cobalt bowed. 'Call me if you need me, Uncle.'

He backed out and Piro heard him telling one of the honour guard to remain at the door. She turned back to her father, covering both of his large hands with her small ones and pressing down on them to prevent the tremor.

'We'll call the healers, father,' she said. 'We have Valens' case. We'll find out what he was using on you. They'll be able to help — '

'What's wrong?' Autumnwind asked.

Piro glanced to Seela. How much should they reveal? Autumnwind had relished sending Cobalt away, but where did his loyalty lie?

'What's wrong, King Rolen?' the warder repeated.

Rolen's glazed eyes cleared and fixed on him with growing anger. 'The queen's been under the influence of a renegade Power-worker all this time and my castle warders did nothing. You've failed Rolencia, failed me!'

Autumnwind paled then licked his lips. 'Springdawn served the queen's mystical needs. If there is any failure it is hers.'

'Since she's dead that does me no good,' King Rolen snapped. 'I want you to watch over the queen. If she shows signs of possession, ward her.'

'It is my duty and an honour,' Autumnwind said with a formal bow.

But Piro knew her father was the one who needed Autumnwind's help. 'Sit by the fire, father. We'll send for the healers and they can look at you too.'

'There's nothing they can do for me. I'm a cripple without Valens,' he muttered. 'Just when I need — '

'Nonsense, Rolen.' Seela pulled Valens' case out from under the bed. 'We have — '

The king pounced on the case. Flinging it open, he rummaged through the contents. Hands shaking, he withdrew a dark bottle with a glass stopper. 'At least I can still have my tonic.'

'Tonic?' Autumnwind repeated. He opened the bottle, sniffing their contents. 'I am not a healer, but I can recognised dreamless-sleep when I smell it, that and willweakener. No tonic I ever heard of combined those two ingredients.'

Piro and Seela exchanged looks as the king shook his head.

'No, Valens helped me,' he insisted. 'He's done wonders for me.'

Autumnwind glanced to Seela, who shook her head slightly.

'Why don't we get the healers to look at these bottles?' Autumnwind suggested.

'Good idea,' Seela agreed. 'Piro, have the guard fetch the healers.'

Even though she knew what they would find, Piro did this. Would it be enough to convince her father of Cobalt's treachery? Unless there was something that showed Valens was following his old master's order, Cobalt would not be implicated and she was convinced Cobalt was too clever to make that mistake.

Byren skated on, eyes bleary from the glare of sun on ice all day and the sting of the wind. His face felt tight with windburn. But the sun had set now and they were only around the bend from Narrowneck tradepost. He smiled to himself. He should have accepted Florin's offer to go with him, at least then he'd be sure she got this far safely.

The silver light of the stars illuminated the small beach and its cliff. The rope he'd used had been put away.

'Don't fancy trying to climb that cliff,' Orrade muttered.

'We'll have to go around,' Byren agreed. 'Any more headaches, Orrie?'

'No. No time for headaches. I'd skate all night if I had to.'

'Me too,' Garzik muttered, then yawned so widely his jaw cracked.

They laughed and he grinned. They'd skated for the better part of the previous night.

'Let's find a warm bed. Florin will have locked up but I'm sure we can get into the barn.' Byren led the way. As long as Orrade didn't suffer from headaches and blackouts they were free from pursuit. At least, that was what Byren hoped.

His body was tiring as they strode past the palisade and up the winding track between the tall trees.

Garzik gave a theatrical shiver. 'Last time we were here the manticores were stalking us and we were fleeing for our lives.'

'This time we're running towards danger to save lives,' Byren said. 'I wish I could go with you two tomorrow — '

'Don't worry, we'll get there in time to warn Elina and Lence,' Garzik assured him.

Orrade snorted. 'The hard part will be convincing father to come to Rolenhold. He won't want to leave the estate.'

'I can understand that,' Byren said. An idea occurred to him. 'Tell your father, King Rolen needs him.'

Orrade smiled. 'You know the Old Dove well!'

Byren came to a halt. The three-storey tradepost reared up before them, a dark silhouette against the froth of stars, no light burned and no smoke came from the chimney. 'Old Man Narrows won't mind if we sleep in his barn tonight.'

'I'm so tired I could sleep standing up,' Garzik confessed. 'Wonder if he took his animals with him?'

'Would have killed the chickens for travelling meat and walked the cows to the nearest farm,' Orrade hazarded a guess. 'Sylion's luck, I could have enjoyed a roast chicken!'

Byren smiled. Again he wished he could go with them to be sure Elina was safe, but duty took him elsewhere. To restore his father's faith in him he had to get word to the abbey. Elina would never believe he was innocent if his own father didn't.

Byren woke to a muffled noise. It was still dark and no birds called, so it was not yet dawn. He lifted his head to sniff the air. Something was wrong. He inhaled again. Smoke?

Orrade's face was a pale blur against his blanket and cloak. Byren nudged him with his boot. 'Wake up.'

'What is it, Byren?' Garzik asked.

'Shhh. Something — ' Then he heard it, the soft crackle of fire. The smell of smoke came through the chinks in the barn walls. Byren rolled to his feet, creeping towards the shuttered window. He prised it open a fraction. Fire, horses, armed men.

'Byren Kingson, we know you're in there,' a man yelled, striding forwards, lit by the flames.

'Rejulas!' Byren muttered.

'Warlord Rejulas from Cockatrice Spar? What's he doing here?' Garzik whispered.

'Hush!'

'You've got two choices,' Rejulas yelled. 'Come out and surrender, or stay and burn!'

Garzik wasted no time, scrambling over to where his brother slept on, oblivious. 'Orrie, what's wrong with you? Wake up!'

'According to Lence, Rejulas is loyal. I don't know what's going on here,' Byren muttered. His mouth went dry. Maybe Lence had Rejulas's loyalty, maybe he was going to prove it by delivering Byren, bound and gagged.

The warlord of Cockatrice Spar must have come down over his pass into Rolencia, creeping past all the villages and fortified farmhouses. Old Man Narrows had been mistaken. It wasn't Merofynians he'd seen but Cockatrice warriors on the warpath. In one way it was good news. Byren knew his father could deal with Cockatrice raiders.

Then a sick lurch of fear ripped through him. Dovecote lay between here and Cockatrice Spar. What if they had Elina?

'Byren,' Garzik tugged on his arm. 'Orrade's unconscious. We have to get him out of here.'