They spent the afternoon on the battlements of the keep looking out towards the little woods.
‘Is it true you had eight barbs removed?’ Grij asked quietly.
Froi nodded.
‘It makes no difference to you, I’m sure … but it was Olivier,’ Grij said.
‘It makes all the difference that it was Olivier that led us to the trap,’ Froi said angrily.
‘No, I mean … it was Olivier who took you to the Priests.’
Froi stared at him with disbelief.
Grijio nodded. ‘He told Bestiano’s men you were dead. Well, you were in a way. And they left your corpse there and he returned for it later, not knowing whether you would live or die.’
Froi didn’t speak for a moment. And then he grew angry.
‘How would you know that?’ he asked coldly. ‘Back in the fold, is he? Lastborns stick together no matter who they betray?’
Grij didn’t respond. Froi jumped to his feet. ‘I lost her because of him,’ he raged. ‘Don’t ask me to forgive a traitor just because he took me to the Priests. Those barbs were in my body because of him.’
Grijio shook his head. ‘I’m not asking you to forgive him. None of us have. The correspondence between us is terse.’
‘I saw him with Bestiano, just two days past,’ Froi said. ‘Why would you be in contact with him, Grij? Why?’
‘Because he’s our spy, Froi,’ Grijio said quietly. ‘He came to us. We knew about what took place at the lake with you and Arjuro because of him. We’ve been able to build an army in the north because of Olivier, and although Tippideaux will never speak to him again and my father promises never to have him in Paladozza, and Sebastabol has expelled him and his family, Olivier fights for Charyn. Not for Bestiano.’
‘You’re telling me this because you want me to forgive him,’ Froi accused.
Grijio shook his head. ‘No, I’m telling you because I know you’ll kill him the moment you cross each other’s paths and although he doesn’t deserve our friendship, I’d hate you to have his death on your conscience. I’ve come to know you, Froi. Despite all appearances, you wear your guilt like a smothering blanket. You don’t need Olivier’s death on your conscience.’
They returned to the chamber where Gargarin and Arjuro were sitting with a belligerent De Lancey, who was already on his feet. Lirah had joined them and was scribbling away in a corner.
‘Is it bad?’ Grij asked, embracing his father gently.
‘No, just annoying,’ the Provincaro responded.
‘The word “rest” made him turn purple,’ Gargarin said.
‘Yes, let’s all rest in the middle of a war,’ De Lancey muttered when Arjuro pointed to the bed.
‘Unlike me, he was never known as a responsible young man,’ Arjuro said to Grijio and Froi. ‘It takes getting used to.’
‘You, Arjuro? Responsible?’ Froi asked. ‘I thought you were breaking all the rules and creating havoc in the godshouse.’
‘He’s gods’ blessed,’ Gargarin said. ‘He can do more than one thing at once. Be an idiot and be responsible. He has these multiple skills.’
‘Much like women, but they’re not called gods’ blessed,’ Lirah called out without looking up from her work. ‘They’re just called women.’
‘Ah, all the envy in this room,’ Arjuro mused, but there was a smile on his face and Froi enjoyed hearing their banter.
But outside a war was brewing and all too soon the humour was lost.
‘How did you raise an army so quickly?’ Gargarin asked De Lancey quietly.
‘Not so quickly,’ De Lancey said. ‘It’s been in the planning for a while. I told you in the Citavita I was going to return home and raise an army. Does anyone ever listen to me?’
‘I listen to you, Father,’ Grij teased, trying to break the tension.
‘No, you don’t. If you got yourself etched I’ll tell Tippideaux.’
‘But where did you train an army?’ Gargarin asked.
Grij and De Lancey exchanged a look.
‘Desantos,’ Grij said.
‘Plague-ridden Desantos?’ Gargarin asked, confused. ‘Why would you raise an army there?’
‘No plague,’ De Lancey said. ‘Just a very smart plan. Bestiano would never come near Desantos if he thought there was a plague there. No one would. So we’ve used it as a training ground for a combined army.’
‘When was this planned?’ Gargarin asked.
‘It was a jest between Satch and me and … Olivier,’ Grijio said. ‘When we were together in the Citavita. But we didn’t know that Satch suggested it to his Provincaro when he returned to Desantos.’
‘These last months I’ve sent them at least two hundred men through the tunnels to the north,’ De Lancey said. ‘It’s where Tippideaux is now.’
‘And you couldn’t tell me this,’ Gargarin demanded.
‘I was going to in Sebastabol,’ De Lancey said, ‘but you disappeared, after offending me, of course. Well, Lirah offended me, anyway.’
Lirah didn’t rise to the bait. She didn’t involve herself in any of the conversation. As the days passed she had become more fixated on discovering Quintana’s whereabouts and scribbling from the books Perabo had given her in Serker. Today, as every other day, she sat reading over Froi’s words concerning his last hours with Quintana.
‘How strong is this army?’ Gargarin asked.
‘They’re not all soldiers but they’ve been training for months now. Every able man and woman has been taught to use the bow and those who have shown great promise have been trained with swords and horses.’
‘You’re sure about this?’ Gargarin asked. ‘We have an army as powerful as Nebia’s in the north? You’re serious?’
De Lancey’s stare was hard. ‘Gargarin, I took my son into battle with me. How serious does that seem?’
‘I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,’ Gargarin said. ‘First you side with the Provincari –’
‘I am the Provincari,’ De Lancey shouted.
‘The Provincari’s plan leaves the palace with no power.’
‘No,’ De Lancey argued. ‘Our plan gives the palace limited power. Our plan gives the Provincari limited power. It gives the godshouse limited power. And all that limited power combined may just work a spell and produce a good king and a balanced kingdom.’
Gargarin’s mouth was a thin line.
De Lancey shook his head with a grimace. ‘This can work, Gargarin.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Gargarin retorted. ‘It could work perfectly with that arse from Avanosh.’
‘You know we don’t want him.’ De Lancey was frustrated and Froi could see this conversation soon ending badly. ‘But for our plan to work, we can’t have one of the Provincari’s men as regent. If you refuse –’
‘He won’t refuse,’ Lirah said, as she stood and gathered her books. Gargarin’s eyes followed her across the room.
‘Is this about Lirah?’ De Lancey asked. ‘I said it in Sebastabol and I’ll say it again: you have a home with me, Lirah. You will be treated with the same respect my family receives and when Gargarin and Arjuro and Quintana and the babe come to visit, you’ll see them in my home. The other Provincari don’t have control over that. Some of the Provincari may not want you in the palace, Lirah, but there’s nothing to say that you can’t see your loved ones elsewhere.’
Froi knew that De Lancey’s heart was in the offer and it made him like the man even more. But it would never be enough for Lirah. Froi knew that for certain, because it would never be enough for him.
‘Lirah will live with me.’
Everyone stared at Arjuro.
‘In the Oracle’s godshouse,’ he said firmly. ‘She’s smarter and better read than any of the
