glimmered in the warm light, streaked with shades of pink or blue. Quartz statues glowed with translucent beauty, and, in one vast room, a circular skylight let in shafts of pale pink radiance. The Prince seemed oblivious, marching past the breath-taking scenery without a glance at it.
Arriving at a pair of massive brass-studded doors, Kerrion turned to Blade. 'Wait here until you are called. I have to convince them to grant you a pardon first.'
Blade nodded. 'Lerton will help.'
'What do you mean?'
'You will see.'
Kerrion gazed at the assassin in puzzlement, then turned and headed for the doors, which the guards opened for him. As they closed behind him, Blade moved closer to the wall and stood with his head bowed, pulling the blue silk over his face to foil curious stares.
Kerrion entered the immense audience room where the trial was being held, aware that dozens of hostile eyes followed his progress. Lerton, who sat with his brothers, smirked and waved. The judges stood in a row behind a long, polished palmwood table, watching him with hard, glittering eyes that belied their reverent bows.
The lords who filled the rest of the hall kept their expressions neutral, awaiting the outcome before they committed themselves to either side. Familiars sat beside them or perched on their shoulders, those that were not twined around their necks or resident in the palace stables. The group of officers from King Shandor's camp, which Lerton had called as witnesses, whispered amongst themselves, their eyes darting. Three male sand cats lolled at their feet, one snoring.
Kerrion stopped before the most senior of the seven judges and addressed him. 'My Lord, before we continue with this farcical trial, I have one more witness to call.'
The judge frowned, clearly displeased by the delay. 'The time for witnesses is over, Prince Kerrion.'
'I am aware of that, but this person can clear me of these ridiculous charges.'
The judge raised his brows and glanced at his comrades, who nodded or shrugged as they seated themselves. 'Very well.'
'Before I do, My Lord, I must insist that this court grant amnesty to this witness, or the person will not come forward. By clearing me of the crime, the witness will be implicated, and I have promised that there will be no punishment.'
'That is unheard of,' the judge declared. 'If this person is guilty of some part in your father's death, he must be punished.'
'My Lord, by testifying for me, this witness is saving my life.' Kerrion pulled the speech he had written the night before from his tunic and began to read. 'In such an instance, where a witness comes forward to save the life of an innocent, and when that innocent is the future King, any means may be used to procure their co- operation.
'By saving the heir's life, the witness performs such a great service for the kingdom that no reward is too much. Surely the court must agree that the granting of amnesty is a small price to pay for the truth? By saving the court from the massive blunder of executing their future King, an act of high treason, the witness in question, even if guilty of the crime with which I am charged, must be protected in order to facilitate their testimony.'
The judge leant forward, the grey owl on his shoulder shuffling to keep its balance. 'Are you saying that this witness is the true murderer?'
'That is for the witness to admit, or not, as the case may be. I ask that you grant this witness a pardon, no matter to what he or she may confess.'
'We have not given our verdict yet, Prince Kerrion,' another judge pointed out. 'How do you know we have found you guilty?'
'I do not. Have you found me innocent?'
The judges glanced at each other, shifting in their hard, high-backed chairs.
Kerrion nodded. 'As I thought.'
'Let him call his witness,' Lerton shouted from his seat in the gallery. 'It is just another of his fabrications. His lies will not fool us.'
'But my prince, if this person is indeed guilty…' the senior judge protested.
'How can he be, when Kerrion is the true murderer? It is a futile attempt to save his neck, nothing more. Grant the amnesty. You will be pardoning nothing more than a petty liar my brother has hired to take the blame for his crime.'
The judges conferred, then the senior man turned back to Kerrion and nodded. 'Very well, My Prince. We will pardon your witness for whatever crime he has committed, or will commit here by perjuring himself. Since your accuser has no objection to this, we do not either. What is your witness' name?'
'I would rather the witness remained nameless for now, My Lord. The reason will become clear soon enough. There is no one else outside, I assure you.'
The judge turned to the guards who stood by the doors. 'Call the next witness.'
Kerrion turned to flash a triumphant smile at Lerton. 'Thank you, brother.'
Lerton looked smug, stroking the golden snake that hung around his neck. 'Do not mention it, doubtless this will be entertaining.'
'I am certain of it,' Kerrion agreed as the guards pulled open the doors and bellowed into the corridor for the next witness.
Blade entered with gliding, graceful steps, pausing to bow to the judges before facing the officers from King Shandor's camp, who erupted with excited shouts.
'That is the whore from the camp!'
'She was the one who went with the King!'
Blade pushed back the blue silk to reveal the wig's long golden tresses and let them have a good look at him.
Kerrion turned to the officers. 'You are certain?'
'Absolutely,' a young officer stated, and Kerrion recognised the man who had kept Blade company for most of that evening while the King had dined. The Crown Prince had noticed the attractive whore long before his father had. The other officers nodded in agreement. Two of the sand cats roused sufficiently to yawn and stretch before flopping down again.
Kerrion pointed at Blade. 'This is the woman who was with King Shandor on the night he died, you all agree?'
The officers nodded one by one as the Prince's gaze rested upon them, and when the last had assented, Kerrion turned to the judges.
The senior judge inclined his head. 'So noted.'
Lerton chuckled. 'My Lords, she is his partner in this heinous deed, naturally she would come forward to exonerate him now that he has procured a pardon for her. This only proves my case.'
'Either that, or she is a harlot who looks like the woman these good officers saw, whom I have hired to lie on my behalf, eh, Lerton?' Kerrion suggested with a smile.
'Exactly!' Lerton crowed. 'And doubtless she will admit to murdering the King, a preposterous claim!'
Kerrion swung back to face the judges. 'Is there any doubt in your minds that this is a woman, My Lords?'
The senior judge leant forward, scrutinising the assassin. 'Let her speak. What has she to say?'
Blade spoke in a sweet, whispery voice. 'I killed King Shandor.'
'You see!' howled Lerton, thumping the railing in his glee. 'Exactly as I said! My Lords, this is either Kerrion's partner in crime or some cheap harlot hired to speak those words.'
'Why could it not be true?' Kerrion demanded of his brother. 'Perhaps it is she who killed our father.'
'Impossible!' Lerton asserted. 'She is a woman! It would require a man's strength to overcome and stab a man as powerful as the King!'
'She is a large woman,' Kerrion pointed out.
'No matter. She would not have the strength. She was sent to distract him so you could sneak in and stab your own father. Women do not kill in such a manner,' he went on, becoming a little pompous in his mien. 'They rarely have the stomach to kill, and when they do, they use poisons or hire assassins. They do not use daggers. Not only are they too weak and squeamish, they would not know how to kill a man so efficiently. My father was killed by
