'No, I'm not all right. Valens hasn't worked on me yet, that's all.' He moved like an old, old man as he lowered himself onto the bed, belly down. 'I'll be fine soon. This winter has been hard on my old injuries, Piro. Some days, if it weren't for Valens, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed.'
Piro glanced to the manservant, who waited with his jars of unguents. When he did not meet Piro's eyes, she decided she did not like him. His black hair was pulled back in a severe plait, his only concession to Rolencian custom.
'Now, what is so important that you must barge into my chamber before I've dressed?' her father asked, sounding more resigned than annoyed.
'I'll come back later.'
'I'm riding out to check on Rolenton's defences as soon as I'm dressed. So speak now. And… a little privacy, if you don't mind!'
She turned away to face the door. This was not the way she had foreseen holding this conversation. If the manservant was Cobalt's own, likely everything she said would make its way back to him.
'Well?' her father prodded. His voice was muffled, his face in the bed clothes.
'You're breaking Mother's heart. How can you refuse to see her?'
'I haven't refused to see her.'
'You shut the war table door on her.'
She heard the king sigh and then the gentle slap, slap as Valens worked on him. A strange smell, the cream Valens rubbed into her father's sore joints, filled the air. It made Piro's head buzz. She could hear the manservant muttering something softly under his breath as he worked. It reminded her of the sing-song ward that Fyn had taught her to keep out untamed Affinity.
The back of her neck tingled uncomfortably.
She turned around, slipping easily into Unseen sight. Energy vibrated from Valens hands, moving over her father's body. She bit back a gasp. The taste of untamed Affinity sat sharp and bitter on her tongue. At first she thought it was sinking into her father, then she realised Valens was drawing it out of her father. But the king didn't have Affinity, so what was Valens stealing?
Fyn's warning came back to her. Never let a renegade Power-worker touch you.
'You wouldn't understand why I had to shut your mother out,' King Rolen told her in a weary voice. 'These things are too complex for you, little Piro.'
But she did understand, only too well.
Cobalt had planted a renegade Power-worker on her father and, since midwinter, Valens had been working on the king to weaken his body and will.
'I… I'm sorry.' She hardly knew what she was saying. 'I was just worried.'
'Let me do the worrying.'
'Yes, Father.' All she wanted to do was get out of there before the Power-worker realised she knew what he was. 'I hope you're feeling better soon.'
The king made some muffled reply as she fled.
She ran straight to her mother's private solarium, where she found the queen bent over her writing desk.
'There you are, Mother, I — '
'Quiet, Piro,' Seela said. 'Your mother's writing to Rolencia's ambassador to Merofynia. He'll know what King Merofyn is doing.'
'But it will take too — '
'Quiet!'
Piro hopped from foot to foot as her mother finished the letter, sealed it with wax and pressed her foenix sigil into the red blob as it set. She handed it to Seela, who bustled towards the door. The message would be sent on the next ship to Merofynia, but it would be too late to help them now.
'Don't go, Seela, this is important,' Piro warned.
The queen looked over to her. 'What's so important?'
'Father's new servant, the Ostronite Valens, is a renegade Power-worker!'
'A healer, with new ideas from Ostron Isle?' Her mother frowned. 'That would explain why Rolen prefers him over our abbey healers. I wonder if they suspect he has Affinity? He's been able to do more for Rolen than they — '
'If Valens was a healer Cobalt would have said so. Have you seen Father before Valens works on him? He looks like an old man. He can hardly move!'
The queen blanched. 'Rolen hasn't let me into his private chamber since midwinter. He's been acting so strangely I can't get near him — '
'We must expose Valens,' Seela decided. 'Send for the warders, Myrella.'
'What will I tell them?' she countered. 'They'll want to know why I suspect him of Affinity.'
'Tell them that I noticed Valens' Affinity,' Piro said. 'I'm going to have to confess my Affinity to them by spring cusp anyway.'
'You're right, Piro. I've crippled myself by hiding my true abilities for so long that I'm not thinking straight,' her mother admitted.
'You did what you had to do, Myrella.' Seela told her firmly, mouth grim. 'I'll send this message to Merofynia. Piro, you tell the warders what we suspect and send them to this chamber. Then you can fetch Valens. When he gets here Autumnwind and Springdawn will be waiting for him.'
The queen nodded. 'I fear he won't go quietly.'
'If it comes to it, we'll have to kill him,' Seela agreed, without a qualm. Piro blinked. Seela noticed and added, 'We're justified. According to the King's Law no renegade — '
'He will not thank us. Poor Rolen.' The queen shook her head. 'He's always feared Power-workers, to think — '
'And rightly so. One day he'll understand,' Seela insisted. 'Come, Piro.' She bustled towards the door and Piro hurried after her.
They parted on the main stair case. Piro went to Sylion's oratory first because, though she disliked Springdawn, she knew the nun best. She found her old tutor lighting devotional candles. Their sweet, citrus scent filled the air.
'Ah, Piro. You're worried too? Don't be. I lit a dozen candles this morning. It's past midwinter but Sylion's hold on our land is still strong. One good blizzard would cripple the advance army, then the king's men will be able to mop them up. A blizzard is all we need from Sylion.'
'I have Affinity,' Piro said. 'Father's new manservant — '
'Affinity? Nonsense,' Springdawn snapped. 'I would have sensed it.'
'I've been hiding it,' Piro explained. 'Valens — '
Springdawn caught Piro's face between her hands, fingers pressed to her temples. Pressure, worse than the worst migraine, pressed in on Piro's mind. Instinct made her retaliate, thrusting out the intrusion.
Springdawn gasped and fell back two steps. Gingerly, she lifted her fingers to her lips, blowing on them as though she'd been burnt. Her frightened eyes fixed on Piro.
'I was just in Father's chamber.' Piro would not be diverted. 'I saw Valens drawing power off him — '
'Nonsense. Your father has no power. He must have been pouring power into him,' Springdawn corrected automatically, then frowned. 'You're sure Valens was manipulating Affinity?'
Piro nodded. 'Mother wants you and Autumnwind to come to her solarium. She'll send for Valens. When he gets there you are to contain him, execute him if you have to.'
'The king — '
'Is under Valen's influence. This must be done to save him. You and Autumnwind — '
'He's useless. He exhausted himself on Cobalt. I can handle this.' Springdawn's eyes gleamed. 'Executing a renegade would bring me to the mystics mistress's notice. It would mark me as her possible successor!'
Piro wasn't interested in the nun's career. 'Go up to the solarium. Mother's waiting. I'll bring Valens.'
Springdawn bustled off and Piro headed for her father's chamber. She'd tell Valens her mother's Turns were getting worse. He'd probably leap at the chance to get the queen under his power. Ambition was a useful tool.
Ten minutes later Piro walked down the corridor towards her mother's solarium with Valens at her side.
