'I don't know what that paper says, mother. But I had the rings made up for you and father, for your Jubilee.'
'What does the paper say?' Captain Temor asked.
The king shook his head, unable to bring himself to read it aloud.
'It is a love poem from Byren to Orrade, asking him to share his life,' Cobalt said. 'He calls Orrade his Dove.'
'That's not — ' Byren began.
'It is your writing.' The king turned the paper over so that everyone could see it.
'It is,' the queen agreed.
'Show me.' Byren held out his hand.
Piro waited for him to deny it.
When Byren took the piece of paper, his expression cleared. He waved it for all to see. 'This is a poem I wrote to Elina, not Orrie. It was Elina that I…' He ran down, seeing they did not believe him. Furious he scrunched up the love poem casting it aside. Byren fixed on Cobalt, fury choking his voice. 'You twist everything. You've been into my room, into my private things!' Byren strode the two steps to Cobalt, grabbed his shoulders and pulled him upright. 'Where's the pendant? Did you steal that too?'
Cobalt made no attempt to defend himself, instead he plucked weakly at Byren's hands and trembled as if he was too exhausted to stand upright.
'Unhand him!' Old Steadfast protested. 'Can't you see he's — '
Disgusted, Byren shoved Cobalt away, so that he staggered several steps and collapsed, leaning on the table.
Piro looked around. In everyone's eyes, Cobalt was the victim of the encounter, not the perpetrator. In that instant she realised how very dangerous he was.
Lence had not been giving the velvet bag to Cobalt, he had been returning it. This was the trick Cobalt had used to convince Lence he could not trust his twin. She did not doubt that Cobalt or one of his spies had slipped into Byren's room to steal the rings. And Piro had no trouble believing Byren had written a poem to his Dove. Unfortunately for him, that poem could be interpreted two ways.
'Where is the lincurium pendant, Illien?' Byren asked. 'Did you steal that too?'
Cobalt shook his head. 'I don't know what you mean.'
Byren radiated fury.
'Here. Enough of that.' Captain Temor stepped in to prevent Byren from attacking Cobalt again. Piro was close enough to hear Temor whisper, 'You're only making it worse, lad.'
Her brother spun away from Temor, striding a couple of steps towards Orrade. She saw Orrade's anguish and winced. For a heartbeat, his feelings for Byren were written on his face, then he recollected himself. But others had seen his facade slip.
Byren pivoted on his heel to confront the king and queen. 'Father, Mother, I swear the rings are a Jubilee gift for you both. The poem was meant for Elina. I had a lincurium pendant made to give Lence for his bride. You can ask the jewel-smith. He'll vouch for the truth of my words. You can't — '
The ring of a sword being drawn silenced him. Piro spun around. No one carried a sword in King Rolen's court.
Cobalt approached, almost too weak to hold the sword tip steady. She recognised King Rolence the First's ceremonial sword, which had hung on display above the family's coat of arms.
'Let me defend you, Uncle,' Illien offered.
Byren swore softly. 'Get your hands off that. You dishonour King Rolence's memory.'
'Only the king should wield that sword,' Rolen said, and Cobalt handed it over, feeling for the table to support himself.
King Rolen faced Byren, lifting the sword between them.
Piro turned to the queen. 'Mother!'
She went white, closed her eyes and seemed to reach a decision. Stepping between Byren and the king she said, 'Rolen, you can't.'
'Out of the way, Myrella,' the king warned.
The queen caught his sword arm. 'Rolen, listen to me. You can't believe Illien over your own son — '
'Why not? I've seen the evidence. I should have listened to Illien back at midwinter. If I had, Lence wouldn't be betrothed to a cunning vixen whose father laughs at me behind my back!' He pushed the queen aside, not roughly, but without remorse. 'Instead I listened to you. I insisted Lence marry the girl and lost his love and respect. Well, now it's time to mend my mistakes.'
'Oh, Rolen. You haven't — '
'Enough!' he snapped. 'My second son is a traitor, but I will not kill him. Too many of my kinsmen have died on the altar of power.' The king lowered the sword point, his massive fist shaking. 'I cannot order my own son's execution, but I can banish a traitor. Before everyone here today, Byren formerly known as Rolen Kingson, I disinherit you, I disinherit you — '
The hall's great doors swung back on their hinges, reverberating as they hit the walls. A single pair of boots sounded on the polished wood.
'Where's Byren Kingson?' a rough contralto demanded.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Piro pivoted to see Florin stride through the forest of columns wearing her strained travelling clothes, a pair of skates slung over her shoulder. The image made no sense. For an instant Piro thought she had slipped into the Unseen sight, but Orrade gasped Florin's name so she knew the trader's daughter had really arrived.
Florin recognised Byren and made for him.
'Bad news, Byren Kingson,' she called even as she approached. 'Da sighted Merofynian soldiers — '
'Rubbish,' Cobalt snapped. 'Who is this rough female, dressed as a man?'
Florin cast him one swift glance then focused on Byren. She was close enough now not to have to shout. 'You know how Da was off visiting his sister? Well, he come back yesterday lunchtime, with the news. I've been skating ever since.'
'If there were Merofynians in Rolencia our warning beacons would be burning,' Captain Temor said. 'And our spies would have sent word of a build-up of soldiers at Port Merofyn even before they sailed, so — '
'I don't know anything about spies or why the beacons aren't alight,' Florin admitted. She turned back to Byren. 'But Da's awful worried.'
'No one makes war in winter,' old Lord Steadfast objected.
'It's almost spring cusp,' Piro pointed out
No one listened to her.
'Girl, I am your king,' her father said.
Florin made a deep bow. 'I beg your — '
The king waved this aside. 'Now, where are these soldiers?'
Florin's cheeks were bright pink when she straightened up, but she answered the question. 'Da said they were camped below the Cockatrice Pass.'
'Highly unlikely,' Captain Temor whispered to the king. 'Lence has just been to see warlord Rejulas.'
Rolen nodded, casting a sharp glance in Florin's direction. 'How many men, girl?'
'Florin. This is Florin Narrowsdaughter,' Byren said. 'She helped us kill the manticore pride. I can vouch for her.'
'You have been disinherited,' Cobalt interjected. 'You can't vouch for anyone.'
'What?' Florin muttered, looking to Byren for an explanation.
'How many warriors, girl?' the king repeated, raising his voice.
She fixed on him. 'Da guessed around five hundred.'
'An advance party?' Temor suggested.
