'A trader's imagination,' Cobalt countered. 'Too much wine, a lonely crossroads. He overhears some other travellers, panics and runs home.'
'Here,' Florin rounded on him. 'Don't you say that about my Da. He's no fool.'
'Quiet, girl!' King Rolen snapped then turned to consult with Temor.
Piro glanced to her mother for help, only to realise that everyone had stepped away from the queen. It seemed that even though her mother had been married to the Rolencian king for nearly twenty-one years and had produced four heirs, she was still a Merofynian kingsdaughter in their eyes.
Voices filled the great hall as the old honour guard argued. Some refused to believe the Merofynian king would prepare an invasion while signing a betrothal pact. Others thought it all too likely.
'Byren?' Orrade approached him, lowering his voice, but Piro was close enough to overhear. 'If Florin is right, Dovecote is in danger. I must warn Father and Elina.'
'I'm going, too,' Garzik insisted.
'We've sworn service to Byren's honour guard,' Orrade told his brother. 'We can't both ride off — '
'I send you,' Byren said. 'Elina, your father and Lence are all at Dovecote. If Florin's father is right, you must save them and light the warning beacon.'
Orrade and Garzik nodded.
'You're sending them to save Lence?' Piro whispered. 'When he — '
Byren met her eyes, silencing her with a look. 'Don't you see what Cobalt did? He tricked Lence into distrusting me. I don't know how he led the manticores to us but — '
'King Rolen?' Their mother's high voice cut through the men's deep rumbling. She stood small, regal and alone. 'Husband, hear my counsel. If Old Man Narrows is right, the invaders could easily march between Rolenhold and the abbey, cutting us off from the warrior monks. We need to get word to the abbot — '
'Don't listen to her. She's Merofynian,' old Steadfast warned.
'Besides, for all we know there is no army,' Cobalt added.
'Myrella's right, Rolen.' Captain Temor turned to the king. 'If this is an advance attack, we can crush them between the abbey's fighting monks and our palace guard. We have to send someone to the abbey — '
'I'll go,' Byren offered.
'No, Byren. That would mean passing under the very noses of the Merofynians,' their mother protested. 'You could be captured and killed!'
Piro waited for her father to refuse to send Byren.
He hesitated, considering.
'Let me go, Father. Let this prove my loyalty to you, to Lence and to Rolencia,' Byren urged. 'Lence is at Dovecote. Orrade and Garzik will warn him — '
'Send Lence's honour guard with them,' Captain Temor suggested. 'We need the heir safe back here.'
Piro glanced to Byren. His mouth tightened. To them, he was disposable and it tore her apart.
'We'll go alone,' Orrade said. 'A small party can move quickly without attracting attention, and fifteen or twenty warriors cannot hope to stand against five hundred.'
'You're right. You've a good head on your shoulders, lad,' Temor told him. Piro blinked. Had he forgotten that Orrade was a lover of men?
Byren grabbed his cloak and fixed it in place. 'I'll go now.'
'Take — ' her mother began.
'I'll take no one else into danger. Besides, like Orrie said, I'll travel faster alone.' Byren glanced to their father, but King Rolen deliberately turned away to speak with his honour guard.
Byren looked stunned, then cleared his throat and spoke to Piro. 'Tell my honour guard I absolve them of their vows. They must not suffer dishonour because of me.'
She stared at him, horrified.
He turned on his heel and strode off.
Piro ran after him. She had to take two steps for every one of his. 'Wait, Byren. You'll be captured and killed — '
'I must prove my loyalty,' he said.
'Wait, Byren,' Orrade called as he and Garzik caught up with him.
'Kingson.' Florin hurried to join them, matching her stride to his. 'I don't know why you have to prove your loyalty but I do know that if your mother's right you'll be passing under the Merofynian army's nose. You should take — '
'Since when does a tradepost's daughter know better than a kingson?' Byren demanded. 'I go alone.'
Florin's mouth dropped open.
'Byren!' Piro protested, even though she couldn't blame him.
Byren caught Piro's face between his hands and pressed his lips to her forehead. 'Goodbye, little sister.'
She couldn't see him stride away for the tears.
'I fear you will have to be strong, Piro,' Orrade muttered, and hugged her.
'Be brave, Piro,' Garzik whispered as he planted the gentlest of kisses on her cheek. Then he and Orrade followed Byren out.
Echoing down the hall, she heard King Rolen order his honour guard to the war table. Still talking, the old warriors marched out. Cobalt issued orders to a wizened little man, some new servant of his, before following her father.
Piro ran after the queen, catching her arm. 'Mother.'
'Yes?' But she was watching the men leave.
'It's Lence who has cut himself off from Byren, not the other way around.'
'I worked that out.'
'Don't let Cobalt advise Father.'
Her mother gave a short, bitter laugh. 'I fear it is too late. I will be lucky if they let me join them. I must go, Piro.'
She hurried after the others, leaving Piro alone with Florin in the great hall. All the servants had run off to spread the terrible news.
'Do you want me to follow Byren?' Florin offered. 'Look after him?'
Yes, she did. But it wasn't fair on Florin and Byren wouldn't thank her. 'No. You've done so much already.' Piro tried to think straight. 'Are you hungry or tired?'
'Both, but I can't stay. Da reckons Narrowneck is in the path of the Merofynian army. With our palisade falling down and no defenders, we can't stand against them. He's going to take Leif into the Divide. I'm to meet him there.'
Piro nodded. 'Then let's go to the kitchen and make sure you have enough to eat. Do you want to borrow a horse?'
She grinned. 'Eh, me on a king's horse, now that'd be a sight!'
Piro smiled, but her heart was cold.
Byren looked up as Captain Temor slipped into his chamber.
'There you are, lad.' His earnest eyes held Byren's. 'You know the canals better than our enemies. Go as far as Narrowneck tradepost with Orrade and Garzik, then separate.'
It was a decision he had come to, but the grizzled captain wasn't really here to advise him. He was here because he believed Byren.
'Thanks.' His voice caught and he could not go on.
The old warrior nodded. 'Good luck, lad.'
Temor left as Garzik and Orrade arrived with food for the journey.
'What did Captain Temor want?' Orrade asked.
Byren shook his head, unable to speak. He should be grateful to Cobalt. Now he knew who his true friends were.
Early the next morning, Piro waited by the door to her father's private chamber. Her stomach rumbled, demanding breakfast, but she was determined to catch him alone. He hadn't let her mother into the war table room yesterday, and all evening he had been surrounded by his advisors. The day her father trusted Cobalt ahead of her mother was a black day for Rolencia.
