A guard entered, followed by Felip andanother guard.
Russal stood. “Remove his bindings.”
Felip was garbed in travel clothes fardifferent from his usual outrageous red brocades and velvets. Hisfair red hair, tousled above his brownish-green eyes, presentedanother contrast. He appeared calm.
“Take a seat,” Russal said and returned tohis own.
Gordy told the guards to leave. They seemedhesitant, but when Russal only nodded, they exited.
Felip rubbed his wrists and sat. He looked tothe marshal.
Burty said, “When I told Mr. Covey of thismeeting with the two of you, he asked if he could speak before youpassed judgement.” He faced Russal and Kambry. “Do you allowit?”
Felip gazed first at Kambry then Russal.Worry had crept into his eyes.
Kambry looked to Russal and found him alreadywaiting for her to answer. “I would like to allow it.”
“I, too,” Russal said.
Felip lay his hands on the table and leanedback against the straight-backed chair. “I wish to plead two favorsof Your Majesties.”
Kambry reached beneath the table and tookRussal’s hand. He squeezed her fingers gently.
“We are listening,” he said.
“Lenar was just a boy and wanted so much tohave our mother...” Felip paused, looking first at Sybil and thenat Kambry.
Kambry realized that was the first time she’dheard him call his brother Lenar and not Arnel. Had he accepted hisbrother’s severing of the connection? Did that mean Lenar had cuthis connection to Felip as well?
Felip closed his eyes and swallowed.“Maizalyn manipulated him, knowing how much he wanted her to lovehim. He was just a pawn. After he killed the queen, he collapsed,and she berated him. She told him to rise and leave with us, but hecouldn’t, and she abandoned him without a single regret.”
Sybil tightened her hands folded on thetable. Kambry rested her palm over the stiff grip, feeling themrelease somewhat.
“I left him, and you took him in,” Felipsaid. He looked squarely at Russal. “I ask that you not punish himfor the death of your mother. I don’t expect you to forgive him,but don’t blame him for her madness.”
Russal leaned forward. “And what is yoursecond favor?”
“Sarena.”
Russal’s hand tightened around Kambry’s hand.They both stared at Felip. He wouldn’t ask them to excuse heractions as well, would he?
Russal took a breath and said, “I have nokindness toward her, but we’ll listen.”
“She is Arnel’s, Lenar’s wife.”
Kambry didn’t know what to say, and Russalseemed equally speechless.
Sybil said, “As remarkable as that revelationis, it carries no weight for her.”
“I don’t want to change whatever decision youhave made regarding my sister-in-law. I ask that you dissolve theirmarriage. It was not one of love, but one Maizalyn arranged to gainfurther control of Lenar. She is a nightmare.” His voice broke, andKambry wondered which woman he was referring to.
Felip pulled himself together, his chinraising. “Dissolve the marriage Lenar never wanted. Release himfrom the last connection she has of him and release him fromSarena. I ask that he have a chance at a life. One of us should getthat.” He looked away and seemed to wait for their verdict.
Russal looked to Kambry, his eyes as moist asher own.
Kambry faced Felip. “We agree to bothpleadings.”
The tension in the room dropped considerably.Felip looked almost himself again.
Sybil whispered. “Thank you.”
Kambry wondered how the woman had remained inher seat. But strands of hair had untucked from her bun and stuckout at their near usual messy angles, so she must be feeling muchbetter.
Russal sat up straighter. “Kambry reminded methat you have never actually tried to kill me, though you had manyopportunities.”
Felip glanced at Kambry but did not hold hergaze. “I doubt you were unaware of my lack of focused intent. Had Iwanted to, I could have accomplished the deed.”
“You made me a better swordsman, taught mestatecraft, and demanded I face my difficulties as king head on andeven tried to make me take the king’s crown. You’re very poor attaking over a kingdom.”
“It wasn’t from lack of skill, YourMajesty.”
“Why do you now accept my kingship?”
Felip’s gaze darted back to Kambry.
“I fell in love with your queen.” Heshrugged. “She chose you.”
Kambry hadn’t expected a publicstatement.
“I am forever thankful for that,” Russalsaid. “I sympathize. She is impossible to resist.”
Where is this discussion going?! “Asmuch as it is delightful to hear you have similar taste, we shouldget on with this meeting,” Kambry said, giving Russal’s hand atug.
“Do you intend to continue to convince her toleave me?” Russal asked.
Kambry rolled her eyes and looked at Sybil,who shrugged. Kambry turned her attention to Felip and sighed.
He gazed at her, holding her gaze with eyesthat carried regret. “One must at some point recognize when he haslost.”
“And have you?” Russal persisted. He leanedforward. “I will do everything to convince her to stay.”
Kambry broke her attention on Felip andstared at Russal. “I’m not leaving you or Kavin. Now that we’vesettled that, can this meeting get back to why we’re here?”
Russal faced her. “This is part of themeeting.” He turned back to Felip. “You will also release yourdesigns on the kingship?”
“I have already.”
“Why?” Kambry said. If they were going to runalong rabbit trails, they might as well learn every turn.
Felip looked uncertain how to explain.“Maizalyn raised me to be king of Kavin. She directed my everywaking moment toward that goal. I trained with master swordsmen andscholars on statecraft and lettered men and women. I breathed beingking of this realm.” A crease marred his forehead. “Through it allI never stopped seeing you, Russal, my nephew, as king. It was adream I pursued but didn’t believe. I thought I did.” The creasedeepened as if he puzzled over his next words. “I thought Kambry doBrode would be the perfect means to take the crown from you just asyou planned I would. I was so intent on my campaign to take thethrone I did not consider yours. I thought she was your means to anend, too.”
Felip huffed, shaking his head. “I actuallyconvinced myself I needed to protect her from you. Fortunately, Iawoke from my
