Read The Grave Thief: Book Three of The Twilight Reign for Free Online Page A

into this,’ he said after a moment. ‘You’ve got a suggestion for me? Your job is to advise after all, not just to state the bloody obvious.’
    She shrugged and broke his gaze, affecting a deference that he was sure she didn’t feel. This one really is sharp , Isak thought. She knows that even here - for all the informality of the coterie, and her own position within it - that it does no good to issue me with instructions.
    ‘Well, I can’t claim to understand the trouble with the priests,’ she began slowly, ‘you’ve got that knowledge, not I, so I’m just goin’ on guesswork—’
    ‘Make the assumption you do,’ Isak said, gesturing for her to get on with it.
    ‘Then I’d want to get rid of the distractions that are gettin’ the nobles heated up,’ she said firmly.
    ‘Which are?’
    ‘Your coronation - they’re here for that and they’ll squabble like children until they know when they’re goin’ home to their families. Then there’s the wondering over Lomin’s dukedom. And most importantly, there’s Duke Certinse.’
    Isak nodded his agreement. Lesarl, Tila and Vesna had all been of one mind on the subject of the trial and execution of Duke Certinse. The man’s family had too many supporters, too many dynasties tied to it for anyone’s comfort and no one was sure what deals and recriminations might yet appear. Added to that, a dozen suzerains had weighed in for what appeared to be purely reasons of principle.
    ‘And how much of the argument over foreign policy will that solve?’
    ‘None, but at least you’ll be able to have the argument. With one or two fewer reasons to argue, folk get less troublesome. You are Lord of the Farlan, however newly made; once folk get used to that and realise the nation’s still strong you’ll find the authority Lord Bahl held waitin’ on the other side.’ Citizen paused and looked across to the far table. ‘Dancer, am I right in thinkin’ that there’s no great lobby among the nobles for Cardinal Veck’s reforms?’
    The nobleman gave a twitch, as though startled from reverie, and stared blankly at Citizen before replying, ‘True enough. Those that are listening to him are careful not to agree too loudly.’
    Dancer’s voice was rich and mellifluous, lacking Count Vesna’s deep tones but with the same rounded, measured pronunciation. Unlike Isak, Dancer had removed his cloak to reveal his formal wear underneath - much drier than Isak’s own clothes as Dancer hadn’t been caught in the rain.
    The man ran his long, greying moustache through his fingers, a practised mannerism to develop his fussy persona that was now habit, and nodded to himself. ‘I can think of only one or two who’ll take it seriously. The restriction on the nobility taking religious orders has thus far precluded that problem. Those who call themselves pious will follow Suzerain Torl’s lead.’
    ‘Suzerain Torl is a ranking member of the Brethren of the Sacred Teachings,’ Isak snapped, ‘and since Veck’s demanding to be allowed to form a religious militia to enforce whatever laws he feels like, I’m not encouraged.’
    ‘Lesarl says you’ve spoken to Torl about the Brethren,’ Dancer replied patiently. ‘The order’s centuries old and they’ve never shown a desire to enforce religious law. Suzerain Torl is one of your most loyal citizens. First and foremost, he is a Farlan soldier, and that comes before everything else - his title, his dynasty, even the Dark Monks. My Lord, to treat him any other way would wound him more deeply than Eolis could - as well as digging the ground out from underneath your feet.’
    ‘And it makes him a key element in your argument over Duke Certinse’s trial,’ Lesarl joined in suddenly from Isak’s left. Pushing away from the wall he’d been leaning against, the Chief Steward walked behind the seated figures. ‘The Synod have strength of their own, and they know it, but they’re also fully aware that ultimately no group