Read The Two Tanists (A Bard Without a Star, Book 2) for Free Online

did.” Lord Dyfed looked
up. “You seem awfully pleased with yourself.”
    “Why shouldn’t I be? My
heifer continues to produce fine calves, and we continue to weaken the Gwynedd
border caers.”
    Lord Dyfed sighed deeply. “I
am grateful for your prize heifer and the calves she gives us. But the other…
you play a dangerous game, one that may soon be addressed more strongly by
Gwynedd.”
    Kyrnin snorted. “What, Math
is going to rouse himself from that tower? He’s too old to do much more than
hobble to his bed, I’ll wager.”
    “He has named a Tanist—”
    “And you think that he would
send him to confront you?” Kyrnin laughed. “He’s barely of age; he wouldn’t be
up to confronting me, much less you.”
    “Maybe,” Gwillim said. “But
some of the stories that are being told about him make him seem quite capable.”
    “Do you believe that pap
about him killing a bunch of bandits?”
    “I believe that he foiled a
cattle raid by Deykin.”
    Kyrnin shrugged. “Beginner’s
luck. And besides, Deykin has now taken care of his grudge in that particular
caer.”
    Gwydion leaned so far forward
that he almost toppled off the rafter.
    “Then it is true,” Gwillim
said. “Deykin killed Moryus.”
    “Night before last,” Kyrnin
said. “I just got the confirmation this afternoon.”
    It took all of Gwydion’s
self-control not to shape shift and challenge the smirking Tanist right then.
    Lord Dyfed stood up and
looked his son in the eye. “I hope you have not doomed us all.”
    “Me?” Kyrnin said. “I had
nothing to do with it.”
    “You encourage the boldness
of the northern lairds. Don’t deny it; it’s one of the worst kept secrets in
the cantref. I know that you have encouraged Deykin in his grudge, and
supplied him with ideas if not weapons.”
    Kyrnin said, “They’re just
ideas. What he does with them is up to him.”
    “Tell that to the bards when
they come down here to judge you for breaking the Ard Righ’s peace. Or better
yet, tell Math.”
    “It won’t happen,” Kyrnin
said. “The King doesn’t give a damn about us, and Math will do nothing.”
    “And you’re betting my
cantref on those to hopes,” Gwillim said.
    “It’s my cantref too,” Kyrnin
complained.
    “If there’s anything left by
the time you’re done,” Gwillim shot back. “Now go, and see if you can’t keep
Deykin from launching a full invasion now that he’s feeling so bold.”
    Kyrnin looked like he was
going to protest, but finally just nodded. Without another word, he turned and
left. Alone, Gwillim sat heavily back in his chair, and stared moodily into
the fire. As mad as Gwydion was, he felt a moment of pity for the old man; he
obviously did not want the strife that was gathering on his doorstep, and was
just as obviously powerless to stop it.
    Gwydion scurried out of the
Lord’s chambers, and spent a few more hours listening at the various
conversations with his new knowledge. He still felt murderous, but it settled
into a cold stone in his heart. Gil was going to get his wish, perhaps sooner
than Gwydion had expected. It was going to be all Gwydion could do to keep in
control of the situation.
    He spent the night in the
stall of Kyrnin’s prize heifer. She was a beautiful creature with her shiny
brown coat and mellow demeanor, and she was obviously well cared for. Gwydion
ate some of her oats, and curled into a hay filled corner for several hours
sleep. He knew he was going to need his strength for the coming days.
    Three days later he stood in
front of Math. “I want to go to Dyfed and get them to agree to the Rules
again,” he said.
    “I know about Moryus,” Math
said.
    “And I know that the Tanist
of Dyfed has been encouraging the border caers to be aggressive and
belligerent,” Gwydion replied. “It has to stop.”
    Math regarded him gravely.
“Do you think that you are capable of this?”
    Gwydion sighed. “I’m not
sure. I know that it would be better coming from you directly,