over her mouth and an arm swung around her waist, lifting her off her feet. In desperate silence, she writhed with all her strength but she was small for thirteen summers and her captor was a full-grown man.
Remembering Fyn's lessons, she threw her head back, connecting with his chin. Her captor gave a grunt of pain but did not release her.
'For Halcyon's sake stop struggling, Piro. I'm trying to help you!'
Recognising the castle warder's voice, she stopped resisting and he set her feet back on the ground.
'Monk Autumnwind?' Turning in the circle of his wary arms she met his eyes. The Halcyon monk had served her family since the previous warders died trying to protect her grandfather and uncle thirty years ago. Piro had never been close to Autumnwind, but she believed he was an honourable man. 'Can -'
He signalled for silence and led her to the far side of the room, away from the connecting door. They stepped behind a sandalwood screen into an alcove where the healers had set up their herbals. A mortar and pestle made of white stone gleamed in the dimness.
'What are you doing here, Piro?'
'I came to see Father.'
'He's suffering.'
'I know, that's why I came.' That, and because she had hoped he would see reason and reconcile with her mother. 'When will he be better?'
Autumnwind hesitated then gave her a pitying look that made her stomach curdle with fear. She didn't want to hear what he was about to tell her.
'The healers are doing all they can, but King Rolen may not get better.' He lifted his hands, turning them palm up. 'You must realise, Piro, a man's life force is held in his body by more than health alone. The heart's gone out of the king. His queen betrayed him...' He silenced her with a gesture before she could object. 'Whether she meant to or not, the effect is the same. Lence Kingsheir refused to heed his advice and called him a coward, said he was too old to rule. And Byren is a Servant of Palos, a lover of men -'
'Lies! Byren's loyal,' Piro whispered, fiercely. 'Just as I am.'
'I believe that you believe this. But it is what the king believes that's important. And he believes his wife and children have betrayed him. I was sent to serve him after the great battle. I've seen how he strove to rebuild Rolencia these last thirty years. Now it is all falling apart around him.'
'Only Cobalt has betrayed him. Don't you see -'
'I see a frail king who trusts no one but his nephew, who he named lord protector of the castle before his health began to fail.'
'So you serve Cobalt now?' Piro eyed him narrowly.
'I serve Halcyon.'
Piro understood only too well. Kings came and went, but the abbey had survived three hundred years. She swallowed. 'Are you going to turn me over to Cobalt, Autumnwind?'
He gave her a look of exasperation. 'I should.'
'But?'
He was silent for a moment. Then he fixed on her. 'I am going to check on the king. If you are still here when I turn around I will call the guard.'
He left her behind the screen. Through the gaps in the vine-leaf carving she caught glimpses of him moving about the chamber and checking the fire.
Piro slipped out from behind the screen, heading for the door.
'What's this?' Cobalt demanded from the hall outside, his voice muffled by the thick door but easily recognisable by its distinctive Ostronite accent.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Piro imagined old Sawtree straightening up and saluting, fist to chest.
'I should have you publicly whipped for sleeping on duty!' Cobalt snarled.
'Please, Illien.' The queen's voice was barely discernible. 'This man has served my husband faithfully for over thirty years.'
There was another painful pause. Piro imagined the old warrior's proud silence. He would not plead. If it came to the worst he would take his public whipping.
'Don't let me catch you napping again,' Cobalt warned.
The door was thrust open. Piro only just had time to dart behind it as Lord Cobalt and her mother entered.
Like her brothers and father,
Remembering Fyn's lessons, she threw her head back, connecting with his chin. Her captor gave a grunt of pain but did not release her.
'For Halcyon's sake stop struggling, Piro. I'm trying to help you!'
Recognising the castle warder's voice, she stopped resisting and he set her feet back on the ground.
'Monk Autumnwind?' Turning in the circle of his wary arms she met his eyes. The Halcyon monk had served her family since the previous warders died trying to protect her grandfather and uncle thirty years ago. Piro had never been close to Autumnwind, but she believed he was an honourable man. 'Can -'
He signalled for silence and led her to the far side of the room, away from the connecting door. They stepped behind a sandalwood screen into an alcove where the healers had set up their herbals. A mortar and pestle made of white stone gleamed in the dimness.
'What are you doing here, Piro?'
'I came to see Father.'
'He's suffering.'
'I know, that's why I came.' That, and because she had hoped he would see reason and reconcile with her mother. 'When will he be better?'
Autumnwind hesitated then gave her a pitying look that made her stomach curdle with fear. She didn't want to hear what he was about to tell her.
'The healers are doing all they can, but King Rolen may not get better.' He lifted his hands, turning them palm up. 'You must realise, Piro, a man's life force is held in his body by more than health alone. The heart's gone out of the king. His queen betrayed him...' He silenced her with a gesture before she could object. 'Whether she meant to or not, the effect is the same. Lence Kingsheir refused to heed his advice and called him a coward, said he was too old to rule. And Byren is a Servant of Palos, a lover of men -'
'Lies! Byren's loyal,' Piro whispered, fiercely. 'Just as I am.'
'I believe that you believe this. But it is what the king believes that's important. And he believes his wife and children have betrayed him. I was sent to serve him after the great battle. I've seen how he strove to rebuild Rolencia these last thirty years. Now it is all falling apart around him.'
'Only Cobalt has betrayed him. Don't you see -'
'I see a frail king who trusts no one but his nephew, who he named lord protector of the castle before his health began to fail.'
'So you serve Cobalt now?' Piro eyed him narrowly.
'I serve Halcyon.'
Piro understood only too well. Kings came and went, but the abbey had survived three hundred years. She swallowed. 'Are you going to turn me over to Cobalt, Autumnwind?'
He gave her a look of exasperation. 'I should.'
'But?'
He was silent for a moment. Then he fixed on her. 'I am going to check on the king. If you are still here when I turn around I will call the guard.'
He left her behind the screen. Through the gaps in the vine-leaf carving she caught glimpses of him moving about the chamber and checking the fire.
Piro slipped out from behind the screen, heading for the door.
'What's this?' Cobalt demanded from the hall outside, his voice muffled by the thick door but easily recognisable by its distinctive Ostronite accent.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Piro imagined old Sawtree straightening up and saluting, fist to chest.
'I should have you publicly whipped for sleeping on duty!' Cobalt snarled.
'Please, Illien.' The queen's voice was barely discernible. 'This man has served my husband faithfully for over thirty years.'
There was another painful pause. Piro imagined the old warrior's proud silence. He would not plead. If it came to the worst he would take his public whipping.
'Don't let me catch you napping again,' Cobalt warned.
The door was thrust open. Piro only just had time to dart behind it as Lord Cobalt and her mother entered.
Like her brothers and father,
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