Read Trials of the Hierophant: Vol. II of epic fantasy The Sundered Kingdoms Trilogy for Free Online

Men‌—‌husbands, brothers, and sons of Annwyd‌—‌were lost that terrible day. Yet, the cause of this atrocity is still not fully understood. All knowledge we have of that day is that the orders of the attack came from House Denorheim. Is that not correct, Your Majesty?”
    “Yes, you speak truth, my lord Mihangel.” Braith shifted his weight in his chair, and Madoc took note of his humbled tone. “The orders to attack Arlais were from my mouth alone.”
    “Why is it only now that we have come together to speak of such matters?” Kendric Pahne twisted his mouth in annoyance, conceivably knowing full well the answer. “Our king took ill not long after, did he not? Well, praise be to the Maker that you have recovered or, perhaps, we may never have convened.”
    “That is not of concern.” Mihangel shook his head. “We have gathered now, and that is what matters. We must speak of what to do in the wake of this tragedy.”
    “Lord Mihangel,” Braith said, a small bit of confidence returning to his voice. “I have been thinking of such matters for many days now.”
    “Oh, and what would you propose?” Vaughn Garanth clasped his fingers together, waiting for an answer.
    “I believe we must make haste to show our citizens that, despite this terrible loss, Annwyd is still the great kingdom it has always been, and shall remain so.”
    “Go on,” Mihangel coaxed.
    “I say we should have a tournament, a grand tournament, to give some joy to‌—‌”
    “And where is it you propose we acquire such funds?” Vaughn said, his wry manner grating. “Cooks to hire, servants, carpenters, singers, and that is to say nothing of the gold to be given as prizes.”
    “Surely the treasury will bear the expense?” Madoc scoffed, drawing the eyes of the others.
    “What treasury would that be? Our coffers run dry from the extravagance of his lordship!” Kendric snapped, no longer able to retain his civility. “Our people starve while he squanders what little money we have on his hedonistic ways. Our debt only climbs, and you are so foolish as to suggest spending, easily, over one hundred thousand in gold we do not have? Where would we get it from this time, Your Majesty? Ordanis? Cærwyn? Or perhaps we can borrow from the Meïnir? Surely, they have no use for gold as they live in a forest.”
    Madoc watched as the king fumed at the barrage of insults, but he knew his father could not speak out against them, fully aware the accusations to be true.
    “My grandsire left our kingdom with an abundance of gold, did he not? Certainly‌—‌”
    “Oh, he did, young prince.” Vaughn Garanth kept his eyes on Braith as he spoke to Madoc. “Now Annwyd owes hundreds of thousands of sovereigns to the kingdoms of Cærwyn and Ordanis. Perhaps your father could explain to us how this has happened?”
    “I concede that a tournament may not be the best of routes,” Braith said, breaking through the contention. “I do, however, remain firmly behind my prior suggestion that we halt the war effort and recall troops to within Annwyd’s borders.”
    “Halt the war effort?” Grigor Boraste’s voice rose to almost animalistic heights.
    “Surely, you do not suggest surrender?” Culhwch Valifor added.
    “Not surrender‌—‌”
    “Then what?” Boraste barked.
    “We need to show our people the kingdom remains impenetrable.”
    “By withdrawing our troops?”
    They all began to speak at once, and Braith shifted in his chair again.
    Most uncomfortable, Madoc was unaccustomed to seeing his father so belittled, but their words seemed to harm him no more than his own thoughts as of late. He did not have the courage to look his son in the eyes, lest he see his failure in his reflection.
    An entire regiment of men was lost that day because of his orders. He did not know whether his father felt rage at him for having issued orders to the Vega without the king’s knowledge, or pride for having shown so much initiative. It seemed to