feel it my place to tell her everything
without talking to you and Kane first.”
“Don’t worry,” Kane said.
“It will soon be common knowledge.”
Dasid sent him a puzzled look.
“Talking to Beldyn was
the final thing Brenna needed to do before declaring herself,” Kane said.
Dasid looked from him to
Brenna, then he nodded.
“Declare herself what?”
Neemah asked.
“Queen,” Brenna said.
“I’ll be declaring myself queen.”
Kane shifted to take more
of Brenna’s weight as he led her across the square to Duke Ewart’s house. Jemma
had finally contacted Brenna - she was safe at the Crooked Dog - and though the
conversation had been brief, it had sapped the last of Brenna’s energy. She’d
refused to draw strength from either him or Dasid and now she could barely keep
her feet under her. Tomorrow he’d have to lecture her on the importance of
keeping herself fit and well but for now he was simply helping her get home to
bed.
Thankfully Beldyn had been
able to deliver Jemma to Eryl at the Crooked Dog without any trouble. Jemma had
told Beldyn that Carolie and Colm could be trusted - they could get messages to
Brenna, if needed. Eryl would get Jemma out of Kingsreach safely.
When he reached the stairs
to the house Kane gently picked Brenna up and carried her up. She didn’t even
have the energy to protest and he frowned as he made his way to their room. She
could not allow herself to get so depleted - he’d have to make her see that in
the morning. He laid her on the bed, gently removed her clothing and pulled the
quilt up over her. A few minutes later he slid into bed beside her. She was fast
asleep when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.
Duke Thorold scanned the
note before crumpling it angrily. How dare she, that witch , how dare she?
He turned and waved off the two servants who held his silk vest for him.
“You will keep this quiet
today of all days, Captain,” Thorold said. Barton nodded and Thorold poured
himself a glass of wine. “Does anyone else know this news?”
“No my Lord,” Barton said.
“I received the sealed note myself and came here directly once I read it.”
“Who did it come from?”
The note, from the Brotherhood of the Throne, had advised him that Brenna
Trewen, his son’s bastard, would be crowned today in Silverdale. Both Aruntun
and Fallad would pledge to her.
“It was left with a
servant overnight, my Lord. I have questioned the man himself and he claims he
didn’t recognize the lad who dropped it off. Since the lad said the note was
for you he gave it to me to determine the best course of action.”
“And it was sealed when
you got it?”
“Yes my Lord. I don’t
believe the servant can even read.”
“I will deal with this
later.” He sipped his wine, letting his anger subside. Today was the
culmination of years of planning and painstaking and dangerous execution. He
would not allow the witch to spoil this day.
“You should get into
position, Captain. The guests will be allowed in soon and you must be in place
before them.”
Barton bowed, the polished
buttons on his dark blue dress uniform glinting in the light that streamed in
the window.
No, he would not allow the
witch to spoil this day, the day his son is crowned King of Soule. She could
sit in Fallad and proclaim herself queen but after today there would be a fully
acknowledged king for her dethrone - a king who would not step aside easily or
willingly, he would see to that. Thorold finished his wine and waved his
servants to bring his vest over. He slipped his arms through the fine material
and smiled as they settled it on him, fastening it in front with the heavy,
gold seal of the regent. He would not give this up, not after working so long
and hard to achieve it.
Kane stepped around some wooden
crates and peered in through the open the door. The blast of heat that hit him
sucked his breath from his throat and he coughed as he ducked through the
doors.
without talking to you and Kane first.”
“Don’t worry,” Kane said.
“It will soon be common knowledge.”
Dasid sent him a puzzled look.
“Talking to Beldyn was
the final thing Brenna needed to do before declaring herself,” Kane said.
Dasid looked from him to
Brenna, then he nodded.
“Declare herself what?”
Neemah asked.
“Queen,” Brenna said.
“I’ll be declaring myself queen.”
Kane shifted to take more
of Brenna’s weight as he led her across the square to Duke Ewart’s house. Jemma
had finally contacted Brenna - she was safe at the Crooked Dog - and though the
conversation had been brief, it had sapped the last of Brenna’s energy. She’d
refused to draw strength from either him or Dasid and now she could barely keep
her feet under her. Tomorrow he’d have to lecture her on the importance of
keeping herself fit and well but for now he was simply helping her get home to
bed.
Thankfully Beldyn had been
able to deliver Jemma to Eryl at the Crooked Dog without any trouble. Jemma had
told Beldyn that Carolie and Colm could be trusted - they could get messages to
Brenna, if needed. Eryl would get Jemma out of Kingsreach safely.
When he reached the stairs
to the house Kane gently picked Brenna up and carried her up. She didn’t even
have the energy to protest and he frowned as he made his way to their room. She
could not allow herself to get so depleted - he’d have to make her see that in
the morning. He laid her on the bed, gently removed her clothing and pulled the
quilt up over her. A few minutes later he slid into bed beside her. She was fast
asleep when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.
Duke Thorold scanned the
note before crumpling it angrily. How dare she, that witch , how dare she?
He turned and waved off the two servants who held his silk vest for him.
“You will keep this quiet
today of all days, Captain,” Thorold said. Barton nodded and Thorold poured
himself a glass of wine. “Does anyone else know this news?”
“No my Lord,” Barton said.
“I received the sealed note myself and came here directly once I read it.”
“Who did it come from?”
The note, from the Brotherhood of the Throne, had advised him that Brenna
Trewen, his son’s bastard, would be crowned today in Silverdale. Both Aruntun
and Fallad would pledge to her.
“It was left with a
servant overnight, my Lord. I have questioned the man himself and he claims he
didn’t recognize the lad who dropped it off. Since the lad said the note was
for you he gave it to me to determine the best course of action.”
“And it was sealed when
you got it?”
“Yes my Lord. I don’t
believe the servant can even read.”
“I will deal with this
later.” He sipped his wine, letting his anger subside. Today was the
culmination of years of planning and painstaking and dangerous execution. He
would not allow the witch to spoil this day.
“You should get into
position, Captain. The guests will be allowed in soon and you must be in place
before them.”
Barton bowed, the polished
buttons on his dark blue dress uniform glinting in the light that streamed in
the window.
No, he would not allow the
witch to spoil this day, the day his son is crowned King of Soule. She could
sit in Fallad and proclaim herself queen but after today there would be a fully
acknowledged king for her dethrone - a king who would not step aside easily or
willingly, he would see to that. Thorold finished his wine and waved his
servants to bring his vest over. He slipped his arms through the fine material
and smiled as they settled it on him, fastening it in front with the heavy,
gold seal of the regent. He would not give this up, not after working so long
and hard to achieve it.
Kane stepped around some wooden
crates and peered in through the open the door. The blast of heat that hit him
sucked his breath from his throat and he coughed as he ducked through the
doors.
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