The King's Bastard (57 page)

'Nonsense. Your father has no power. He must have been pouring power into him,' Springdawn corrected automatically, then frowned. 'You're sure Valens was manipulating Affinity?'

Piro nodded. 'Mother wants you and Autumnwind to come to her solarium. She'll send for Valens. When he gets there you are to contain him, execute him if you have to.'

'The king -'

'Is under Valen's influence. This must be done to save him. You and Autumnwind -'

'He's useless. He exhausted himself on Cobalt. I can handle this.' Springdawn's eyes gleamed. 'Executing a renegade would bring me to the mystics mistress's notice. It would mark me as her possible successor!'

Piro wasn't interested in the nun's career. 'Go up to the solarium. Mother's waiting. I'll bring Valens.'

Springdawn bustled off and Piro headed for her father's chamber. She'd tell Valens her mother's Turns were getting worse. He'd probably leap at the chance to get the queen under his power. Ambition was a useful tool.

Ten minutes later Piro walked down the corridor towards her mother's solarium with Valens at her side.

'So what happens when the queen has one of her Turns?' Valens asked, his leather case swinging between them as they walked.

'I don't know exactly,' Piro confessed. 'I only know she can't sleep and Seela's been giving her dreamless-sleep but it isn't working -'

'Because it's addictive and you need higher doses for the same effect,' he revealed. 'I'm sure I can mix up something more powerful.'

Piro nodded and opened the door, entering the room. Her mother sat at the writing desk. There was no sign of Springdawn. Piro sent the queen a searching look.

Her mother put her pen down and greeted them. 'Thank you, Pirola. Come in, Valens.'

'I explained how your Turns were getting worse, mother,' Piro said, gesturing to the manservant. 'And he thinks he can help.'

'Thank you, Piro.' Her mother did not miss a beat. 'Valens, I understand you use a special cream on Rolen to help his joints? Could I see it?'

'I do, but it won't help with your problem, Queen Myrella.' He put his leather case on the desk and opened the straps with a practised flick of his wrists. Before he could open the lid, the queen grabbed the case and shoved it under her desk.

Startled, he took a step back.

Springdawn came out from behind the tapestry that covered the servants' stair.

Piro darted out of the way, but did not leave. She did not want to miss this for anything.

'Valens of Ostron Isle, you have been accused of practising unauthorised Power-working on the king,' Springdawn announced with relish.

'Send for King Rolen,' Valens insisted. 'I have been nothing but a faithful servant -'

'Then you won't mind if I search your mind for untamed Affinity,' Springdawn countered.

Valens lifted his hands palm up. 'Do it, if you must.'

Springdawn stepped forwards.

Something was wrong here. Piro went to protest, but Springdawn, eager to make a name for herself, reached for Valens. The moment her fingers touched his temples he pressed his hands over hers.

She gasped.

Piro's nostrils stung and she tasted power on her tongue as her sight shifted to the Unseen. Valens pulsed with radiant Affinity. With each pulse, he drew off more of Springdawn's power, just as he had been drawing off her father's... only the king didn't have power. No, but his innate life force animated him and, recently, he had been only a shade of his former self.

The nun dropped to her knees. Valens bent over her. Piro sprang forwards.

'Don't touch,' her mother cried, the words echoing hollowly down the long tunnel of Piro's altered perception.

Piro grabbed a foot stool and slammed it down on Valens' shoulders. The timber joints squeaked in protest. The stool rebounded from her fingers, gone numb from the impact. But Valens did not fall. Instead Springdawn collapsed at his feet.

Valens released the nun and caught Piro's arm, swinging her around. Before she could react, he had her back pressed to his chest, a small dagger digging into her throat just under her right ear.

Piro clenched her fist and drove it into his ribs. She heard him grunt with pain, but his grip didn't slacken as he backed towards the door to the corridor.

His panting and her ragged breathing were the only sounds in the solarium.

Her mother stood absolutely still. 'Let Piro go. I won't call for the guards. Just let her go.'

But Piro knew he wouldn't. He'd touched her, tasted her Affinity. When she was no longer any use to him as a hostage he'd drain her too.

Piro felt him tense as he went to reach for the door. Then he made an odd strangled sound and hot fluid ran over her shoulder, down her arm. She stared at the bright red blood.

Valens released her.

Piro stepped away, turning around to see a gaping tear in his throat under his right ear. Even with one hand clasping the wound, blood pumped between his fingers.

Valens pitched forwards. Piro only just slipped out of the way in time.

Seela came in, shut the door and wiped her dainty little knife on his back, then crossed and pushed it into the coals of the brazier for a moment.

'Fire purifies evil Affinity, remember that, Piro.' This was said in the same tone her nurse had used to remind her to wear her woolen under garments.

Piro couldn't find her voice.

'Thank you, Seela,' her mother whispered.

'Power-workers always forget a knife is just as deadly to them,' Seela remarked. She withdrew the knife, tested the blade for heat, then tucked it into her belt sheath where it had always been kept, ready to peel fresh apples and pears for hungry children.

Piro blinked. The world contracted to a single, bright spot of light reflecting off the knife hilt. She felt the floor come up towards her.

When the mists cleared her hearing returned first.

'There, love,' Seela was saying. 'Just lift your shoulder.'

Her bodice peeled off down both arms and Piro opened her eyes to find she was lying on the day bed near the tiled warming stove.

'This is ready,' her mother said, bringing a bowl of steaming water to the low table.

Seela handed the bloodied bodice to the queen and dipped a cloth in the warm, scented water. She began to sponge Piro's arm and shoulder. 'There, you don't want his nasty blood on you. You're lucky it didn't go through to your chemise.'

Piro bit back the urge to giggle, then struggled to sit up. Valens still lay in a puddle of blood on the floor and... 'Springdawn?'

'Dead. She underestimated him.' The queen held up Piro's bodice. 'Do you think we can save this, Seela?'

'Burn it,' the old nurse advised. 'Burn anything touched by his blood.'

'Of course. What was I thinking?'

'You've had a shock, dear. Send for Autumnwind. He'll have to settle the Affinity released by their deaths and ensure their bodies are properly disposed of.'

'Springdawn's death will have to be reported to the abbess,' the queen said, as she tossed Piro's bodice into the brazier and stirred it until the material caught. 'As for Valens, I don't -'

'Now we can banish Cobalt.' Piro made the connection.

'We can't confront him.' Seela put aside the wet cloth and dried Piro's shoulder. 'He's grown too powerful. Your father has named him Protector of the Castle.'

'But Valens was Cobalt's servant.'

'Cobalt will say he did not know,' the queen pointed out. 'He'll be horrified and terribly sorry.'

Her mother was right, Piro could just imagine Cobalt's reaction. 'But Valens is dead. How do we explain that?'

'I'll remove his belongings. We can say he ran away, back to Ostron Isle because he feared the Merofynians.' Seela winked at Piro. 'You know what cowards, Ostronites are. They never fight, not if they can wheedle their way out of trouble.'

'Cobalt will suspect, but what can he do?' The queen took off her woolen over-wrap and passed it to Piro. 'You'll have to run down to your chamber and put on another bodice.'

Piro tied the wrap. It smelt of her mother's favourite perfume and made her feel warm to the core. She came to her feet. 'Very well. Is there anything I can do to help?'

Seela and her mother exchanged looks.

'Wait down by the stables,' Seela said. 'Rolen still trusts you. If he comes back too soon, distract him until we can get rid of Valens.'

Piro nodded. She didn't ask what they were going to do with the renegade's remains. He would have to be burnt and the ashes sprinkled over water.

'Go by the servants' stairs,' Seela suggested.

Piro stepped over Springdawn's body and through the tapestry.

Back in the solarium she heard someone tap on the door and enter without waiting for a reply. 'Queen Myrella, I -'

Old Lord Steadfast? What did he want?

Piro peered through the chink in the tapestry.

Steadfast had stopped in the doorway, his path blocked by Valens' body. He raised stunned eyes to the queen.

'What's going on, Myrella?' Cobalt asked, his ashen face peering over the old warrior lord's shoulder.

'Thank Halcyon you've come. I was just about to send for help.' Piro's mother did not miss a beat. She crossed the room, having to avoid Springdawn's body to reach them.

'What happened?' Steadfast asked, stepping around Valens' body so that Cobalt could enter the room.

'It's terrible.' The queen wrung her hands. 'I sent for Springdawn because I'd discovered she'd taken a lover. She denied it but Valens admitted it. She took poison and he cut his throat.'

'Who would have thought?' Steadfast muttered.

Cobalt stared at the two bodies, one without a mark, the other lying in a pool of blood. Piro was impressed with her mother's ability to think on her feet.

'I...' The queen reached for Cobalt. 'I don't feel...'

He had to catch her as she fainted.

'The shock,' Steadfast explained knowledgeably, shaking his head in sympathy.

'That's right, poor dear,' Seela agreed. 'It happened so quickly there was nothing we could do. Bring the queen over here, Cobalt.'

As she indicated the day bed, Piro noticed that the bowl which had been used to wash the blood from her shoulder and arm had been returned to the stove. Would Cobalt or Steadfast notice the pink water?

'On second thoughts, Myrella won't want to be near the bodies when she wakes,' Seela muttered. 'Better bring her through to the far chamber.'

And she herded both men out the door into the larger solarium.

Piro leant against the wall, weak-kneed.

Why had Cobalt and Steadfast arrived just when they did? Cobalt's spies must have reported that the queen had sent for his manservant. Whatever Cobalt might suspect, he could not disprove her mother's explanation.

She darted back inside to grab the bowl and slipped out, heading for her bed chamber. It was the work of a moment to tip the bloodied water down the drain at the end of the corridor and leave the bowl with the others waiting to be washed.

Fifteen minutes later, dressed in a completely different outfit - she couldn't stand the thought of wearing anything that Valens had touched - Piro crossed the stable courtyard. Several of Byren's honour guard were strapping travelling kits to their saddles and mounting up.

'Chandler, Winterfall. What are you doing?' Piro asked. Yesterday, when she had delivered the news of Byren's banishment, they had seemed relieved to hear that their vows of service had been annulled.

'We're going after him,' Chandler replied, swinging up into the saddle. His tired but determined eyes met Piro's. 'Byren's loyal to the core. We refuse to believe he's a traitor and we're going to help him.'

Relief made Piro feel light. She touched his boot top, level with her face. 'I'm glad. Watch over him.'

Chandler nodded and the eight of them rode out.

Piro couldn't remember how many honour guards Byren had sworn in but only eight had stood by him. Perhaps it was for the best. Where Byren was going he needed followers who were completely committed.

Piro stayed in the stables until lunch time, by which time she was too hungry to think straight. She hadn't eaten breakfast and was going to miss lunch, and still there was no sign of her father. Knowing him, he was probably treating himself to roast beef and potatoes in one of Rolenton's rich merchant's homes. There was time for her to snatch some food. When the king came back, she wanted to be sure he saw her mother and Seela first, not Cobalt. She headed for the kitchen, begging some extra scraps for her foenix.

Settling in with him she shared her lunch. Glad of the foenix's uncritical company, she whispered her fears to him. 'So I don't know what Father's going to say when he hears Valens has killed himself.'

The foenix made a soft, sympathetic noise in his throat as though he understood.

'Piro, are you there?' Seela scurried into the menagerie.

Piro came to her feet.