King Breaker (6 page)

The abbot went with good grace and Fyn turned to Isolt, ready to offer solace.

But she lifted dark, determined eyes. ‘We need to call on the lords to gather their men. The sooner we crush Warlord Cortigern, the less chance the other warlords will get the same idea.’ Her eyes widened. ‘What if all five spar warlords attacked Merofynia? Fyn, we must send for Lord Dunstany.’

‘Dunstany...’ He frowned. They’d been stunned to learn her father’s trusted advisor was really Mage Tsulamyth’s agent, Tyro, in disguise. ‘He’s sailing for Ostron Isle. As soon as we return to port, I’ll go to Dunstany’s townhouse. His servant keeps a pair of pica birds.’

‘I’d forgotten,’ Isolt admitted. ‘It’s odd, I know Lord Dunstany is really the mage’s agent, but I still miss him. Dunstany, I mean.’

Fyn glanced to Isolt. She’d grown up turning to Dunstany for advice and support, and he suspected she would rather not have learned he’d died and been replaced by the mage’s agent.

Isolt frowned. ‘Even if Tyro sets sail the moment he gets the message, it’ll take at least five days for him to reach Merofynia. We must save Sefarra before then. When I think of her... ’ She gave an odd little shiver. ‘At least Palatyne never laid a hand on me.’

It made Fyn wonder if Isolt had come close to suffering the same fate as Sefarra. He took her by the shoulders. ‘Palatyne’s dead and gone. Loyalty saw to that.’

‘I know, and I’m grateful. But Sefarra has no one to protect her.’ Isolt raised determined eyes to Fyn. ‘No one but us. Promise me you’ll save her?’

‘If it is at all possible, I’ll save her.’

Chapter Five

F
LORIN HADN’T BEEN
outside except to view the body in the cart. Now, as she climbed the stairs, she caught a glimpse of distant Mount Halcyon painted gold by the setting sun, and realised the day was almost over. No wonder she was tired. There had been so much to learn... all the servants’ names, their responsibilities, the castle’s customs... and still it went on.

‘Now we must see his lordship to approve the seating arrangements,’ the castle-keep said. ‘He’ll be changing for the feast. Even as a boy, Illien was fastidious. And private. He won’t have anyone but his manservant in his bedchamber.’

Florin nodded, growing nervous. Soon she would see Cobalt in his private chambers. Maybe she’d have the chance to kill him tonight and get it over with.

They left the stairs and entered a corridor.

‘I’ve put the female servants in here.’ The castle-keep gestured to a door on their right. ‘No shenanigans on my watch. Not that Old Mirona would be up to it.’ As they went down the passage, the castle-keep’s boots clicked on the polished wooden floor. She walked so fast Florin was glad of her long legs. ‘Tonight we had planned a feast to celebrate the investiture of Abbot Firefox. Now the feast will be a solemn affair in honour of Fyn Rolen Kingson’s passing.’ She patted the pocket of her over-smock. ‘I have the guest list here. Mark my words. Who gets precedence is important...’

She trailed off as they rounded the corner and saw a female servant weighed down by two buckets.

‘Here, you.’ The castle-keep snapped her fingers. ‘Why are you fetching his lordship’s bathing water? There’s manservants for that. And where’s Old Mirona?’

The servant gave a jump of fright and put the buckets down. It was the pretty chambermaid who’d been hired that morning. She bobbed her head respectfully. ‘Mirona took bad, my la... ma’am. I didn’t know about the manservants. Back home—’

‘I don’t care how you did things back home. This is the royal castle. Do not speak unless spoken to and repeat nothing that you hear in his lordship’s chamber. If I catch you gossiping, I’ll tear strips off your hide.’

The girl blanched.

‘And call for a manservant to carry those.’

‘The bath’s nearly full.’

‘Have it your way.’ The castle-keep strode past her.

Florin went to take one of the buckets.

‘What are you doing?’ The castle-keep rounded on her. ‘You’re my assistant, not hers. Come along.’

Florin gave the girl an apologetic look and hurried after the castle-keep, remaining one step behind her as she’d been taught. The stiff brocade of Florin’s servant tabard brushed her thighs. With her hair pulled back in a braid and a male servant’s cap fitting snugly on her head, she didn’t look like the bedraggled messenger who skated night and day to deliver news of the Merofynian invasion. Not that she needed to worry, Cobalt had only ever seen her the once.

The castle-keep knocked on the door, waited for a muffled answer, then strode in.

They entered in time to catch a man in the act of pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. He was illuminated by a flickering candle. Turned side-on to them, with his long black hair and broad shoulders, he reminded Florin of Byren.

Then he faced them and she saw that although he was tall and well-proportioned like Byren, his features were more classically handsome. She wouldn’t trade perfection for Byren’s crooked grin. And she would never mistake Cobalt for Byren, not when Cobalt was missing his right arm.

Florin was used to seeing maimed men, survivors of the war against Merofynia thirty years ago. But they were old men and Cobalt was beautifully formed, in the prime of life, which made his shoulder stump more shocking. She’d heard Byren’s mother had tried to kill him and only the ministrations of the Merofynian healer had saved him.

Seeing the castle-keep, Cobalt smiled. ‘Yegora.’ With his white teeth and flashing black eyes, he was the most handsome man Florin had ever seen. But it was his affection for the castle-keep that made him appealing. ‘I was wondering when you’d get here. Show me the list.’

The castle-keep joined him at the desk, leaving Florin by the door.

Cobalt gestured to Florin. ‘I see you’ve replaced your assistant. Did the girl run off?’

‘The less said about her, the better. She had ideas above her station, that one.’ The castle-keep sniffed primly. ‘Come here, Leif.’

Florin went over, telling herself that Cobalt couldn’t possibly recognise her after all this time.

The usurper cast Florin an assessing look.

‘Surely you mean Leiflyr, Yegora?’ Cobalt’s smiled. ‘That male attire fooled me at first, but I swear she’s too pretty to be a boy.’

His charm had no effect on Florin. She could not accept false coin. ‘Just Leif, sor.’

‘Mark my words, Leif.’ Cobalt winked at the castle-keep. ‘This place would fall apart without Yegora’s steady hand on the reins.’

The castle-keep blushed. ‘Stop your blandishments.’

‘She rescued me from a pig sty,’ Cobalt said. ‘The state the Merofynians left this place in... I don’t know what I would have done without her.’

Cheeks very pink, Yegora spread out the guest list. ‘Everyone accepted your invitation, except for the abbess. I still haven’t heard from her.’

‘I could send some men down to the castle oratory and haul the highest-ranking nun up here,’ Cobalt muttered. ‘But who knows what the stupid women would do? Sylion’s nuns are as unyielding as the frosts of winter.’

‘Don’t worry, you’ll win the abbess over,’ the castle-keep said. She tapped the list. ‘I would put the Merofynian captains at this table with the old Rolencian nobility, but the lords might take offence. I could put the Merofynians with the merchant markizes and their markizas.’

While she’d been speaking, the new chambermaid had arrived and begun emptying the buckets into the tub.

Cobalt nodded. ‘I need them all to recognise my claim to the throne. They know I’ve confiscated estates from Byren’s loyal lords. As long as I hold those titles and estates in reserve—’

‘King Byren the Fourth was your grandfather. That should be enough for them!’

‘Ah, Yegora...’ Cobalt shook his head. ‘The nobles will never let me forget my father was a bas—’ He broke off, staring intently at the chambermaid.

The castle-keep frowned. ‘Illien?’

‘You.’ Cobalt snapped his fingers at the chambermaid. ‘Come here.’

The girl hugged the empty buckets to her chest and trotted over, eyes lowered, cheeks flushed. ‘I’m sorry, sor. I didn’t mean to spill the water. I’ll mop it up.’

‘Quiet.’ He lifted her chin. ‘Bring the candle closer, Leif.’

Florin did as she was bid.

Cobalt turned the girl’s face this way and that, studying her features. ‘Halcyon’s Blessing, she’s the spitting image of Piro. Wouldn’t you say so, Yegora?’

‘I wouldn’t know. I never saw the kingsdaughter but at a distance.’

‘Exactly. Most people only ever saw Piro Kingsdaughter from a distance. She was dainty and pretty, just like this lass. Why haven’t I seen her before?’

‘She just arrived today.’

‘That’s lucky.’ He addressed the bemused girl. ‘Who have you spoken with today?’

She glanced at those present. ‘Apart from you, only my sister and old Mirona, your lordship.’

‘Excellent. How old are you?’

‘Just turned fourteen, sor.’

Cobalt smiled. ‘Turns out, I won’t have to rely on my dinner guests to legitimise my claim to the throne. Today Rolencia wept for Fyn Rolen Kingson. Tonight, Rolencia will rejoice when they hear how I rescued Piro Rolen Kingsdaughter from the Merofynians and kept her hidden in my chambers all this time. Tonight I will stake my claim on the throne by becoming betrothed to Piro Rolen Kingsdaughter.’

The castle-keep stood open-mouthed. ‘But... But won’t the dinner guests know this is not the kingsdaughter?’

‘Not this lot. The lords who were closest to the old king fell at the Battle of Narrowneck. Queen Myrella...’ His voice faltered. ‘The queen kept Piro out of the public eye because the girl could not be relied upon to behave herself. The new abbot is eager to please me, and those merchant markizes with the royal seal still fresh on their titles would cheer if I called a goose-girl the kingsdaughter.’

‘What of the castle servants?’ Florin asked, before she could censor her tongue.

‘Good point.’ Cobalt turned to the castle-keep. ‘What of the servants, Yegora? Will they denounce this Piro?’

The castle-keep frowned. ‘When I arrived, there were hardly any of the original servants left. Most had run off and the rest had been enslaved and taken back to Merofynia. There might be an old servant here and there but, unless they served the kingsdaughter, they wouldn’t know her face.’

‘And they’ll keep quiet if they know what’s good for them,’ Cobalt said. ‘I’ll speak to Amil. He’ll send Old Mirona and the sister home with a bag of coins to ensure their silence.’

‘But...’ the girl began.

‘But nothing, Piro.’ He lifted her chin with the tip of his finger. ‘You are my sweet little half-cousin, grateful to me for saving your life. Do as you’re told, and you won’t regret it. How would you like to wear a crown, fine jewels and velvets?’

Two bright spots of colour burned in the girl’s cheeks.

‘Well?’ Cobalt pressed.

The girl bobbed her head, too tongue-tied to speak.

Florin seethed.

‘Excellent, much better behaved than the real Piro. She was a spiteful little wyvern.’ Cobalt turned away from the girl to the castle-keep. ‘See that she is bathed and dressed as befits a kingsdaughter. For tonight, she can keep her mouth shut, but tomorrow I want you to train her to act the part. No more calling me
sor
.’

The castle-keep’s mouth dropped open in dismay.

‘On second thoughts, you have more than enough to do.’ Cobalt called over his shoulder. ‘Amil, come in here.’

‘My lord?’ The Ostronite manservant entered so promptly, Florin guessed he had been listening at the door.

‘I can manage, milord,’ the castle-keep insisted.

‘No, Yegora. I shouldn’t have asked.’ Cobalt took her worn hand in his, planting a kiss on her cheek. ‘I know how hard you work for me. Amil’s been complaining that he doesn’t have enough to do.’ Cobalt stepped back, beckoning the manservant. ‘Can you turn this chambermaid into Piro Rolen Kingsdaughter?’

‘But of course, my lord.’ The Ostronite manservant was a little shorter than Florin, and solidly built for all that his hands fluttered like delicate butterflies. Amil caught her studying him and looked her up and down. He gestured dismissively. ‘Why, I could even teach this great lump of a girl to pass for a noble.’

Cobalt looked startled then gave a short bark of laughter. He cast Florin a thoughtful look. ‘I think you’d be surprised.’ And before Florin could grasp that she’d been complimented—not that she cared—he’d moved on. ‘Yegora, go through Piro’s clothes and find something suitable for her to wear tonight. Let someone see you and let slip that I’ll be making a great announcement tonight. Lay the groundwork, so that the castle servants spread rumours of Piro’s return to the nobles.’

Clever. Florin was impressed.

Cobalt gestured to her. ‘Help my betrothed bathe, Leif. My sweet cousin needs a bath scented with rose petals. She’ll wear the finest of velvets and jewels, as befits a kingsdaughter. Meanwhile, Amil will help me change in the other chamber.’

They went off, leaving Florin alone with the girl, who trembled as Florin took the buckets from her hands. Did she realise she’d be killed the moment she was no longer useful? In fact, now that Florin was a party to this deception, her life was also in danger.

Not that it mattered.

Florin went to fill the buckets one last time and returned, to find Amil waiting in the hall door. He took her arm, his grip surprisingly strong. ‘The master wants you to keep watch over the new Piro Kingsdaughter. Let me know if she is unhappy. You understand?’

Florin nodded. She understood all right. Cobalt was trying to turn her against the chambermaid, just as he had turned the castle-keep against Amil, ensuring that both strove to win his affection and each would betray the other for a smile from him.

‘Good. The master is generous,’ Amil told Florin, ‘but he is also sharp. Don’t ever cross him.’

Then he opened the door for her, going across the chamber to Cobalt’s private room to help his master dress for dinner.

Frustrated, Florin poured the water into the tub then stepped back. ‘Your bath is ready, kingsdaughter.’