Master of the Dance (3 page)

Chaymin lifted his head and met the King's eyes, blinking. "No one. Only Endor."

Kerrion took hold of the front of Chaymin's tunic and dragged him closer. "Who else?"

"No one, I swear!"

"You are lying. Tell me who else was involved, and I may go easy on you." He drew back a fist, and Chaymin's eyes widened.

"You cannot! I am your brother!"

"I can, and you are a snivelling, spineless little runt who goes along with anything the others suggest in the hope of gaining status in their eyes. But all you earn is scorn, because you do not have a mind or a will of your own. Trelath would have cast you aside like one of his concubines when he had no more use for you. Now tell me who else was involved."

"I cannot! I know nothing! Do you think Trelath would tell me?"

Kerrion's fist cracked into his brother's face, and Chaymin staggered back, almost falling. He straightened, clutching his cheek, and sidled away, his eyes filled with pleading. Kerrion followed, rubbing his fist.

"Who else, Chaymin?"

"No one!"

Kerrion punched Chaymin in the stomach, making him double over, retching. He gripped the Prince's hair and jerked his head up, glaring into his moist eyes.

"Last chance, brother!"

Chaymin gasped, his tears overflowing. "Trelath threatened to make me disappear if I did not do what he said, and the same if I talked."

"If you do not talk, I will cripple you. I cannot kill you, but I can do whatever else I like. A couple of broken legs will make your life very difficult. Maybe a broken arm will make it even more unpleasant." Kerrion caught Chaymin's wrist and twisted his arm behind his back until the tendons popped.

The Prince squealed, "Dravis!"

Kerrion released him and stepped back in surprise, shaking his head. "You lie!"

Chaymin nursed his arm. "No. Dravis was in on the plan from the beginning. He made several suggestions. I did not."

"You are too stupid. But Dravis is just a boy!"

"He hates you. He blames you for our father's death."

"I had nothing to do with it," Kerrion said.

"No, but your wife was the Jashimari Queen, and she ordered his death so you would become King. What is more, you saved her life, wed her, and will put her sons on the Cotti throne."

Kerrion stared at the cowering Prince. "I see. There is a certain amount of truth to that, I suppose. But Dravis never knew Shandor; he was just a baby when the King was killed."

"Which is why he idolises Shandor. He does not remember what he was like. I was only five when father was killed, but I remember."

"Yes, he had a particular dislike for you, did he not?"

Chaymin nodded. "He called me a runt. He used to slap me and order me to leave his sight. He said I offended him, and that I was not his son."

"I remember. At least he did not try to have you killed."

"Lerton was his favourite."

"Yes. But Dravis?" Kerrion shook his head. "He is only eighteen."

"He would like to see you dead."

The King lowered his gaze to the sandy floor, thinking about his youngest half-brother. Dravis was known as the golden child, and his sharp, intense mind matched his good looks. He was the fourth son of Shandor's third wife, brother of Rigal, whom Blade had killed fifteen years ago. Some doubted that Dravis was Shandor's get, for he had inherited none of his father's traits or looks, nor did he take after his mother. He possessed smooth, sultry features with slanted, dark-lashed golden eyes and a smiling mouth.

Rigal had been a handsome youth too, but he had looked more like his father. Dravis possessed a boyish charm that led most to believe he was a cheerful lad with a sunny disposition. Kerrion had never suspected him of any involvement in his brothers' plots, for he was independent and clever. Kerrion looked up at Chaymin, recalling the one fact that supported his brother's accusation. Dravis had a powerful and nasty familiar. He was scorpion kin, and his familiar was a deadly species of sand scorpion often found in houses, and responsible for many deaths.

"What was his involvement?"

Chaymin shrugged, rubbing his cheek. "Only in the planning, as far as I know. He found the abandoned estate, and he insisted that your wife should be killed once you had done as Endor wished. He said she should be made to suffer for Shandor's death. He encouraged them both."

"But it was Endor's idea."

"I do not know," the Prince admitted. "It could have been Dravis'. He has boasted that his familiar could kill you, and no one would suspect him."

"I wish he had known his father."

"Shandor would have liked him."

Kerrion snorted. "You did not know Shandor as I did. He would have hated him. Dravis is too clever and independent. Shandor liked Lerton because he emulated him and praised him constantly. Lerton was Shandor's true son. They were cut from the same cloth."

"May I go now?"

Kerrion eyed his brother, who clutched his midriff. "Yes. Get out of my sight."

"Will you send me away?"

"You will find out soon enough."

Chaymin bowed and hastened out, leaving Kerrion gazing after him. Chaymin probably did not deserve to die, he reflected. He would never be a threat, since he was too stupid and malleable to plot against the throne. The cowardly Prince would follow his treacherous brothers, however, which made him as bad as them. Kerrion had hoped that his younger brothers, being so far down the line of succession, would abstain from their older siblings' plots, but it seemed that this was not the case.

Dravis would be added to the list of potential targets, and sacrificed to keep the others tractable if necessary. The fact that Dravis had threatened Kerrion's life disturbed him, and his deduction that if the King died of a scorpion's sting, blame was not likely to fall on him, was an astute one. Although the palace was relatively free of the deadly creatures, they had killed a few people, even here. Kerrion rubbed his neck to ease the growing tension in it, glanced around, and left the arena.

Chapter Two

The following day, Trelath rode into the city with his troops, and entered the palace with his head held high, as if he had done nothing wrong. In the eyes of the courts he was blameless, but it was obvious that he expected Kerrion to seek revenge when he came to the arena armed with a sword. The King frowned when Trelath performed a brief bow and straightened with a bold smile, which told Kerrion that Trelath had noticed the King's lack of a weapon.

The Prince kept his dark blond hair cropped short, and his light brown eyes held a feral glint that went well with the sly twist of his thin mouth. His time in the desert had burnt his skin a deep bronze, and he exuded health and energy in palpable waves. Like Kerrion and some of his half-brothers, Trelath had aquiline features with a strong, curved nose and thick brows. Though handsome, he lacked the charisma that the King and a few of his brothers possessed.

"Take off the damned sword, Trelath," Kerrion ordered.

"So you can beat me up, like you did Chaymin? I am not a fool, like him."

"You dare to disobey me?"

Trelath's smile widened. "You have no witnesses, Kerrion. At best, the courts would reprimand me, on your word."

Kerrion walked closer. "If you draw it you will be guilty of treason, so it is useless to you."

"I do not mind being banished. It is better than letting you try to beat me in unarmed combat. If you had brought your sword, we could have fought for the throne, but it cannot be won without weapons."

"Or witnesses. And imprisonment is also a punishment for treason. For life."

Trelath smirked. "My brothers would not allow you to commute my sentence."

"Like Chaymin? I do not think much of your allies."

"Chaymin is a spineless cur, but he is useful. He does as I say."

"And who else is in your employ? Do not count on Endor. I believe the Jashimari Regent has ordered him hunted down and killed."

Trelath's lips compressed into a grim line. "She does not dare. He has her familiar."

"She knows he will kill the bird anyway. His death is certain."

"Doubtless you ordered it."

"I do not rule Jashimari. The Regent has every right to avenge the atrocities he committed in her palace, as she sees fit. Jashimari laws may be applied to Cotti Princes who torture their regent and threaten her queen."

Trelath growled, "He was not going to harm the stupid girl."

"My daughter, Trelath. Be sure to remember that, when next you feel the need to insult her. His wish to visit her was a ruse, as you well know. He would have taken her hostage and ruled Jashimari."

"Even so, it is not a crime."

"Not here, but Jashimari laws do not favour Cotti Princes. I am certainly not going to intervene on his behalf, am I?"

Trelath shrugged. "Endor will reach Contara, but his fate really does not concern me, as long as I am safe."

"Not from me."

"I am not going to stand here and let you hit me, like Chaymin, and you did not do much to him."

"He is not worth the effort, and he told me what I wanted to know."

Trelath's eyes narrowed. "Which was?"

"The name of your other cohort. Dravis."

The Prince turned his head and spat on the sand. "Dravis is a child. Chaymin was just trying to save his own skin. He has never liked Dravis, so why not get him into trouble too?"

"That is what I thought at first, but Chaymin's reasons were convincing."

"He lied. Speak to Dravis and you will see. He is loyal to you, that is why Chaymin named him. I would have too, for the same reason. Dravis would not go against you, and he would have betrayed us if he had found out what we planned."

Kerrion cocked his head, smiling. "If that was true, you should have agreed with Chaymin, not defended Dravis. Your words convince me of his guilt."

"Good, then the little bastard will get his beating too, and turn against you."

"Very clever, Trelath. No one ever accused you of being stupid, did they? But Chaymin is too much of a coward to lie to me, and too stupid."

"I told him who to blame."

"You did not know your plan would go sour."

"I knew Chaymin is stupid enough to get caught."

Kerrion shook his head. "Your lies are not convincing. You do not have the ability to do it well. I have a score to settle with you." He stepped towards the Prince, who backed away.

"I am not going to let you hit me without a fight."

"I am counting on it."

The King lunged at his half-brother and punched him in the face before he could raise his arms to defend himself. The Prince staggered back and sat down hard, blood oozing from his split lip. Kerrion walked up to him and jerked his knee into Trelath's face, broke his nose with a satisfying crunch and sent him sprawling on his back.

Trelath lay dazed, pawing at his face, his eyes wide with stunned disbelief. Kerrion paced around him, his hands clenched, ready to pounce as soon as Trelath regained his feet. The Prince fingered his broken nose, and his mouth twisted into an ugly snarl. The feral glint in his eyes flared, and he rolled away from Kerrion, leapt to his feet and drew his sword in a smooth motion.

Like all his brothers, Trelath had been trained to fight from an early age, and had excelled at it. Next to Rigal, he was the most proficient student in the arts of combat. He charged the King, swinging his sword at Kerrion's legs, and Kerrion realised that he was going to try to humiliate him with it. Being struck with the flat of a sword was painful, and would leave bruises, but if Kerrion accused his brother of attacking him with a weapon when he was unarmed, the bruises would prove that Trelath had not intended to kill him.

Trelath would insist that the King had also been armed, and there were no witnesses to refute this. Although the courts tended to lend more weight to the King's words, the fact that he had a grudge against Trelath would work against him. The judges would assume, quite rightly, that he had sought to avenge his wife's kidnapping, but were unlikely to believe that he had entered the fray unarmed. Since Trelath had every right to defend himself against an armed attack, and could even claim that Kerrion had tried to kill him, he could turn the situation to his advantage and accuse the King of treason. The only way out of the situation was to summon witnesses.

Kerrion turned his head and bellowed, "Guards!"

Trelath sheathed the weapon just before two guardsmen ran into the arena, his mouth twisting into a sneer. "Coward!"

The guards halted beside the King and eyed the brothers, bowing. Kerrion glared at Trelath. "Remove your sword, Trelath."

Unable to disobey in front of witnesses, the Prince unbuckled his sword belt and threw it down. Kerrion signalled to the soldiers to take it and leave, then walked closer to his half-brother.

"Now we shall see who is the coward."

Trelath dropped into a fighting crouch, his fists raised. Kerrion circled him, his eyes narrowed as he sought a weakness in the Prince's guard. While he had the advantage of experience, Trelath had youth on his side, being almost half the King's age. At twenty-six, the Prince was in his prime, fit and well trained. Kerrion lunged, but Trelath leapt aside, his punch missing as Kerrion ducked. Following him, the King landed a powerful blow on Trelath's ribs that made him grunt, but received one on his cheek in exchange.

They circled, blocking blows and landing them, in a duel of skill and strength that soon had Kerrion sweating. At times they grappled, grunting and gasping as they pitted their strength against each other. Soon Kerrion's nose bled and one eye had started to swell. His ribs ached from the blows Trelath had landed. The Prince bled from his broken nose and split lip, and Kerrion's signet ring had opened a nasty gash in his cheek. Both had bloody knuckles and bruised arms, and Kerrion's head rang from the punches he had taken.

Just as the King was starting to tire, Trelath miscalculated his brother's attack, and Kerrion hit him in the solar plexus. Trelath fell to his knees, groaning and gaping as he struggled for air, and Kerrion hit him on the back of the neck, hammering him to the floor. Trelath lay unmoving, robbed of his senses, and Kerrion stood over him, gasping. The King fought the urge to kick the unconscious Prince, his longing to hurt the man who had so mistreated Minna at war with his innate sense of fair play. Instead, he rolled Trelath onto his back and slapped his face until he came around. Kerrion gripped the Prince's hair and hauled him to his feet, then grasped his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. Trelath grunted and grimaced as Kerrion marched him from the arena.