‘It’s just a thought, sire,’ he said instead to Loethar.
‘I shall consider it,’ Loethar said. ‘But before you go,’ he said to Freath, who was bending to take Piven’s hand, ‘I want to know about the eldest son.’
‘My apologies, of course,’ Freath said, all politeness.
Gavriel bent down to Leo. ‘At least your mother remains alive another day.’
‘What is a concubine?’
‘Another word for servant. She takes the night shift, cares for his needs when the day servants are asleep,’ Gavriel explained carefully, glad it was so dark that Leo could not search his face for the truth he had sidestepped so briskly.
‘… twelve summertides, frail and still very much a child,’ Freath was saying. ‘His head is filled with horses and bladder ball games that he plays badly. Useless with weapons.’
In the ingress Gavriel felt astonishment at this comment and knew Leo would be feeling the same.
‘But Brennus would surely have been training him for his role.’
‘Oh, yes, but only in a mild way, sire. Leo is still just a boy. He hardly knows his head from his arse, if you’ll pardon my language.’
‘You don’t have to worry over my sensitivities, Freath,’ Loethar reassured.
The aide nodded. ‘What I mean is that he’s extremely immature — still something of a mummy’s boy. We’re talking about an indulged brat more than capable of throwing tantrums while incapable of manoeuvring a horse or his weapons with any dexterity.’
Leo turned and glared at Gavriel. ‘Lying bastard!’ he hissed.
‘It seems Freath is out to impress the barbarian. Don’t worry about it, Leo. We’ll kill him with our bare hands if we must, as soon as we get the chance.’ Gavriel knew his words were an empty threat but he felt better for having said them.
‘So while the De Vis twins are a threat, you are saying the heir to the throne is not.’
‘No, sire, that’s not what I’m saying. The De Vis family is your enemy, and they would have been without your splitting the legate’s head in half,’ Freath warned. ‘The heir is not a physical threat to you. He wouldn’t know how to attack, how to rally a force, how to even plan beyond where to play on a given day. He’s still in that childish mindset of the world revolving around his selfish needs, especially his belly.’
Loethar looked amused but Gavriel bristled. Freath knew Leo well and he could have been describing a stranger for all his words resembled the prince. ‘He struggles to make his verbs work, so he is hardly ready to make a realm work for him,’ Freath continued with utter disdain. ‘Brennus never expected to lose his throne. The threat from the Steppes was always that — just a threat. It hadn’t sunken past the shallowest of consciousness that you might succeed in your desire for empire and that the prince might need to be fully readied in all aspects of sovereignty.’
Again Gavriel caught a glance of bewilderment from his new king.
‘Your point?’ Loethar asked.
‘My point, sire, is that you have nothing to fear from Leonel in person. It’s what he represents that should trouble you. No one will let go of the fact that the heir exists — if they believe that to be true — because that means the Valisar dynasty is alive.’
‘I want to know where he is.’
‘And I believe I can help you. But I do require guarantees, sire.’
‘So you say. Give me your terms.’
‘I have heard a rumour that you are gathering all the empowered people from the conquered nations.’
For the first time since Freath had arrived Gavriel noticed the barbarian lose his casual stance. Loethar stiffened. ‘And what’s that to you?’
Freath gave a sly shrug. ‘Well, I can’t imagine you’d go to all that trouble and not make use of that collected power.’
‘And?’
‘I want some of it.’
Stracker grabbed Freath by his shirtfront, pulling him close to his pockmarked face. ‘You don’t demand anything. You’re lucky to have lived this long.’
Freath remained undaunted. ‘Phew, we eat the leaf of the cherrel to keep our breath fresh, Stracker.’
Loethar ignored their barbs. ‘Explain what you mean, Freath, before I allow Stracker to gut you as he so desperately wants.’
Freath straightened his clothes, amazing Gavriel with his audacity. He watched the aide take a breath and paste another cunning smile on his face. ‘Two sorcerers, witches, whatever you care to call them, of my choice and at my behest.’
Gavriel watched Loethar’s mouth twitch. ‘What makes you think they exist?’
‘Oh, they exist all right, but they are cunning. They will go to extraordinary lengths to disguise their skills but that they exist in the Set …’ he smiled as he paused, ‘… of this there is no doubt.’
Loethar’s eyes narrowed. ‘Do you know who these people are?’
‘I may have suspicions, sire, but no, I don’t know anyone specifically practising magic outwardly. There is the usual band of hedgewitches and herbalists, conjurers and magicians. But what I’m talking about are the thaumaturges, the genuine weavers of miracles — phenomena that can’t be explained. I’m certain you’ve already discovered a few. I want a pair.’
‘And what do you plan to do with them?’ Loethar enquired, sitting against the king’s desk. His arms were crossed in a deliberately casual pose but Gavriel was sure the barbarian was anything but relaxed.
‘They will offer me protection.’
‘From me, I presume.’
‘Correct, sire. And from your bad-smelling lackey and your hideous crow.’
Stracker scowled but Loethar gave a sharp, tight grin. ‘I see. And in return you will give me the boy.’
‘I will try, that is my promise.’
‘Try?’ Loethar’s tone was now fuelled by disdain.
‘He has gone to ground, sire. I have already seen your men searching the palace. I presume they are searching the immediate area and nearby woodland as well. He could not have gone far because I saw him quite recently.’
Loethar stood up. ‘You saw …!’ he began, breaking off angrily to say: ‘Where was he?’
‘The kitchens.’
Gavriel took a step closer to Leo, grinding his jaw as he put an arm around the new king. It felt like hollow reassurance but it seemed more meaningful than words right now. His mind was racing. Should they attempt an escape now or hold their nerve a short while longer? Freath couldn’t possibly know where they were … could he?
Leo echoed his thoughts. ‘He doesn’t know anything,’ he said.
‘They took fright at the sound of your men closing in on the palace and ran off. I tried to follow but I’m an old man by comparison, sire. I couldn’t keep up.’
‘They?’
‘Pardon, sire?’
Loethar’s expression darkened. ‘You said they — who were the others?’
‘Just one other. Gavriel De Vis.’
‘Are you telling me they ran back into the palace?’
Freath shrugged lightly. ‘They headed in, but, sire, we have many entrances and doors that lead to other courtyards. They could be anywhere. Though they won’t have had time to get far.’
‘Have you a suggestion of where they may go?’
‘I have plenty. But I need a show of good faith, sire.’
‘I see. Something in writing? A mix of our bloods perhaps, palm to palm?’
‘This man knows nothing that I, given a room with a pair of heated pincers, couldn’t find out for you,’ Stracker threw at Loethar. Gavriel gave a humourless smile at finding himself momentarily on side with the barbarian’s lackey.
Freath smiled tightly. ‘No need for torture or indeed any loss of blood. My request is very simple and easy for you to provide. When you have finished with her, I want the queen.’
‘What?’ Loethar roared. His surprise turned into a tumult of laughter. ‘Iselda?’
Freath kept his face impassive. ‘She is beautiful. Why not?’
Loethar studied the aide carefully. ‘No, Freath, this doesn’t fit. You’re not that displeasing physically, I’ll grant you, but I see no passion burning in these eyes of yours — other than for your own safe skin. I don’t suspect there is a romantic or even sexual urge in your body. You are lying.’
Freath remained unfazed, his voice calm. ‘You are jumping to conclusions, sire. I said nothing about romance or desire. I simply want her.’
‘What for?’
‘Purely for self-satisfaction. I have served queen Iselda since she came to the palace, sire, and King Brennus even longer. They were the usual arrogant inbreds that seem to take the throne…’ Leo gasped and Gavriel had to put a hand over the boy’s mouth — a hand that was trembling with anger. ‘… services were always taken for granted. Although it’s too late to tell Brennus, now it’s time for me to share with her all my rage. I come from a distinguished line, sire. I deserved better.’
‘This is about not being thanked?’ Loethar asked, incredulous.
Freath blinked slowly. ‘Perhaps put petulantly you could describe it that way, sire. I see it as retribution. I am not a man to be toyed with. I deserved better than I got in my years of service. I kept hoping I would be rewarded for my attentiveness, my loyalty, and, above all, my discretion. But each year passed without so much as a glance of appreciation my way.’
‘You’re a servant, for Lo’s sake!’ Stracker chimed in. ‘What do you want, a manor in the country?’
‘Why not?’ Freath demanded, scowling at the man. ‘The legate was a servant too but De Vis was not only paid handsomely, he was rewarded with horses, land, servants of his own, wealth far more than he’d ever need. And his family line is no finer than mine. He was simply a soldier. I am a man of language, of letters … truly, sire, I was the more versatile if you compare me to De Vis. Yet he dies a hero — a wealthy one. If you slew me now, sire, I would die penniless. Pathetic isn’t it?’
‘Can you kill a man, Freath?’
‘If I had to, yes,’ the aide bristled. ‘Killing doesn’t give you superiority, sire, surely?’
‘And have you ever killed anyone, Freath?’
‘No, sire.’
‘It sounds a lot easier than the doing of it, trust me…not that I suffer the squeamishness of most.’
Freath ignored Loethar’s explanation. ‘If you don’t need her for any other purpose, sire, I would have her.’
‘To humiliate her?’
‘To do whatever I please with her. She will become my slave, follow my orders, answer my desires … however dry they may appear to others.’
‘And so for the queen, two Vested and my word, you will help me hunt down Leonel?’
‘Yes, sire. And there are so many more ways in which I can help you … be assured of that. At no further cost to you than what I’ve already asked for.’
‘You intrigue me, Freath.’
‘So we’re agreed. Iselda is a show of goodwill on your part.’
‘Bugger her senseless for all I care, Freath, although I will be wanting her for tonight myself.’
‘Of course you do, sire,’ Freath said, as though they were discussing the shared use of a horse or plough. ‘In fact I won’t lay a finger upon her until you have. Is that fair?’
Loethar nodded. ‘It is.’ He looked at Stracker. ‘How many have we rounded up?’
‘In total, about thirty-four who seem genuine in their talents.’
‘Have them brought here. I’ll leave you to pick out the best — and show them to Freath. He can choose from your selection. Order it now.’ Stracker nodded and left the chamber. Loethar looked at the royal aide again, then grinned. ‘I need men with your agile mind, Freath. I’m sure I should just slit your throat here and now but there’s something about you that tells me I should stay my hand a little longer.’
‘That’s convenient for me, sire.’
His words amused Loethar further. ‘For both of us, I hope. Stracker can be …’ He searched for the right word.
‘Spontaneous?’ Freath offered.
Now Loethar smiled genuinely. ‘Precisely. And on occasion I need someone who can act upon more considered information, someone who thinks through a situation.’
‘Less of a blunt instrument. I understand. But that doesn’t necessarily make me feel safe.’
Loethar’s smile broadened. Gavriel realised that Freath’s cunning made him a perfect match and someone who had, over the last few moments, changed from aide’s executioner to new employer. The barbarian called in some of his henchmen.
‘This man has access to Queen Iselda. Him alone.’ He had obviously changed his mind about wanting Iselda for the first night. He turned back to the aide. ‘You amuse me, Freath. I like your mind, if not you.’ Freath inclined his head, obviously deciding to take the barbarian’s words as a compliment. ‘As long as you continue to amuse me and keep me informed of everything around this palace and the realm — as I assume you have a well connected spy network — you are safe from my blade.’
‘In that case, sire, we shall take each other on his word. So, for the young prince, let me suggest you try the secret corridor.’
Gavriel felt Leo’s mouth open in terror behind his hand.
‘Show them!’ Loethar ordered Freath, pointing at his men.
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