“What’s to stop me from just killing you now then?” I said bitterly.
The large man spun around and glared at me as if I had just caught fire. His eyes were lit with fury. “You should have done that long before now!” he almost shouted, spitting the words from his mouth as if they had left a bad taste there. “Since you won’t, why don’t you tell me where my King is.”
I fought down the impulse to give the other man what he so obviously desired… a quick death. Taking a deep breath I answered him, “I want to talk to him first. You can see him after that.”
“Then hurry, I grow impatient,” Cyhan replied.
I bit my tongue rather than reply and began walking to the north. Crossing a ruined garden and stepping over a fallen wall I found the large stone pillar that had fallen upon the king of Lothion. Edward was lying quietly near the base, wedged between the stone column and a heavy bench that had kept the massive weight from completely crushing his lower body. He was losing blood slowly for the heavy weight had effectively compressed his torn blood vessels. It would take him hours to die, unless he was healed.
Watching me approach he gave me a pained smile. “Count di’Cameron, it is a pleasure to see you again. Have you come to finish your business or just gloat over an old man?”
I had no intention of healing him. After a long pause I spoke, “Time will finish our business. I merely wanted to ask your advice regarding the succession.”
“A cruel reply, Mordecai, you would let me bleed to death while in considerable pain. Why should I give you advice? The world is done with me.” There was a tone of resignation in his voice.
Leaning down I touched his throat and uttered a few words quietly. Standing straight again I disguised myself as the King and answered him in his own voice, “If you care about Lothion you should want her ruler to act wisely.”
His eyes went wide and anger grew in his features. “It appears you have no need of my advice if you simply intend to usurp my place,” he said acrimoniously.
I resumed my normal features and voice. “This kingdom will go on without you Edward, and someday they will remember you as a wise ruler. Your life is ebbing away as we speak and I will not heal you. Given the choice you should do what you can to prevent a civil war… if you love your people at all.”
“I badly underestimated you, young Illeniel, but I do not care one whit for those I leave behind. I will help you only on one condition… that you give me a swift end afterwards,” he responded with pain in his voice.
“That I will not do, but your servant is close at hand. If you advise me well I will let him see you and perhaps he will grant your wish,” I answered.
“Very well,” he replied, “What would you know?”
“Who is next in line for the throne?”
A choked laugh escaped the dying monarch, “You really didn’t prepare for this did you? You should have known that already. My second cousin, Brian Southwell, the Earl of the Eastern March is next in line since I have no surviving children of my own.”
“I had not planned to kill you until a few days ago Edward. This is your own doing,” I said. I was surprised that such a minor noble was his heir. I had thought one of the members of the greater families, such as Tremont or Lancaster would have been more closely related. I learned later that the royal family had avoided matches with the more powerful noble houses to avoid giving them more influence. “I’m afraid that the Earl simply won’t do,” I added.
Edward smiled wickedly, “Then you must kill him and dozens of others besides him if you wish to clear your path to the throne.”
I stared down at him without compassion. “I do not intend to take the throne; I will install James Lancaster in your place.”
“His claim is little better than your own. If you want him as king you will have to issue a royal decree naming him as my heir and simultaneously declaiming the rights of more than a dozen men that would come before him. You would then have to have me die, or rather give the appearance I had died recently if you are still deceiving people with my likeness.” He paused for a moment as a sharp pain stole his breath away. “Once you have my doppelganger die, the noble houses will revolt and it will take a bloody war to enforce your decree making James king.”
“What if you abdicate?” I suggested. “I could have you retire due to declining health and advise the new king from your sickbed. After a year or two you could pass away quietly in your sleep.”
Edward’s face grew thoughtful. “That might work, though I doubt I would ever have thought of it. Such a peaceful solution makes me wonder whether you have the mettle to rule at all. I think I agree with you, James is a better choice. You are too soft to govern.”
“You’ve earned your reward,” I said suddenly, not bothering to acknowledge his backhanded insult. Turning away I walked back toward where Cyhan stood and beckoned for him to approach. As he passed me I warned him, “He will not leave this place alive.”
Cyhan paused and then responded, “I cannot allow you to harm him.” He had misunderstood the meaning of my words.
I simply shook my head, “You’ll understand when you see him.”
The veteran moved past me and found his king lying where I had left him. I gave him plenty of space but I stayed close enough to hear their words.
“You again,” said Edward as he registered Cyhan’s face.
“Your Majesty,” answered Cyhan kneeling and bowing his head.
“Ever the faithful lapdog aren’t you?” said the King, insulting his guardian even as his own face twisted with pain. “Do me one last service and finish me,” he said after a moment.
The man who had spent his life training Anath’Meridum and then royal guardsmen and assassins answered in a voice that could have been cut from solid granite, “I am sworn to preserve your life sire. I cannot do that.”
Edward’s face clouded with anger, “You are sworn to obey me! Do as your king commands!”
Cyhan’s voice remained neutral, “My oath to protect your person supersedes my oath of obedience your Majesty.”
The King’s voice grew desperate for his pain was unbearable. “Cyhan, please, do not leave me like this? Cut me loose from this agony! I would be done with the world.”
The warrior’s face remained still but his tone became sympathetic, “Release me from my oaths your Majesty.”
“Just kill me damnitt!”
“I cannot. Dissolve my oaths your Majesty… release me,” Cyhan replied softly.
“Very well, I absolve you of your duties and release you from your oaths. Now please, for the love of whatever gods are left, stop this pain!” cried the dying king.
Cyhan laughed and stood looking down on the man he had served for so long. “I would sooner give mercy to a dog,” he said with disdain, and then he spat upon his former master. “You are not worth the effort to lift my sword and cut out your black heart.” Bringing his foot down the big man stepped on the King’s hand and ground the bones into the hard earth until the older man began screaming.
Sickened, I wanted to look away but I forced myself to watch.
The large warrior left him then and marched toward me, ignoring Edward’s pitiful cries. “Let’s get some air,” he said as he drew near. “Listening to him disgusts me.”
I followed him a good hundred yards until we could no longer hear the sounds of the King’s suffering and then he turned back toward me and drew his sword. I drew back reflexively and readied my shield. I hadn’t expected him to attack me after everything that had occurred, but I supposed that recent events might have unhinged his mind. I was utterly surprised and confused when instead of attacking the massive warrior instead went down on one knee and held up his sword, hilt first.
“I have spent my life serving a worthless master and bound by vows that I believed were worthwhile. Now I am free and I find that my life has been wasted,” he said in a voice that was filled with emotion. This was a side of Cyhan I had never seen, or even suspected. As I look
ed down on his face I saw there were tears welling in his eyes. “I have watched you Mordecai Illeniel and I know your heart. I cannot live as other men do for I have been bound by honor and vows my entire life. If you will have me, I will serve you for whatever remains of my life, in the hope that I can atone for the wrongs I have been forced to witness and commit.”
A sadness and deep melancholy came over me as I looked on this man who even now could not live free. “I do not want your service Cyhan. You deserve to live your own life.”
“You will have it or I will die here. I will not live otherwise,” he answered determinedly.
“Very well,” I said at last. Taking his sword I thrust it into the ground and placed his hands over the hilt before covering them with my own. Looking into his eyes I spoke, “I Mordecai Illeniel do take you into my service. Will you swear to serve and protect me as your solemn duty?”
“I will.”
“I would have you take service as one of the Knights of the Stone, an order sworn to protect the people and serve the greater good. Will you accept a place among them?” I asked formally.
“I will if you so wish,” he replied.
“I do,” I answered. “I have one last oath I would have from you before I will accept you fully.”
“I am willing,” he responded.
“Will you swear to listen to your own conscience? Should fate and events conspire to such an extent that your past vows no longer make sense in the face of the present, I would have you swear to act according to your best judgment, rather than blindly follow your oaths.”
He paused for a moment before replying, “I will gladly swear it.”
“As your lord I have certain duties and responsibilities on your behalf and I shall endeavor to remain worthy of your service. We will hold your knighting in a few weeks once Sir Dorian is well enough to attend,” I told him. “Now get up, I get uncomfortable when people kneel for too long,” I added with a smile.
Cyhan stood and sheathed his sword. “If you don’t mind I’d like to wait here until it’s over.” Although he didn’t elaborate I knew he meant Edward’s dying.
I nodded. “Meet me at my house in the city when it is done,” I said and then I left him there. I wanted to check on Rose and then I needed to find Penny.
Chapter 47
Rose’s condition hadn’t changed much when I returned though she seemed warmer. Elaine still lay beside her, but her eyes were now open and she watched me silently as I checked on Rose.
Eventually her curiosity won out and she spoke before I did. “How did I get here?” she asked.
“I tricked you into making a mistake and then I threw you against a stone wall. I’m surprised you’re awake already,” I answered mildly. “Do you remember the fight?”
She shook her head negatively and after some questioning I discovered that she had no memory of the events that had occurred since she had summoned the shining god, something that had apparently happened the day before. Ironically, she had been praying to Celior to kill the King when he had offered to do more for her if she would help him cross the world bridge.
I ended our conversation as quickly as I could. “I need to find my wife and help a friend. I want you to stay here and keep Lady Rose warm until I send someone for you. Will you do that?” I asked.
She readily agreed and I went back to the throne room, or what was left of it. When I arrived I found Dorian conscious but unable to dig his way free of the rubble. I couldn’t examine his body through the enchanted armor that encased him but I suspected he had some serious injuries.
Struggling with fatigue I began carefully moving the large stones and granite blocks that had him trapped. It would have been easier to ‘listen’ to the stones and extract him in the same way I had carried Rose through the ground once before but I had no desire to risk any further use of those abilities that day. I was still feeling rather strange after my experiences within the bosom of the earth.
Dorian gritted his teeth when I finally pulled him free. “Damn that hurts!” he declared through clenched teeth.
“How badly are you injured?” I asked him.
“I feel like everything is broken but somehow everything still seems to work,” he replied.
“Let me get the armor off so I can examine you,” I said quickly.
He pushed my hands aside with surprising strength, “I can walk. Once you take this armor off I’m not sure how bad it will be but it won’t be pretty and I probably won’t be able to move around much after that. Let me help while I can. Have you found Penny?”
I shook my head, “She’s safe but I’m not sure where. I need to find her.” I didn’t bother explaining that she was with Moira.
“Then why are you here?!” he exclaimed.
I almost laughed at his reaction. It was typical of him. “Let me show you where Rose is before I abandon you. She’s badly wounded.”
That got his attention and it was several minutes before I could explain well enough to reassure him that she wasn’t about to expire instantly. I led him to where Cyhan had left her and explained why she had a teenager bundled up with her. Someday I felt sure Dorian would eventually come to expect weird things to occur around me, but it didn’t seem to have happened yet.
“Stay here with them,” I said, to which he rolled his eyes. Obviously I didn’t need to tell him that. “Cyhan is nearby and I’ll have him come help you later when he’s done,” I said and surprisingly he simply nodded. I couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired between the two warriors before Dorian had appeared in the throne room armed and armored.
Walking out I turned my thoughts outward and called to Moira again. I need to see Penny. Where are you?
After a long pause I heard her reply, she is with me beside the great stone.
What stone?
The stone I created before my final battle against Balinthor. It is near the palace on the east side, she replied.
I remembered the place. Why there?
When she answered I could detect a poignant feeling to her thoughts, I sought to protect your child. There is no safer place in Lothion.
Obviously she wasn’t remembering my house. The enchantments there made it by far the most impregnable location in the capital. As I considered those things I hadn’t meant to broadcast my thoughts but Moira heard me anyway.
No, she countered, there is no place safer than this. Even the gods could not enter here against my wishes. There was a note of pride in her reply and a hint of something else, a feeling that seemed almost maternal.
My curiosity was fully engaged now and despite my bone weary state I hurried to reach the place she had named. I found them both, as she had said, standing beside the great stone that thrust up from the bedrock beside the palace. There was no sign of any door or entrance and I had never considered that there might be anything inside the colossal monolith before, but now I wondered.
Ignoring my inner questions I headed straight for Penelope. Considering my last words to her, she had a look of some apprehension on her face as I walked steadily toward her. “I did the best I could…” she began but I put a hand over her mouth and pulled her into a fierce embrace.
Her belly was larger than I remembered and before I knew what had happened I found myself sobbing as I held her. My emotions were so great that it took a short while before I realized that our awkward embrace was being shaken by Penelope’s cries as well. It was the sort of moment that normally would only occur behind closed doors, but both of us had been through too much to worry about such things today.
Eventually we both calmed down and began to collect our thoughts. Looking around I realized Moira Centyr was gone already. “Did she take you inside the stone?” I asked. Despite my emotions I was curious what she had seen there. My magesight showed nothing but a solid rock with no hollows or inner chambers.
Penny nodded and then kissed me, which effectively ended our conversation for a minute or so. Holding her now, I felt fresh tears forming. ?
??I thought I’d never see you again,” I said softly, when I was able to break away from her lips at last.
“About the note,” she replied, “I didn’t think I could put anything more there…”
“Let’s worry about that later,” I interrupted. “What was inside the stone?”
“You have too much to deal with. We can talk about that in a day or two,” she said with an odd look in her eyes.
I found the lack of details maddening. “Look Penny, I’ve had about all I can take of cryptic messages and hidden meanings. If you discovered something strange or important in there I need to know what it is!” Stress and weariness led me to raise my voice more than I might have normally.
“Mort, stop,” she said calmly. “This isn’t anything like that. Nothing bad, nothing serious or dangerous, we just talked, woman to woman.”
“And what did you say?”
“Tomorrow,” she insisted. “I can see Lord Hightower leading the city guard up the streets. You need to deal with him and explain what happened. We can discuss family matters later.” She ran her hand over her belly and I was even more mystified than before.
***
I assumed the face of King Edward and spent the rest of the afternoon giving orders and generally making an ass of myself. Under my direction I had some of the rubble cleared away and Lord Hightower took charge of his daughter and Elaine. He moved them to his own residence to have them looked after. Dorian steadfastly refused to be separated from Lady Rose so in the end Lord Hightower allowed him to ‘guest’ in the Hightower residence as well.
Cyhan was nowhere to be found and he had taken the King’s body with him, or hidden it somewhere. I was grateful for his quick thinking, for once Hightower arrived the palace was swarming with activity and I had no further chances to sneak away from my new role as King of Lothion.
It looked as though I would be unable to meet James at the carriage house but luckily I still had the wooden message box, so I sent him a short note detailing the recent events and requesting they meet me at the palace.