Being able to communicate with her at a distance would be useful. Simultaneously being able to know the truth of her every word, as well as being able to give her a particular command would ease my mind.”
“And your other reasons?”
“Someday I’m going to kill you. I’ll need that knowledge to successfully hold Terabinia together.”
Lognion laughed. “I wondered if you’d lost your nerve. You already missed your best chance.”
“My most important goal is the safety and security of the people of Terabinia. Currently that means supporting you,” said Will. “But in time, that may change. It’s even possible someone else might do the deed. Either way, I need to be ready to take the reins of power when that time comes.”
“Such noble goals!” said Lognion, smiling broadly. “I applaud your pragmatism, but still I cannot give you such valuable knowledge without gaining something of tremendous value in return.”
Will winced. He’d been afraid of that. “What do you want?”
“What I’ve always wanted, William. Your service.”
“I won’t swear fealty,” he answered. “I’ve told you that before.”
“And I don’t need it. I’ve told you that I trust you more without it. What I want is your actual service. There’s something that needs doing.”
“You’ll have to be specific.”
“Darrow. Give me Darrow.”
Will gaped at him. “The nation?”
Lognion nodded. “As you know, they’ve become extremely bothersome. Their military still hasn’t recovered from the disaster in Barrowden a couple of years ago, yet I’m almost certain the vampire problem was of their doing. The only way to permanently solve this problem is to reunite our country, to bring Darrow under our rule.”
“You want me to kill the Patriarch?”
“That would be the finishing touch, but I’m asking for something more substantial. I want you to subjugate them.”
“By myself?”
The king laughed long and hard. “I almost believe you would attempt it if you had good enough cause. No, William, not alone. I would send you at the head of my armies.”
“The head? I don’t know anything about leading an army!”
“You would have my finest commanders with you. You won’t need much expertise of your own. If you wish to take my place someday, you’ll need to learn the art of war anyway. I merely want you to lead them as a figurehead, as Selene’s husband, as my representative. Leave the strategy to the generals, but I feel your presence may be necessary to ensure success.”
“Or to get me killed,” Will pointed out.
“As a ruler, I try to ensure I profit no matter how events play out. That might be a small prize should you fail, but I would rather you succeed.”
“Explain it for me,” said Will. “I’m trying to get my head around this proposal.”
“It’s simple. I’ll teach you the enchantment, and in exchange, you give me Darrow. Ride with my armies. Field Marshal Linville will handle the details, but he will ultimately answer to you. Failure or success, the credit will go to you, for good or ill. Is that clear enough?”
Will struggled to think of an answer. “I can’t leave. Selene—”
“Not now, William. Next spring. Even though summer is just beginning, it’s not advisable to start a campaign this late. You have eight or nine months until the excitement will start.” When Will didn’t say anything, Lognion prompted him. “What will it be?”
“Can I think about this?”
“Now or never,” said the king. “If you want the secret of the heart-stone enchantment, you’ll say yes and give me your word on it. Do that and I’ll teach you right here. Also, it goes without saying, but I’ll expect you to delay any assassination attempts until after you honor this promise.”
“And you’d trust me if I agreed to this?”
Lognion flashed white teeth as a wicked smile crossed his features. “Any man who would go to such lengths to refuse to swear fealty to me all this time can be counted on to keep his word. Besides, once you’ve learned this, and won your first war, it won’t matter if you attempt to kill me then. You’ll fail, of course, but on the off chance that you succeed, you’ll have proven your worthiness to succeed me. So, what say you?”
Will felt as though he was standing on the edge of a cliff, but he knew Lognion well enough to know the man wouldn’t wait. Aside from detesting lies in others, the king had always been brutally honest. If he said he wouldn’t make the offer twice, he meant it. But I’ll have to go to war. He’d seen enough of