-'
The king pounced on the case. Flinging it open, he rummaged through the contents. Hands shaking, he withdrew a dark bottle with a glass stopper. 'At least I can still have my tonic.'
'Tonic?' Autumnwind repeated. He opened the bottle, sniffing their contents. 'I am not a healer, but I can recognised dreamless-sleep when I smell it, that and willweakener. No tonic I ever heard of combined those two ingredients.'
Piro and Seela exchanged looks as the king shook his head.
'No, Valens helped me,' he insisted. 'He's done wonders for me.'
Autumnwind glanced to Seela, who shook her head slightly.
'Why don't we get the healers to look at these bottles?' Autumnwind suggested.
'Good idea,' Seela agreed. 'Piro, have the guard fetch the healers.'
Even though she knew what they would find, Piro did this. Would it be enough to convince her father of Cobalt's treachery? Unless there was something that showed Valens was following his old master's order, Cobalt would not be implicated and she was convinced Cobalt was too clever to make that mistake.
Byren skated on, eyes bleary from the glare of sun on ice all day and the sting of the wind. His face felt tight with windburn. But the sun had set now and they were only around the bend from Narrowneck tradepost. He smiled to himself. He should have accepted Florin's offer to go with him, at least then he'd be sure she got this far safely.
The silver light of the stars illuminated the small beach and its cliff. The rope he'd used had been put away.
'Don't fancy trying to climb that cliff,' Orrade muttered.
'We'll have to go around,' Byren agreed. 'Any more headaches, Orrie?'
'No. No time for headaches. I'd skate all night if I had to.'
'Me too,' Garzik muttered, then yawned so widely his jaw cracked.
They laughed and he grinned. They'd skated for the better part of the previous night.
'Let's find a warm bed. Florin will have locked up but I'm sure we can get into the barn.' Byren led the way. As long as Orrade didn't suffer from headaches and blackouts they were free from pursuit. At least, that was what Byren hoped.
His body was tiring as they strode past the palisade and up the winding track between the tall trees.
Garzik gave a theatrical shiver. 'Last time we were here the manticores were stalking us and we were fleeing for our lives.'
'This time we're running towards danger to save lives,' Byren said. 'I wish I could go with you two tomorrow -'
'Don't worry, we'll get there in time to warn Elina and Lence,' Garzik assured him.
Orrade snorted. 'The hard part will be convincing father to come to Rolenhold. He won't want to leave the estate.'
'I can understand that,' Byren said. An idea occurred to him. 'Tell your father, King Rolen needs him.'
Orrade smiled. 'You know the Old Dove well!'
Byren came to a halt. The three-storey tradepost reared up before them, a dark silhouette against the froth of stars, no light burned and no smoke came from the chimney. 'Old Man Narrows won't mind if we sleep in his barn tonight.'
'I'm so tired I could sleep standing up,' Garzik confessed. 'Wonder if he took his animals with him?'
'Would have killed the chickens for travelling meat and walked the cows to the nearest farm,' Orrade hazarded a guess. 'Sylion's luck, I could have enjoyed a roast chicken!'
Byren smiled. Again he wished he could go with them to be sure Elina was safe, but duty took him elsewhere. To restore his father's faith in him he had to get word to the abbey. Elina would never believe he was innocent if his own father didn't.
Byren woke to a muffled noise. It was still dark and no birds called, so it was not yet dawn. He lifted his head to sniff the air. Something was wrong. He inhaled again. Smoke?
Orrade's face was a pale blur against his blanket and cloak. Byren nudged him with his boot. 'Wake up.'
'What is it, Byren?' Garzik asked.
'Shhh. Something -' Then he heard it, the soft crackle of fire. The smell of smoke came through the chinks in the barn walls. Byren rolled to his feet, creeping towards the shuttered window. He prised it open a fraction. Fire, horses, armed men.
'Byren Kingson, we know you're in there,' a man yelled, striding forwards, lit by the flames.
'Rejulas!' Byren muttered.
'Warlord Rejulas from Cockatrice Spar? What's he doing here?' Garzik whispered.
'Hush!'
'You've got two choices,' Rejulas yelled. 'Come out and surrender, or stay and burn!'
Garzik wasted no time, scrambling over to where