The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,178

see them leave, he had to wonder how many of them would be coming back. Hopefully, Halcyon would protect the mystics master and Oakstand. It would be too much to ask that only his enemies fell under Merofynian swords. But he could hope for Feldspar's sake. Then it hit him, if he ran away from the abbey now it would confirm the whispers. Even his friends would believe him a coward.

But what could he do?

'The mystics master took a sliver of the sacred flame with him. Halcyon will protect them,' Feldspar said.

'A sharp sword and keen wits are a man's best protection,' Hawkwing insisted. 'Halcyon helps those who help themselves.'

Foxtail pointed. 'There they go!'

The monks marched out the gate and Fyn took comfort from the thought that at least Rolenhold was not under siege, so Piro was safe.

'Your turn, mother,' Piro said. They had begun a game of Duelling Kingdoms, Piro playing the King Rolen piece and her mother King Merofyn. 'None of my warning beacons have been lit.'

Aware that both the guard and the Affinity warder could hear every word, Piro was careful how she phrased things. Her father had decided it would be safer, when she visited her mother, if Autumnwind waited by the open door. His reasoning was that if the Merofynian Power-worker took over her mother again, the warder could save Piro. And he had forbidden her to discuss the situation in Rolencia, fearing the Power-worker might gain knowledge of their preparations for war and use it against them.

Piro wished she'd never used that ploy to hide her mother's Affinity, but even now she couldn't think of another.

While they played, Seela sat by the fireplace, tutting and humming softly. The rhythmic creak of the rocking chair soothed Piro's fluttering stomach.

Her mother studied the game board. 'Since your soldiers have not lit the beacons in time, my warriors can advance, but where -'

'Dovecote is in your path,' Piro said. The longer this went on, the greater the danger for Dovecote in reality. Her gaze flew to her mother.

Queen Myrella nodded once.

Piro wanted to ask if she believed Orrade and Garzik were captives or worse, but she dared not. Frustration and fear welled up in her.

Seela began humming a jolly midwintering song. The main character was a roistering warrior who was popular with the ladies, reminding Piro of Byren.

'I know.' Piro smiled. 'I'll send my faithful captain of the honour guard to alert Halcyon Abbey.' She moved the captain. There was no kingson in the game.

'A difficult journey with my warriors deployed across the valley,' the queen whispered.

'He is clever and brave. He'll get through,' Piro assured her mother. 'Your turn.'

'I have three Power-workers. I choose to deploy them with each commander. They will be on the alert for your warriors on their missions.'

Piro nodded. Merofynian commanders always travelled with renegade Power-workers. But Byren and the Dovecote brothers had no Affinity so their own Affinity could not be turned against them.

'My go.' Piro turned over a wild card. 'Ah.' Swiftly she read the card and found a way to use it to warn her mother. She moved a warlord off his spar and put him on Rolenhold, saying, 'Ostron Isle is always sending surprises with its wild cards. And this one is much more dangerous than I thought. It gives my player the ability to shield himself from those with Affinity and so hide his true nature.'

Would her mother understand the implication? Cobalt had hidden his true nature.

'I fear you are right. How will I warn my king?' her mother whispered. 'He must beware false advisors...'

Piro nodded. But what could she do? She was only a child. Her father would never listen to her.

And so the game of Duelling Kingdoms went on. If there hadn't been so much at stake, Piro would have enjoyed tricking the guard. As it was, she finished up the game, assured only that her mother knew how serious things were.

They hugged at the door holding back tears, while the guard and Autumnwind looked the other way.

'Take care, Piro, I fear you may have to be as fierce and brave and your namesake,' her mother whispered.

'I'm not brave at all,' Piro admitted. 'I thought I was, but I'm not.'

Her mother placed one finger under her chin, tilting her face to look into her eyes. 'We are all as brave as we have to be. Have you any idea how many times I cried myself to sleep when I first came here, a captive of