The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,188

up under his ribs, straight into his heart. Byren eased the body to the floor, even as the life left him.

They waited. But Palatyne's man was not going to risk his life to investigate the Cockatrice warrior's fate. Instead, he moved towards the overlord's door, passing on the far side of the dark stairwell opening.

Byren lifted his knife, aimed and threw. The man had time only to register surprise before the knife took him in the throat. Though Byren darted out across the hall to catch him, he hit the floor with a soft thud.

Byren retrieved his knife, wiped it and hurried to the door of the blue chamber. Orrade did not follow.

He glanced over his shoulder to see his friend standing in the hall, torn.

'Go, save her,' Byren whispered. Elina would think he had failed her again, but he had to see Lence.

Orrade's expression cleared. 'Don't be misled by Lence's lies. I believe he's already tried to kill you once.'

Had he? Byren wondered. Or had it been a slip of the tongue? After all, how could Cobalt have led the manticores to their camp, when it was almost certain he had no Affinity?

Byren thrust the door open.

Lence turned, shielding a flickering candle. He stood unarmed.

'Byren?' His gaze flicked to the naked sword blade and back to his face. 'You're free.'

Byren's shoulders relaxed and his sword tip dipped a fraction. 'Lence, you mustn't believe the things Cobalt said. I haven't betrayed you. The rings were for mother and father's Jubilee. The poem was for Elina, not Orrie.'

His twin shrugged. 'He said you'd say that.'

Byren closed his eyes in frustration.

A mistake. When he opened them Lence had snatched the poker from the fire place. The end glowed menacingly as he raised it between them.

'If you'd only listen, Lence,' Byren pleaded.

His twin's gaze flickered behind Byren. A floor board creaked.

Byren spun just in time to side-step Rejulas's attempt to run him through.

Something hard struck the back of Byren's head, making him stagger and drop to one knee. Lence had hit him? He couldn't believe it.

Rejulas turned his blade, swinging it for Byren's throat. Byren fumbled as he lifted his sword to deflect the strike.

'No!' Lence diverted the stroke so that the blade sang as it slid down the length of the poker.

'Why not?' Rejulas snarled.

Byren lurched to his feet, backing away until the fireplace was behind him. His sword came up between them. Rejulas was his enemy but Lence had saved his life. Why?

'Thought better of it. Can't risk giving the alarm,' Orrade said as he padded into the chamber. On seeing Byren's predicament he froze, weapon ready.

'Shut the door,' Lence ordered. 'We don't want those Merofynian lordlings overhearing.'

Byren's heart soared with hope.

Rejulas cursed softly as Orrade closed the door.

'Byren?' Orrade whispered. 'What's going on here?'

'Yes, Lence?' Byren echoed. 'What's going on?'

'I'm claiming my birthright,' his twin explained. 'Using the Merofynian army as my tool.'

Byren blinked. 'Lence, Merofynia has invaded Rolencia. Unless we stop this overlord everything we hold dear is going to be destroyed, everyone we love is going to die. Palatyne -'

'I'm not Palatyne's captive.' Lence almost looked sorry for Byren. He nodded to the Cockatrice warlord. 'I'm Rejulas's captive, but only for as long as it suits me. We've hatched a plan, Rejulas and I.'

No one lowered their swords. Rejulas edged closer to Lence so that he confronted Orrade. 'Tell them, kingsheir.'

'I have it on good authority that the Merofynians despise their king and fear his overlord,' Lence said softly, reasonably. 'They were planning to invade Rolencia so -'

'They made overtures to me,' Rejulas laughed. 'Expected me to betray Rolencia.'

'Merofynia is ripe for invasion. I know for a fact that the people would welcome Queen Myrella's heir,' Lence continued, his voice gathering strength. 'When Father refused to even consider invading -'

'Did you tell him they were massing an army, that they'd approached the warlord of Cockatrice Spar?' Byren demanded.

'We didn't know that at first.' Lence nodded to the warlord. 'Rejulas -'

'I was sitting in the Three Swans, having been rejected by your vixen of a sister, thinking I'd be better off accepting Palatyne's offer, when Lence came in,' Rejulas explained. 'And I was just angry enough to tell him so!'

'Luckily, Illien was with me,' Lence said. 'He saw how we could use Palatyne against his own king. We're going to let the Merofynian army wear itself down taking Rolencia. Then Rejulas will reveal his true loyalty by releasing me, and together we will crush the crippled Merofynians and take