The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,78
have to go now. I'm very sorry about the raiders.'
'The raiders... ah.' He came over and sat on the edge of the fountain, sinking his head into his hands. 'I still can't believe it's true. To have my father snatched from me when we had only just reconciled after thirteen years. To lose my bride...'
He could not go on. His shoulders shook.
Piro's stomach knotted and tears stung her eyes. She rubbed his back between his broad shoulders. His long curled hair felt like silk under her hand and black onyxes winked at her, entwined amidst his curls. Why would a man bother to make himself look so fine, unless he planned seduction?
How could she think such a thing as he sobbed over his murdered bride?
'...it was all my fault. My stupid pride,' he whispered, despair making his voice thick. 'If I hadn't carried a chest of jewels to impress my father the raiders wouldn't have been tempted.'
Prompted by the urge to relieve his pain, Piro's Affinity rose up through the core of her body, warming her, rolling down her arms into her fingers. Only last week she had eased the pain of one of the cooks who had burnt her hand by drawing off the sensation. No one had noticed then, so now she tried it with Cobalt, opening her senses, willing to share his pain to help ease it.
Nothing.
Blank.
She pulled back a step.
His head remained bowed. 'I'm sorry, child. A man may weep inside, but he must be strong for his men. Forgive my lapse. I... I was overcome.' Cobalt lifted his head. His eyes were red-rimmed, tortured, but she had sensed no emotion in him.
She took another step back. 'That's all right. Byren weeps every time he hears the Tale of the Bone Flute.'
Even while Piro spoke, she was trying to fathom this new Lord Cobalt. Either he truly felt nothing and it was all a sham, or he was so well walled she could not reach him, yet he had claimed to be in the throes of deep emotion and asked her forbearance.
'Why do you look at me like that, little Piro?'
She blinked. Oh, his black eyes were so sharp... they made her skin prickle with fear.
'I can't get over how like Lence you are,' she said to divert him, 'well, a mixture of father and Lence.'
He smiled. 'Blood will leave its mark. I am your kin, after all.'
'I have to go now, Mother's expecting me,' Piro lied, then she turned and walked away, when all her instincts told her to run.
Byren had no luck in the kitchen, so he headed back to the war table chamber to see if Fyn had found Piro. One of the younger men of his father's honour guard was on duty at the base of the stairs outside the trophy chamber. This was unusual. His father must be feeling the need for a show of strength. He stopped to exchange a word just as two servants approached, pushing a trolley laden with firewood. The noise was so bad he just nodded to the guard and went up the stairs, accompanied by the rattling of the wheels that echoed up the stairwell. Even so, he could hear raised voices from the war table room on the floor above. His father and Lence yelling at each other? Impossible.
Byren thrust the door open, surprising the king and his twin in the midst of a heated argument. Both turned to him.
He was so startled he simply stood there.
His father gestured impatiently. 'Shut the door.'
'Byren, you tell Father I'm right. The Merofynians despise their king and fear his bullying overlord,' Lence said. Byren recognised Cobalt's refrain. 'The country is ripe for an uprising. We should -'
'We've signed a peace accord, you're betrothed to King Merofyn's daughter,' Rolen interrupted. 'What kind of king would I be to dishonour my word?'
Lence made the same impatient gesture their father had used a moment before. 'But -'
'Peace means trade and prosperity, Lence,' their father insisted. 'War means death and -'
'To the victor go the spoils!'
'True,' King Rolen conceded. 'But there's no guarantee we'll be the victor. You've only ever led raids, in and out quickly, warrior against warrior. Sometimes it is enough to take their spar symbol for the warlord's men to retreat. But war...' He shook his head. 'War is brutal. At best, fields are ruined and people starve, and at worst, women and children are murdered. War turns ordinary men into monsters. Believe me, I've seen it!'