Styrax knelt with his head bowed, a foot away from a horn almost as long as his own body, staring at the corpse but not making a sound. Slowly, carefully, he got to his feet and retrieved his sword, wiping it and sheathing the weapon before he turned his back on them all.
And you thought to fight him, Lord Isak? Ilumene thought with wonder and scorn. As a pawn of Azaer’s machinations you were a fool. As a boy trying to choose his own destiny, you were even worse. It’s a shame you were so keen to run towards your own death. I’d have enjoyed that moment when you realised you never stood a chance against us.
CHAPTER 10
For once King Emin slept late, only waking mid-morning at the hysterical chatter of a blackbird somewhere close to his bedroom window. Camatayl Castle was quiet despite the hour. He got out of bed and pulled on the nearest clothes before pushing open the shutters to look out of the window.
The fields beyond were largely empty, just a few dozen shaggy goats and a herder perched on a drystone wall. The tower walls were so thick that he had to lean right out before he could see the nearest of Kamfer’s Ford’s buildings. A gust of cold air chased him back inside the room and he pulled the shutter with him. He’d need another layer before he headed outside.
In the next room he found Sir Creyl, Commander of the Brotherhood, and one of their newer recruits, Kap Daratin. Sir Creyl, a former gangster, sat in the furthest corner so he could watch both entrances to the room. Despite there not being enough room at the small table, Daratin was trying to do the same, his bowl of rice porridge perched on the corner of the table. The room itself was plain, whitewashed plaster adorned only by a trio of tiny gold-inlaid icons and a simple woven rug on the floor.
The young man flinched when King Emin entered, new enough as a King’s Man to have to fight the urge to stand when his monarch entered the room. He came a hair’s breadth from tipping the whole bowl into his lap, but like all members of the Brotherhood he had lightning reactions.
‘Your Majesty,’ the two men said together, with Daratin continuing, ‘Shall I fetch you some breakfast?’
Emin nodded. There were servants in the tower, but this wasn’t an official trip. Away from the eyes of polite society the Brotherhood usually waited on him; it avoided the requirements of ceremony and protocol. When Daratin had left King Emin took his seat at the table. Sir Creyl gestured towards a clay bottle but Emin shook his head.
‘Even watered down I’ve never had a taste for beer at breakfast.’
Sir Creyl smiled, his ice-blue eyes sparkling. ‘It’s so weak you can hardly call it beer; best way to start a day.’
‘I think I’ll start with red tea, thank you. My head feels heavy enough this morning without help.’
‘That’s not like you; you’re usually insufferable from dawn onwards. Why do you think I drink?’
Emin ignored the quip. ‘I know, but I don’t even feel like I slept. Must have though, I remember dreaming of my son as a toddler, trying to run from a Menin Army.’
‘Ah, a new father’s fears; I remember them well!’ Creyl laughed. ‘Why do you think I started drinking?’
‘It’s guilt at leaving so soon. Once things are set up here maybe I’ll be able to return to Narkang for a while.’
‘Once that old bastard Aladorn is signed on, you’ll be well covered here,’ Sir Creyl declared. ‘He won’t refuse you, no matter how old he’s got.’
Emin pictured the man who’d helped mastermind his conquest of the kingdom, twenty years previously. General Dall Aladorn had been a cantankerous and belligerent drunk of fifty summers then. Sir Creyl was right that he’d be keen to prove he still had what it took to win a war. Emin’s only concern was that the general had pickled his brain out of sheer boredom; he wanted to see the man himself before asking him to prepare for invasion.
‘We’ll find out when he gets here,’ Emin said eventually. ‘For the moment, could you give me a moment’s peace? Perhaps go and see to our guests’ needs?’
Sir Creyl left without a word, recognising the order easily enough. When Daratin returned with a stack of honeyed flat-breads he set the plate on the table and exited