from which Darmczek had probably received orders of some kind. “Patch him through.”
Darmczek’s face appeared on a screen embedded in the surface of Charlie’s desk. “Good afternoon, Captain,” Charlie said politely.
“We’ve got new orders,” Darmczek said. “We’re to make for Traxis and proceed with all due haste. We’re setting up the new heading now and realigning the flotilla. We should up-transit within the hour. There’s also an urgent message for you, coded private and sealed with a de Maris encryption key. I’ve forwarded it to your console.”
“Thank you, sir. Is there anything else?”
“Nothing,” Darmczek said, and killed the circuit.
As the screen went blank, Charlie isolated his console from shipnet, sealed his office, and activated the security monitor. He brought up the encrypted message and entered the proper decryption sequence, then leaned back to watch the message. Cesare, Arthur, and Winston appeared as half-sized three-dimensional projections, Arthur seated casually on a large, plush couch, Winston standing calmly beside him, and Cesare pacing back and forth, an intense furrow on his brow. He stopped suddenly and looked at Charlie—Charlie had to remind himself that Cesare was actually looking at a recording camera.
“Charlie,” Cesare said. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve contacted you with such urgency. Lucius has summoned me to attend high court at the Almsburg Palace on Turnlee.”
High court, Charlie thought. That meant all nine dukes would be attending, with family and heirs.
Cesare continued. “Lucius’s advisors have dropped some rather unsubtle hints that you’re to attend with me. The royal summons conspicuously doesn’t state when my attendance at court will no longer be required, so we’ll have to be prepared for an extended stay.” Cesare looked over his shoulder. “Winston?”
Cesare’s chamberlain stepped forward. “It’s highly unusual, Charles, for the king to directly summon a commoner who’s sworn to one of the Nine. This is an appropriate, though indirect, means of summoning you into the presence of the king, perhaps even for an official audience. His Lordship might have something to offer there.”
Winston stepped aside and Arthur took up the narration. “My agents inform me that, for your gallant deeds during the Syndonese war . . .” Arthur grinned and raised a mocking eyebrow at that, “ . . . Lucius is going to bestow upon you some minor title, but no properties, which is an extremely unusual thing to do. Now, we know he’d never have made such a hero out of you if you’d been alive.” Arthur turned his mocking eyebrow on Cesare. “And he’s quite annoyed that you’ve managed to return from the dead, which has resurrected the myth associated with the Charlie Cass name. So why does he choose now to bestow further honors upon you?” Arthur let the question hang.
“What game is he up to?” Cesare demanded. He looked at the camera. “Winston thinks Lucius purposely leaked the information about bestowing a title, and that it’s a cover for some other trick he’s planned.”
Charlie’s paranoia ramped up a notch.
Arthur added, “I think he just wants to irritate our dear stepmother, sow a bit of dissention in the de Maris household. He knows that any kind of title granted to you will really piss her off, and it’s interesting that no other information is leaking out concerning this. The whole thing smacks of Adsin—Lucius really can’t keep a secret. I’m not sure you know Enrik Adsin. He’s chancellor to the crown, one of Lucius’s closest advisers, and a real snake in the grass. In any case, we have no choice but to answer the summons. We’ll have to let them play their hand, then counter appropriately when we know more. Winston is having formal attire and dress uniforms tailored for you now. We’ll all attend as part of Cesare’s retinue.”
Cesare stepped in close to the camera. “Charlie, you’re just a pawn in this.” Both Arthur and Winston suddenly found something of great interest on the toes of their shoes. “I wouldn’t use you so if there were any other course, but we suspect Goutain and his Syndonese followers are involved somehow. And I may have to use you badly indeed. Forgive me.” The projection ended.
Charlie marveled that Cesare’s final words didn’t bother him more. He resented being a pawn, but he’d been raised to serve House de Maris, and he felt every bit a part of the de Maris legacy. Cesare, without a thought to the contrary, had dropped him right back into his allotted slot in the de Maris household. And until that moment Charlie hadn’t questioned