of the castle’s thousands of chambers and passageways as was Friar. Nonetheless, he had a few questions of his own to ask.
“Is it true what she told me? Is La Seyne Sur Mer … your Black Wolf of Lincoln” he said with a faint snort, “the real Lucien Wardieu? And is it also true the man posing as Lucien Wardieu is come to the name and title through false means?”
“It is all true,” Friar said levelly.
“Have you any proof of this to offer?”
“The proof,” Gil seethed, “was there for all to see this afternoon in the lists. What kind of man strikes another in the back, especially when he has just been spared his own life?”
“Indeed,” De Chesnai mused. “Your wolf’s head fought well today. Better than any forest rogue or political schemer.”
“Yet you still harbour doubts to his identity—!”
Sir Roger held up a hand to counter Gil’s outburst. “In truth, lad, the only doubts I still harbour are those pertaining to our own abilities. My loyalty must first and foremost be to Lady Servanne de Briscourt, but even I, who would gladly trade my miserable life for hers, cannot see any hope of success in finding her, let alone freeing her, without the aid and knowledge of someone who knows this castle as if he were born to it.”
“Lucien Wardieu was born to it.” Alaric said quietly.
“Then it stands to reason,” Sir Roger replied mildly, “we should endeavour to free him first.”
“How?” Alaric demanded. “We are still likened to fish out of water here.”
“Ahh yes, but the Dragon believes he has captured the biggest fish of all. Will he not boast as much to his guests … and his bishop … and will it not, therefore, be an easy matter to inquire where and how the villain is being restrained so that one not need fear for the safety of one’s neck while asleep?”
“It could be done,” Alaric agreed slowly. “There is sure to be much drinking and celebrating in the great hall tonight.”
“I have six men at my command,” said Sir Roger. “Six who, like me, have no love for this yellow-maned dragon who sits so close to Lackland as to share the same stench of corruption. They will fight, to a man, if we can but provide the wherewithal to fight.” He paused and cast an arched brow over his shoulder at Gil. “Is this skinny bag of bones the best you have to contribute?”
“We have a dozen stout men inside the gates, as many more waiting out on the moor.” Alaric gave a wry smile before he added, “And I would take a care in how you refer to Gillian—she has a temper as finely honed as her bowstring.”
“She? A wench?”
“A wench who taught the Wolf a thing or two about the proper use of a longbow. But if you still doubt me, think back to the lesson learned by Bayard of Northumbria, who might have preferred we had a different teacher.”
De Chesnai frowned and scratched at the neatly trimmed beard that grew in a point from his chin. “Well, a score of men—and one wench—will have to do, I suppose, at least until we can sniff out a malcontent or two from among the castle guard. There are bound to be some who would be glad to see the Dragon’s fire quenched after today’s debacle.”
Friar shook his head. “There is no time to recruit men from the castle guard. What we do must be done tonight, while there is revelry and celebration to dilute the urgency of the Dragon’s purpose. By the morrow, he will be thinking clearly again and know his only safe course lies in the hasty and permanent removal of anyone who poses a threat to his future.”
“He will kill your lord, as well as my lady,” De Chesnai agreed grimly. “Along with any of us who stumble into his hands.”
“Then we shall have to take special care to do no stumbling.”
A groan from the direction of the cot sent the men’s eyes back to Biddy; a squawk and flurry of parti-coloured vestments and tinkling bells sent them all into a guarded crouch as Sparrow plunged into the bothy. He skidded to a dusty halt when he saw the trio of grim faces and even grimmer weapons aimed toward him.
“Sparrow, for Christ’s sake—” Alaric resheathed his dagger and shook off the surge of adrenaline.
“I heard Old Blister was here. Robert said she was hurt—”
“Woodcock?” Biddy’s voice scratched out of the shadows. “Woodcock,