The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,109
can't wait to meet this Lady Unace. Does she really have a battletale with five kills?'
'Seven,' Byren said with a smile, but his eyes held worry.
'Come on.' She danced ahead of him. 'I'll lead you to the cave where Temor's hiding the unistag.'
Byren signalled to the last man who was waiting for him to catch up and called, 'I'm going to see if this goatherd's got any decent cheese for sale.' He diverted from the path and fell into step with her saying, 'I don't know, Piro -'
'Don't worry. I can pretend to be a goatherd for a day or two. Then you can get Lady Unace to gift the unistag to Rolencia and I'll escort it home. No one but you and Temor will know.'
Byren looked grim. 'A fine plan, but things never go according to plan. I learnt that on my first raid.'
Piro ignored his gloom. She was out of the castle and having fun for a change. And she didn't intend to go back to the restrictions of her old life. Knowing that she could get away like this would make the days when she had to do the castle accounts bearable!
Chapter Eighteen
Byren straightened up, flexing his shoulders and looking around the camp. It was mid-afternoon and he'd told the men he was giving Lady Unace time to reconsider. He intended to stay at the Lower Portals so Unace could send him a message when she retook the stronghold. Then she would welcome him into Unistag Castle and give the oath of fealty as arranged. That meant Piro would be on her own for only a few days. He would have to let Unace into the secret of her identity. He only hoped nothing went wrong while Piro was out of his sight. He checked the angle of the sun. Unace would arrive at the cave soon. He wanted to be there when she did.
'Ho, Orrie,' Byren called. 'Think I'll go see if that goatherd's got any more cheese for sale.'
Without waiting for a reply he set off down the path then stepped off it, following an almost invisible path to the cave itself.
Piro gave him a wave and continued to groom the unistag.
'You'll spoil the beastie,' Byren told her.
'We want him looking his best,' she said.
'Where's Temor?'
'Looking out for Lacy Unace.'
'As I live and breathe I don't believe it,' Orrie muttered coming up the path to the clearing in front of the cave. He held back, turning to his brother. 'Would you look at that, Garza, a tame unistag. The only other one I've seen was in Rolenhold.'
Byren cursed softly. He had hoped to keep this from Orrade. Not that he could see a way for Cobalt to discredit him with it. 'What are you two doing here?'
'Watching your back,' Garzik said. 'We wouldn't be true honour guards if we didn't.' His gaze wandered past Byren to the unistag. 'You weren't after goat cheese at all.'
Byren was struck by the similarity between the brothers. Garzik's injury and fever had left him thinner of face, more like Orrade.
Across the far side of the clearing Piro continued to brush the unistag's coat, humming a song that Seela used to sing to them as children.
Piro's face fell and she crossed to join them. 'How did you guess?'
'And that is the Rolenhold unistag.' Orrade turned to Byren. 'What are you up to?'
'Lacy Unace needs to break the siege. Only a sign from the gods will do that, so I've arranged for one.' Byren smiled at their surprise, then noticed Piro's frustrated expression. 'You were humming one of Seela's songs. That's what gave you away.'
Her eyes widened. 'I'll have to be more careful.'
Byren's conscience stabbed him. He was mad to send Piro into danger. But Rolencia needed the Unistag warlord's loyalty and he needed the Unistag's support of Unace, so he needed Piro.
'What's she doing here in this disguise?' Orrade asked.
'Piro was the only one who could get the unistag to behave.' Byren heard his own voice, a mixture of pride and annoyance.
Orrade swore under his breath. 'You'd never catch Elina dressed in rags with dirt under her nails, grooming an Affinity beast!'
'That's for sure,' Garzik muttered, but he sounded admiring rather than amazed.
Temor's deep voice could be heard, answered by a higher one.
'Lady Unace is coming,' Byren warned. 'Bring the unistag over here, Depiro.' He added for Orrade and Garzik's benefit. 'That's what we're calling Piro. Don't forget. It's