“Let me up!” Princess Marina’s muffled voice ordered from under the pile of women.
A sound made Stavin turn toward the door and come to ready again, but it was Charvil and the king, followed by the rest of the warriors. “Mary, are you all right?” the king shouted as soon as he reached the room.
“I will be once I get Jenna’s butt out of my face,” the princess shouted, and the king sagged visibly with relief.
Everyone was starting to relax when one of the maids screamed as she pointed toward the other room. Everyone looked and saw a wounded man pointing a crossbow at the king’s back. As soon as he had a clear shot at the king, he pulled the trigger.
Stoval was a pace away from the king and threw himself forward as soon as he saw the man, embracing the king and driving him to the floor as the crossbow bolt drove into his back. Charvil immediately snatched Stavin’s Dragon’s Tongue from his hand and threw it like a spear, his massive muscles driving the light weapon through the man, pinning the dying assassin to the wall.
Charvil fell to his knees at his little brother’s side, rolling him off the king and holding him up. “Stovie?” he asked, but there was no response. “Stovie, speak to me,” he begged, but there was no sign of life in the big man’s frame. A tear threatened at the Warmaster’s eye, but he blinked it away. “No higher honor can be said of a Royal Guard than that he gave his life for the king.”
King Kalin sat up and felt his own breast. The crossbow bolt had driven through Stoval’s back plate and almost through his breast plate as well, but only the very tip had touched the fabric of the king’s shirt. A drop of Stoval’s blood marked the spot.
“Royal Guardsman indeed,” the king said as he looked at Stoval’s still face. “Your men are all Royal Guardsmen, Charvil. As you always have been.”
There was a commotion in the anteroom as guardsmen and women, some only half dressed in their uniforms, responded to the alarm. The king saw them and started barking orders.
“Search the palace! My suite is filled with dead men. I want to know how that many men made it into the palace. Find Lord Sarvan and bring him here.” The king struggled to his feet and walked over to his daughter. “Are you really all right, Mary?”
“Yes, Daddy, I’m all right.” She looked at Charvil as he held his brother’s body and shook her head. “If not for them, though--”
“Indeed.” The king looked over and said, “Stavin, come here.”
Stavin took just three steps and went to one knee at the king’s side. He bowed his head and said, “Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Why was there a sofa blocking my bedroom door?”
Stavin cringed just a little. “I was sleeping on it, Your Majesty.”
The king looked down at him and shook his head. “In full armor, I take it. Weren’t you told something about being one of the protected, not the protectors?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Stavin replied as he looked at the floor.
The king sighed. “I guess I’m just going to have to get used to it. You’ve proven your mettle once again, Stavin. How many this time?”
Stavin looked up in surprise at the almost jovial tone the king was using. “I don’t know, Your Majesty. Four here.” He looked over at the axman and corrected himself. “Five. In your chambers I was too busy to count.”
Two Royal Guardsmen charged into the room and skidded to a halt in front of the king. “Your Majesty, Lord Sarvan is injured,” the leader announced.
“How badly?” the king demanded.
“I don’t know for sure, Your Majesty, but Captain Zel’Tarlin was yelling for a Healer.”
The king immediately headed for the door, and the guards formed up around him. Charvil looked up from where he still knelt and his face hardened. He gently laid Stoval’s body face down on the floor and stood. “On me,” he commanded, and all of his men formed up. “Darak, Marlan, Stavin, stay with the princess.” Without looking to see if he was being obeyed he marched forward, following the king.
Chapter 28
A WOMAN’S VOICE DREW THE ATTENTION of everyone in the princess’ suite. “You must leave. You must all leave. All of you,” she was saying as she tried to move some of the remaining guardsmen from the room. “Men are not allowed in the princess’ bedchamber.”
“Oh, Barla, stop that,” Princess Marina said with a tired sigh.
“It’s not proper!” the woman snapped at the princess. “No man is allowed in your bedchamber until you marry him.”
“All things considered, I’m not worried about it, and I think my father is delighted to have them here.”
The woman named Barla took a breath to argue some more, but the sound of renewed shouting from the hallway silenced her. Stavin and the rest of the guardsmen raced for the outer door as Dahvin and a dozen other guards dove over the pile of bodies.
“Get down!” Dahvin shouted. “Get the princess down!”
“What’s going on?” Stavin asked as he reached Dahvin’s side.
“It’s Adept Markal!” Dahvin shouted as a bolt of bright-blue energy burned through a pair of guardsmen who were trying to reach the door. “He’s one of the traitors!”
Stavin snarled as he launched himself at the door. Dahvin yelled, “Stavin, no!” but it was far too late to stop him. Stavin used the same move to get out of the room as he’d used getting in, and landed in the hall with his legs spread and his Dragon’s Tongue at the ready.
Adept Markal attacked immediately, but Stavin just stood his ground as the mage bolt spattered harmlessly against his armor. “Do you think your magic can top a dragon’s magic, fool?” Stavin all but crowed, and then he attacked. Adept Markal threw everything he had at Stavin, but it hardly even slowed him down. When Stavin reached the mage, he whipped his Dragon’s Tongue in a figure-eight pattern that removed both of the traitor’s hands.
Stavin looked over his shoulder and shouted, “Dahvin, get out here!” as the mage fell to his knees. He jammed the bottom blade of his Dragon’s Tongue into the body of a fallen attacker and grabbed a boot lace from another to bind the mage’s wrist, stopping him from bleeding to death. Dahvin joined him and bound the other wrist, and then they bound them together.
Once the mage was secure, Dahvin turned and walloped Stavin on the helmet with his closed fist. “That was the most fool-hardy thing I’ve ever seen, Stavin!”
Stavin laughed. “Dahvin, I’ve stood up to far more powerful magi than Markal.” He turned and looked the mage in the eye. “You’re going to be strangled just like any other traitor. And I’m going to beg the king’s permission to tie the cord myself.”
“You dare not,” Markal sputtered. He’d been in shock, but now the pain from his missing hands was becoming unbearable.
Dahvin looked at the mage and snarled, “Who killed my father?”
The mage shook his head and Dahvin drew his dagger. He didn’t, however, threaten the mage with the blade. Grasping the stump of the mage’s right hand, he smacked it with the hilt of the dagger. Markal screamed and collapsed as Dahvin asked once again, “Who killed my father?”
“I don’t know! I don’t!” the mage screamed as Dahvin grasped his wrist again. He was weeping now, and Dahvin stood up, disgusted by what he’d just done. Looking around, he pointed to the closest two guardsmen.
“Bind him and take him to the cells. Make sure he doesn’t bleed to death. That’d be too easy on him.” Dahvin looked at Stavin, and then went back to the princess’ suite.
Princess Marina met them as they climbed over the bodies in her doorway. She shouted, “Stavin, you frightened me half to death! What did you think you were doing?” She was standing barefooted in a pool of blood, her night dress disheveled and hanging crookedly from her shoulders, with her hands on her hips.
Stavin grinned. She looks as angry as a wet cat. Marina in a rage was magnificent. “Princess Marina, my armor has withstood the magic of a Black Adept of the Evilest One, and the unbridled power of a two-hundred-year-old Adept. As good as t
he King’s Adept surely was, he wasn’t as powerful as either of them.”
Marina looked at him and raised a fist. “If you weren’t in armor, I’d beat that smile off your face, Stavin.”
Dahvin looked at his cousin, then at Stavin and said, “We’d better go. I think she means it.”
“No,” Darak snapped. “We were ordered to stay here and protect the princess.”
Dahvin looked at him and took a breath as if he was about to argue the point, but ended up just letting loose a mighty sigh and saying, “Yes, Warleader,” as he bowed.
Darak turned and looked at the princess. “You should get dressed, Your Highness. This may not be over yet.”
Princess Marina looked at him, and then nodded her head regally. “Yes, Warleader,” she replied, then turned and went to her bedchamber. Three bodies had to be moved before the door could be closed.
Darak looked at Stavin and Dahvin and asked, “Is Her Highness always like that?”
Dahvin nodded. “I’d have to say yes. I’ve known her all my life, Warleader, and for as long as I can remember she’s been as hot-tempered as anyone I know.”
Darak looked at Marlan, and then they both looked at Stavin. He just shrugged and looked at the bodies. “Maybe we should clean up a little,” he suggested.
By the time the door to the princess’ bedchamber opened again the bodies had been sorted into friend and foe. Royal Guards were carefully laid out along one side of the hallway, and the traitors were piled like cordwood along the other. The ten guards at the outer door had killed twenty-three of the attackers before they were overwhelmed.
Darak looked at the princess and said, “With your permission, Your Highness, we’d like to get the bodies out of your bedchamber.”
Princess Marina nodded her head but didn’t say anything. Her expression was betraying how shocked she really was. She was pale and there was a tightness around her eyes that looked like pain. Twelve more traitors were brought out and carelessly stacked with the others, and five Royal Guardswomen joined their fellows. Stoval’s body was brought out last and Stavin shaved the shaft of the crossbow bolt off so Stoval could be laid carefully on his back at the head of the guardsmen.
“No higher honor,” Princess Marina whispered. Her voice was choked with grief now. She had known most of her Guards for years.
Darak bowed in agreement. “We should go to the royal suite. It’s more easily defended than this one, Your Highness.”
Princess Marina nodded and headed toward the royal suite, but Stavin and Dahvin darted ahead of her. She made a noise like she was about to object, but Darak stopped her by saying, “You can’t lead us this time, Princess Marina. Let Stavin and Lieutenant Zel’Fordal make sure it’s safe.”
The princess looked over her shoulder at him, but the look in his eyes silenced her. She nodded and continued on as Stavin and Dahvin outpaced her. When she reached the royal suite, she froze. Twenty-four Royal Guardsmen had died outside the door, and their bodies were mixed with more than twice their number of attackers. Inside the royal suite Stavin and Dahvin were checking the men on the floor for any survivors, but there were none.
Princess Marina looked around the room as she slowly walked through, but she froze in mid-stride as she passed the door to the Prince’s Suite. “Stavin, come here,” she commanded, and both he and Dahvin hurried to her side.
Stavin saw why she’d called him immediately. Jarel lay dead in the doorway with Stavin’s big knife in his hand. There was blood on the blade, but no body was there to tell how successful he’d been. A sword thrust to the chest had split his heart, but he’d died as he said he would, trying to protect the king.
Stavin knelt and removed his helmet, then straightened his valet’s limbs. He whispered, “You did well, Jarel. You did very well indeed.”
A commotion at the door drew him to his feet, but it was the king and his guards returning. A litter was brought in, and both Stavin and Dahvin went to see. Sarvan had a bulky bandage on his shoulder, and his eyes were closed, but he was breathing. They shared a relieved sigh, but the king shattered their relief when he spoke to his daughter.
“Mary, I have bad news. Ehrwan was killed.”
Stavin’s world collapsed around him as blood roared in his ears. Lady Ehrwan, the woman who had befriended and defended him the first time he’d mingled with the lords. Lady Ehrwan, the woman who’d made such an effort to make sure he didn’t fall prey to the traps in the palace. Lady Ehrwan, the woman he would have died to protect--and hadn’t been there when she needed him.
He didn’t realize he was crying until Charvil put a comforting arm across his shoulders. “She died with her sword in her hand, Stavin. She took two of them with her.”
Stavin looked up at his father-in-law through tear-blurred eyes, and then blinked his tears away as he looked at the royal family. Marina was crying in her father’s arms, and Dahvin had wrapped his arms around both of them.
“I swear that I will avenge her death a hundred times,” Stavin whispered.
The rest of the Royal Guards and Warriors had been sorting out the dead, and Darak walked over to Charvil’s side. “Twenty-four dead Guardsmen. Thirty-one dead attackers in here and fifty-six in the hall. Stavin,” he said as he looked down at him, “can claim thirteen here.”
Charvil nodded. “I claimed two. I know Stoval,” he paused for a moment, and then shook his head and continued in a soft tone, “I saw Stoval take two as well.”
The rest of the dead were sorted out and taken to the hall, and then the doors were closed. The three large bolts that had secured the door had been torn and bent by the battering ram the attackers had used so the door could not be locked, but fifty Guardsmen formed a wall of steel and flesh to stop any attack.
General Zel’Kordil arrived a short time later and went to face the king. “Your Majesty, the guards at the gate are all dead, as are the men who were at the main doors. We’ve accounted for over a hundred attackers so far, and we haven’t counted the men here or in Lord Sarvan’s suite.”
The king nodded. “It appears that the traitors have decided to end this once and for all. Get Markal down here.”
“Markal was one of them, Father,” Princess Marina said as she wiped her tears away.
“What!?”
“He attacked the guards outside my suite right after you left. Stavin cut his hands off.”
The king looked at Stavin, and then nodded slowly. “Your armor. I don’t think he knew about your protections, Stavin. I’m glad you were there, and that you restrained yourself this time.” Looking at the general, he nodded once. “We need to question Markal immediately. I want to know who was involved in this conspiracy.” The king started toward the door and his guards, Valley Warriors included, formed up around him. The general gave them a curious look, but if he had any objections, he kept them to himself.
Stavin started after them, but Darak called him back. “Stavin, your place is here.” Stavin stopped and turned to look at him, then nodded and walked back to his side. “You’re with the princess’ detail now.”
Stavin came to attention, and then nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
Darak chuckled. “You won’t be calling me ‘Sir’ much longer, Stavin.”
“Sir?”
Darak looked at him sideways. “You had sixty-seven kills. You just added eighteen. You have eighty-five kills, Stavin. Charvil will have to make it official, but I’ll go ahead and be the first to congratulate you, Warleader Second Kel’Aniston.”
Stavin stood shocked still as he did the math in his head. He whispered, “My third star,” as he stared into the room without seeing it. “Three stars in three expeditions.”
“And you’re not done yet,” Marlan said as he patted Stavin’s shoulder.
“No, you are not,” Princess Marina said as she joined them. “Lieutenant Kel’Aniston, you and Lieutenant Zel’Fordal have a job to do. When the time comes, you will avenge Ehrwan and Uncle Dahral. That is a Royal Charge.”
&nbs
p; Stavin looked into her eyes and bowed deeply as he said, “Yes, Your Highness.”
Dahvin was right beside him. “We’ll have to get the general’s agreement on--”
“No, Dahvin,” the princess interrupted. “This is a Royal Charge. Only my father can override my command, and I doubt he’d do that even at the general’s request.” She stepped over and reached up to stroke Dahvin’s cheek. “You will avenge your father, Dahvin.”
“Yes, Your Highness. With pleasure.”
Chapter 29
THE KING RETURNED TO THE ROYAL Suite several spans later. “We know who some of them are,” he announced to the room in general as he walked in. “Markal gave us seven names before he died.”
“Who, Father?” Princess Marina demanded in a remarkably aggressive tone. Few people dared speak to the king like that.
“Cevin Zel’Harral, Varinis Zel’Cammar, Gavil Zel’Ravain, Staran Zel’Kestal, Ordan Zel’Wallin, Ander Zel’Jannin, and Major Montras Zel’Reval.”
“Major Zel’Reval!?” Dahvin demanded loudly, stepping forward to stare the king in the eye. “Your Majesty, he’s--Gods Below, he’s in charge of our watch rotation. He knew every man and woman who was on watch tonight.”
“And he was the man I told to set extra watches,” General Zel’Kordil confirmed, “which explains why Dragon Watch didn’t have the backup of Ocellen Watch as I ordered.” The general looked at Stavin and shook his head. “Your friend’s warning was correct, Ward Stavin. And didn’t I tell you to stay back and let us do our jobs?”
Stavin snapped to attention and said, “Sir, yes, Sir.”
The general looked at the king, then at Charvil. “Hard to get mad at him under the circumstances.”
The king nodded. “Under the circumstances.”
“I can manage it just fine,” Charvil said in a low voice.
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