Inger sat down. „Michael, this is a lot to swallow. There's been nothing but bitterness. All of a sudden, now, you people are going to be on my side?"
„Only in a manner of speaking," General Laikopulos said. „Inasmuch as Sir Gjerdrum and Baron Hardle were slain with the King, I've become commander of the army and Cham Mundwiller has become principal royal spokes man in the Thing. My conscience won't let me continue in my post longer than it takes you to replace me. But continue I will, to maintain order. When you replace me I'll retire to High Crag."
Inger's eyebrows rose. „Really?"
Michael replied, „Really. Derel plans to return to the Rebsamen. I haven't spoken to Cham, but I expect he'll fight a desperate rearguard action till you can get rid of the Thing altogether. Abaca didn't say, but he'll probably go back to his people. He already ordered the Marena Dimura troops to return home."
„That little toad. He'll cause trouble. He hates me."
„You didn't do much to make him love you."
She gave him a hard look. He didn't flinch. „What about you, Michael? What do you plan to do?"
„Probably the same as the General. Help keep order till the transition is over, then leave. I don't want to see what your people are going to do to Kavelin. I have family in the west. I'll go back to the business, the way I was supposed to years back."
„You really think the people on my side are plunderers, don't you?"
„There's little evidence to the contrary, Inger. I recall only a handful of Nordmen who ever cared a whit for the kingdom or anyone but themselves. And the history of your family is common knowledge. I expect your cousin will swoop down like a bandit chieftain. When he's picked the kingdom's bones, he'll sell what's left, the Gap, to the Dread Empire, for a western vice-regality, or something of the sort. And you and Fulk will get nothing but the short end."
„You have an altogether too narrow view. Let's not argue politics."
„Let's don't. The important thing now is to get you back to the castle before people find out about the King. If we don't, all hell will break loose. Kavelin can't survive another civil war. There're too many wolves waiting to devour it."
„You're right. Absolutely right." Inger stared into the distance. „Michael, now that it's fallen on me, I don't really want it."
„It'll be rough. Just as rough as it was for Bragi."
„He used to say he never wanted it either."
„He didn't."
Liakopulos said, „Your Majesty, when dreams come true sometimes they turn out to be nightmares."
„Nightmare or not, the kingdom is in your hands," Michael said.
„I don't want the responsibility."
„Then why all the plotting, the duplicity, the dealing with monsters like Lord Hsung and Magden Norath?" Michael demanded.
„It looked different then. I don't know if you can under stand. Anyway, I just did what I thought was best for Fulk. I didn't ever want to run things myself." She paused thoughtfully. „I want you to know something. I want you to believe it. No matter what else happened, I loved him. I loved him a lot. And when the numbness wears off, I just might come apart. Stick with me that long, will you?"
„I'll stay as long as you want. The General too. And Derel. I know you don't much like us, but we're willing to help because... ."
„1 know. I know. For Kavelin." She rose and began pacing. „Damned pimple of a kingdom. It's gotten to me, too, a little. I find myself caring. Hating it, but caring. At the same time."
Michael raised an eyebrow. The General said, „It does seem infectious."
One of the Queen's handful of companions slipped in. He was clad as a squatter. „Milady, there's a man outside shouting for Captain Trebilcock. One of the Palace Guard."
„Michael?"
„I don't know. I'll see what he wants." He went out the back and round the side of the house while the others went to the front to watch through the ruined windows.
The man was one of the trusted handful who had spirited Inger out of the castle. Michael slipped up close, asked, „What is it, Mark?"
The man jumped. „Sir! I didn't hear you coming."
„You look awful. What's happened?"
„The riots... . Sir, Colonel Abaca announced that the King had been killed trying to attack Throyes. People just went crazy."
„Oh, damn him! Damn him to hell! Damn me! I should have expected that. How bad is it?"
„Awful sir. The Quarter is burning. There's looting. Wessons and Nordmen are fighting each other in the streets. They're both picking on the Siluro. They all think the Queen is dead too. The Estates have seized the Thing. They tried to break into the palace. We drove them off the first time, but who knows now?"
„Prataxis. Mundwiller. What about them? Can't they get anything organized?"
„They're dead, sir. At least, Mundwiller was dead when I left. They were ambushed in the street. We got Prataxis back inside the palace, but Doctor Wachtel said he wouldn't live long."
„What about the regular garrison?" Liakopulos de manded, stepping out of the house. „What are they doing?"
„Colonel Abaca ordered them back into barracks after his announcement, sir."
Michael said, „Bring the Queen, General. Let's get in there and try to do something."
„It's probably too late."
„Probably."
Inger stepped out of the house. She had changed dramati cally. Her manner had become regal. She told her men to get their horses.
Michael smiled. „Your Majesty."
She looked at him strangely. „You've never called me that before."
„You never earned it, in my estimation. I think you're ready for it now. Let's mount up."
„One more thing, sir," Mark said. „A message. Prataxis had it. Gave it to me. Said for your eyes only." He handed it across.
Michael held the letter close, strained to make out what it said. „I hope this satisfies you, Inger."
„Michael?"
„The letter is from my agent in Sedlmayr. I sent Christen and the King's children down there right before the big championship match. Anyway, Itaskians raided the house and killed everyone in it."
Inger shuddered. „What? How could they? I ... I'd never allow anything like that. All my people are here, anyway."
„All your people." Michael scowled into the gathering darkness, battling his anger. „But not your cousin's. I neglected to tell you before, for obvious reasons, that Gales is back. Along with your cousin the Duke."
Inger didn't respond till everyone was mounted. „That's Dane's style. Damn him. The filthy... Michael, believe me, I never wanted anything like that."
„Maybe not. But it's the sort of thing you should expect from your cousin."
„There'll be an accounting. Let's ride."
The Duke and his force were thirty miles from the capital, taking their evening meal in an encampment on the estate of a Nordmen ally. Representatives of the Estates were gathering at the castle nearby. There would be a council of war.
„You look glum, Gales," the Duke observed. „Sir Mortin says you've been down since you found out Haas tracked you home."
„Your Lordship?"
„I don't want my best man unhappy. Is there anything I can do?"
Go back home, Gales thought. Leave these people alone. „No, My Lord. I'm just a little under the weather, I think. It'll work itself out."
The Duke chuckled. „You don't approve of what we're doing, do you?"
„No. But I'm a soldier. It's not my place to approve or disapprove."
The Duke nodded amiably. His hunters had returned from Sedlmayr. He was in a good mood. Inger's brat had no more competition for the throne. Inger would be the power behind the boy, and he would pull her strings. „Mortin. In this meeting tonight, pick out the ones we'll need to be rid of first."