“No—I mean, yes, that’s right.”
“But he has to obey the others?”
“In military matters, yes.”
“Which are?”
“What the other officers say they are,” Thadro replied.
The patriarch’s smile was so wide that his eyes were narrow slits. He turned to the archdoyen. “What a wonderful learning experience this will be for you.”
Chapter Forty-seven
I tried once more to convince Laurel to release me from the covenant and let me stay in Iversterre, but he again swore to me—in front of Jusson—that he would not allow Magus Kareste to take me, and Jusson stated that he couldn’t have an unschooled mage running wild in the Royal City.
“I cannot chance it, cousin,” the king said. “Every day it seems that something else pops up.” His gaze rested a moment on my braid and feather, then dropped to the rune on my palm. “And I cannot like what happens when one comes in contact with that.”
I opened my mouth to explain that I didn’t go around touching people on purpose, but Laurel spoke before I did. “It is like getting ambushed, no? But with training, Lord Rabbit will be able to control its, hmm, side effects. Which I hope to be able to do during this trip.”
Jusson grinned at my expression. “Well, I am your king as well as your cousin and I command you to go with the Faena cat.” His grin became sharper at my continued expression. “We took Ambassador Laurel’s word that he could keep our emissary to the Border safe, and now he’s swearing the same for you. Are you saying that his word is no good?”
All of a sudden I was responsible for the peace process.
Captain Suiden walked up at that moment. “What’s the matter, Lieutenant?”
“Captain Prince.” The king sighed. “Threaten one of your men and you become all teeth and claws.” I smiled at the memory of Slevoic’s terror when he defied the captain and found himself facing the dragon. Then an older memory rose of Dragoness Moraina arguing with a mage, who decided to make his point by hurling a powerful spell right between honored Moraina’s eyes. I also remembered his subsequent extreme discomfort when Moraina easily swatted it away. I gave the captain a speculative look.
“All right, Your Majesty. I’ll go.”
Laurel gave a short chuff. “I swear on everything I hold sacred that I will keep you safe, and you look at me sideways. The captain’s shadow floats by and you’re ready to follow it to the moon.”
“It’s called loyalty, Sro Cat, and is something you earn,” Suiden said.
I quickly stepped between them as the Faena rumbled in his throat. “I trust you, honored Laurel. It’s just that—”
“Hah! He said it to someone else,” Jusson said.
“—I spent five years hiding from these folk and you’re asking me to return with only your say-so as backup. What if the High Council commands you to give me to the Magus?”
“The High Council can take a long walk on a short pier,” Suiden said, “along with this wizard. Right now I need you to attend to your duties. Your Majesty.” With a bow to the king, he walked off.
“Make a man captain of his own ship and he thinks he rules the world,” Jusson remarked. “Captain Prince!” he called out, and Suiden stopped and turned around. “You have our permission to leave our presence.”
It was the third time I’d seen the captain disconcerted. He hesitated, then bowed. “Forgive me, Your Majesty.” He gave another bow for good measure, then left.
The king caught sight of my face. “Do not be dismayed, cousin.” He shrugged. “I could surround myself with sycophants who’d fawn and swoon over my every utterance. But that would mean they’d fawn and swoon over the next person too.” The king gave a wry smile. “Ask Teram where all his supporters are.”
“Sucking up to you, sire?” I guessed.
“Pox take them, yes. It’s better to have strong men who do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do, not because I say do it. And if they argue back or forget the occasional observance”—Jusson’s black eyes gleamed—”I am sure I can remind them who’s king.”
“But what about those who are strong yet don’t care about what’s right,” I asked.
“Those you avoid like the plague.” Jusson sighed. “Anybody can be fooled once, Rabbit. The trick is not to let it happen twice.”
“Yes, sire,” I said, as I shot a glance at Groskin.
“That wasn’t being fooled,” the king said, following my look. “That was being betrayed by someone you had every right to trust. Now, if you had believed Teram’s expressions of goodwill—”
“Not bloody likely, sire.”
Jusson gave a short laugh. “You definitely aren’t an idiot, cousin.” He looked at Laurel standing silent next to us. “I would like to speak with Rabbit in private, Ambassador.”
“Yes, honored king.” Laurel bowed and walked off towards the group with the patriarch. I watched Patriarch Pietr’s eyes light up as he made room for the Faena to join them. Archdoyen Obruesk, however, glowered.
“Trooper Basel, if you please,” Jusson said to the shade, who also bowed and moved away.
Yeah, right, I thought. If I’d asked for privacy—
“You never did ask me what I saw when you put your hand on my shoulder last night, cousin.”
I stared at the king, not quite sure I wanted to hear. “Sire?”
All amusement had left Jusson’s face, leaving it strained. “There are certain beliefs that a king holds about his rule, especially one whose House has been ruling as long as mine.” He turned his head, tracking a boat laden with lumber going out to the ships. “An unbroken line, all the way back to King Iver. I’ve never questioned it. Why should I? I must rule by divine right or my House wouldn’t have lasted so long and be the measuring stick by which every other House determines their ennoblement.”
“Yes, sire,” I said, thinking of all the problems my degrees to his House had caused.
“Then you touched me with your rune and I was there, in the last hours of the battle for the City.” The lines of strain deepened on Jusson’s face. “Servants dead, women, children, their blood slick on the throne room floor. Those still alive fighting, desperate to save a remnant, while the founder of my House and his men swept over them like the sea at high tide.” He took a deep breath. “I could see one lying dead by the throne steps. She had my mother’s face, Rabbit, and her eyes were gold.”
A gull cried as it flew low over the water.
“I always knew I had elf blood. How could I not when I see its evidence every time I look in a mirror?” Jusson gave a wry, pained smile. “But I never questioned it, just as I never questioned how Iver came to rule an elf city. I figured that the one didn’t matter because the other was ordained by God.” I stared down into the small waves lapping against the dock.
“Now what I’ve always accepted as true—” Jusson turned to look at me. “Would God ordain a rule that was begun on the deaths of children? And I, who sit on Iver’s throne with my unbroken line and my elfin blood, what does that make me?” The lines of strain deepened on his face. “I looked into the mirror this morning, cousin, and saw a dead woman’s eyes looking back.”
“Yes, sire,” I said, my voice soft.
The wind whipped Jusson’s hair, exposing an elfin ear. “Then I managed to have a private conversation with the Faena cat. Not only do I contend with rebellions and revelations, but also a land in transition.” He looked to where Javes and Esclaur stood talking together. “Turning into wolves, dragons, and sorcerers. Rumors have already begun to seep into the City, cousin.” He turned the other way and caught a dock worker staring at him. Seeing he had the king’s attention, he immediately picked up his wheelbarrow and moved to the waiting boat, but not without first sliding a look at me.