Seated at the end of the table, Aric Glass squirmed uncomfortably. Murdon nodded, taking a bit of pleasure in Van’s dressing down, while the other, nameless soldiers merely sat quietly.
‘I came back because I want to help,’ said Van. ‘That should count for something.’
‘It does,’ said Breck. ‘Do you know much about Jazana Carr?’
Van nodded. ‘Some.’
‘Good.’ Finally, Breck turned his attention back to Lorn. ‘What about you, Norvan? Murdon tells me you fought against the Diamond Queen.’
‘Indeed I did. For sixteen long years.’ Steeling himself, Lorn reached into his pocket and pulled out his kingship ring, cupping it in his hand. ‘Captain Breck, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound unbelievable.’
He moved toward the table, set down the ring, and pushed it toward the Liirian. The soldiers all looked at the bauble in confusion. Breck reached for the ring and inspected it, his brow wrinkling. Lorn watched him, watched as his tired eyes inspected the ring, flicking back and forth between it and its owner. There was suspicion in the old soldier’s expression.
‘Where did you get this?’ asked Breck.
Lorn didn’t flinch. ‘It belongs to me. It’s been mine since I took it from King Mor.’
There was a confused murmur among the men. Van looked at Lorn in surprise. ‘King Mor? How’d you get a ring from him, Akan?’ he asked.
‘This is a ring of kingship,’ said Breck. ‘King Mor ruled Norvor when Akeela first took the throne of Liiria. You say you’ve had it since then?’
‘That’s right,’ said Lorn evenly. He could tell Breck had already surmised his identity, and was now wondering if it were truly possible. ‘Captain, I was with King Mor during the massacre at Hanging Man. I took that ring from him myself.’ He took a breath, stood up straight, and said with all seriousness, ‘I am Lorn.’
‘What?’ erupted Van. Then he started laughing. ‘Akan, what are you doing? This isn’t a joke.’
‘No, it isn’t,’ said Lorn. He looked at the man who had become his friend and gave a wan smile. ‘Van, I never told you because I couldn’t risk it. But I am King Lorn, the one they call the Wicked. I’ve been on the run from Jazana Carr since she took Carlion. Reena is my daughter, Poppy.’
Van went white with disbelief. ‘That’s not possible.’
‘It’s the truth.’ Lorn turned to Breck and said, ‘Jazana Carr wanted my daughter. It wasn’t enough for her to take my city and my whole damn country. I couldn’t let her have Poppy so I fled. I came here to Koth to hide and help you.’
Breck’s eyes narrowed on him, contemplating the possibility. ‘King Lorn the Wicked. News reaches us slowly here, I admit, but we’ve all heard that Lorn is dead.’
‘I live,’ declared Lorn fiercely. ‘That ring is mine rightfully, as is the throne of Norvor. Jazana Carr has agents after me, no doubt. She may know that I’m here, or she may not. Either way, talk of my death is only rumours, I assure you.’
‘Your daughter,’ gasped Van suddenly. ‘She’s blind.’
Lorn nodded. ‘That’s right.’
‘So?’ asked Breck.
Van grimaced. ‘Captain Breck, I once heard it said in Jazana Carr’s camp that Lorn had only one daughter, and that she was blind. No one was really sure if it was true or not, but word had come from Duke Rihards that it was so.’
‘Duke Rihards was a snake,’ said Lorn. ‘He betrayed and destroyed me. But he was also my friend. He knew Poppy. He knew how we suspected she was blind and deaf.’
‘I don’t believe this,’ muttered one of the men who had remained seated. Now he rose to confront Lorn. ‘If you are King Lorn, then you abandoned your people at Carlion. Would you have us believe that?’
‘Believe it,’ said Lorn darkly, ‘because it’s true. There were traitors everywhere in Carlion at the end. I could trust no one. I wasn’t about to leave my daughter to Jazana Carr.’
‘Akan,’ stammered Van, ‘I mean. .’ Lost, he shook his head. ‘Tell me this is all some jest. Please, tell me I haven’t been so deceived.’
‘Van, you think King Lorn was a tyrant,’ said Lorn carefully. ‘But I was not. Hate me if you must, but also know the truth.’
Van couldn’t barely speak. ‘You lied to me. .’
‘I had to,’ Lorn insisted. ‘I couldn’t trust you or anyone else. Not until I reached the library.’
‘Damn you,’ Van hissed. ‘Damn you for making me believe you!’
He began storming away, but Breck called after him, ‘Lieutenant, stay where you are!’
Turning toward him, Van flared, ‘Commander, if this is King Lorn then this is the man responsible for countless deaths in his own country.’
‘Blame Jazana Carr for that,’ sneered Lorn.
‘She wanted to liberate Norvor from you, that much I know,’ said Van.
‘It doesn’t give her the right to come here next,’ said Breck.
‘No, sir, but she was right to fight you, King Lorn,’ Van argued. He looked at Lorn helplessly. ‘You are a tyrant, or you were once. I can’t believe I rescued you from those robbers. I should have let them kill you.’
‘I still don’t believe it,’ said the nameless soldier.
‘I can’t believe it,’ added Aric Glass.
Murdon looked at Lorn and laughed, ‘You don’t look like much of a king.’
Breck tossed the ring over to him. ‘Take a look at this, then. It’s genuine. It bears the crest of Norvor. Unless he stole it from someone else, this really could be Lorn.’
‘What a fool I am,’ said Van hatefully. ‘I saved your life. After helping Jazana Carr defeat you!’
‘Because she paid you!’ railed Lorn.
‘And because I really thought I was doing some good. That’s why I came here with you! To do some good for once!’
‘Well, now is your chance then, isn’t it? I brought you here so we could both do some good.’
‘Why did you come here, King Lorn?’ asked Breck suddenly. ‘You said your intent all along was to come here to the library. Explain yourself.’
‘It’s obvious. I want my country back. I want Jazana Carr dead. I want her army defeated. I want all those things, but if I can’t have them I intend to die fighting her.’
‘And you can help us?’ This time it was Murdon who spoke. The soldier handed the ring back to Lorn. ‘What can you offer besides your services with a weapon?’
Lorn took the ring, kissed it, then slipped it onto his finger. It was the first time he’d worn the ring since leaving Carlion, and just feeling it against his skin made him feel like a king again. He said to Murdon, ‘I can offer you knowledge. I know more about Jazana Carr than anyone here. I fought her for sixteen years, remember. I know her tactics and how devious she can be.’ He smiled confidently. ‘Captain Breck, you need me.’
Breck’s expression was inscrutable. He looked at Van, who was quietly smouldering, then back at Lorn. ‘I need every able-bodied man I can get,’ he admitted. ‘Especially one with knowledge of the Diamond Queen.’
‘I can help too,’ snapped Van.
‘I know you can, but will you?’ asked Breck sharply. ‘Lorn the Wicked has vengeance in his belly. That’s good; I can use it. But what do you have, Vanlandinghale? I put it to you — will you be loyal? Or will you keep whining about hardships?’
‘I was deceived,’ said Van, looking straight at Lorn.
‘So?’ barked Breck. ‘We were all deceived. I was deceived into thinking King Akeela was a good man. You think I want to have my family living here, preparing to die? And you — you deceived people who trusted you into thinking you were a Royal Charger.’
‘I am a Royal Charger!’ cried Van. With a threatening step toward Breck he added, ‘How about I prove it to you?’
Breck laughed. ‘Good! That’s the kind of fire you’ll need. Because Jazana Carr isn’t like you. She’s not a mercenary who’s out for money. She’s playing for all the cards this time.’