Stefan basked in the joy of watching them at play while inhaling the sweet scents. Blue and yellow bellflowers highlighted most of the hedges. Carved in circles and squares, the gardens extended several hundred feet, sloping down from the villa toward Tezian Avenue. Servants tended to the flowers and small trees, making sure each stayed uniform. Beyond the gardens grew Thania’s small kinai orchard. The red fruit stood out in the bright sunlight as several workers under Perta’s direction harvested them. The day was another good one, not chilly like the past week.
The synchronous thud of marching feet announced another five-guard patrol travelling down Tezian Avenue. Right on time this evening, Stefan noted. He still had difficulty adjusting to their regularity. At night, a watch joined them. His inquiries about the increased security revealed assassination attempts on the King and several of his court members. Since the first attack, when Nerian lost the Knight General that Cerny had replaced, there had been no further deaths. Cerny’s promotion still bothered him. Despite the Knight General being a powerful Alzari who seemed to enjoy kissing royal ass, Stefan could not picture the benefits, not when other competent Alzari made up the King’s High Council. The Nerian he knew was meticulous in making his choices; there had to be some special factor he simply was missing.
“Papa.”
Stefan glanced down to Celina’s voice and the pull of tiny hands on his trousers. The patter of small feet announced Anton’s arrival next to his sister. With her doll, Celina pointed toward the colonnade at the villa’s entrance.
Stefan allowed his gaze to follow her toy. What he thought had been the usual patrol was marching through the gate. They took up positions next to the columns. Ahead of them rode Knight General Cerny on a roan gelding. Speak of a shadeling and one will appear. Stefan shook his head.
Back straight, chest puffed out like the prideful fool he was, Cerny wore a formal green jacket with silver scrollwork on the sleeves. Sunlight glinted off the three golden knots of his station attached at the chest. One of Stefan’s guards approached the Knight General. The guard bowed and a conversation ensued between the two. Cerny gave a dismissive wave of his hand then continued up the colonnade.
Stefan’s lips curled-both at the Knight General’s presence and for not hearing the horse’s hooves ringing on the flagstones when the patrol approached. “Children go inside to your mother.” He peered over to the kinai orchard. Perta was riding hard toward the villa’s stables and its rear entrance. Knowing Cerny could not see him yet, Stefan hurried toward the front door.
This section of hedge was taller than the rest. Unable to catch a glimpse of the Knight General any longer, Stefan waited. Time passed as he listened to the unhurried clip-clop of hooves. As the sound drew closer, his hand drifted to his sword. He inhaled a deep breath and forced himself to relax.
“Greetings, Lord Cerny. Welcome to the Dorn home,” said Perta’s high-pitched voice.
“Thank you. I have come for your master … at the King’s request.”
“Ah,” Perta said. “Clesi, Dani, fetch some spiced wine and fruit for the Knight General. I’m sure he must be a tad warm on a day like this.”
“Thank you.”
A rustle of sound reached Stefan.
“No. I won’t be staying long so taking my mount is unnecessary. Perta, is it?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Lord Dorn?”
“Ah, yes. Pardon me, I forgot that quickly. He’s in the gardens I think. One moment, let me send someone to find him.”
Head tilted as if he was inspecting the mix of bellflowers and the rose bush winding up the trellis, Stefan stepped around the hedge and onto the colonnade.
“No need,” Cerny said.
As Stefan turned toward Cerny, he widened his eyes. “Knight General Cerny? What a surprise. No one informed me you were coming today.”
“The King sent me for you … sir.”
“Oh? Why?”
Cerny’s thin brows rose. “Did you forget? The games?”
“Actually, I did,” Stefan said. “I have not been able to think about much besides my children.” He gave a warm smile. “Perta, fetch my mount, please.”
“Yes, my lord.” Perta bowed and hurried away.
“I see you are taking special care of your gardens once again,” Cerny said.
“They’re Thania’s pride and joy. When she’s happy so am I.”
“I’d find that kind of attachment burdensome.” Cerny’s gaze roved across the grounds. “I would much rather go hunting.”
“You? Hunting?” Stefan stifled a laugh.
“What about it?”
“I’m sorry,” Stefan said with a shake of his head. “I have a hard time picturing you as a hunter.”
Cerny’s eyes narrowed. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly as it sounds. You don’t appear the type who goes out to the forests to hunt.”
“Who said anything about the forest?” Cerny’s lips spread in a slow smile. “My hunts are more subtle. I have a nose for sniffing out conspiracies and the like against the King.”
Stefan kept his face straight and regarded Cerny with a cool expression. “Sounds useful but I much rather hunting in the wild myself.”
“There’s no more challenging game than man,” Cerny said, his eyes searching Stefan’s face.
“On that we agree.” The Knight General appeared far too comfortable for Stefan’s liking, like a cat batting around a mouse. “Speaking of games … what were you playing at by not informing me of the instability in the elements and the reason you took the Alzari? Was my warning about undermining my authority not clear enough?”
“My task wasn’t to inform you. As for why I took the Alzari,” Cerny shrugged, “I did tell you they were the King’s orders, did I not? But you wanted to flaunt your authority in front of your men.”
“Do you always follow those commands to the letter?”
“Don’t you?” Cerny still smiled. “Wait, no you don’t. Your orders were to kill all the Astocans. Whatever lives were lost because of you disobeying the King’s orders are on your hands. My sole purpose is administering the King’s wishes-for as he goes so does Seti.”
Stefan wanted to reach out and choke the man when he thought about the crazed Ashishin and the dead, but in ways, what happened was his fault, at least partially. “You should have warned me instead of allowing my men and innocents to die.”
Cerny leaned forward. “What innocents? There is Seti then the enemy. Remember that.” Cerny straightened. “Look, we can both stop pretending. You don’t like me, and my sentiments for you are the same. As for the Astocans, you did as expected.” Cerny let out an amused grunt. “You think me a fool, Stefan. You may have made a good Knight Commander at one time, but you are losing touch, becoming soft. Do not allow it to be the end of you. You hold your post for now … but know this, one day it will be mine.”
Stefan arched an eyebrow at Cerny’s boldness. Forcing his hand to stroke his clean-shaven chin rather than reach for his sword took a great deal of effort. A time existed when none dared speak to him in such a fashion. While he often returned from war to many changes, this one in particular he did not anticipate. Added to how different Nerian had grown, Cerny’s direct challenge let Stefan know he needed to tread with caution.
He’d miscalculated much about the Knight General. The man was more adept than he let on. Cerny had used that against him. By mending the Astocans, not only did I appear rebellious, but I cost a few lives. Then I came home and refused the King’s request to lead his army. What must Nerian be thinking of me now? Stefan couldn’t help the twitch of his lips. The Knight General might be a terrible strategist when it came to war, but he seemed to be a master at manipulation. How much of the events happening in Seti were the King’s own doing and how much was Cerny’s influence? Worse yet, were the rumored assassination attempts on the King and those achieved on some members of the court any of Cerny’s plots?