Any Price by Gail Faulkner

just won the joust.
    A large man stepped forward and removed his helmet. Kenna recognized Thomas. The knight nodded at Lore and stepped in front of Kenna to sink down on one knee.
    “Thomas is Kersonovian,” Lore explained quietly. “He wants you to hand him his prize. Say exactly what I tell you as loudly as you can without yelling. Okay?”
    Kenna nodded.
    Lore handed her a small pillow with the trophy statue resting on it. Then murmured the Hungarian phrases she needed to say. Kenna repeated them faithfully.
    Thomas accepted his trophy solemnly. His intelligent face was serious as he looked into her eyes, but the words he spoke were Hungarian so she smiled and nodded, which seemed to be the right thing to do. The crowd erupted again and it took a bit longer to get out of there.
    The walk back to the limo was silent. In the car, Kenna scooted to the far side, giving Lore plenty of room. After Lore, Yuri, commander of the royal guard, took the seat across from them.
    Lore gave him a questioning glance, Yuri nodded. “Your friends are collecting the trash and searching for more.”
    As the vehicle door closed, Kenna knew she couldn’t handle the personal issues crashing around her. She needed to focus on something that didn’t involve the man beside her and the unfolding power they both were wielding. She assumed the military speak meant the U.S. team had done their job.
    “The bombs are gone?” she asked just to be sure.
    “The two we know of have been safely disposed of,” Lore confirmed. “I suspect the threat of another is a bluff.”
    Kenna turned her face to the window and closed her eyes. They were going to play chicken with the crazy people who loved killing. It was the only plan that made any sense and it was insane. Time to think of something else.
    “What did Thomas say to me? Why did the crowd go crazy like that?” Turning from the window, she directed the question to Yuri.
    Lore exhaled deeply and glanced at Yuri.
    Yuri spoke up at Lore’s look, his stern face relaxed in an obvious attempt at a pleasant expression. “Thomas is my younger brother, my lady. He pledged himself to you and your protection. It is the oath of allegiance given to a Kersonovian monarch by a knight. It hasn’t been spoken since we had our own queen before we became a protectorate of Covia, seven hundred years ago.”
    “Why would he do that? Was it drama for the crowd?”
    Yuri’s eyes flicked briefly to Lore and then took to studying his large hands loosely clasped between his knees. The commander seemed uncomfortable, but as he met her gaze again, he smiled and shook his head. “My lady, once spoken, the oath cannot be recalled. It’s a blood oath. However, it was a nice touch, the people loved it. Wouldn’t you agree?” His weak attempt to distract her didn’t work.
    “What do you mean, can’t be recalled? Yuri, tell me what this means.” Oh, this was so not good. Kenna forced herself to remain outwardly still as she processed the implications. This was heading down a very dangerous path.
    Yuri tapped the button to raise the window between front and back. When it was up and they were assured of privacy, he continued, turning to Lore.
    “Your highness, please understand that this does not affect my loyalty to you in any way. My brother spoke the oath to my lady because he knew I could not do so and fulfill my responsibilities on your behalf.”
    Yuri shifted his gaze to Kenna. “The bomb threat and your connection to his highness have rightfully consumed your attention, my lady. You have not been able to absorb a lesser recognition that lies beneath it. I believe my sister Julianna mentioned my siblings and I are descended from the queen’s maid. She was not a maid. She was a…not exactly priestess, but something close to that in a society much older than recorded time.
    “I’m sure you know the historical facts this festival is commemorating. The Kersonovian queen was abducted during her wedding ceremony.