bastard of an exile, born as evidence Alrec wasn’t a failure in every respect. Unfortunately.
Reeve’s voice carried loudly through the courtyard. “Who was it then, who thought so little of the safe haven I have provided here at Warren’s Rest that they took it upon themselves to betray both me and their estate by opening the dungeon?”
The villagers and those in his service looked nervously among themselves, but each stayed silent.
“My father was guilty of treason! He’d allowed Sheas far too many liberties. We were not his priority. But you, each of you, have been my priority. Each of you has called me Lord, but which of you has looked me in the eye while sticking a knife in my back?” He turned hard blue eyes on each one of them in turn.
Alrec’s eyes narrowed as Mairi stepped forward. “Lord Warren was no traitor! You should be ashamed of yourself.” The woman’s fury made all the times she had swatted him for stealing sweets from the kitchen look like bedtime kisses.
Reeve’s anger surged in reply. “ I am Lord Warren now.”
“You are Lord Warren for now,” the old woman spat.
Reeve grinned. “That is true. Soon, instead of Lord Warren of Eltar, I will be the King of all The Three Corners.”
Terin’s gray eyes flashed as they filled with disgust. “My father and my brother will never stand for that. Even if you marry me, they will never allow you to rule Thalmas or them.”
Alrec jerked Terin closer to him before Reeve could respond. “Foolish girl. They only have a say if they live.”
Like a cat suddenly uncaged, Terin shrieked, pounding her fists against Alrec’s chest. “We trusted you! We trusted you to guard us. The dungeon will be too good for you—my brother will gut you from neck to navel.”
Mairi, her skin flushed with anger to match the color her hair had once been, stepped forward just as Alrec raised his fist to strike Terin to the ground. “It was me,” she shouted. “I released Lord Oren.
Leave the girl alone, it’s me you’re really angry at.”
Terin’s face drained of the little remaining color it had. Her eyes darted frantically between Mairi and Alrec.
Just as Reeve was wondering if he’d have to kill his uncle, Roel stepped forward. “Enough.”
Alrec paused, though he still looked coiled and ready to strike. He jerked his head toward Khane.
Like a cat stalking a mouse, Khane seized Roel by the arm. “Speak, old man. You’d best have a good reason for interfering.”
Roel licked his lips and swallowed hard. “I do, Milord.” He looked to Reeve and waited.
Reeve had no doubt that whatever Roel said would be at the very least half a lie. Not having a strong relationship with the truth himself, he nodded for the man to continue. With any luck, Roel was about to ensure that only one more need die today. He had no real affinity for his uncle or his cousin; at least, no more than what he had for the stable master. But, he reasoned, losing one ally in a day was more than enough, even if those allies were fair-weather friends.
“Pay no heed to the women.”
Reeve frowned, losing interest. “I generally don’t.”
“Their soft hearts, while kind and nurturing, are bound to get them in trouble. They had nothing to do with it. I found your father in that rotten sty of a dungeon you threw him in, and I set him free. I put him on a horse, and watched him ride away. And I can only hope that he’s far away by now. Soon he will be to the fjord, telling your sister what you did. I’ll smile as they come for you.”
“You really expect us to believe you acted alone?” Reeve kept his eyes pointed straight at Roel, not letting his gaze meet Khane’s or Alrec’s.
“I doesn’t matter what you believe.”
An icy smile made its way onto his face. “On the contrary. It only matters what I believe.”
“Do it,” Alrec commanded as his son shoved Roel toward Reeve.
The quiet acceptance in the stable master’s last, tired smile would be long
Reeve’s voice carried loudly through the courtyard. “Who was it then, who thought so little of the safe haven I have provided here at Warren’s Rest that they took it upon themselves to betray both me and their estate by opening the dungeon?”
The villagers and those in his service looked nervously among themselves, but each stayed silent.
“My father was guilty of treason! He’d allowed Sheas far too many liberties. We were not his priority. But you, each of you, have been my priority. Each of you has called me Lord, but which of you has looked me in the eye while sticking a knife in my back?” He turned hard blue eyes on each one of them in turn.
Alrec’s eyes narrowed as Mairi stepped forward. “Lord Warren was no traitor! You should be ashamed of yourself.” The woman’s fury made all the times she had swatted him for stealing sweets from the kitchen look like bedtime kisses.
Reeve’s anger surged in reply. “ I am Lord Warren now.”
“You are Lord Warren for now,” the old woman spat.
Reeve grinned. “That is true. Soon, instead of Lord Warren of Eltar, I will be the King of all The Three Corners.”
Terin’s gray eyes flashed as they filled with disgust. “My father and my brother will never stand for that. Even if you marry me, they will never allow you to rule Thalmas or them.”
Alrec jerked Terin closer to him before Reeve could respond. “Foolish girl. They only have a say if they live.”
Like a cat suddenly uncaged, Terin shrieked, pounding her fists against Alrec’s chest. “We trusted you! We trusted you to guard us. The dungeon will be too good for you—my brother will gut you from neck to navel.”
Mairi, her skin flushed with anger to match the color her hair had once been, stepped forward just as Alrec raised his fist to strike Terin to the ground. “It was me,” she shouted. “I released Lord Oren.
Leave the girl alone, it’s me you’re really angry at.”
Terin’s face drained of the little remaining color it had. Her eyes darted frantically between Mairi and Alrec.
Just as Reeve was wondering if he’d have to kill his uncle, Roel stepped forward. “Enough.”
Alrec paused, though he still looked coiled and ready to strike. He jerked his head toward Khane.
Like a cat stalking a mouse, Khane seized Roel by the arm. “Speak, old man. You’d best have a good reason for interfering.”
Roel licked his lips and swallowed hard. “I do, Milord.” He looked to Reeve and waited.
Reeve had no doubt that whatever Roel said would be at the very least half a lie. Not having a strong relationship with the truth himself, he nodded for the man to continue. With any luck, Roel was about to ensure that only one more need die today. He had no real affinity for his uncle or his cousin; at least, no more than what he had for the stable master. But, he reasoned, losing one ally in a day was more than enough, even if those allies were fair-weather friends.
“Pay no heed to the women.”
Reeve frowned, losing interest. “I generally don’t.”
“Their soft hearts, while kind and nurturing, are bound to get them in trouble. They had nothing to do with it. I found your father in that rotten sty of a dungeon you threw him in, and I set him free. I put him on a horse, and watched him ride away. And I can only hope that he’s far away by now. Soon he will be to the fjord, telling your sister what you did. I’ll smile as they come for you.”
“You really expect us to believe you acted alone?” Reeve kept his eyes pointed straight at Roel, not letting his gaze meet Khane’s or Alrec’s.
“I doesn’t matter what you believe.”
An icy smile made its way onto his face. “On the contrary. It only matters what I believe.”
“Do it,” Alrec commanded as his son shoved Roel toward Reeve.
The quiet acceptance in the stable master’s last, tired smile would be long
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