carried his shillelagh, as normal, but also had both his sword and a pair of knives. Brendan had stripped the leather and wooden hilts off a handful of small daggers, making something that was pure metal and so immune to a Fearpriest’s powers. They were unbalanced and Fallon doubted they would be easy to throw, but he needed as many weapons as he could find. Inside he was cold. His decision was made and he yearned for his chance to avenge Cavan.
His three friends followed a few paces behind. Nobody else had been willing to come with him but his friends had insisted. Yet he could not rob them of their chance to find their families or Gallagher of the chance of happiness with Rosaleen.
He was filled with a mixture of hatred and anger as he pushed open the waiting-room door with his left hand, right hand on one of the stripped-down knives.
“Right on time,” Regan told him evenly. “I am pleased to see that.”
Fallon did not bother to reply, he just stared across the room to where Swane stood with his back to them. He was dressed well, in what looked like the style of clothes Cavan would wear. His hair was cut like Cavan and, despite knowing that Cavan was gone, for a moment, Fallon felt his heart jump, for he looked so much like the dead Prince.
He took a step towards Swane before Captain Kelty and a dozen guards formed a barrier. If Aidan had been there too Fallon might still have run at them but he wanted them both.
“The nobles did not send for Prince Cavan to mediate for them in their meeting before they see the King,” Fallon said, watching the way Swane was standing there, all relaxed, no shackles on him, as if he were mocking them.
“They did, but the Prince sent his apologies. I believe the Duchess Dina was forced to serve in that capacity,” Regan said evenly, betraying no hint of surprise at the news the nobles had been meeting in secret. “Time to go in.”
Fallon wanted to wait but decided it was better to look like he was beaten and then strike later. He forced his feet to take him closer to Swane as Regan opened the door into the meeting hall.
“My Lords and Lady! Prince Cavan!” he announced loudly.
Fallon could hear chairs scraping back as the nobles rose to their feet, then he led the way in, Devlin, Gallagher and Brendan falling in behind Swane. Fallon’s back itched to have Swane behind him but nothing happened as he took up position where Swane would sit, marking where he would like to put his dagger. Time dragged before Regan opened the door again.
“His Majesty King Aidan the Second!” Regan shouted and the nobles applauded.
Fallon watched Swane clap along with the rest of them, appearing to be slightly bored by it all, and clenched his teeth and his fists.
“That’s it. Just look like you usually do, as if there’s a foul stench under your nose,” Kelty whispered to him as he took up his position to Fallon’s right, behind the King. Fallon was tempted to make his move then but Kelty was watching him like a hawk. Patience , he told himself. Your time will come.
“Let the meeting begin!” Aidan called, thumping the table.
Fallon let it all wash over him. He could only stand it because he knew what would come at the end.
Then he glanced down the table and caught the eye of the Duchess Dina. Alone of the others, she was not staring at the King, her expression rapt. Instead she was looking at Swane and up to Fallon. He saw her raise an eyebrow at him, then he broke eye contact, worried he might give something away.
She said nothing, however. At least, nothing about who was sitting in Prince Cavan’s seat. When she did join in the conversation, it was to flatter the King and make him laugh and, usually, get him to agree with what she wanted.
She wasn’t the only one doing it, but she was better at it than most.
On and on it went, until finally Aidan thumped the table. “I have one final announcement,” he said loudly. “You know that my wife sadly died from a
His three friends followed a few paces behind. Nobody else had been willing to come with him but his friends had insisted. Yet he could not rob them of their chance to find their families or Gallagher of the chance of happiness with Rosaleen.
He was filled with a mixture of hatred and anger as he pushed open the waiting-room door with his left hand, right hand on one of the stripped-down knives.
“Right on time,” Regan told him evenly. “I am pleased to see that.”
Fallon did not bother to reply, he just stared across the room to where Swane stood with his back to them. He was dressed well, in what looked like the style of clothes Cavan would wear. His hair was cut like Cavan and, despite knowing that Cavan was gone, for a moment, Fallon felt his heart jump, for he looked so much like the dead Prince.
He took a step towards Swane before Captain Kelty and a dozen guards formed a barrier. If Aidan had been there too Fallon might still have run at them but he wanted them both.
“The nobles did not send for Prince Cavan to mediate for them in their meeting before they see the King,” Fallon said, watching the way Swane was standing there, all relaxed, no shackles on him, as if he were mocking them.
“They did, but the Prince sent his apologies. I believe the Duchess Dina was forced to serve in that capacity,” Regan said evenly, betraying no hint of surprise at the news the nobles had been meeting in secret. “Time to go in.”
Fallon wanted to wait but decided it was better to look like he was beaten and then strike later. He forced his feet to take him closer to Swane as Regan opened the door into the meeting hall.
“My Lords and Lady! Prince Cavan!” he announced loudly.
Fallon could hear chairs scraping back as the nobles rose to their feet, then he led the way in, Devlin, Gallagher and Brendan falling in behind Swane. Fallon’s back itched to have Swane behind him but nothing happened as he took up position where Swane would sit, marking where he would like to put his dagger. Time dragged before Regan opened the door again.
“His Majesty King Aidan the Second!” Regan shouted and the nobles applauded.
Fallon watched Swane clap along with the rest of them, appearing to be slightly bored by it all, and clenched his teeth and his fists.
“That’s it. Just look like you usually do, as if there’s a foul stench under your nose,” Kelty whispered to him as he took up his position to Fallon’s right, behind the King. Fallon was tempted to make his move then but Kelty was watching him like a hawk. Patience , he told himself. Your time will come.
“Let the meeting begin!” Aidan called, thumping the table.
Fallon let it all wash over him. He could only stand it because he knew what would come at the end.
Then he glanced down the table and caught the eye of the Duchess Dina. Alone of the others, she was not staring at the King, her expression rapt. Instead she was looking at Swane and up to Fallon. He saw her raise an eyebrow at him, then he broke eye contact, worried he might give something away.
She said nothing, however. At least, nothing about who was sitting in Prince Cavan’s seat. When she did join in the conversation, it was to flatter the King and make him laugh and, usually, get him to agree with what she wanted.
She wasn’t the only one doing it, but she was better at it than most.
On and on it went, until finally Aidan thumped the table. “I have one final announcement,” he said loudly. “You know that my wife sadly died from a
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