The Fire Dragon by Katharine Kerr Page A

tale last night,” Nevyn said. “About your mother, that is.”
    “Indeed?” Lilli shivered, suddenly chilled. “The poor man! Did he truly walk all the way here from Cantrae?”
    “He rode at first, but his horse threw a shoe and stumbled badly. That's how he injured the knee. But about your mother, unpleasant subject though she is? He confirmed my suspicions about that woman who died from the tainted meat.”
    “Lady Caetha?”
    “The very one. Grodyr attended both her and your mother when they were both supposedly so ill. Caetha was ill, all right. He caught your mother drinking an infusion of bitter herbs to make herself vomit convincingly. It wasn't the meat they shared that killed Caetha.”
    Lilli felt as if someone had slapped her. Tears gathered and threatened to fall. Nevyn leaned over and caught her hand in both of his.
    “I've upset you badly,” Nevyn said. “My apologies.”
    “Not your fault,” Lilli said. “She really was a murderess. Oh gods! My own mother!”
    “It's not a pleasant bit of news, is it?” Nevyn stood up. “And I'm afraid I have to leave you with it. The prince is holding a proper council of war this morning. The muster's nearly complete.”
    One of the last lords to lead his men to Dun Deverry was Tieryn Anasyn, the Ram of Dun Hendyr. A messenger had preceded him to ensure that the prince knew Anasyn was merely late, not traitorous, and that he'd be bringing a contingent of thirty riders, five more than demanded, to make up for his fault. On the day that he was due to arrive, Lilli kept a watch on the gates from her window. As eager as she was to see her foster-brother, she was frightened as well. How would he take the news that she was the prince's mistress? She decided that it might be better to keep it from him, if she possibly could, but if his wife was coming with him to shelter with the princess during the summer's fighting, the cause was hopeless. When it came to gossip, Lady Abrwnna could hunt with the best of them.
    Lilli sat at the window with the dweomer book propped against her table. Every time she turned a page, she would pause and look out, watching the shadows of the towers creep across the cobbled ward. The sun had nearly disappeared behind the westernmost broch when she finally heard shouting out in the ward, servants calling, “The Ram, the Ram!” She laid the book on the table and leaned out of her window to see six men riding through the inner gate, each with the ram shield of Hendyr hanging from their saddle peaks.
    She left her chamber, rushed down the stairs, and ran out to the ward in time to see Anasyn and his honor guard dismounting. He was a tall man, grown somewhat stouter since last she'd seen him, with a long face and a long thin nose. As well as the extra weight he'd also grown a full moustache, thick enough to hide most of his upper lip.
    “Sanno!” Lilli called.
    With a laugh he threw his reins to a waiting groom and ran to greet her with a bear hug. She threw her arms around his neck and let him swing her free of the ground, as he used to when they were small children. After a few circles he set her down again.
    “You look well, little sister.” He was smiling at her. “Still as scrawny as ever, though.”
    “So do you, brother, though you're getting fat about the middle, I see. Where's your lady?”
    “Back in Hendyr.” He smiled in an exceedingly sly way. “She's too heavy with child to travel.”
    “My congratulations to you both!”
    “My thanks. It would be a splendid thing if the child were a son.” His smile vanished. “I'd ride with a lighter heart if I knew Hendyr had an heir.”
    “Just so.” Lilli felt her voice catch and looked away.
    Murmuring among themselves, the grooms were leading away the horses, while Anasyn's guard waited patiently by the door of the main broch. While Lilli watched, the view suddenly blurred. With a muttered oath she reached up and wiped the tears away.
    “Don't weep, little sister.”