The King's Sons (The Herezoth Trilogy) by Victoria Grefer

where the only
portrait Vane possessed of his parents hung above the unlit hearth. Kansten
took an armchair, one she gripped so tightly the lamplight exposed the
musculature of her arms. August sat next to the duke on a luxurious settee, and
clung to him with the hand not tangled in her locks.
    The duchess
kept her rounded nose tilted upward—a mark of her resolve not to
crumble—and her lips pressed tight. Neither woman interrupted as Vane
told them he would have to go to Partsvale in the morning to spy upon a group
of two hundred magicians and a score of sorcerers determined to make trouble
for the king. As soon as he finished, however, Kansten raised a trembling
voice.
    “I can go
back to Traigland, if you need me to.”
    Vane said,
“You should be safe in Podrar. In Oakdowns especially, with all the spells I
have around the place. Your apprenticeship starts next week, and to be honest,
I’d like to know August has you here with her.”
    “Val….”
choked the duchess. She was the only person who called Vane by some variation
of his birth name, Valkin Heathdon. That had been his father’s name; his
innkeeper “aunt” had raised him with his pseudonym, and he still preferred most
people to use it. That included the nobility, now that he’d released his
personal history to the newsletters. “Val, you can’t do this, you…. Twenty
sorcerers?”
    “I won’t be
challenging them. I swear I won’t challenge anyone. It’s information gathering;
Rexson has to know what’s going on.”
    August
pressed, “Can’t Zacry do it? Why can’t you go to Zacry? His magic is as strong
as yours. He taught you everything you know, and frankly, he’d never let you….”
    “That’s
exactly it. He’d never let me do this. He’d insist upon doing it himself, and
if things went badly…. August, you and the children would be fine without me.
You have the king and the Duke of Podrar’s family, this vast estate, all my
family’s wealth. Were something to happen to Zacry, where could his wife turn?
Where could her children?”
    Kansten
spoke up then. Vane had never heard her voice so gentle, so womanly; he had
always considered her a child, but not at that moment.
    “Perhaps I
shouldn’t talk,” she said. “I know I’ve no right to take part in this
discussion, but August, Vane’s right. You’re tougher than Zacry’s wife. She
would fall to pieces straightaway without him, and not only because she’d be
close to destitute without his teacher’s salary. I love and respect Joslyn,
with all my heart. She’s a wonderful mother to her children, and she helped me
through some of the hardest times I’ve known. She helped me find self-respect
again, when I realized I’d never cast a spell. Joslyn’s strong in her way, but
you’d be better equipped to carry on if, if the Giver forbid….”
    If Evant
Linstrom and his followers discovered Vane belonged to the king and saw him
slaughtered. Vane paled at the thought, and squeezed August’s hand.
    “I should
leave you two,” said Kansten. “I know where my room is. I’ll head there.
August, if I can do anything to help you while Vane’s away, I want your word
you’ll tell me.” August nodded, and Kansten turned to the man as good as her
older brother. “Vane, I admire you so much…. A thousand blessings, do you
hear?” Vane smiled at her, the first time he had smiled since ordering her from
the king’s antechamber. She hugged him, and he told her:
    “I won’t see
you in the morning. I’ll be off before dawn.” Kansten threw her arms around him
again, then kissed August on the cheek before she exited the room.
    August had
been born a commoner, but she’d adapted to the role of duchess through the
years. Vane expected she’d have the grace to maintain composure in Kansten’s
presence, but with her guest away, a watery film covered her eyes, and her
bottom lip shook so dreadfully her husband kissed it to make it still. He
removed her hand from her hair and