Dragon Prince 02 - The Star Scroll (55 page)

Sioned had been expecting something of the sort. Sorin had not. Thick dark brows slanted down. “A complaint? Against
me?
”

Masul shrugged. “Your reputation as a horseman suggested you could control your mount. I’ll have bruises for days after being slammed into like that, and it’s a wonder we both weren’t thrown. Had it occurred on the track where the judges could have seen it, I would’ve had no choice but to lodge a formal protest. But since no one else saw. . . .”

Sioned knew how close Masul was to losing several teeth from the temper Sorin had inherited from both volatile parents. She said, “I’m sure Lord Sorin is similarly inclined to generosity, though I would say he’ll bear the scar on his shoulder long after your bruises have healed. But I’m pleased to see you young men in agreement. We wouldn’t want any difficulties to arise over the race, would we? Such things have a tendency to flare like Sunrunner’s Fire.”

Masul could not hide his reaction. Green eyes—nearly the color of Roelstra’s, she noted now that she was staring directly into them—narrowed and a muscle in his cheek twitched. His voice came from a clenched throat. “I have no experience with
faradhi
matters. No offense meant to yourself, High Princess, but I have no wish to learn about them, either.”

“I am neither offended nor surprised. Fire of any kind is dangerous, don’t you agree? One so often burns one’s fingers.” She gave him a small, chill smile. “You have my permission to withdraw.”

Masul froze for a heartbeat, then inclined his head an insulting fraction and strode off. Sorin spat into the dirt where he’d stood.

“My sentiments exactly,” Sioned murmured. “But he took the hint, which is what I wanted.”

“What hint?” Sorin exclaimed. “That slimy son of a—he had the
balls
to accuse me of riding into him on purpose!”

“And did not mention the real source of the incident,” Sioned pointed out. “Sorin, I only want to tell this once. Tonight, after the prizes are given, we’ll all meet in Andrade’s pavilion and talk this out. But for now, say nothing. And smile—there are some pretty girls coming to comfort you.”

“The only thing that could comfort me is redoing Masul’s face with my fists,” he muttered. “His features please me very little.”

“Yours seem to be in favor,” she told him. “Relax until tonight, Sorin—and if you don’t end this afternoon with at least five of those girls in love with you, then you’re not your father’s son.” She winked at him.

He gave a short laugh in spite of himself, and turned his attention to the young ladies—reluctantly at first, then with more enthusiasm as he realized that being a good-looking young lord with a romantically wounded shoulder could be a most entertaining experience.

A
ndrade’s white pavilion filled slowly at irregular intervals that midnight. Sunrunners on casual guard wore thin leather gloves against the autumn crispness in the air, neatly hiding the fact that not all of them were in fact Sunrunners; cloaks in various shades of blue, brown, and black concealed any telltale badges of service to Rohan, Chay, or Pandsala. A careful investigation of a few other tents might have given a good idea of who met with the Lady of Goddess Keep in secret that night. But two things counted against the presence of any prying eyes: the extreme lateness and the lavish banquet that had ended only a short time earlier. No one cared about anything more important than getting to bed and avoiding the headaches sure to attend upon the morning. Ostvel had given strict instructions that the High Prince’s guests were never to sit more than an eyeblink with empty wine-cups.

Rohan arrived first with Pol and Pandsala. All three were still fuming at the manner in which Masul had collected the jewels he’d won in the race—Princemarch’s own amethysts, the reason he’d chosen that race to enter, of course. His bow to Rohan had been barely respectful, his grin openly mocking. Though relegated to a lower table with Kiele and Lyell, he had practically held court both before and after the meal. So great was Pandsala’s fury that she had eaten nothing. Rohan had hidden his anger better, and Pol had followed his father’s example rather than his regent’s. Sioned had been the only one to disturb Masul’s triumph, for reasons none of them understood, he was seen to jerk back in startlement when, with on coming dusk, she had risen from her chair to gesture the candles and torches alight. Her smile in his direction had been perfectly poisonous.

Chairs were arranged in Andrade’s pavilion around a small brazier where glowing coals kept out the chill midnight air. Urival sat next to Andrade on one side of the circle, Pol between his father and Pandsala opposite. No one spoke. Tobin and Chay arrived with all three of their sons a short time later; Ostvel and Riyan joined the group soon after that. At last Sioned came in with Alasen of Kierst. The girl’s hands were folded tightly together and she did not raise her eyes as she was introduced formally around the circle. Andrade looked a question at Sioned and touched her own rings. Sioned nodded confirmation. The Lady of Goddess Keep turned a speculative eye on the young princess, who took the seat beside Sioned and next to Andry.

“Hollis should be here,” Sioned commented, her gaze finding Maarken.

The young man flushed. Meeting his parents’ puzzled gazes, he drew a deep breath and said, “I ought to have told you before this. I hope to make her an official part of the family in a few days.”

Tobin sank back into her chair, stunned. Chay simply gaped. Sioned whispered a request to Andry to go find Hollis, then said, “I’m sorry, Maarken, but I didn’t know any other way to include her without its seeming strange to those who didn’t know.”

“Sioned, my love,” Rohan murmured, “you are about as subtle as a dragon spotting an unguarded herd.”

Maarken was still watching his parents. “I just couldn’t seem to find the right time to tell you. I know you haven’t had a chance to get to know her yet, but I’m hoping you’ll approve.”

Tobin smiled at her eldest. “I was prepared to love whomever you chose, darling—and you’ve made it wonderfully easy. Although I’ll never forgive Sioned for knowing it first!”

“It wasn’t me who told her,” he explained, beginning to smile. “We had a bet going that she’d guess.”

Chay reached around Sorin to grasp Maarken’s arm. “If she’s as clever as she is beautiful, you’re a lucky man. A Sunrunner, too—how many rings is it?”

“Six, like mine.”

“Your grandfather Zehava always said he wanted good-looking descendants,” Rohan teased. “I think his ambition is safe into the next generation.”

Andrade sat quietly, smiling, while the others added their congratulations. Finally she said, “I had nothing to do with it this time, Sioned. As a matter of fact, they managed it in spite of me. Someday you’ll have to get them to tell you how it came about.”

“My Lady!” Maarken protested automatically, red to his earlobes.

“If you don’t, I may tell them myself!” she threatened with a grin and a wink—startling those in the group who had experience only of her more caustic humor, or who had no experience of her at all.

Andry returned to the tent alone and bewildered. “Maarken—I told her she was to come here, and why, and she said—”

“Something self-effacing, I trust,” Andrade remarked, but her gaze had sharpened.

Andry shook his head. “She said she couldn’t in conscience join us because—because it would be under false pretenses.”

Maarken gasped as if someone had hit him in the gut. He shoved back his chair and strode from the tent, leaving a shocked silence behind him.

Rohan had to clear his throat twice before he could say with reasonable calm, “Andry, why would she say such a thing?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she’s just tired. She hasn’t been all that well most of the summer. And it would probably scare me, too, being summoned to a conference like this. After all, none of us is exactly nobody.”

“Succinctly if inelegantly put,” Andrade said. “Alasen, I trust we do not intimidate you too much? Good. Andry, sit down. There’s nothing we can do that Maarken can’t do for himself, so we’d best get on with this. Sioned, I assume you’re the one with the explanations. You’d better begin them before curiosity kills us.”

“Yes, my Lady.” Sioned looked around the circle once, then began. “Someone called Fire down onto the course today, threatening Sorin but not Masul. Afterward, Masul approached Sorin and they exchanged words—”

“As they’re both alive and intact,” Andrade interrupted, “I may assume that the words were at least marginally polite.”

“You may. But when I hinted at Sunrunner’s Fire, Masul reacted very oddly. He knows as well as Sorin and I what happened. Only I led him to believe it was one of us who had done it.”

Sorin gave a muffled curse. “You wanted him to think the flames had been meant for him, not for me!”

“I thought he might sweat a little. Anything that unbalances him works in our favor.”

“Good thought,” Rohan said. “But the problem is that
we
know the Fire was meant for Sorin.”

“It rose up right in front of me,” the young man confirmed. “It was easy for Masul to avoid it.”

Chay leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands clasped between them. “Do we have another renegade Sunrunner, then, like the one Roelstra corrupted?”

“I doubt it very much,” Urival replied quietly. “For reasons I will explain shortly. Sioned, did he admit to having seen the Fire at all?”

“Not out loud, no.”

“Then there are three alternatives. First, he didn’t expect it but now believes that someone wishes to help him, and doesn’t wish to jeopardize that person by admitting he even saw the Fire. Second, he knew in advance and is certain it was meant for Sorin, and doesn’t wish to admit that someone with
faradhi
gifts is working for him. The third alternative is suggested by his reaction to your mention of Fire, Sioned. He may believe that a Sunrunner did indeed do this, and will do something even more deadly if he complains of it. Do you think he’s honestly frightened of us?”

Sioned frowned, then nodded slowly. “He’s extremely wary, at least, of what he believes we’re capable of. Sorin, did he look frightened to you?”

“It seemed as if he resents
faradh’im
more than he fears them, although you made him really nervous tonight when you lit the candles.” He grinned suddenly. “I think Masul’s just started to realize that Pol’s surrounded by Sunrunners.”

Chay said, “Whichever of Urival’s alternatives holds true, he’ll be worried about us.”

“Us?”
Tobin asked, surprised. “Do you know that’s the first time you’ve ever included yourself with the Sunrunners?”

He shrugged. “I have a wife, two sons, a sister-by-marriage, and a nephew who’re are
faradh’im.
My eldest son is about to marry one. We’re sitting here with the Lady of Goddess Keep, the whole place is lousy with Sunrunners, and you object to my saying ‘us’?”

“How nice to know the Lord of Radzyn finally accepts us,” Andrade said dryly. “The question is, how can we turn events to our advantage?”

Rohan looked thoughtful. “If we assume Masul was as surprised as Sorin and doesn’t know there’s somebody helping him, then it might be possible . . .”

“To do what, Father?” Pol asked.

“To encourage this belief and present him with a somewhat stupefying source of help.” He turned to Pandsala. “Could you swallow your hatred long enough to convince him?”

She hesitated, then shook her head. “I’ve been too vehement. Had this come several days ago, after my talk with Kiele—she and I are agreed that Chiana’s humiliation by whatever means would be most satisfying. But after yesterday’s encounter with Masul. . . .” She lifted her hands, let them fall back into her lap. “I’m sorry for it, because the idea is an excellent one. But a sudden conversion to his cause would be suspect. If there were others of my sisters who had the gifts, it might be possible. But I cannot even think his name without wanting to spit.”

“You’re not the only one,” Tobin muttered. “Sorin, how’s your shoulder?”

“Healing, Mother. Don’t worry.”

“Well, so much for that idea.” Rohan sprawled his legs out in front of him and stared at his boots. “We can discount the assumption about the Fire being meant for Masul, because we know this to be untrue. We have to work with what
we
believe to be the truth, which is either that he didn’t know and welcomes the help, or that he knows very well indeed.” He paused, then slowly lifted his gaze to Urival. “I’d be interested to hear your reasons now, my lord, for thinking that there is no Sunrunner corrupted to causes other than our own.”

Urival’s golden-brown eyes darkened, the angles of his face like rough-hewn stone. He looked around the circle as Sioned had done, but not to collect their attention. He judged each face in turn, from the prior knowledge in some to the frank bewilderment in others. At last he spoke, having satisfied some inner criteria for each person present.