Graceling (Graceling Realm #1)(23)

Giddon didn’t take his hand from his sword, but his grimace lessened.

“I’m sorry to have insulted you, as well,” Po said. “I see now I should’ve taken greater care of her face. Forgive me.

It was unpardonable.” He reached his hand across the table.

Giddon’s angry eyes grew warm again. He reached out and shook Po’s hand. “You understand my concern,” Giddon said.

“Of course.”

Katsa looked from one of them to the other, the two of them shaking hands, understanding each other’s concern. She didn’t see where Giddon came off feeling insulted. She didn’t see how Giddon had any place in it at all. Who were they, to take her fight away from her and turn it into some sort of understanding between themselves? He should’ve taken more care of her face? She would knock his nose from his face. She would thump them both, and she would apologize to neither.

Po caught her eyes then, and she did nothing to soften the silent fury she sent across the table to him. “Shall we sit?”

someone said. Po held her eyes as they sat. There was no trace of humor in his expression, no trace of the arrogance of his exchange with Giddon. And then he mouthed two words. It was as clear as if he’d said them aloud. “Forgive me.”

Well.

Giddon was still a horse’s ass.

Sixteen Council members attended the meeting, in addition to Po and Lord Davit: Katsa, Raffin, Giddon, Oll, and Oll’s wife, Bertol; two soldiers under Oll’s command, two spies who worked with him, three underlords of Giddon’s rank, and four servants – one a woman who worked in the kitchens of the castle, one a stable hand, one a washerwoman, and one a clerk in Randa’s countinghouse. There were others in the castle involved with the Council.

But most nights, these were their representatives, along with Bann, when he could get away.

Since the meeting had been called to hear Lord Davit’s information, the Council wasted no time.

“I regret I can’t tell you who kidnapped Prince Tealiff,” Davit said. “You would, of course, prefer that type of information. But I may be able to tell you who didn’t. My lands border Estill and Nander. My neighbors are the borderlords of King Thigpen and King Drowden. These borderlords have worked with the Council, and some of them are in the confidence of Thigpen’s and Drowden’s spies. Prince Raffin,” Davit said, “these men are certain that neither King Thigpen nor King Drowden was involved in the kidnapping of the Lienid.”

Raffin and Katsa caught each other’s eyes.

“Then it must be King Birn of Wester,” Raffin said.

And so it must, though Katsa couldn’t imagine the motive.

“Tell us your sources,” Oll said, “and your sources’ sources. We’ll look into it. If this turns out to be true information, we’ll be that much closer to an explanation.”

———

The meeting did not go on long. The seven kingdoms had been quiet, and Davit’s news was enough to occupy Oll and the other spies for the time being.

“It would help us, Prince Greening,” Raffin said, “if you’d allow us to keep your grandfather’s rescue a secret for now. We can’t guarantee his safety if we don’t even know who attacked him.”

“Of course,” Po said. “I agree.”

“But perhaps a cryptic message to your family,” Raffin said, “to say that all’s well with him…”

“Yes, I think I could fashion such a message.”

“Excellent.” Raffin clapped his hands on the table. “Anything else? Katsa?”

“I’ve nothing,” Katsa said.

“Good.” Raffin stood. “Until we hear some news, then, or until Grandfather Tealiff remembers more. Giddon, will you take Lord Davit back to his rooms? Oll, Horan, Waller, Bertol, will you come with me? I wish a moment. We’ll take the inner passage, Katsa, if you don’t mind a parade through your sleeping room.”

“Go ahead,” Katsa said. “It’s better than a parade through the corridors.”

“The prince,” Raffin said. “Katsa, will you take the prince – ”

“Yes. Go on.”

Raffin turned away with Oll and the spies; the soldiers and the servants said their good-byes, and departed.

“I trust you’ve recovered from your illness at dinner, Katsa,” Giddon said, “if you’ve been starting fights. Indeed, it sounds as if you’re back to your normal self.”

She would be civil to him in front of Po and Lord Davit, though he laughed now in her face. “Yes, thank you, Giddon. Good night to you.”

Giddon nodded and left with Lord Davit. Po and Katsa were alone. Po leaned back against the table. “Am I not trusted to find my way through the halls by myself?”

“He meant for me to take you through an inner passageway,” Katsa said. “If you’re seen wandering around the hallways of Randa’s court at this hour, people will talk. This court will turn the most mundane thing into something to talk about.”

“Yes,” he said. “I believe that’s the case with most courts.”

“Do you plan to stay long at the court?”

“I should like to stay until my grandfather’s feeling better.”

“Then we’ll have to come up with an excuse for your presence,” Katsa said. “For isn’t it generally known that you seek your grandfather?”