The Forsaken Throne (Kingfountain #6)(28)

“Shhh, lass,” Fallon cooed. He pressed his fingers to her throat and cocked his head. Then he nodded and turned toward Trynne.

The light of the candle flickered across his serious expression.

“These are the symptoms of monkshood mixed with ellesbore. Both are deadly enough to kill a child within a few days. Morwenna taught me that ellesbore is more common in the East Kingdoms. I think she intends to implicate Gahalatine in this as well. The cure is white horehound.” He reached down and took Kate’s little hand, stroking her fingers with his thumb. “She might not have lasted another day.”

He looked at Mariette. “A little tea. Make her drink some every hour for two days. That should be enough. Her body will do the rest.”

Fallon leaned down and brushed his lips over the babe’s brow.

Mariette’s smile was beaming. They sent for an apothecary to get the herbs immediately.

Fallon smiled in response and patted Mariette’s back. “Kevan Amrein needs some as well or he’s a dead man. You’ll have to find a way to get him the cure—a grown man will last a few days longer.

Might be best to stage his death, though.” He twisted a ring off his littlest finger. “This is Kevan’s Espion ring.” He handed it to Staeli.

“You can do a lot of mischief with this. We won’t need it where we’re going.”

“I’m coming with you,” Staeli said, his expression fierce.

Gahalatine straightened. “I will come as well.”

Fallon looked at them and then at Trynne. “Brythonica must be protected,” he said, “and by soldiers who are brave enough to defy the king’s army and buy us time to return with Lord Owen. My lord Gahalatine, you cannot come without jeopardizing your own people.

There is a magic game of Wizr that has been under way for centuries. It ends when one of the kings is defeated—you or King Drew—and there is no heir. When it ends . . . it ends abruptly. I believe we can get your memories back, but if you leave this world, disaster will befall your people.”

Trynne felt shaken by his words, and she saw Mariette’s eyes widen with distress. So, the game was finally on the precipice of ending. The stakes were as high as they possibly could be. And yet . . . the thought of being alone with Fallon filled her with unease. Not because she mistrusted his intentions but because . . .

“Captain, can we talk over there?” Trynne asked, motioning for him to come with her. She nodded to Gahalatine, indicating that he should join them. Fallon offered to hold Kate while Mariette snuffed out the candle and went to fetch a teapot and warm water.

Both men followed Trynne to the window seat, but as they all got settled, Trynne found her eyes drifting to Fallon for a moment.

Her heart wrung with emotion at the sight of him nuzzling Kate with his nose, whispering soothing words to her as he rocked her in the darkness. Comforting. Loving. Her throat caught with emotions and part of her melted at the scene. But then she saw her husband watching her watching him, and her heart clouded with trouble.

“I’m sorry, my lord, but this may not make much sense to you,”

she said quietly. “To Captain Staeli, it will. My father always told me the greatest lesson Ankarette taught him was the importance of discernment. He said it was the most important of the Fountain’s gifts. Should I go with him, Captain Staeli? My heart tells me that I should. That it’s the Fountain’s will.”

His bearded face turned down into a frown. “You want to know if I think he’s being honest.”

She nodded. “I’m not sure I can see things clearly right now.

Everything was in confusion, but his words make sense. I also want to believe him. I want to believe that he’s true to his sister, to his niece.” She looked down at her lap and didn’t articulate her final thought. To me.

Gahalatine leaned forward, his face showing concern. “Who is this man who has come?”

“The brother of the queen,” Trynne said. “We were raised together since childhood.”

“And you are a married woman now,” Staeli said warningly. “I know your husband has recently treated you ill.” He gave Gahalatine an accusing look. “Don’t think that I’m not tempted to thrash him because of it, whether he remembers it or not.” For a moment, Trynne wanted to smile because she knew he meant it. “But duty is duty, lass. If you go with the Llewellyn boy, you will be tempted to break your vow. Let me come with you.” His eyes said more than his words. He knew how she felt about Fallon, although he respected her more than to say so out loud, especially in front of her husband.

Holding the captain’s gaze, she answered, “I would never betray my oath, Captain. I am an Oath Maiden. Who else can I trust to carry out my will while I am gone? Thierry is a capable steward, but he’s no battle commander. We need time. And I need you and Gahalatine to defend Brythonica while I’m gone.”

“I don’t understand why I cannot come with you,” Gahalatine said seriously. “Your friend, he said something about a game, but it made little sense to me.”

“I know,” she answered, meeting his gaze. “You will have to trust what I say. To trust my promises. If you cannot trust me, then we have nothing together.”

Staeli pursed his lips and fidgeted. “What you are asking tests my loyalty to the utmost. If you don’t return quickly, I’ll be condemned for treason for certain. Your husband may face the same fate.” He let out a pained sigh. But then he lifted his gaze to hers again. “I will do it, lass,” he said huskily. “If your father were back, he could fix this mess. I know he could. Who better to fetch him than you?” He reached up and stroked her slack cheek with the edge of his coarse finger. “I am and always will be loyal to your house. Your father had to rebel against the king once. It was the right thing to do then, and now that the king is under his sister’s power, it’s the right thing to do again.”