The King's Traitor (Kingfountain #3)(27)

“Farnes?” he asked, blinking in surprise. He had left him in Tatton Hall to handle the guests.

“You’re awake,” the herald said with relief. “I was debating whether I should send for Captain Ashby to burst open the door. You normally don’t sleep this late.”

“I have a splitting headache,” Owen said. He noticed several trays of food set on tables outside the door. It had been locked, so no one had been able to enter and arrange it within his chamber.

Farnes followed him in and handed him a series of letters, many marked with Espion seals. He began breaking them open as his stomach growled noisily. While Owen started to read the first note, Farnes went to the door and snapped for a servant to bring in the food.

“How did you leave things with all those visitors at Tatton Hall?” Owen asked, tossing the letter aside. He was adept at reading quickly and remembering the key points after only a quick look. He felt the magic inside him stir with his efforts.

“You managed to offend each and every one of them,” Farnes said crisply, rocking on his heels, his hands clasped behind his back.

“I’m rather good at that these days,” Owen said with a chuckle, perusing the next letter.

“You didn’t used to be,” Farnes said pointedly.

Owen didn’t care for the rebuke or the tone. He gave Farnes a sour look. “What did you expect me to do, Farnes? They were uninvited guests preying on my hospitality while I had business elsewhere.”

“I’ve heard about your business,” Farnes said. “The problem is how you go about it. I apologize for being so candid, my lord, but I feel it’s my duty to tell you when you are creating diplomatic hazards for yourself. People are much more willing to remember a slight than a compliment. It’s like salting a well you’ll need to drink from later.”

He was only half listening to Farnes because the second message was from Kevan, telling him that Drew was being moved to the palace to be a playmate for Evie’s daughter. It did not surprise him, but he swore softly under his breath.

“Ill news, my lord?” Farnes asked worriedly.

If the king saw the boy continually, it was inevitable he would notice the boy’s similarities to Lady Kathryn and Eyric. His eyes widened farther as a new thought struck him. Lady Kathryn would see her son! Would her heart tell her who he was? How would she react? The throbbing in his temples felt like the clanging of kitchen pans.

“You truly look ill, my lord,” Farnes said.

“I already told you I’m not feeling well,” Owen said, gazing down at the page again in consternation and rubbing his temple with his free hand. He needed to get back to Kingfountain. He had to contrive a plan to send the lad away. If Duke Catsby abrogated the commitment to rear the boy, then Owen would have to bring him to Tatton Hall where he could trust his own people to look after him. Maybe he could send the boy to Atabyrion? His mind whirled with the possibilities as implication upon implication and consequence upon consequence flooded his mind.

This was a challenge that would test him greatly. He would need to come up with a way to force Lady Sinia to break off the engagement, after all. Something that would allow him to return back to Kingfountain quickly, even if it meant losing the opportunity to see the rest of his family. At least he knew where they were. He had sensed Sinia was powerful with the Fountain’s magic. She had allowed him to see that, although he did sense she resented it.

“Have some food, my lord. It will help. When did you last eat?” Farnes asked.

He shook his head. “Not since I arrived.” He wandered over to the trays the servants were still carrying into the vast chamber. There was tray after tray of fruit, mostly berries in a huge assortment. Little round purple ones, long bell-shaped ones—his favorites were thimbleberries, and he’d never seen such a huge platter of them in his life. There were breads baked with them, little pots of jams and jellies. Some, like the bowl of gooseberries, were dusted in sugar. He wondered if anything on the table had been poisoned. He expected that Etayne had already examined the trays, but he had not seen her yet.

“Do you know where the duchess is?” Owen asked Farnes.

He rocked back on his heels again, hands clasped. “She left early this morning.”

Owen scowled. “I thought she was going to hear disputes from her people?”

Farnes nodded. “She is. She goes down to them. The lord marshal also left this morning, bringing his soldiers with him. They say he has quit the palace.”

Owen’s mouth hardened into a frown. He reached for one of the thimbleberries and plopped it into his mouth.

It was the sweetest fruit he’d ever tasted.





CHAPTER TEN


Sea Glass




Even Owen could no longer stand the stench of his shirt and tunic, so he accepted the trunk Farnes had brought with him, and cleaned himself up. He deliberately did not shave, but he used the water pitcher, bowl, and towel to wipe away the grime from his travels and felt freshened by the change. While he was tugging on his boots, he was interrupted by the arrival of Captain Ashby and Etayne.

Owen squinted against the light pouring in from the silk curtains and grimaced while he pulled on the boot and fastened the straps alongside. “What news, Ashby?” he asked in a rushed manner. He wanted to leave the castle as quickly as possible and be on his way.