Fire and Sword by Simon Brown Read Free Book Online

and pale, but his breathing was normal. “I’m hungry,” he said again.
    “I’ll get you something,” Olio said. “How are you feeling?”
    The boy thought about it for a moment. “Hungry.”
    “Then we’ll feed you a mountain.” He faced the prelate. “Is this not worth all?”
    Edaytor blushed, ashamed he had no reply.

    Now that the executive council had met half a dozen times, its members had gravitated to sitting in the same position at the table at every meeting. Areava sat at one end, flanked by Orkid and Olio; down the right-hand side, from Areava’s perspective, sat government officials such as Har-nan Beresard, Prelate Edaytor Fanhow, and Kendra’s mayor Shant Tenor, as well as those members of the Twenty Houses given seats on the council, most prominently Areava’s cousin Galen Amptra. On the left-hand side sat the various representatives of the kingdom’s guilds and mer-Ghant houses, as well as Primate Giros Northam, leader of the Church of the Righteous God, and his secretary and Areava’s confessor, Father Powl. At the end of the table sat Fleet Admiral Zoul Setchmar and Marshal Triam Lief on either side of the new constable, Dejanus.
    Sunlight poured into the room from the long glass windows in one wall. The members waited for Areava to start, but she was busy conferring with Orkid. A few were taking notes or catching up on paperwork, one or two looked bored and were stifling yawns. Most simply waited patiently.
    “You will have heard my brother is still alive,” Areava said suddenly. One or two members jumped in their seats.
    “We have heard rumors, your Majesty,” Father Powl said, “but not the whole story.”
    “Lynan did not drown. He has escaped to the Oceans of Grass.”
    There was a soft murmur, but—Areava was glad to hear—no urgency or panic in the voices.
    “He is still in the company of former Constable Kumul and former Captain Ager Parmer, and the female magicker...” She searched for a paper on the table in front of her.
    “Jenrosa Alucar,” Edaytor Fanhow said quickly and softly, as if ashamed she had been a magicker.
    “... yes, from the Theurgia of Stars.”
    “
Was
, your Majesty,” Edaytor corrected.
    “Was. Yes. They are with the Chetts.”
    “Then they are harmless,” Marshal Lief said. “They cannot harm the kingdom from the Oceans of Grass.”
    There was general agreement from the council.
    “While he is alive, Prince Lynan is dangerous,” Areava said softly. Somehow the words carried through the hubbub, and everyone instantly fell silent. Olio looked at her with something like dismay. Sitting there, pale and golden-haired, she reminded him of one of the old gods—as unmerciful as they were beautiful.
    “Your Majesty?” the Marshal asked.
    “What does he hold?” she asked.
    “Nothing except grass now,” Shant Tenor said jovially.
    “And the Key of Union,” Areava said.
    “Is it worth anything by itself?” the mayor said, holding his hands up and looking from councilor to councilor as if he were directing the question to all of them.
    “It is worth something to me,” Areava said sternly. “I want the Key of Union for another purpose.”
    “Sister, you already have two,” Olio said gently.
    “My husband-to-be has none.”
    Olio seemed surprised. “Ah, of course,” he said eventually.
    “Your Majesty, this is a delicate matter you have raised,” Xella Povis, the head of the Merchant Guild, said. “We still have not heard from the king of Aman about his guarantee on the issue of succession.”
    “Correction,” Areava said, and put out a hand. Orkid handed her a rolled parchment which she opened and flattened on the table in front of her. “His courier arrived yesterday afternoon.” She paused, glancing up at all the expectant faces. “And he agrees.”
    The council exhaled as if it were a single, large animal.
    “With two conditions,” Areava finished.
    The animal held its breath again until Galen Amptra said: “Which