Roberson, Jennifer - Cheysuli 05 by A Pride of Princes (v1.0) Read Free Book Online

a
spectacularly , healthy man." The faintest of twitches jerked the corner of
his mouth; he was purposely underplaying his hand, which served to make it all
the more devastatingly effective
                Reynald looked first at Hart, then
at Corin. And all of a sudden the color drained out of his face. "Obram
save me," he whispered, "you are all the Mujhar's sons. I remember,
now—"
                "You remember, now." Hart
grinned. "A bit slow, are you, Reynald? We met only yesterday, did we not?
In the Great Hall before the Lion Throne?"
                "Where you wished our father
the Mujhar best wishes for continued health." Corin pointedly emphasized
their link to royalty. Reynald was the sort of man to understand such
arrogance, having his own fair share of it.
                "Chains, I think he said,"
Brennan told Dion. "Did you bring any with you?"
                "No, my lord. Should I fetch
some?" Clearly, the captain was enjoying Reynald's discomfiture.
                Hart felt his ribs.
"Enough," he said. "I think Reynald sees our point. And I think
it is time we returned to Homana-Mujhar, before our jehan sends men out looking
for us." He stopped short and looked at Dion. "Who did send
you?"
                "I did." Rhiannon stepped
forward. The linen apron still bore bloodstains, now darkening, and her hand
was wrapped in a clean cloth. "It was my fault this nonsense began. I
thought I should be the one to stop it, so I ran to the palace and fetched
them." She looked at Brennan.
                Her eyes lingered a moment on the
earring in his left ear, now exposed by hair pushed away from his face.
"I—I was ungrateful before," she said in a low voice. "You did
this for me." She wiggled fingers showing at the edges of the cloth
wrapping. "I didn't want you to get hurt, any of you." Her eyes
touched briefly on Hart and Corin, but moved back to Brennan almost
immediately.
                Hart laughed. Corin's mouth twisted
wryly.
                Brennan smiled slowly. "Then
you have my thanks," he said, and looked at Reynald. "I think we have
arrived at an impasse, my Caledonese lordling. You may, of course, press
charges—we did extinguish most of your royal escort, three to ten—" he
grinned, "—but perhaps we may simply let bygones be bygones, and meet over
the banquet you and your cousin Prince Einar are supposed to host in my
father's honor tonight." Brennan paused. "And if we do not go now, we
shall be quite late."
                Reynold looked at the remains of his
royal escort.
                Several of the men were clearly
unconscious. Others were merely stunned, beginning only now to pull their wits
back together. Two were on their feet, unwounded; they scowled sullenly at
their fallen comrades.
                Their lord, in his wine-stained
silks and velvets, summoned what dignity he could muster. "Come," he
ordered the two men still on their feet, and immediately departed the tavern.
                Corin watched him go, then turned
back to Hart. "What about the others?"
                Hart grinned his lopsided, charming
grin. "He is nephew to the King of Caledon , rujho, and cousin to Prince Einar. It is
not for him to concern himself with men wounded in his defense.”
                "Ah." Corin, duly
enlightened, nodded.
                Brennan sighed and untied his
belt-purse. He handed it over to the tavern-keeper. "For the
damages," And then he worked a ring from one of his fingers. It was not
the ruby signet of his rank, but a smaller sapphire set in silver. When it was
free of his finger, he put it into Rhiannon's hands. "To replace the
'silver penny.' " He smiled warmly. "You see," he said, "Cheysuli
are not so bad."
                She stared after him as he preceded
his brothers out of The Rampant Lion. And then she kissed the