The King's Bastard by Rowena Cory Daniells Read Free Book Online

her expression of intense concentration that made Byren smile. He pulled off his glove and tapped his nails on the nearest square pane.
    Elina looked up, frowning, then smiled and pushed back her chair, running over to unlatch the window.
    Byren stepped back as it swung open, then he stepped in towards her as a rush of warm air caressed his face.
    'Byren? What are you doing here? I did not expect to see you until the midwinter ceremony.'
    He smiled despite himself, then sobered. 'I've bad news, Lina. Orrie's been hurt.'
    She glanced past him to her brothers standing on the terrace. The taller leaned on the shorter. 'He's walking. Can't be too bad. Come around to the stable yard door.'
    Without giving Byren a chance to explain, she swung the window shut, latched it and ran off taking the lamp with her.
    Byren returned to the others. 'Elina's going to let us in the stable yard door. Don't want to give your father a shock.'
    Orrade and Garzik nodded. They went along the terrace which wrapped around the building. At the rear, modern stables had been built to house the Old Dove's prize horses. A much-used door opened from the house to the stable yards and it swung open now as Elina appeared with a lamp turned down low.
    'Come in, quickly. I'll clean Orrie up and see if we need to wake the healer. Better come up to my chamber.'
    She ushered them in, leading the way through the storage rooms and into the kitchen where half a dozen kitchen children, no older than ten, slept in a huddle in front of the ovens.
    Lifting one finger to her lips she beckoned Byren and her brothers.
    One child raised his head, a sleepy query on his lips.
    'It's nothing, Rifkin, go back to sleep,' she told him.
    Without waiting to see if Byren and the others followed, she slipped out of the kitchen and into the corridor which led to the public rooms.
    This end of the building housed the library and music room, both Merofynian affectations. The family's bed chambers were on the floor above and servants slept in the attics. Elina headed straight for the private family stairs.
    They had just reached the halfway landing when they met with the Old Dove coming down in his night shirt with a single candle.
    'F-father,' Elina greeted him.

Chapter Three
     
    The fierce old lord raised his candle, straining to identify them with his failing sight.
    'I see my wild boy's hurt himself.' Lord Dovecote spoke slowly to conquer the slight slurring caused by the brain spasm which had slowed him down, though no one could say he had lost his wits. 'What have you been up to, Orrie? And you, Byren. I suppose you and Lence are to blame for this. As for you, Garza, I seem to recall sending you off under Captain Blackwing's care. What're you doing back already? No ulfr pelts?'
    'We found the pack attacking Byren and Orrade,' Garzik explained. 'If we hadn't -'
    'Stories later,' Elina announced firmly, reminding Byren of the Old Dove. She glided up the stairs to take her father's arm. 'Orrade's bumped his head, father. I'm just going to clean -'
    'I'm blind,' Orrade announced in a flat voice.
    The good side of the old lord's face drooped to match the paralysed side.
    'What?' Elina whispered, then rallied. 'I'll send for the healer, she -'
    'There's nothing she can do, Elina. I'm blind,' Orrade snapped.
    Elina ran down the two steps to search his eyes for any sign of response and, finding none, sent a stricken look to Byren. His heart contracted.
    Her gaze returned to her brother. 'Oh, Orrie...'
    'Blind?' Lord Dovecote echoed, coming down the steps.
    Orrade looked towards the sound of his father's voice. 'I took a blow to the head. I've been like this since I woke up.'
    Lord Dovecote's step faltered and he almost stumbled. Byren grabbed his arm and felt him tremble with shock. Garzik ran to take his father's other arm. For once the fierce old man did not brush them off.
    'We can have Willowtea take a look. Can't we, father? She's an excellent healer,' Elina insisted, her tone bracing.