Raven Lord (The Last Viking Series) by JC Duncan

Author:JC Duncan [Duncan, JC]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2024-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

In the three days it took for Afra to come back to us, we reorganised the tattered bandon, absorbed the denuded remains of the sixth into our own greatly reduced ranks, had equipment repaired and replaced, and made the guards ready to do their palace duties again and to look the part. Harald was insistent no fault be found with our commitment if anyone came to inspect us, which no one did. We were simply sent a roster of expected duties, relieving the men of the Vigla, who had taken over our posts while we were on campaign.

Afra and Thorir sat down with us in an empty section of the barracks, where another bandon who had not yet returned would normally sleep. It seemed a foolish precaution at the time, the secrecy and solitude, but as I learned later, such things were important in the palace.

Afra looked grim. Even Thorir looked downcast, and he never displayed any kind of emotion.

‘So, what can you tell me?’ Harald asked.

Afra hunched and spread his hands in apology. ‘Almost nothing, Komes.’

‘Nothing?’ said Harald, looking at Thorir for a second voice.

Thorir shook his head once.

‘Why?’ said Harald with a tinge of anger, looking back at Afra.

‘There is turmoil in the palace and the court. Most of our sources are gone, and everyone else is too terrified to speak. It is practically a war, a war of silence and threats. We could not get anywhere close to anyone who knows the emperor’s mind.’

Harald’s eyes narrowed. ‘A war?’

It was not completely shocking. We knew that the empress and the emperor were in a struggle for power, but when we had left, nothing like that had been happening – not that we had seen or sensed.

‘Where have your sources gone to?’

Afra swallowed. ‘Servants and staff are beaten and abused, even court officials have been extorted or blackmailed. Some of them have been moved to other jobs, others have disappeared.’

‘Fled?’

Thorir shook his head and his look said it all.

Harald sat back in shock. ‘Members of the palace staff have been murdered?’ He was outraged. ‘Has anyone acted? Have the first bandon done anything to stop this madness?’

‘No one does anything.’

‘Why?’

‘Because this is a purge, and it is organised by those in power, who the guard cannot touch.’

‘The emperor?’ Harald asked, brows narrowing.

Afra pursed his lips. ‘I don’t think so, not directly. He would not need to resort to such crude methods. This is beneath him.’

‘Then who? Zoe?’

‘Men belonging to both,’ said Thorir softly. ‘They are at war in the shadows, the emperor and empress. Everyone caught in between is a potential target, and terrified.’

Harald grunted in frustration. ‘I need more than this.’

‘I am sorry, Komes. The palace is a closed circle even in normal times, but now? It is impenetrable from the outside. Even finding what little we did caused trouble, questions are being asked. I have been noted,’ Afra said, and he looked ashamed. ‘This place is beyond me. Nothing like this existed in Norway or Kyiv.’

Harald’s eyes narrowed.

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