The Falcon Throne (The Tarnished Crown Series) by Karen Miller

Author:Karen Miller [Miller, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2014-09-09T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Riding at a slow jog-trot to the first day of the Crown Court, in company with Humbert and Clemen’s herald and its ruinously inept Marcher lords and the two Marcher men who’d failed to save the Clemen woman and instead spilled Harcian blood, Vidar counted himself most harshly used. For surely it was a sour jest on Humbert’s part to bring him to this misbegotten wasteland now, of all times: fourteen years almost to the day since last he’d set foot in the Marches. Fourteen years since he lost his eye and the good use of his leg, battling Harcia. When every bright dream he’d had for himself had floundered and foundered in a gushing of blood.

It had to be deliberate. Humbert had been there the day he was so grievously wounded, along with the lords Grevill and Mostyn and six men-at-arms. Harcian’s men had come upon them in the shadowy depths of Barrows Wood, a part of the Marches counted as Clemen’s domain. Chastened Wido ruled there now, but then the task had fallen to Grevill. He’d died defending his territory, along with two of his men. And of those who survived, not a one escaped blooding. Not even Humbert, and in his day he’d been fearsome with a sword. Of them all, his own wounds were the worst. He’d come perilously close to joining Grevill in death.

Everything blighted in his life could be traced back to that maiming.

And yet, remembering it all, as he must, Humbert would still drag him back here. Why him? Why not Aistan? His soon-to-be goodfather was a greater lord than disgraced Godebert’s son and had fought in the Marches with distinction more times than the man on the brink of marrying his daughter. That business with the bribed leeches was a feeble excuse for Humbert to use.

For all his bluster, he’s a patient shite. This is his chance to punish me for taking a seat on the council. Not a day in his life has he wanted to share anything with me. Not a laugh, not Lindara… and for certain, not power.

A fist thumped to his knee jolted him back to his surroundings.

“Pay attention, Vidar!” Humbert growled, riding beside him. “Precious little use you’ll be here if you can’t keep your wits from wandering!”

With some effort he bit back an acid reply. For Clemen’s sake its great lords must be seen in accord. The bloody aftermath of murder had left Clemen’s men-at-arms on the jitter. Knowing their own lords had failed them, they looked to the duke’s councillors for the justice they deserved. And with rumours of evil omens flying thick as snow in winter, he and Humbert couldn’t be seen at each other’s throats. So he swallowed fresh resentment and showed Lindara’s father a meek face.

“I’m sorry, my lord. You said something?”

Humbert heaved an impatient sigh. “I said are you certain you’ve a grasp of the facts in this matter? For we’ll reach the Pig Whistle shortly, and for Roric’s sake I’ll not have you ill-prepared.

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