The One Kingdom by Sean Russell

Author:Sean Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins

25

MENWYN WAS IN A RAGE. CARRAL COULD TELL BY THE WAY HE opened the door. Carral had always enjoyed his brother’s furies, for there was nothing Menwyn could do but rant. Unlike Hafydd, Menwyn would never strike a blind man—he had some twisted sense of honor, or perhaps it was merely good manners he could not give up.

“Where has she gone, Carral?” Menwyn said, his voice low and flat and deadly serious. “The Prince and his villainous counselor, Eremon, are demanding to speak with you. Better to tell me.”

Carral swallowed. He touched a hand to his bruised cheek. “I do not know. Eremon—who is Hafydd, by the way—may strike me again at his pleasure, but I truly do not know.”

This stopped Menwyn a moment. “He did not strike you,” he said firmly. “You fell. You told everyone you fell.”

“So I did, but it was Hafydd’s hand that drove me to my knees.”

“I don’t believe you, Carral. I don’t.”

“That is your privilege, but what I tell you is true, nonetheless. Hafydd struck me savagely, as you see, because I dared to oppose the marriage of my daughter to the son of his master—though who is master in that house is open to dispute, I think. And it is also true that I don’t know where Elise has gone, luckily, for if Hafydd treats me as he did before, I would surely tell. But I have nothing to tell. So by all means, set the dogs on me again. They may savage me all they like. I can tell them nothing.”

Footsteps sounded in the hallway and then turned into the room.

“Prince Neit, Sir Hafydd,” Carral said, and bowed from his chair.

“You did not strike my brother,” Menwyn said, his voice filled with repressed outrage.

“Are you suggesting that I would strike a blind man?” Hafydd said.

“You say that as though you had honor that could be offended,” Carral said, fear drying his mouth suddenly.

“Have a care what you say, minstrel,” Hafydd said quickly. “There are limits to what I will tolerate, even from a blind man.”

“But what was it you said to me, the day you gave me this?” Carral touched his bruise. “That you cared nothing for honor or chivalry or vows or so-called civilized conduct. ‘I am unlike any man you have ever met, in this,’ I believe were your words. I do not know where my daughter has gone, Sir Hafydd. You could tear off my limbs and I would not tell you, because I cannot.

“She has gone off with a man I met in the tower. He claimed to be a ghost and would never give me a name. Of course, I did not believe him; but then, remember that night you came up to the tower and heard me speaking with another? I was talking with this very man, and when you entered the room . . . he was gone.” Carral paused, still overwhelmed by what had happened. “Of course, you will not believe me, but that is often the case with the truth.

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