Too Many Princes (85 page)

“
Hey!
”
Brastigan called to them.
“
I don't want to seem ungrateful, but this doesn't solve all our problems.
”

He gestured toward the barricades, where Habrok's fighters were being overwhelmed. The banner still stood, but you couldn't guess how long. The walking skeletons had gotten in with the archers, too. Even with Ysislaw dead, the Cruthans could still lose the war.

“
You are correct.
”
Ymell inclined his head to Brastigan.
“
Come, daughter. There is much to do.
”

Yriatt folded her wings, which became her robe. Black scales blanched into fair skin. She and Ymell strode toward the barricades. Lottres sat up, wiping blood from his chin.

“
I bit my tongue,
”
came his mumbled complaint.

“
What a crybaby,
”
Brastigan jeered, but he was quick to offer his hand. If Lottres had died, Brastigan might as well be dead, too.
“
Heal it and come on. This day isn't over, Pup.
”

* * *

“
Out of the way, girl!
”
Diona pushed Cliodora out of the connecting doorway, admitting a rush of servants and courtiers.

“
Stay back,
”
another voice commanded. Shaelen strode in from the corridor through the main door, which they never had managed to block off.
“
She is only stunned.
”

“
Thank you,
”
Therula said. Her heart hammered in her throat, now that the emergency was past.
“
I didn't know what I would have... Mother!
”

Alustra pushed up on her elbow. Half her face was coated with blood. With a trembling hand, the queen wiped her eyes. She stared at her smeared fingers with horror. Therula's arms and legs felt shaky, too, but she managed to reach her mother's side.

“
It's all right,
”
Therula said.
“
Shaelen saved us. But come, let's move away.
”

“
She struck me,
”
Alustra murmured. Her voice sounded strange and thick.
“
I remember that. The bottle...
”

“
Come,
”
Therula urged. She took Alustra's arm and helped her stand.

“
How could she?
”
Alustra's voice was plaintive as a child's.

“
You can ask her later,
”
Therula said.
“
Help us, someone.
”

“
Yes, Princess.
”
Servants stepped forward, led by Giselle, who took Therula's place.

“
This way,
”
Casiana fluttered anxiously.
“
Oh, Cliodora, do stop your screeching!
”

Cliodora did her best to obey, covering her mouth as she watched the servants lead Alustra toward the door. Therula let them go, looking anxiously toward Shaelen.

“
Is it safe?
”
Therula asked in a low voice. She glanced anxiously toward the outer corridor, for battle cries and the clash of steel came much louder through the half open door.
“
Do they need you?
”

“
In a moment,
”
Shaelen said. Her eyes were fixed on Margura with strange intensity.
“
I want a word with this one.
”

“
Why?
”
Therula asked.
“
Oskar isn't your king.
”

Before Shaelen could reply, Cliodora gave a yip of fear. Margura came to her feet, wild-eyed, her fingers crooked into claws. She looked ready to rush at Shaelen with her bare hands.

“
You witch! You've ruined everything,
”
Margura screamed.

Margura sprang toward the knife, and staggered back as another blazing arc of lightning leaped from Shaelen's hands. Therula quickly put herself between Margura and Oskar.

“
This is on your own head,
”
Therula cried. How dare the faithless servant put blame on someone else?

Margura ignored her. She glared at Shaelen. The Urulai woman's dark eyes gleamed with some emotion Therula couldn't name. Sorrow, perhaps, or bitter humor.

“
I spare you,
”
Shaelen said quietly,
“
for the sake of the life within you, but I warn you now to leave Brastigan alone.
”

“
Him.
”
Shame and fury twisted Margura's face.
“
You would defend him? After he abandoned me? That miserable excuse for a man
—
.
”

“
Do not call him a traitor,
”
Shaelen replied.
“
After all he had endured, you met him with betrayal. You put him in the hands of his mortal enemy.
”

“
He betrayed me first,
”
Margura shrieked back at her.
“
He gave his heart to someone else, after I told him not to forget me. So what if the wench is dead? I'm glad—she deserved it!
”

Shaelen took a step backward, her face reflecting incredulous shock. Her lips parted, but no words came. Therula stood wondering why Shaelen was so angry on Brastigan's behalf. Then Therula heard voices behind her. Some of the courtiers still watched from the doorway.

“
What, she's pregnant? Is that what this is all about?
”
Diona demanded.

Therula remembered how sick Margura had looked the night before. Just now, she had complained of being maltreated and abandoned. Therula wondered if her mother knew of Margura's condition. Alustra hadn't acted like she knew.

“
Is this true?
”
Therula asked.
“
Margura, are you pregnant?
”

Margura's crimson cheeks gave the answer even before she hissed,
“
Yes.
”

“
Well, if Brastigan got her with child...
”
Jenne began.

“
No,
”
Shaelen interrupted.
“
The father is someone named Alemin.
”

“
Alemin?
”
Cliodora squeaked.

“
Isn't he married?
”
Diona laughed coarsely.

“
Diona!
”
Casiana rebuked.
“
The girls are here.
”

“
So what?
”
Diona cackled.
“
It's nothing they don't know already.
”
Then she turned on Margura with fury.
“
So you've got a brat in your belly, and that means the kingdom must fall?
”

“
Diona, stop,
”
Casiana pleaded. She tried in vain to push Cliodora out the door after Alustra. Now it was Lioda, Orlyse and Agiatta who stood gawking, blocking the exit.

“
Dear child, look around you.
”
Jenne stepped toward Margura, speaking gently.
“
There are four of us here who know exactly how you feel, and more down in the town. You could have come to any one of us.
”

“
For what?
”
Margura straightened, sneering at them.
“
To be paid for and kept as a pet, while my children are pushed into the shadows? Maybe that was enough for you...
”

“
We would have helped,
”
Jenne said, though she flushed at Margura's ungrateful words.
“
You had but to ask.
”

“
She did ask,
”
Shaelen put in.
“
She asked the help of Ysislaw of Sillets, who offered a position of power when he had conquered Crutham.
”

“
Shut up, you witch!
”
Margura screamed.

She did leap at Shaelen then, but she met a wall of light before she touched her foe. Margura hung in the air for a moment, arms and legs jerking. Then she fell again, and this time she lay still.

“
Fool,
”
Shaelen said quietly.

Diona stalked past the bed to rummage in Oskar's armoire. She emerged with a belt, and quickly began to bind Margura's hands. Meanwhile, Casiana and Jenne were murmuring together. Casiana seemed to gather her resolve. Then she stepped forward.

“
Let us care for her,
”
Casiana said to Therula.
“
With all respect, you don't understand how it is. Leave this to us.
”

“
Perhaps I don't understand,
”
Therula acknowledged.
“
Keep her in her quarters for now. She must pay for what she's done, but since she was my mother's attendant I will let Mother decide what to do.
”

“
Thank you,
”
Jenne said quietly. She and Casiana stood back while Diona directed the servants in carrying Margura from the room. As Therula watched them go, she almost felt sorry for Margura. The woman must have come to Harburg with high ambitions, willing to do anything to get what she wanted, but she had chosen the wrong path to advancement and now it was all ashes.

Then Therula heard Oskar's breath catch as awareness began to return. She remembered her mother's bloody face. Therula felt no pity at all. She hoped Margura would have another of Diona's tongue-lashings before it all ended. Maybe more than one.

Oskar voiced a painful moan. Therula turned to Shaelen again.

“
Can you help him?
”
Therula asked.

The Urulai woman had been watching after Margura. Her expression didn't show vindictive triumph, as Therula might have expected, but rather a kind of startled joy. Shaelen started when Therula spoke. She made as if to join Therula at the bedside, but then stopped.

“
No,
”
Shaelen said, her face grave.
“
I will not help him.
”

“
But...
”
Therula began to argue.

“
He is in no danger of dying,
”
Shaelen said.

“
We need him,
”
Therula insisted.
“
He is our king.
”

“
Perhaps, but this man is as much a traitor as Margura,
”
Shaelen said. Her voice was calm, without malice, and her gaze was steady.
“
He conspired to kill his own brothers. Even the very men who saved him.
”

“
No,
”
Therula murmured.

“
He said so in my hearing.
”

Something made Therula turn toward the bed. Oskar was awake, watching her. Instantly, Therula knew Shaelen was correct. Oskar showed neither guilt nor regret, only the defiant belief in his own righteousness.

“
He lied to your mother,
”
Shaelen went on, while Therula struggled for words.
“
He will try to lie again. You must not permit it. Accept nothing less than the truth.
”

Therula felt her heart drop, but she forced herself to stand straight.
“
I won't.
”

“
I must go,
”
Shaelen said, and she returned to the battle in the corridor.

Therula stared at Oskar with a strange sense of disconnection. He was her brother, fully blooded, and yet she felt she had never known him at all.

“
Why?
”
she asked.

“
Their presence is an insult to our mother, and to me,
”
Oskar said, as if that made it all right. He extended his hand imperiously.
“
Help me sit up.
”

Suddenly Therula was too tired even to summon the proper feeling of indignation.

“
You really are a liar,
”
she said.

Therula turned away to find Cliodora still lingering in the doorway. Her eyes were round as marbles. Cliodora moved to answer Oskar's demand, but Therula caught her arm and guided her out the door.

“
Therula!
”
Oskar cried, greatly wounded.

Therula closed the door and left him there, alone, as he deserved to be.