‘I honestly don’t know. Perhaps.’
‘But his scorn hurt her,’ Elka mused.
‘That’s right. When he didn’t come back for her or show the slightest care about the child she was carrying she wanted to make him pay for using her. And by then she did know hisposition and I suspect it offended her to realise she was carrying a royal child in her belly that no one wanted to acknowledge.’
‘How was he supposed to know she was pregnant?’
‘I gather she sent word somehow.’
‘Did she really believe he would look after her?’
He nodded. ‘I think she did,’ he said softly. ‘She was a beautiful woman in her youth and she came from an old, very proud line. I imagine she convinced herself that a marriage between a Steppes woman and a Valisar king could work.’
Elka shook her head. ‘And you?’
‘Me?’
‘Do you think marriages between different cultures can work?’
‘I do. I’m proving it. We have mixed marriages all over the empire. It’s just a matter of breaking down old attitudes.’
‘So in your eyes, Gavriel and I aren’t such a ridiculous match?’
She said it lightly, but Loethar took her seriously. ‘You are a bad match, you two. He doesn’t love you romantically, Elka. He loves you as his best friend.’
He watched the amusement and the interest in their conversation in her eyes wilt and found a grin for her. ‘So, marry me instead, Elka. I think we’d make a fine couple and a great example to the rest of the empire.’
‘You’re married already, and a father.’
‘I despise my wife and we are estranged. My daughter is dead. Truly, what a ruin I am.’ He kept his tone dry, afraid of sounding self-pitying.
‘I’m really very sorry about your daughter,’ Elka said quietly.
Loethar was surprised to feel his throat close up. He swallowed hard and nodded, trying to keep his emotions in check.
‘Forgive me, I don’t mean to upset you.’
‘You’re not, Elka,’ he said softly. ‘You’re a comfort. I haven’t yet grieved for my daughter. I needed a son for political reasons and it was a disappointment that a daughter was born. And then to hear that she was sickly and likely to succumb … I walkedaway. I had just lost my mother and Freath; I couldn’t bear to look upon my daughter and love her if I was only going to lose her. But I regret that decision now.’ He shrugged. ‘Here, beneath the sky, away from all that and with a clearer view of life, I wish I could hold her, tell her that I love her and am proud to be her father.’ His throat felt tight again, and he cleared it. ‘My true father didn’t love me and I just gave the same hurt to my daughter.’
Elka looked shaken. ‘I’m so sorry.’
He gave her a searching glance then shook his head hopelessly. ‘Don’t be. I deserve to suffer.’
She smiled quizzically. ‘You’re a very complicated man, Loethar. Lucky for you life is a lot less complex in the mountains.’ She sighed. ‘Come on, let’s find somewhere safe but lower. You’ll feel better almost immediately once we descend but you’ll still need to rest.’
‘Excellent news. Now you’ll have to forgive me, Elka, because right now I have to —’
He didn’t finish what he was going to say. Instead, he turned quickly, and violently retched.
She sighed. ‘Men are so weak,’ she muttered, and won a growl from her companion.
Back at the camp the men had gathered around Leo. It had taken him a long time to assemble them, but he was determined to gauge their reaction as a group, hoping one would give away the truth if they knew what their leader was up to. And he had to be careful about it, for each of these men, he was sure, remained intensely loyal to the outlaw.
‘None of you have any idea where Kilt has gone?’ he asked, masking the disbelief in his voice, turning it into concern. ‘I was with him only a short time ago, just before he sent me to speak with Loethar. I need to know what he wants us to do. I have to report to him.’
‘We haven’t even seen Kilt or Jewd for hours,’ Tern replied.
Leo held his tongue with difficulty. Tern was doing a good job at disguising the stiffness in his tone but Leo had spent many anni learning how to see past the obvious. ‘Well, I’m sure they’ll let us know soon enough what they’re up to,’ he finally said, deciding it was better to appear confused in return for remaining close to the only family he’d known in a decade. ‘What now?’
‘We’re moving camp,’ Tern replied. ‘It’s no longer safe here.’
‘Really? We weren’t followed,’ Gavriel said.
Tern shook his head. ‘Kilt never takes chances. In fact, we’re splitting up.’
‘What?’ Leo, who had been sitting down, trying to remain casual, jumped to his feet. ‘Who ordered that?’
The men around him began to mutter between themselves.
‘No one did, majesty,’ Tern said and Leo noted with satisfaction Tern’s use of his title. ‘This is what we do if we feel in any way threatened. It’s a precaution. We will re-group.’
‘When?’
Tern shrugged. ‘Whenever. You know how it is. We always seem to find one another.’
‘What should I do?’
‘You are welcome to come with me, majesty. I would consider it an honour.’
Leo had to think. He glanced at Gavriel. So long apart hadn’t changed that bond they’d shared through his childhood. He could see that Gavriel didn’t believe a word of what was being said here.
‘No, thank you. I might wait here in case Kilt returns. I have things to tell him. He would expect it of me, I think. I’ve made too many mistakes recently and I don’t want to disappoint him again.’
Tern nodded unhappily. ‘As you wish, highness. De Vis, can I leave you to protect the king?’
‘It’s what I was born to do apparently,’ Gavriel replied. He said it lazily but Leo could hear the barb in it.
‘We’ll carry on then,’ Tern said, and motioned to the men to continue their plans for dispersal.
As they moved away, Gavriel arrived alongside Leo. ‘They’re lying.’
‘I know.’
‘Why?’
‘Kilt got to them.’ Leo’s face twisted in anger. ‘He knows what we were planning.’
‘How?’
‘I think you’ve forgotten just how sharp Kilt is. He and Loethar are well suited for their cunning minds.’ He grimaced. ‘All the more reason we can’t let them meet.’
‘Leo, you have to trust me when I say that Elka will not permit Loethar to do this… this… ’
‘Trammelling,’ Leo offered.
‘Exactly. And even if she did entertain such an idea, it wouldn’t be without my sanction.’
‘I hope your confidence is borne out, my friend. Otherwise Loethar will be invincible and you might as well run me through with that blade of yours now.’
‘So what do you suggest we do now?’
Leo shook his head with disgust. ‘I’m torn as to whether to hunt down Kilt, who I need for protection, or Loethar,