‘You were telling us about Felt,’ Leo continued. ‘I think he may be an aegis. Do you know what that is?’
‘The legendary champion of the Valisars,’ Ravan responded. ‘One born secretly for each child, who must be found and bonded. You want to find and bond Kirin Felt?’ Ravan asked, surprised.
‘Exactly! I need protection now, more than ever. An aegis offers the only true protection I can count on.’
Gavriel felt his stomach drop.
‘No offence to you, Gav,’ Leo said over his shoulder without looking at him.
‘None taken,’ Gavriel lied.
‘I think we should go after Felt,’ Leo threw at Gavriel, ‘especially now that Faris is onto us.’
Gavriel blinked in confusion but Leo wasn’t waiting for an answer; he had suddenly swivelled around and levelled his sword at Ravan. The man and boy stood, both looking daunted but not, Gavriel noted, especially surprised.
Leo noted it too.
‘You know my next question,’ he accused.
‘And let me answer it, highness,’ Ravan replied carefully. ‘I am not an aegis and Roddy —’
‘How can I be sure?’
Ravan thought about this. The boy looked terrified, ready to flee. ‘You can’t. But I doubt very much that we’d have risked walking into your midst.’
Leo regarded Ravan without speaking. In the silence, Roddy sank to the ground, holding his head between his knees.
Gavriel held his breath but his old friend finally lowered the sword. ‘You’re right,’ Leo admitted and rubbed at his head. He looked ill too. ‘You wouldn’t have risked it. But we now know we have Faris and potentially Felt. Felt won’t know we’re coming so he’s the better option.’
Gavriel’s already diminishing tolerance gave up. ‘Leo, this is —’
The king raised his hand. ‘So why did you come here?’ he suddenly challenged the pair before him.
Ravan glanced down at Roddy. Again Gavriel sensed, rather than understood, the slight tension between the pair. The man was, he was sure, deferring to the child. ‘In a way, your majesty, it does involve the question of an aegis.’
‘What?’ Gavriel and Leo said together, both astonished.
Ravan took a moment to gather his thoughts. ‘Actually, it’s Roddy who should tell this.’ He glanced again at the child and nodded. ‘He was there from the beginning. But he doesn’t look to be in any shape to talk right now.’
‘What’s wrong with him?’ Leo demanded.
‘He’s been through a great deal. I suppose he’s tired, relieved, frightened. Perhaps I should tell you what I know.’
‘Go ahead,’ Leo suggested.
Ravan nodded. ‘After Clovis and Roddy were saved from the fire, returned from death, both Roddy and I witnessed a man being bonded. That’s one of the reasons that Clovis is dead.’
Leo sat down again. Gavriel remained standing but stepped a little closer, not sure where Ravan was going.
‘The man who was bonded is called Greven,’ Ravan continued.
‘Wait! Was this man a leper?’ Leo interrupted.
Ravan nodded. ‘It is the same Greven you know, even though he no longer shows any sign of his sickness. The leprosy was the sign, you see.’
‘I can’t believe it,’ Leo finally said, his voice tight. ‘We were with him in the forest. Lily doesn’t know, I’m sure of it.’
‘More to the point,’ Gavriel continued, suddenly feeling chilled, ‘who bonded him?’
Leo’s eyes blazed with a new fire. ‘Indeed, that is the most important question. If not me or Loethar, who?’
‘Loethar?’ Ravan replied, taken aback.
‘Is Valisar,’ Leo answered, the words coming out as though they were dirty in his mouth.
Ravan said nothing but Gavriel could all but see the wheels turning in the strange man’s mind. The silence lengthened between them and finally Ravan nodded, as though accepting the logic of the incredible claim. ‘There is another Valisar on the loose, you could say, your majesty,’ Ravan began quietly. ‘In my former guise I kept an eye on him these last ten anni.’
Gavriel watched Leo’s expression droop. In the lamplight he looked even more grey. It took no more than a heartbeat for him to work it out, far quicker than Gavriel could. ‘Piven?’ Leo whispered and Gavriel felt like a blade had been stuck in his gut. Surely not?
But Ravan nodded.
‘You’re sure,’ Leo insisted, his voice hoarse. ‘He’s mute, he’s lost in his mind, he’s … ’
‘He is whole, your majesty,’ Ravan insisted. ‘You must forget the little boy you knew. He is now a strapping youth with anger in his soul. According to Roddy, he had both Clovis and Sergius killed.’
At the mention of the second name Gavriel saw Ravan’s composure slip for the first time.
‘Sergius?’ Gavriel asked. ‘Should we know him?’
‘Perhaps not, my lord,’ Ravan replied. ‘But Sergius was not only my friend, he was also the most loyal of servants to the Crown. He was dedicated to the cause of the Valisars.’
‘And yet I don’t even know his name,’ Leo challenged.
‘You would have, had he survived. He lived as a hermit on the western coast but he was known to both your fathers. He was a wielder of magic. He made me.’
‘Made you?’ Gavriel exclaimed. ‘What? So your presence in the palace was contrived?’
The man shook his head. ‘I am yet to discover what my role is. I was Loethar’s companion and I loved him. I knew nothing else. But I loved Sergius more. He was my true friend and he gave me to Loethar. I reported back to Sergius on the palace intrigues.’
‘You were a spy?’ Leo asked, incredulous.
‘Of sorts, yes. With Valisar interests at heart. I didn’t know Loethar was Valisar, of course.’
‘Incredible!’ Gavriel remarked. ‘You were Freath in bird form.’
The set of Leo’s mouth told him the king didn’t appreciate the mention of the old manservant. ‘Piven …’ he murmured. ‘Piven was supposed to be an orphan that my parents took pity on. It was true they doted upon him but —’
‘Another purposeful secret, no doubt,’ Gavriel interrupted bitterly.
‘They doted on him, your majesty, because he was their true son, as you were. The Legate is right. Piven’s lack of genuine royal status as far as the barbarians were concerned is what saved him — that and Loethar’s genuine fondness for the boy.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘About what, highness? Piven’s legality or Loethar’s fondness?’ He shrugged. ‘Loethar liked Piven but if he’d known his true heritage, he would have been put to the sword, I can assure you ofthat. And Piven is Valisar. Don’t doubt it. He has successfully trammelled Greven. He hacked off Greven’s hand, cooked it and ate some and instantly Greven fell under his control.’
Gavriel listened in silent revulsion. But while Leo’s mouth twisted at the mention of the brutality, Gavriel could see the king’s fascination had only deepened.
‘And you know it worked?’
Ravan shrugged. ‘All too well. Greven is being commanded against