“Yes, my lord.” Ki waited until the wizards and Tharin were gone, then shut the door and made a luck sign. “He looks like a snake when he smiles. But at least he brought some good news.” He sat down on the bed and tried to look into Tobin’s eyes, but his friend kept turning away. “How are you? Really?”
“I’m fine.” Tobin rubbed at the wet bandage around his neck. “This is helping.”
He was still hoarse, but Ki could hear the fear that Tobin was struggling to hide.
“So Orun finally laid hands on you?” Ki shook his head in wonder.
Tobin let out a shuddering sigh and his chin began to tremble.
Ki leaned closer and took his hand again. “There’s more to it than you let on, isn’t there?”
Tobin cast a frightened look at the door, then brought his lips to Ki’s ear. “It was Brother.”
Ki’s eyes widened. “But he was here. He came to me while you were gone.”
Tobin let out a startled gasp. “What did he do?”
“Nothing! I was in here waiting for you, and suddenly there he was.”
“Did he say anything?”
“Just that I should ask Arkoniel about—” Ki broke off.
“About what?”
Ki hesitated; he’d felt disloyal before, doubting Tobin, and it was worse now. “He wouldn’t say. Is he like that with you, too?”
“Sometimes.”
“But you say he came to Orun’s? Did you call him?”
Tobin shook his head vehemently. “No! No, I swear it by the Four, I didn’t!”
Alarmed, Ki searched his friend’s face. “I believe you, Tob. What’s the matter?”
Tobin gulped hard, then leaned in again. “Brother killed Orun.”
“But—how?”
“I don’t know. Orun was shaking me. Maybe he was going to kill me. I don’t know. Brother got between us and just—just touched him and Orun fell—” Tobin was shaking. Tears spilled down his cheeks. “I didn’t stop him, Ki! What if—What if somehow I did make him do it?”
Ki hugged him close. “You’d never do that. I know you wouldn’t.”
“I don’t remember doing it.” Tobin sobbed. “But I was so scared, and I hated Orun and he said bad things about you and—”
“Did you call for Brother?”
“Nuh—no!”
“Did you tell him to kill Orun?”
“No!”
“Of course you didn’t. So it’s not your fault. Brother was just protecting you.”
Tobin raised his tear-stained face and stared at him. “Do you think so?”
“Yes. He’s spiteful and all, but he is your brother and Orun was hurting you.” He paused, touching a thin, faded scar on his neck. “Remember when the catamount came after you that day? You said Brother got between you and it before I showed up, like he was going to protect you.”
“But it was Lhel who killed it.”
“Yes, but he came. And he came when Orun was hurting you. No one’s ever done that to you before, have they?”
Tobin wiped his face on his sleeve. “No one, except—”
“Who?” Ki demanded, wondering which of the Companions he’d have to deal with.
“My mother,” Tobin whispered. “She tried to kill me. Brother was there, then, too.”
Ki’s outrage drained away, leaving him speechless.
“You can’t tell anyone about this,” Tobin said, wiping his nose. “About Orun, I mean. No one can know about Brother.”
“Niryn himself couldn’t get it out of me. You know that.”
Tobin let out another shuddering sigh and rested his head on Ki’s shoulder. “If that letter said you had to go, I’d run away again.”
“Leaving me to catch up with you like last time?” Ki tried to make light of it, but his throat was suddenly tight. “Don’t even try it. I’m putting you on a tether rein.”
“I told you I won’t. We’d run away together.”
“That’s all right, then. You should rest now.”
Instead, Tobin threw off the blankets and wiggled past him off the bed. “I want to see Bisir. He didn’t have anything to do with this.”
Tobin was almost to the hall when a new thought momentarily blotted out all other concerns. What had Bisir seen? He cursed his own weakness, fainting like some lady in a ballad. Had Brother stayed with him after he killed Orun? If Orun could see the ghost, then surely anyone else could have. Steeling himself, he strode into the hall.
Bisir stood wringing his hands by the hearth, surrounded by Tharin and the others. Chancellor Hylus was the only person seated and he must have come straight from court, for he still wore his robe of state and the flat black velvet hat signifying his office.
“Here is the prince, and looking rather better than I expected, thank the Four!” he exclaimed. “Come sit by me, dear boy. This young man was just telling us of the abominable treatment you’ve suffered.”
“Go on, Bisir. Tell Prince Tobin what you told us,” said Iya.
Bisir gave Tobin an imploring look. “As I was saying to them, my prince, I saw nothing except the two of you lying on the floor when I came in.”
“But you were eavesdropping,” Niryn said sternly.
“No, my lord! That is, there is a chair for me by the door. I always stay there, in case Lord Orun calls for me.”
Hylus raised a frail, age-mottled hand. “Calm yourself, young man. You are not accused of any crime.” He motioned to Ulies to bring the frightened valet a mazer of wine.
“Thank you, my lord.” Bisir took a sip and some color returned to his thin cheeks.
“Surely you must have heard something?” the old man prompted.
“Yes, Lord Chancellor. I heard my master speaking angrily to the prince. It was wrong of him, speaking to Prince Tobin like that.” He paused and gulped nervously. “Forgive me, my lords. I know I shouldn’t speak ill of my master, but—”
“It’s of no consequence,” Iya said impatiently. “So you heard Orun shouting. Then what?”
“Then came that terrible cry! I ran in at once and found them senseless on the carpet. At least I thought—When I saw my master’s face—” His gaze flickered to Tobin again, and this time there was no mistaking the fact that Bisir was scared. “Lord Orun’s eyes were open, but—By the Four, I’ll never forget the way he looked, with his eyes bulging and his face gone all black—”
“It’s as he says,” Tharin concurred. “I hardly recognized him. It looked like an apoplexy to me.”
“Then Sir Tharin burst in and carried the prince away before I could tell if he—I feared he was dead, too!” He gave Tobin a bobbing bow. “Thank the Four you are well.”
“If I may, my lord?” said Niryn.
Hylus nodded and the wizard approached the quaking man. “Give me your hand, Bisir.”
Niryn seemed to grow larger and the air darkened around him. It made every hair on the