Page 142 of Keeper of the Word

The two rushed him. Hux snatched the keys, and Tolvar held his sword to Griffith’s neck.

“Stabbing the sovereign in the back?” Tolvar fought the itch to swipe his sword across the man’s neck.

“Not too creative,” Hux said. “I will say that.”

Griffith gulped, eyeing the tip of the sword.

“Why, Griffith?” Tolvar narrowed his eyes and poised his impatient hand. “You’ve served here for decades.”

“And to what end? To be ridiculed and belittled. King Rian was a tyrant. I’ve watched him become more so over the last years. Consumed with naught but frivolousness and self-regard. So much so that ’twas with ease that we separated the prince from his favor. The House of Sidra has become a mockery. ’Tis time for a new age, Lord Tolvar. Men cannot wait for the stars to determine it so. We must act to secure Lenfore’s position.”

“Lenfore’s? Are you daft? Lenfore is naught without its ties to Grenden. The Capella Realm is what must survive.”

“And why is that? Lenfore is a richer country, to be sure. More resources, stronger armies, superior culture.”

“Culture? What has that to do with anything?”

“Grenden is boorish and primitive.”

Tolvar chuckled. “You’re a snob, Griffith, and a fool. Lenfore will ne’er be an empire on its own.”

“’Twill when it controls Asalle. And do not forget, we have the StarSeers withinourborders.”

Tolvar snorted, lowering his sword and shifting his weight to his other leg. “Think you the StarSeers shall condone this? One of them is here with the very purpose of halting this madness.”

Griffith swallowed, glancing at Tolvar’s blade. “If they are not with us, we shall simply rid ourselves of them. Deogol, Orla, and other countries seem to do well without them.”

“‘Rid ourselves?’ You’re a greater fool than you appear. I will not speak of Orla, seeing that we recently won a war against them. Deogol was hit with a cursed force that killed thousands of people. They’re lucky to even exist.” His sword shook in his hand. “Besides, the StarSeers…” He trailed off.

Ashwin. ’Twas clear now why Ashwin had become a target. Without the StarSeers, therewasno Capella Realm and no one to protect it. It—its Light—could notexistwithout them.

And now, Tolvar had a new thought. The Befallen had easily ravaged a faithless land. With the new evidence that the Curse of Adrienne was being unburied in the Greenwood Forest, whatwould anyone be able to do without the StarSeers? Could the Befallen return? Come to the Capella Realm?

Could the Befallen return?

On the continent, there would be no containing it. No stopping it. Stars, Tolvarhadto stop this.

“We’ll have other means of protection,” Griffith said, as if reading his thoughts. “Other powers to employ.”

Stars. This was Deogol all over again. Griffith, Turas, Greenwood, and Crevan, and stars only knew who else, had been enticed by and meant to try to wield the dark power of Adrienne. Like so many other damned fools before them.

Tolvar couldn’t face Griffith anymore. His shaking hand steadied, and he lashed the blade across Griffith’s neck. The wound painted a gruesome open smirk of blood across his throat before he fell face forward onto the corridor floor.

“So much for asking him more questions,” Hux said.

Tolvar gave himself only a moment’s pause to contemplate everything Griffith had said. The Wolf was one for action, not dilly-dallying.

“We need to return to Elanna. And quick.”

“He’s gone.” Hux halted.

Where they’d left the councilor knocked out from the vase, only a small spill of blood puddled amongst the shattered porcelain.

Tolvar scanned the corridor. No sign. “We cannot waste time on him at present. To the hall.”

They returned to the Crown Hall, bracing themselves to cross more enemies. But the battle had all but terminated. The aftermath, casualties upon casualties, littered the marble floor, slick with blood. Control had been regained. Almost. The prince and one of the Warins still fought against two other Warins, Petre and another. The Castle Sidra guards, and what very few were left of the Warins and queensguard, had defeated the others.

The queen hovered over Rian alongside three castle physicians. Was the sovereign still alive?