Page 26 of Keeper of the Word (The Unsung and the Wolf Duology #2)

Chapter

Twenty-One

TOLVAR

T he corridors of the sovereign's castle were rarely deserted, and this evening was no exception. The four of them passed numerous servants and courtiers, who openly gawked from Elanna to Tolvar to Elanna again. The Wolf and the StarSeer.

Stars. Tolvar hoped King Rian wouldn’t get the idea of holding an actual parade.

That would be exactly the sort of idiotic pastime for the sovereign to devise.

As they climbed the tower’s spiral staircase that housed the royal messenger ravens, Tolvar felt more at ease about the doom and gloom Elanna had first shared with him concerning the fate of the Capella Realm.

It had all been fiddle-faddle, if truth be told.

Of course there was nothing to fear about Dashiell performing his royal duties to the throne.

Of course, the realm had probably never been in real peril.

Elanna had simply needed to remind everyone. All would be well.

And as for the ravenmaster? Well, Tolvar could take care of him if need be.

The real threat was the ghost of Crevan, who was materializing into a danger. Hux’s words be damned, Tolvar knew what he needed to do. But he first needed to manipulate the wedding to an earlier date. Then he could leave here—relatively guilt-free—and do what needed to be done.

They crossed the courtyard toward the ravenmaster’s tower.

The tower door opened, and a figure darted out.

Tolvar squinted, gauging the man’s identity.

’Twas not the prince, whose slender build did not match this person.

But before Tolvar could note other features in the dark, the figure opened a side door and disappeared into the keep.

No one else in the party paid the figure any heed.

There were many servants in the castle, Tolvar supposed, as he put the figure out of his mind. They entered, and the tower rounded the steep stairs.

At the top of the tower, in a large circular room, they found a spindly old man hunched over, feeding an enormous raven. The bird’s oily-looking feathers appeared wet in the darkened room. The man turned pinched eyes to them, straining to make out who these strangers were.

“Bless me, are you the Wolf?” His voice croaked like he smoked too much moon grass. He squinted at the others, glancing past Elanna without pause.

Tolvar nodded, stepped forward, and subtly scanned the room.

Stars, it stunk in here. Eleven ravens stood on posts.

Raven droppings, large fragment that looked like Nay Moon beetle shells, tiny bones, and black feathers scattered the floor.

Closest to where the group stood was a scarred wooden desk and a wobbly-looking stool.

The desk held scraps of parchment, a blackened quill feather, and inkwell, which had spilled over.

Pairs of eyes fixed on Tolvar, and a few of the birds squawked as if speaking to one another.

“How may I be of service, m’lord? Do you need a message sent to Thorin Court?”

Tolvar examined the man with new admiration. He was quick and knew the players in his geography.

“Nay, I’m here to inquire about messages Prince Dashiell sent.”

Elanna and Joss shot matching grimaces at him. Let them. Small talk was not on the list of his priorities.

The ravenmaster’s surprise was fleeting.

“Aye? Well, my apologies, m’lord, but I cannot reveal anything about any message sent or received by the royal family.

Surely, a knight and earl such as yourself can understand how vital it is that the House of Sidra have my confidence.

I’ve been the ravenmaster here for fifty-three years. ”

“What if the sovereign knew you aided the prince to send messages that jeopardized the very throne?” Tolvar said.

“A high accusation, m’lord,” the ravenmaster said.

“And one that could very well lead to you not reaching your fifty-fourth year of royal service.”

The ravenmaster scrunched up his face, ready for a fight, but Elanna stepped forward. Her hand rested on his forearm.

“Please, sir,” she said, her voice like honey.

The ravenmaster blinked at Elanna, giving her his full attention. “Stars, almighty, if I knew no better, I’d say you were?—”

“I am, sir. I am Elanna the Fourth. StarSeer of the realm.”

The ravenmaster removed his cap, exposing his balding head, and put it to his chest. His squinty eyes glossed over. Tolvar cocked his head, fascinated.

“Sir, we wish you no ill will, and we do not need to know the content of the messages, but we must know to whom and where they go.”

“M’lady, I am sworn to confidence. I’ve even sworn on the stars. You mustn’t ask me to break my vow.”

“These messages may bring ill fortune to Asalle,” Elanna said.

“Ill fortune?”

“Aye, I am here to ensure that does not happen.” She paused. “But I need your aid. At least swear that you shall send no more.”

Tolvar’s mouth dropped. The gruff ravenmaster’s expression appeared as though he were ready to eat raven droppings straight from Elanna’s hand if asked.

The ravenmaster seemed to regain himself a bit and placed his cap back on. “M’lady, I serve the House of Sidra. If the prince asks me to send a message, I cannot deny him.”

“Does the prince need to know if the message is sent?” Hux grinned .

This idea made the ravenmaster’s eyes widen to appear almost normal. He scratched the back of his neck. “Well, I…I suppose, he stammered. “Ill fortune, you say?”

Elanna nodded solemnly. At this moment, in this dim light, she appeared as Tolvar imagined a goddess of the stars might appear. That golden hair of hers was irritatingly distracting. Hux stared at her like he, too, would devour droppings for her. Stars.

“M’lady, I cannot break my vow and tell you about the past messages, but I will try to do as you say.”

Elanna dropped her hand from his forearm. Were her fingertips gleaming? Tolvar’s eyes focused back on the ravens, who studied them with intelligent curiosity.

“My thanks, sir.” Elanna smiled and turned to the stairs.

The ravenmaster gaped at nothing else until she had descended out of sight.

Back in the courtyard, Elanna paled. “I fear I need rest. I have asked too much of the stars this night. I will bid you all good night.”

“Joss, escort her to her chambers,” Tolvar said. He wasn’t going to allow Hux to do it. Not with the starstruck expression he still carried.

The two left.

“I should turn in, too, Lord Wolf, if you require nothing else from me.”

“Do not leave the castle, Hux.” Tolvar cast him a pointed stare.

“And why would you suggest I’d do such a thing? Besides, there are plenty of diversions to find here.” Hux’s eyes twinkled as he walked backward toward the outer bailey.

“Stars. Do not get us executed while we are here.”

Hux strode back to Tolvar. “Speaking of, would you actually have sold out that old man up there to the sovereign?”

“Sold out? That’s an amusing moral point of view from a Ravyn. Did you find yourself at home amongst those oily friends?”

Hux’s face blackened, and his hands turned to fists.

Tolvar put up a hand. “I am sorry. I should not have said that. And glad I am we had no need to find out. ”

“Once and for all, hear me. I shall not betray you. I am not skulking about and designing ill deeds for you and your boring monarch.”

“I suppose I know that. I’m not a readily forgiving man.”

“Goddesses of the moon!” Hux threw his palm to his chest mockingly. “You jest! People can change.”

Not all people.

The door to the main corridor opened, and out stepped Chancellor Griffith. Stars, was that man ever allowed to rest?

“Ah, Lord Tolvar, I was hopeful I’d find you out here.” He held out a message, the sealing wax on which was broken. “The sovereign instructed me to give this to you.”

Tolvar stepped closer to the torchlight by the doorway.

…More come every day… losses are near one hundred now… ask, nay, beg Your Majesty to send reinforcements, either from Asalle or mayhap from Askella.

The message was from the Earl of Greenwood.

“What is it?” Hux asked.

“When did this arrive?” Agitation seeped through his voice.

“I cannot say, m’lord.” Griffith shrugged in ignorance. “What shall I tell the sovereign?”

“Is he in his solar?”

Griffith nodded. “I shall inform him that you will make your way there now.” He returned to the castle.

“What has happened?” Hux’s face was earnest. Yet Tolvar sorely missed Ghlee at this moment.

“Greenwood’s land is under attack. From Anscom.”

“Anscom? The province we just traveled through? I didn’t sense any misgivings there.”

“Nor I.”

“And did you not say—was not Greenwood the province who attacked your land when we first arrived?”

“Aye.” Tolvar ran his hand through his hair, considering the message again. Great losses.

“This makes no sense,” the men said in unison.

Hux cracked a grin. “Ah, see, look what friends we are now. ”

“Blast.” Tolvar put a hand to his sword’s hilt at his waist. What was going on?

He had a knight’s itch to find out. Deeds were beginning to pile up.

It reminded him of the Brones complicating an already thorny undertaking not so many moons ago.

But he couldn’t be in two places at once, and he’d sworn to protect Elanna.

Mayhap if the matter of moving up Dashiell’s wedding was settled. Preparations in place would ease both Elanna’s and his mind. But Greenwood called for reinforcements now.

And, in the back of his mind, he had to admit, if he could set out on his own, and if he happened to track down a certain bastard brother, that would be most convenient to put an end to whatever that was.

“Watching you think is fascinating. I feel as though I need a seat and some spiced dates, so drawn I am in watching you.”

“Douse out, Hux. I’m thinking.”

“Marvelous.” Hux leaned against the wall.

“Come,” Tolvar said over his shoulder as he entered the castle toward the Royal Solar.

When they arrived, they found three Warins guarding the door.

“You were not here before.” Tolvar stood in front of a brown-haired, clean-shaven youth.

“How did you—” Hux asked. At the same time, an older knight with a bald head and steady eyes—Tolvar thought he remembered his name was Kaff—said, “He’s one of the new Warins, Lord Tolvar.

” Kaff smirked. “When I was told you had an audience with the sovereign, I made a wager with myself that you’d notice Sir Petre. ”

Tolvar grinned his Wolf grin. “I hope you won.”

“Aye, m’lord. You may enter.” He put a hand up to Hux. “Only Lord Tolvar.”

“’Tis agreeable by me. I’ll bid you good night, then, Lord Wolf.”

Tolvar doubled back and shuffled the two of them to the end of the corridor, away from the prying eyes and ears of the Warins. Hux cocked an eyebrow in irksome curiosity.

Stars’ shadow .

“I am leaving.”

Hux raised an eyebrow. “Oh? That does not seem very knightly to your StarSeer.”

“I shall tell King Rian that I, myself, will gather forces and go to Greenwood. I am entrusting Elanna to you . And Joss. And Barrett, also.”

Hux snickered. “My thanks for your trust. What of the prince’s wedding?”

“King Rian will see reason. He’ll move it up.” Tolvar nodded and avoided considering if he was doing so to convince himself.

He regarded a few servants at the end of the corridor.

“Also, in the meantime, mayhap you can…” He could not believe he was about to say this. Hux’s piqued interest only made this worse. “Mayhap you can put that skulking talent of yours to good use while you’re here.”

Hux was silent for a moment. A rarity. “Why?”

“The sovereign has eyes and ears everywhere. Elanna does not. Be hers. And mine for when I return. I shall travel quickly with only Gus. Send word to Sir Bernwald, my knight-captains, and Greenwood. I’ll return soon.”

“What of my sword?”

“What?”

“Your sovereign’s guards took it upon my arrival here. If I am to protect Elanna, I need more of a weapon than my cunning tongue.”

“Stars, you’re here within the inner keep, which was difficult enough to get you inside, I might add. You will not need a sword.”

“But you get one.” Hux nodded toward the weapon.

“Siria’s skirt. Very well. I shall ask King Rian if you may carry a sword.” Hux smiled like a child who’d received his Solstice Moon gift early. “And one more thing. Do not let your identity be known. I’ve told King Rian you’re my trusted man-at-arms.”

“Lord Wolf, on that, you have my word. As I said, I’ve no wish to speak of my past.”