They were given time to wash and change before they were brought before the new king.

Rinkor seemed ill at ease on his throne.

Seeing the puzzled look on their faces, he gave a small smile. ‘I have the dubious honour of being the last king’s bastard child.’ A small shrug. ‘Only a handful of people knew about my birth and I owe the reason that I am still breathing to the fact that Queen Favner was not one of them.’

Lann nodded towards the dais and the huge wooden chair the man sat upon. ‘You appear to have taken her place quickly enough.’

‘Believe me, young man, when I tell you I have no wish to be seated here.’ His words were accompanied by a sad shake of his head. ‘But Favner’s murder left Vorneland without a ruler. The last time that happened, over seventy years ago, a civil war lasting eight long and bloody winters was the result.’ He shrugged. ‘I love my people. Even reluctant monarchs must do what is right for those they rule.’ He tapped the arm of the great wooden seat with the ring on his finger and sat up taller. ‘The queen did many things that demand reparation during her reign, and the first of these can be dealt with here and now. Please accept my apologies for the way in which you were treated in these lands, and for the part I played in your capture and imprisonment. You must understand that I swore a blood oath to obey all orders given me by my ruler, whether I agreed with them or not. That is a burden every soldier must carry.’

‘I understand,’ said Fleya quietly.

‘Now,’ he went on. ‘Perhaps you three would be so kind as to provide answers to some questions I have.’ He turned to Lann. ‘Jarl Gudbrandr, answer me honestly. Did you have any hand in the killing of the queen?’

A sad smile played on Lann’s mouth. ‘I doubt you would allow me to stand here before you like this if you thought I had.’

‘Nevertheless, I need to hear the words from your own lips.’

Lann placed his hand across his heart. ‘Then my answer is no. I played no part in Favner’s death.’

‘But your weapon did,’ the king said. Reaching down to one side, he lifted an item up from the floor and placed it on his lap. Although it had been wrapped in thick cloth, there was little doubting what it was. ‘The dark blade. It is no ordinary sword, is it?’

Lann studied the man for a moment before answering. ‘It is a weapon of the old gods, sworn to eradicate evil wherever it might find it. And it found evil here.’

The king frowned. When he spoke again his voice was low.