“Does Haverness still have enough power to get the most important people together at Callis?” I asked, keeping a weather eye on the escalating battle.

Garranon shook his head. “Sure he has the power—but he’s the leader of the faction that doesn’t support war against Jakoven.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “Where’s Tisala?”

Garranon raised his eyebrows in surprise and shook his head. “I don’t know. What does Tisala have to do with this?”

The door to the room opened and Kellen stood in the doorway and watched as Beckram and Kirkovenal dragged Farrawell off of Danerra.

“Well,” Kellen observed in icy tones. “When we get tired of fighting my brother, we can just kill each other instead.”

A sheepish quiet fell on the room, and my uncle helped Danerra to his feet while Beckram and Kirkovenal released Farrawell gingerly. Only after everyone had taken their seats again did Kellen step all the way into the room with Rosem and Tisala flanking him.

“This is what we are going to do,” said Kellen. “Tisala’s father, Haverness, will call a meeting of the Oranstonians. She thinks he can get most of them to his keep at Callis without alerting Jakoven since the Oranstonian lords have grown good at keeping my brother’s spies from following them. Haverness, Tisala tells me, keeps pigeons. She thinks he can have them together in two weeks.”

“She exaggerates her father’s importance,” said Farrawell. “Why would we listen to a woman?”

“I have no idea,” I said. I don’t know what they heard in my voice, but there was a general shift away from me in the room. “Maybe it’s because she knows what she’s talking about—unlike most of what I’ve heard this afternoon.” I looked at Farrawell. “And she’s competent. For instance, if she’d hit Danerra, he would have stayed down until he woke up. But she wouldn’t have hit him unless it served some purpose other than self-aggrandizement,gentlemen .”

Farrawell’s hand went to his hip where his sword would usually be.

Kellen leaned toward me. “Enough.”

I bowed. “As you ask, sire.” As I straightened, I caught Tisala rolling her eyes at me.

He turned to the room. “Tisala tells me that Haverness has been avoiding the more radical lords—such as yourselves—but I believe that Alizon and Tisala can persuade Haverness to cooperate.”

Alizon nodded, a slight smile on his face. “I believe the Old Fox will be willing to help negotiations.”

“Thank you,” said Kellen.

“You won’t get a majority support, sire,” said Kirkovenal, his face sober. “Most of Oranstone would as soon that the royal house of Tallven disappeared off the face of the earth. They don’t want a different Tallvenish king.”