Yet Prayard might have a completely different moral code, one in which cuckolding a man was not such a bad thing, but cuckolding a king was treason. Or in which a wife’s womb, once it had borne bastard fruit, could never bear a truly legitimate heir. Prayard himself probably did not know how he would feel about Bexoi’s adultery, particularly since it happened at a time when Prayard himself was not acting in such a way as to conceive a child. Not that such a distinction would necessarily matter to Prayard.

There were times when Wad was curious about how Prayard would decide to act if he knew the whole truth about the past. He toyed with the idea of telling him. And then he had to recognize that one not-unlikely response Prayard might have would be to kill Bexoi forthwith. And since by that act, Wad would be indirectly causing the death of the baby, he could not take the chance. Could never take the chance. This baby would be Prayard’s true child. Prayard should not be given any reason to doubt it. So Wad kept his peace.

Yet he also made it a point to come to Bexoi’s sleeping body only when Prayard himself was there. If he came to her when Prayard was away, the King might suspect that Wad was hiding something from him. That would provoke suspicion and Wad did not want to provoke suspicion.

“There’s been no change in her,” said Prayard softly.

“Except the baby is growing,” said Wad.

“Nearly to term now,” said Prayard. “And how can a baby be delivered when the mother is asleep?”

“Maybe the coming of the baby will waken her,” said Wad, though he did not believe it.

“And maybe not,” said Prayard. “Maybe the baby will be ready for birth, but her body won’t know it, won’t work to squeeze it out. Maybe it will stay within her, growing and growing, until it bursts her belly and she dies, and the baby dies.”

“I won’t let that happen,” said Wad.

“And how will you stop it? Is midwifery among your talents?”

“You can have a surgeon cut the baby out.”

“I know of that procedure,” said Prayard. “The mother always dies, and the baby often dies, or it was already dead.”

“If I’m here,” said Wad, “then the Queen will not die, and the baby will not die, and I can promise you that as of this moment, the baby is healthy and alive. Why do you think I come so often? It’s to make sure that this remains true up to the moment when the baby is born—or is taken.”

“Do you really think I’ll let anyone cut into my lady’s belly? Do you think I’ll allow a knife anywhere near her?”