‘I have offered you all kindness and mercy, and you throw it back at my feet. Draw your swords in my presence. Well. I. Say. This.’ Nathair was on his feet now, fists bunching. ‘My word is law, and you will abide by it, whether you be my ancient friend or my closest kin, else you will lose your heads.’ Spittle was flying now.

‘Take them away,’ Calidus said.

‘Aye, that’s right,’ Nathair cried, voice still charged with emotion. ‘Get them out of here, all of them, take them below. I want them under lock and key.’

Eagle-guard swept forwards now, firm hands steering Fidele towards the door; Krelis, Peritus and Ektor herded along with her.

As she reached the door she looked back and saw Calidus staring at her, eyes flat and dead, like one of the sharks in Ripa’s bay.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE

VERADIS

Veradis watched the door close behind Fidele, Peritus and his brothers.

What have I just witnessed?

A silence fell upon the room, Nathair slumped back into his chair, for some reason staring at the palm of his hand.

At the scar from our oaths to each other.

‘Well, that could have gone better,’ Lykos said.

‘Shut up,’ Calidus replied, almost absently, eyes still fixed upon the door.

‘Your mother,’ Calidus said to Nathair.

‘Yes?’

‘She is a remarkable woman.’

‘She is,’ Nathair agreed.

‘What is going on here?’ Veradis said.

No one answered him. Nathair was still staring at the palm of his hand.

‘Nathair, Alcyon?’

The giant looked at him with sad eyes. ‘I cannot say.’

‘Nathair?’ Veradis said, anger leaking into his voice.

Calidus’ eyes rolled away from the door, fixed onto Veradis. ‘A confusion,’ he said to Veradis. ‘Fidele is confused. Her grief—’

‘She sounded lucid enough to me.’

‘She—’

‘Enough,’ Nathair said. ‘Calidus, Alcyon, all of you.’ He finally looked up from his hand. ‘Leave us.’

‘Is that wise?’ Calidus murmured.

‘I say it is,’ Nathair said. ‘You have hidden things from me. Lykos and my mother . . .’ His face twisted as if with a surge of pain and he screwed his eyes shut.

‘For the greater good,’ Calidus said quietly.

Nathair’s eyes snapped open. ‘I will talk with Veradis now. It is time.’ He locked gazes with Calidus. They stayed like that long moments. ‘I must tell him,’ Nathair said, almost pleadingly, a hand going to his temples, ‘I need to tell him, else I go insane.’ Still Calidus said nothing, then eventually nodded.

‘As you wish,’ he said and ushered everyone from the chamber, including the eagle-guard and Jehar, leaving Veradis alone with Nathair.

‘What just happened?’ Veradis asked.

Nathair stood and paced to the window, looked out of it.

‘They look like ants from here,’ he said tiredly. ‘All those men working on the road to find Drassil, no bigger than ants. Do you remember, in the forest during my father’s council?’