True carried on, “Bronagh reports you’re getting yourself around. She says you have remarkable upper body strength—”

“She said I have remarkable upper body strength?” Alfie interrupted him to inquire.

True beat back the laugh, but not his smile.

“Yes. She was also quite breathy when she reported that.”

Alfie took in True’s smile and grunted.

“Thus, she says it’s time you practice with your sticks,” True finished.

“It will be good to have something to do,” Alfie muttered.

“Indeed, and this is another reason why I’m—”

Alfie interrupted him again to declare, “She won’t let me apologize.”

“Pardon?”

“Bronagh. It’s been days since I acted like such an arse. And she scurries in,” he lifted his hand, motioning with his fore and middle fingers to demonstrate scurrying, “and she scurries out. ‘Are you hungry, Sir Alfie?’ she asks. I have enough time to say yes, or no, and she’s gone. ‘Are you in pain, Sir Alfie?’ A yes or a no, and she leaves. ‘Do you need another book, Sir Alfie?’”

He did not continue after that, just scowled at the door as if his scowl could make Bronagh appear, stay still and listen to his apology.

Abruptly, Alfie turned his head as well as his scowl to True.

“You’re king. You can make her stand still for five minutes so I can tell her I acted like an arse and I’m sorry.”

“I am king, indeed,” True replied. “But I am not ordering that woman to stand here and listen to your apology.”

“True—”

“It is your mess, Alfie, yours also to clean up.”

“I cannot do that if she keeps scurrying.”

“You have remarkable upper body strength, my brother. Find a way to get her close and use it.”

Alfie stared at him with a face full of shock.

True ignored it.

“Now if we can talk about affairs of the realm, the Go’Doan emissaries have shared at long last they’re ready to discuss things, and I need you at the table. And as it will take some doing to get you there, we need to get that started.”

“Sorry?” Alfie asked quietly, now regarding him closely.

“Oh yes, right,” True replied. “I hereby appoint you my counsellor.”

Alfie again had an expression of shock.

“I will warn you,” True carried on, “although for now, you will be my only one, I will add more as I make decisions about who they will be. This, until we can elect a parliament. I will have a gnome, a fairy, a pixie, a sprite and of course I will have men, or women, if that’s my decision, from different counties—”

“You want me to be your counsellor?”

True nodded. “I should ask, but I don’t have the time. I need you. Ophelia’s gone. Cass has called Rus back. Mars asked his mother to return home. Tint left this morning. Serena is working clandestinely in the Shanty. Tor is also working our operatives there. And Apollo is brilliant, but he not only does not know this realm, he is not you. But regardless, at this juncture, I’d have no other but you. When I make further appointments, you will remain as the representative counsel of the Dellish military. And I would urge you to continue being so when we have a parliament.”