‘As your Majesty wishes,’ Annias said, bowing. ‘There are witnesses to this criminal act, and I think perhaps it were best that your Majesties hear their accounts directly rather than at second hand from me.’ He turned and gestured to one of the red-liveried church soldiers who lined both walls of the council chamber. The soldier stepped to a side door and admitted a nervous-looking man whose face went visibly pale when he saw Vanion.

‘Don’t be afraid, Tessera,’ Annias told him. ‘So long as you tell the truth, no harm will come to you.’

‘Yes, your Grace,’ the nervous man mumbled.

‘This is Tessera,’ Annias introduced him, ‘a merchant of this city who has recently returned from Arcium. Tell us what you saw there, Tessera.’

‘Well, your Grace, it was as I told you before I was in Sarrinium on business. I was returning from there when I was overtaken by a storm, and I took shelter in the castle of Count Radun, who was kind enough to take me in.’ Tessera’s voice had the sing-song quality some people assume when they are reciting something previously committed to memory ‘Anyway,’ he went on, ‘after the weather cleared, I was preparing to leave and I was in the count’s stables seeing to my horse I heard the sounds of many men in the courtyard, so I peered out the stable door to see what was happening. It was a sizeable body of Pandion Knights.’

‘Are you certain that they were Pandions?’ Annias prompted him.

‘Yes, your Grace They were wearing black armour and carrying Pandion banners. The count is well known to be most respectful of the Church and her knights, so he had admitted them without challenge. As soon as they were inside the walls, however, they all drew their swords and began to kill everyone in sight.’

‘My uncle!’ King Dregos exclaimed.

‘The count tried to fight them, of course, but they quickly disarmed him and tied him to a stake in the centre of the courtyard. They killed all the men inside the castle, and then –’

‘All the men?’ Annias interrupted him, his face suddenly stern.

‘They killed all the men inside the castle, and then –’ Tessera faltered. ‘Oh, I almost forgot that part. They killed all the men inside the castle – except for the churchmen – and then they brought out the count’s wife and daughters. They were all stripped naked and then violated before the count’s eyes.’

A sob escaped the King of Arcium. ‘My aunt and my cousins,’ he cried.

‘Steady, Dregos,’ King Wargun said, putting his hand on the other king’s shoulder.