‘A splendid idea, your Majesties,’ Annias said, bowing. ‘I would further suggest that as soon as we receive confirmation of the murders, your Majesties travel with me and these two honest witnesses to Chyrellos. There we can lay the entire affair before the Hierocracy of the Church and the Archprelate himself with our strong recommendation that the Pandion Order be disbanded. Strictly speaking, that order is under Church authority, and only the Church can make the final decision.’

‘Truly,’ Dregos grated. ‘Let us rid ourselves of this Pandion infection once and for all.’

A thin smile touched the primate’s lips. Then he flinched, and his face went deathly pale as Sephrenia released her counterspell.

It was at that point that Dolmant stepped forward, pushing back the hood of his monk’s robe to reveal his face. ‘May I speak, your Majesties?’ he asked.

‘Y-your Grace,’ Annias stammered in surprise, ‘I didn’t know that you were in Cimmura.’

‘I didn’t think you did, Annias. As you’ve so correctly pointed out, the Pandions are under Church authority As the ranking churchman present, I think it’s proper for me to take charge of this inquiry You are to be commended for the way in which you have conducted things thus far, however’

‘But –’

‘That will be all, Annias,’ Dolmant dismissed him. He turned then to the kings and to Lycheas, who was staring open-mouthed at him.

‘Your Majesties,’ the patriarch began, pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind him as if deep in thought. ‘This is indeed a serious accusation. Let us, however, consider the character of the accusers. On the one hand, we have an untitled merchant, and on the other, a runaway serf. The accused is the preceptor of an order of Church Knights, a man whose honour has always been above question. Why would a man of Lord Vanion’s stature commit such a crime? Indeed, we have as yet received no substantiation that the crime did in fact take place. Let us not move in haste.’

‘As I mentioned, your Grace,’ Annias injected, ‘I have dispatched church soldiers to Arcium to view the scene of the crime with their own eyes. I have also ordered them to seek out the churchmen who were in the castle of Count Radun and witnessed this horror and to return with them to Cimmura. Their reports should leave no doubts whatsoever.’

‘Ah, yes,’ Dolmant agreed. ‘None whatsoever. I think, however, that I might be able to save us a bit of time. As it happens, I myself have with me a man who witnessed what happened at the castle of Count Radun, and I don’t think his testimony can be questioned by any man here.’ He looked at the robed and cowled Count Radun, who had remained unobtrusively at the rear of the chamber. ‘Would you be so good as to step forward, brother?’ he said.