Annias was gnawing on a fingernail. His expression clearly showed his chagrin at having the proceedings taken out of his grasp and at the appearance of Dolmant’s unexpected witness.

‘Would you reveal your identity to us, brother?’ Dolmant asked mildly as the count joined him before the kings.

There was a tight grin on Radun’s face as he pushed back his hood.

‘Uncle!’ King Dregos gasped in astonishment.

‘Uncle?’ King Wargun exclaimed, coming to his feet and spilling his wine.

‘This is Count Radun – my uncle,’ Dregos told him, his eyes still wide with amazement.

‘You seem to have made an astonishing recovery, Radun.’ Wargun laughed. ‘My congratulations. Tell me, how did you stick your head back on?’

Annias had gone very pale He stared in stunned disbelief at Count Radun. ‘How did you –’ he blurted. Then he recovered. He looked around wildly for an instant as if seeking a way to escape. Then he seemed to get hold of himself. ‘Your Majesties,’ he stammered, ‘I have been misled by false witnesses. Please forgive me.’ He was visibly sweating now. Then he spun about. ‘Seize those two liars!’ He pointed at Tessera and Verl, who were both cringing in terror Several red-liveried guards quickly rushed the pair from the room.

‘Annias thinks very fast on his feet, doesn’t he?’ Kalten murmured to Sparhawk. ‘How much would you care to wager that those two will manage somehow to hang themselves before the sun goes down – with a certain amount of help, of course?’

‘I’m not a betting man, Kalten,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘Not on a proposition like that, anyway.’

‘Why don’t you tell us what really happened at your castle, Count Radun?’ Dolmant suggested.

‘It was really fairly simple, your Grace,’ Radun replied. ‘Sir Sparhawk and Sir Kalten arrived at my gates some time ago and warned me that a group of men dressed in the armour of Pandion Knights were planning to gain entry by subterfuge and murder me and my family. They had a number of real Pandions with them. When the impostors arrived, Sir Sparhawk led his knights against them and drove them off.’

‘Fortuitous,’ King Obler observed. ‘Which of these stalwarts is Sir Sparhawk?’

Sparhawk stepped forward. ‘I am, your Majesty’

‘How did you become aware of this plot?’

‘It was quite by accident, your Majesty. I happened to overhear a conversation concerning it. I immediately informed Lord Vanion, and he ordered Kalten and me to take preventive steps.’

King Dregos rose to his feet and came down from the dais. ‘I have wronged you, Lord Vanion,’ he said in a thick voice. ‘Your motives were the very best, and I accused you. Can you forgive me?’

‘There is nothing to forgive, your Majesty,’ Vanion replied. ‘Under the circumstances, I’d have done exactly the same.’

The Arcian King took the preceptor’s hand and clasped it warmly.

‘Tell me, Sir Sparhawk,’ King Obler asked, ‘could you by chance identify the plotters?’