“We understand,” rasped Prince Jaspid. “But the enemy will burn this camp to the ground. We want him to choose how he dies.”

King Bifalt ignored both of them. All of his concentration was fixed on the caravan-master.

Between gasps, Set Ungabwey answered, “I will do. What you ask. For my daughters.”

He may have been trying to smile.

“Thank you.” The King’s response was an involuntary croak. “While I live, I will be in your debt.” From somewhere deep inside him, he mustered a grin that bared his teeth. “If you do not die too soon.”

“Do you?” asked the master. “Have children?” Small spouts of blood came from the reed. “If you did. You would understand.”

Apparently exhausted, he closed his eyes.

For a long moment, King Bifalt remained kneeling. Then he pushed himself to his feet. The effort forced out a soft groan. Elgart was right: he had not been training.

As he left the room, he took Jaspid’s arm in an iron grip. “Do you see, Brother?” he rasped. “He is the perfect choice.”

“But we must stay with him,” murmured Jaspid. “Until the last moment.”

The King nodded. “In case he fails.”

In case the caravan-master’s body could not keep his heart’s promises.

By the time King Bifalt returned to Belleger’s Fist, his seneschal was waiting for him.

This duty did not vex him. He valued any effort that might save a few more of his people. Briefly, he told the seneschal to dismiss the keep’s servants.

“Give them as much coin as the Purse-Holder has left. Send them to Amika. Command them in my name if you must. But first choose twenty of the strongest. I want them to join the workmen in the foundations. Tell them to do whatever is asked of them.” Some other ruler might have confessed that his own life depended on them. King Bifalt did not consider that detail worth mentioning. “The Prince and I will watch over them at the end.”

With Elgart, he thought, if that self-willed man did not disappear again.

The seneschal knew his King better than to argue. Bowing unsteadily, he hurried away.

Somehow over the years, Bifalt had earned or been given the right to be obeyed without question. He was not sure how. But he was glad that he did not have to explain himself.

Late that evening, King Bifalt and Land-Captain Erepos met as they often did to discuss the progress of the day and the tasks of the morrow. But this time, Erepos did not come to the King’s private council room alone. He had Elgart with him.