Iome straightened, looked downhill at her knights. “Leave us,” she said in the firmest voice she could muster.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Someone coughed. Duke Groverman watched her with unblinking eyes. “My Queen . . .”

“There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing anyone can do!” Iome said. Gaborn knew she spoke not of the murder, not of the demands of justice, but of everything—Raj Ahten, this whole senseless war. Most of all, she spoke of death.

“These men . . . this is murder,” Groverman insisted. “House Orden should pay for this insult!” By ancient law, a lord was responsible for the behavior of his vassals, just as a farmer was responsible for damage done by his cow. By law, Gaborn was as guilty of murder as Borenson.

“Gaborn’s father lies dead with two thousand of his best knights,” Iome answered. “What more do you want of House Orden?”

“He’s not the killer—it’s the knight at his feet we want! This is a matter of honor!” some knight shouted, after having decided all on his own that Gaborn was innocent. Gaborn did not recognize the fellow’s device, two crows and an oak tree over the Sylvarresta boar.

Iome said, “You say honor is at stake? The knight at Gaborn’s feet, Sir Borenson, saved my life yesterday, and the life of my father. He slew an Invincible outside Longmot for us. And he matched wits with Raj Ahten and helped drive the knave from our kingdom—”

“It’s murder!” the knight shouted, shaking his axe. But Groverman reached out a hand, silencing the fellow.

“You say,” Iome stammered, “it’s a matter of honor, and perhaps it is. King Orden, my father’s best friend, first ordered our deaths.

“And who among you is to say he is not right in this? My father and I were Dedicates to our sworn enemy. Who of you would have disobeyed such an order, were our roles reversed?

“My father gave endowments to Raj Ahten, thinking it a small thing, just as I did. But many small wrongs can make a very great evil.

“Is it murder for this knight to slay his enemies, to follow orders? Or is it honorable?”

Iome arose now, hands covered in blood; tears streamed down her face. She argued for Borenson’s acquittal with her whole heart, and Gaborn wondered if he’d have had the presence of mind to do the same under such circumstances.

For his part, Borenson just glared at the knights blankly, as if he did not care how they judged him. Kill me, his eyes said, or let me live. Just be done with it.

Groverman and his men neither advanced nor retreated. They held their ground, as yet undecided.