‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ he agreed, bowing. ‘Come along, Platime. It won’t seem nearly so bad once you get used to it.’

‘That was very, very slick, Your Majesty,’ Talen said after they had left. ‘Nobody’s ever swindled Platime that way before.’

‘Did you really like it?’ She sounded pleased.

‘It was brilliant, My Queen. Now I can see why Annias poisoned you. You’re a very dangerous woman.’

She beamed at Sparhawk. ‘Aren’t you proud of me, dear?’

‘I think your kingdom’s safe, Ehlana. I just hope the other monarchs are on their guard, that’s all.’

‘Would you excuse me for a moment?’ she asked, looking at her still-moist palm. ‘I’d like to wash my hands.’

It was not long afterwards when Vanion gravely led the others into the queen’s sitting-room. The Preceptor bowed perfunctorily to Ehlana. ‘Have you talked with Platime yet?’ he asked Sparhawk.

‘It’s all arranged,’ Sparhawk assured him.

‘Good. We’re going to have to ride to Demos tomorrow morning. Dolmant sent word that Archprelate Cluvonus is on his deathbed. He won’t last out the week.’

Sparhawk sighed. ‘We knew it was coming,’ he said. ‘Thank God we had time to take care of things here before it happened. Platime and Stragen are somewhere in the palace, Kurik – drinking probably. You’d better get together with them and work out some kind of organizational plans.’

‘Right,’ the squire said.

‘A moment, Master Kurik,’ the Earl of Lenda said. ‘How are you feeling, Your Majesty?’ he asked Ehlana.

‘I’m fine, My Lord.’

‘Do you think you’re strong enough to make a public appearance?’

‘Of course, Lenda. I’m perfectly all right.’

‘Good. Once our generals and Master Kurik have gathered up our home guard, I think a few short speeches from you might go a long way towards firing them up – appeals to their patriotism, denunciations of the church soldiers, a few veiled references to the perfidy of the Primate Annias, that sort of thing.’

‘Of course, Lenda,’ she agreed. ‘I like to make speeches anyway.’

‘You’ll have to stay here until you’ve got things all set up,’ Sparhawk said to Kurik. ‘You can join us in Chyrellos when Cimmura’s secure.’

Kurik nodded and quietly left.

‘That’s a very good man, Sparhawk,’ Ehlana said.

‘Yes.’

Sephrenia had been looking critically at the rosy-cheeked queen. ‘Ehlana,’ she said.

‘Yes?’

‘You really shouldn’t pinch your cheeks like that to make them pink, you know. You’ll bruise your skin. You’re very fair, and your skin is delicate.’

Ehlana blushed. Then she laughed ruefully. ‘It is a bit vain, isn’t it?’

‘You’re a queen, Ehlana,’ the Styric woman told her, ‘not a milk-maid. Fair skin is more regal.’

‘Why do I always feel like a child when I’m talking with her?’ Ehlana asked no one in particular.

‘We all do, Your Majesty,’ Vanion assured her.