“Treason?” Captain Byrne smiled thinly. “Some would say so. Who are we, after all?” He rose, walked to the hearth, and prodded the fire with a poker. The careful arrangement of logs collapsed in a fountain of sparks.

“We Byrnes are here by a covenant made with Hanalea, the first of this stubborn line,” his father said, staring into the fire. “It is a tricky business, for sure, but we’ll be all right as long as we keep our eyes on the good of the line and the good of the realm.”

“But…not everyone in the Guard is there for the good of the realm,” Amon said, thinking of Mac Gillen.

His father nodded. “Time was, the captain chose every man and woman who went into the Guard. That’s no longer true. Politics have come into play. I did not choose Mac Gillen, and I’ve been unable to dismiss him, much as I’ve tried.”

Who chose Mac Gillen? Amon wanted to ask. But didn’t. “What…what are we going to do, sir?” he asked.

His father continued to gaze into the flames, his face hard and unreadable. “We’re going to risk everything to protect the line.”

“What do you mean?”

“The princess heir has her name day this summer, after which she’ll be eligible for an alliance by marriage.” He turned and leaned against the mantel, looking as grim as Amon had ever seen him. “It may be best for the long-term defense of the Fells if the princess heir marries a southern prince. But they’re conservative in the southern kingdoms. If they find out our princess was held captive overnight by a street thug, it may affect her prospects for a match.”

Amon’s stomach clenched. He thought of Cuffs Alister, his knife at Raisa’s throat, declining a hostage switch. He found himself actually spluttering. “He wouldn’t…if he’s touched her, if there’s—”

His father held up a hand. “The facts are less important than the perception when it comes to marriage contracts, Corporal.”

The facts are important to me, Amon thought. “They…they wouldn’t name Mellony heir, would they? If Rai…if the princess heir is tainted,” he said, not really sure who “they” might be.

Amon shook his head. “They may try, but we cannot allow that. Mellony is not the blooded heir, as long as Raisa lives. The Nǽming does not recognize politics. I hope Her Majesty won’t be influenced…” His voice trailed off. “We are direly in need of a strong queen,” he said softly, rubbing his forehead as if it hurt.

“Da,” Amon said, anxious to get back to his subject, “when you said we’d risk everything to protect the line, what do you mean by that?”