There were murmurs of agreement and disagreement from others at the table. The king looked as if his mother-in-law had clubbed him. He cast a furtive look at his wife, and Trynne saw their fingers tighten. The rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

“I cannot abandon Kingfountain,” Drew said, shaking his head. “It is the seat of my power. This castle has never been vanquished by a foreign enemy. Why would he start by striking the heart of our realm?”

Lord Amrein spoke up. “We have prepared the docks to be burned and have gathered enough supplies for the city to withstand an extended siege. The cistern is full and we have barrels of water to provide for our needs.”

Lady Evie sighed. “My lord, you asked me what I think Gahalatine will do, not whether I think it wise. If he does start by attacking Kingfountain, we could close in and surround him on all sides. The court historian told me a story of an enemy ruler who plunged into the heart of a kingdom and murdered the king, only to find himself fenced in and destroyed. Yet Gahalatine is ambitious. He is crafty. Like any leader, he will strike where we least expect him to.”

“Who is to say he will only attack one location?” Fallon said in a low, serious tone during the lull that followed.

That comment caused even more dissension. Duke Severn was the first to address the suggestion. “You’re a raw youth,” the old king snapped. “Gahalatine knows that we are defending our homeland. Coordinating multiple attack points would be too perilous for him, especially since the populace is likely to rise up against him. You carve up your army in the face of your foe to outwit and outflank him, not before you have even attacked. No, he’s more likely to concentrate his force on the position where our army is the strongest.” His voice was full of ire, and Trynne shuddered as he spoke, for she imagined what it must have been like for her father to serve under such a disagreeable man. “I have always been struck by Lady Elysabeth’s wisdom.” He tapped his gloved finger on the table forcefully. “Defend Kingfountain, or lose it all.”

Fallon scowled at the rebuke, his eyes narrowing coldly as he stared at Morwenna’s father. But he made no attempt to save face; he only stroked his bottom lip and remained quiet. Trynne’s heart went out to him, but she respected that he didn’t argue his point.

“And how would you advise defending the palace?” Drew asked in a deferential tone.