The Duenn Manor interlocutor gulped an incomprehensible word of warning, too afraid to speak aloud and too appalled not to speak. Nevertheless, the garbled croak—or the blade—had its desired effect. Lord Duenn jerked to a halt just beyond the sword’s reach. Elen exulted to see him forced to stop.

The prince spoke in a cold voice, sword edge gleaming. “Do you mean to assault my exalted person, Lord Duenn?”

Duenn choked, gasped, growled beneath his breath. His hands gripped into fists, and his shoulders heaved. “You cannot just steal my child from me!”

“Are you calling me a thief, Lord Duenn?” said the prince with a dangerous widening of his smile, almost a dare. It was magnificent.

“I … I…” Duenn sputtered, red-faced.

Even Manor lords did not shout at princes. It was treason against the High Heavens, unless, of course, the prince in question was disgraced and about to be severed from all the honors of the palace and their connection to the Flower Court. Elen wondered what Prince Astaylin had told Duenn about her younger brother Gevulin. Why had she chosen Duenn Manor’s lord to escort the cargo belonging to the imperial engineers?

Gevulin went on in a tone all the more threatening because it was so conversational and calm. “Do you challenge the Law of Declaration? The authority of the emperor? Are you challenging me? My right as all-seeing eye to accept a legal Declaration made by an eligible youth to join the respected ranks of the imperial wardens? Did someone put you up to this? Perhaps promised a payment in cash? Perhaps your coffers are full enough, but influence would be tempting, would it not? The palace beckons like a fevered dream to ambitious provincial lords of the merely meritorious Manors who live far from the heartland and envy the stature of the Six Noble Manors and the Eight August Manors.”

The prince was enjoying himself. Elen had a sudden instinct that his rapid rise to become prince-warden and all-seeing eye had everything to do with his own ambitions and ruthlessness. He wanted someone to punish for the nasty trick his sister prince had played on him. Duenn was standing right there.

“Yet, Lord Duenn, that is all it is for the likes of you. A dream. You may leave my presence.”

Duenn could not disobey a direct command. He began to turn away, then paused. In a furious whisper, he addressed Kem. “Rescind this selfish Declaration, or you will regret the consequences!”

Without lifting his bowed head, Kem flicked a glance up at Elen. She dipped her chin to signal that he’d made the best play open to him, one she hadn’t even thought of. What a quick thinker! He’d saved himself.

Yet Kem did not nod back or acknowledge her. Instead, he looked abruptly away, mouth tightening.