'The loss of Father has. .h.i.t you so much more than I ever conceived.'

'What?' What does he mean, why . . . ?

'Your grief has overwhelmed you, I fear. I should never have given you the responsibility of a realm, and so soon after Father's death.'

Fidele felt those strong walls that she had built within, layer upon layer of will and strength to protect her from the hurt Lykos had inflicted upon her beginning to crumble. She filled her lungs, slowly blew out. 'This has nothing to do with your father's death. Lykos-'

'Is a Vin Thalun sailor, a ship's captain, lord of his people. Not a sorcerer. Look at him.' Nathair waved his hand. 'He is a man of many talents, but a sorcerer?'

More sn.i.g.g.e.rs, louder.

'His thirst for power drives him,' Fidele said, her voice sounding reed-thin in her ears. 'Whatever he has, he wants more.'

'Power?' Nathair said. 'I had already given it to him, appointed him regent of Tenebral, made him one of the most powerful men in the Banished Lands.'

'It was not enough for him,' she said, almost a whisper, feeling her strength and will fading away, draining from her.

'Mother, please,' Nathair said, still regarding her with that maddening pity in his eyes. 'It is clear to me that you are grief mad, and that in that madness, out of it, you have brought Tenebral to the brink of civil war. But I cannot punish you for it. You are not to blame. If anyone is, it is me, for placing too great a responsibility upon your shoulders. There will be no punishment for you, but you will retire, to somewhere safe and calm, away from all of the pressure and strain of these dark times.'

Am I really hearing this? Can my own son be saying this to me? It is some terrible nightmare. She wanted to say something, to convince him, but her mind was a blank.

'Now,' said Nathair, 'as for the rest of you, I can hardly believe what I have heard. Tenebral, my home, the realm of the high king of the Banished Lands, has collapsed upon itself like so many squabbling children.'

Krelis muttered at that, Peritus sitting straight and tense.

'The right of the situation clearly lies in Lykos' favour.'

Krelis made to stand, but Peritus and Ektor both held him.

'Ripa chose to defend a man sentenced to death you, Peritus and to take up arms against my appointed representative. I appointed Lykos Mother, you saw my letter with my seal, and Veradis reported my sanctioning of him as regent of Tenebral. What you have all done is treason, and I could have you all executed.'

'This is outrageous,' Krelis exploded, lunging to his feet, Peritus following, trying to calm him.

Jehar were suddenly circling Krelis, swords half-drawn from scabbards. Krelis froze.

'Sit. Down,' Nathair commanded.

Krelis just stood, glaring rage at Nathair. 'My da was slain,' he growled.

'Please, Krelis,' a voice said Veradis. 'Please, brother, take your seat.' And slowly, with a final glower, Krelis did.

'I could have you executed for treason,' Nathair repeated, holding Krelis' gaze, daring him to move. Krelis didn't.

'But I won't. I want peace in my realm, order, trust in those ruling so that I may focus on the real task at hand. The defeat of the Black Sun. What we are discussing is petty by comparison.'

Fidele's mind was swirling, a turmoil of shock and pain, that her own son would disregard her so utterly and completely . . .

I do not recognize the man he's become, do not know him. How could someone change so completely. Nathair was still speaking, though his words were a blur in her head now. Fragments began to coalesce, spinning together, like a broken window reforming, and slowly she began to see.

See Calidus meeting with Nathair, all those years ago, introducing him to Lykos, advising him to leave Tenebral, to chase after the cauldron, whispering in his ear, as he was even now. She glanced at Ektor, saw him frowning, gaze flitting between Calidus and Nathair, remembered his giant scrolls that spoke of the high king's counsellor being Kadoshim, a demon of Asroth. At that time they had been talking of Meical, who had been Aquilus' counsellor, but Nathair was high king now, and Calidus his counsellor . . .

'What have you done to my son?' Fidele heard herself say, loud and clear as she stood and pointed at Calidus.

For some reason she shocked everyone to silence.

'What do you mean?' Veradis said, looking between her and Calidus.

'I have done nothing but give good counsel, my lady,' Calidus said, his voice calm, rea.s.suring. Suddenly she knew, beyond all doubt, every fibre of her being screaming the same thing.

'You are Kadoshim,' she said. Quietly, but seeming to impact everyone in the room.

Calidus pulled a face, part surprise, part sneer. 'You are mistaken, my lady,' he said.

'And if we needed any more evidence of her madness, there it is,' a voice shouted, Lykos, laughing.

'You are Kadoshim,' Fidele said, louder.

'What are you talking about, my lady?' Peritus called to her.

'Nathair, tell me it isn't so,' she pleaded with her son.

He stared at her, blinking, almost startled.

'Be silent, Mother,' he mumbled.

She looked around the room, Calidus regarding her as if she were an insect to be crushed, Veradis was confused, looking from her to Nathair, Alcyon the giant hulking, solemn, sorrowful the Jehar just staring with their dead eyes. A hand touched her wrist, Ektor.

'Not here, not now,' he hissed, shaking his head. She shook him off and looked back to Nathair, who was still staring at her.

'What have you done?' she whispered.

'Take her away,' Nathair said, looking away as if he'd been slapped. 'Her madness is deeper than I feared, she must be protected from herself.'

Eagle-guard moved forwards, Krelis and Peritus standing to protect Fidele. Swords were drawn.

'No,' Fidele said furiously to Peritus and Krelis. 'You will die here, for nothing.'

'You dare draw your blades, before me?' Nathair said, his voice rising from a shocked hiss to strangled yell.

'I have offered you all kindness and mercy, and you throw it back at my feet. Draw your swords in my presence. Well. I. Say. This.' Nathair was on his feet now, fists bunching. 'My word is law, and you will abide by it, whether you be my ancient friend or my closest kin, else you will lose your heads.' Spittle was flying now.

'Take them away,' Calidus said.

'Aye, that's right,' Nathair cried, voice still charged with emotion. 'Get them out of here, all of them, take them below. I want them under lock and key.'

Eagle-guard swept forwards now, firm hands steering Fidele towards the door; Krelis, Peritus and Ektor herded along with her.

As she reached the door she looked back and saw Calidus staring at her, eyes flat and dead, like one of the sharks in Ripa's bay.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE.

VERADIS.

Veradis watched the door close behind Fidele, Peritus and his brothers.

What have I just witnessed?

A silence fell upon the room, Nathair slumped back into his chair, for some reason staring at the palm of his hand.

At the scar from our oaths to each other.

'Well, that could have gone better,' Lykos said.

'Shut up,' Calidus replied, almost absently, eyes still fixed upon the door.

'Your mother,' Calidus said to Nathair.

'Yes?'

'She is a remarkable woman.'

'She is,' Nathair agreed.

'What is going on here?' Veradis said.

No one answered him. Nathair was still staring at the palm of his hand.

'Nathair, Alcyon?'

The giant looked at him with sad eyes. 'I cannot say.'

'Nathair?' Veradis said, anger leaking into his voice.

Calidus' eyes rolled away from the door, fixed onto Veradis. 'A confusion,' he said to Veradis. 'Fidele is confused. Her grief-'

'She sounded lucid enough to me.'

'She-'

'Enough,' Nathair said. 'Calidus, Alcyon, all of you.' He finally looked up from his hand. 'Leave us.'

'Is that wise?' Calidus murmured.

'I say it is,' Nathair said. 'You have hidden things from me. Lykos and my mother . . .' His face twisted as if with a surge of pain and he screwed his eyes shut.

'For the greater good,' Calidus said quietly.

Nathair's eyes snapped open. 'I will talk with Veradis now. It is time.' He locked gazes with Calidus. They stayed like that long moments. 'I must tell him,' Nathair said, almost pleadingly, a hand going to his temples, 'I need to tell him, else I go insane.' Still Calidus said nothing, then eventually nodded.

'As you wish,' he said and ushered everyone from the chamber, including the eagle-guard and Jehar, leaving Veradis alone with Nathair.

'What just happened?' Veradis asked.

Nathair stood and paced to the window, looked out of it.

'They look like ants from here,' he said tiredly. 'All those men working on the road to find Dra.s.sil, no bigger than ants. Do you remember, in the forest during my father's council?'

Veradis did. They had seen a host of ants on the march, millions of them, each as big as a thumb. Seeing them had been the seeds of Nathair's inspiration for the shield wall.

'I do,' Veradis said, joining Nathair at the window.

'G.o.ds above and below, but it feels like a different lifetime.'

'It does,' Veradis agreed. He thought back. 'Nearly four years.'

Nathair fell silent, staring.

'Nathair, what your mother just said. About Calidus . . .'

'Aye.'

'Why did she say that?'

'Perhaps because she's grief mad.'

'I don't think so.'

Nathair sucked in a deep breath. 'History is a peculiar thing, is it not? Take the giants, for example. Our histories tell us that they are the enemy. That they were wicked evil, even and that our ancestors' war against them was righteous. That right was on our side. Is that not what our histories say?'

'Aye,' Veradis said, wondering where this was leading, 'that is what our histories tell us.'

'What if it was a lie?'

'It isn't,' Veradis said without thinking.