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A knock on the door made Byrne look up Finally she had come When she didn’t enter, he crossed the room and yanked it open

"Why do you not--" He stopped and looked down It was not Jayr, but Nottingham’s seneschal "What do you want?"

Skald bobbed a bow and addressed the turned-up tips of his lurid green court shoes "I ae to you, my lord"

"Well?"

"Lord Cyprien expressed a wish to ride with you He has taken his rove of trees on the north side of the lake He asks that you ave hiroom, my lord? You know I ao tell the stable master to saddle my horse" Byrne slammed the door in his face and went to the intercom "Harlech"

"My lord?"

"Have you found ret to say that I have not, my lord"

Byrne did not issue any further orders The intercom lay in pieces, thanks to his fist

As Byrne made his way to the stables, he stopped every man of the Realm who crossed his path and demanded to know if they had seen Jayr All of them claimed they had not and offered to look for her The innocence of their expressions aroused Byrne’s suspicions, and he made a detour to stop at the wardrobe keeper’s chambers

Farlae came to the door in his shirtsleeves, an open bottle of bloodwine in his hand "May I be of service, my lord?"

"You can tell me where Jayr is," Byrne said "Dinnae bother to deny that you know Nothing happens under my roof that you or your spies cannae see or hear"

"I know that Jayr went into the city early this afternoon Just as I know that you spentoutside her bedchaainst the door fra "As does, I daresay, the entire jardin Doesn’t see amiss with your own bed?"

Byrne’s lips peeled back from his teeth "What business is it of yours what I do? I am master here I will take oats if it pleases ed "Goats are overrated, or so I have heard Sheep, now, they are said to be quite another ate thathis wardrobe keeper, Byrne decided, would not take a great deal of effort The hall held at least twenty objects hich he could end theheld hio to town?"

"Deliveries held up, daned, feed deliveries rescheduled, the usual," the wardrobe keeper said casually "I hope she reer center for o Rain requested that Jayr order four gallons of latex paint from the hardware shop It seems he tired of the colors in his rooms Too bad he won’t be here to repair them"

"These errands could be handled by anyone These are the last days of the tournaave Farlae an incredulous look "You did this deliberately"

"The serger failed on its own," Farlae drawled "I will need it repaired if I am to tailor all that Lycra the hu to do with the paint order Rain is gone off with Viviana Good riddance" He took a drink froer in his face "This nonsense was but an excuse to send her into the city You did this to keep her away from me"

Farlae lowered the bottle and smiled "Perhaps we did this to keep you away froone mad," Byrne said blankly "Every one of you My own ainst me In my own keep"

"Doubtless we are" Unimpressed, Farlae studied the condition of his nails "Will there be anything else, my lord?"

"Get stuffed" Byrne walked away "No" He stopped and turned around "Call Jayr on the contraption she hangs on her ear Tell her I command her to return to the Realm and report todevice "Do you o it fell out of her pocket and into rabbed it and threw it against the wall, where it exploded into a hundred frag into Farlae’s black eye, "is what happens to a man’s head when I lose my temper"

"Indeed" Farlae folded his arms and looked interested "What happens to a wo, saw nothing For his insolent wardrobe keeper’s questions explained everything He had lived with these ht beside them They were loyal to him because he was suzerain, and they lived by Kyn rule Some of them admired him Most of them feared him

They were loyal to Jayr because they loved her

"I would never hurt the lass," Byrne said