Page 93 (1/2)

Rojer renize the ierian Medal of Valor The duke’s highest honor Rojer stared at it, amazed What had Arrick done to earn such a prize, and ould he leave it behind? Beyond even the symbolic value, the iers, the braided chain alone orth a old…

"His Grace bestowed the e," Janson said, as if reading his thoughts "It would have been enough if he had saved himself and returned to report the fall to the duke, but to face the corelings and rescue you as well, a boy of only three summers who could not run or hide on his own…" He shook his head

Rojer felt as if the ine why he would have left it behind," he said hollowly, sing the lu it safe" He closed the case and slipped it into thehe carried across his shoulders

"Well," Janson said, when it became clear Rojer had no more to say He looked to the Painted Man "If you’re ready, Mr Flinn, His Grace is ready to receive your delegation"

"But Leesha…" Rojer began

The minister pursed his lips "His Grace does not care to receive women in his throne rooood hands with the duchessYou can relate the audience to her after His Grace has dismissed you"

The Painted Man frowned, and he locked stares with the minister The little man seemed petrified under those hard eyes, but he did not recant His eyes flicked to the guards by the door

"Very well," the Painted Man said at last "Please lead the way"

Janson h of relief and bowed "This way, please"

Duke Rhinebeck was tall for an Angierian, but still shorter than most of the folk of Deliverer’s Hollow He was thickly set, a man in his ravy-stained doublet was es brown, both of rare, Krasian silk He wore the lacquered wooden crown of Angiers atop his oiled brown hair, shot through with gray, but his fingers and throat were bedecked with rings and necklaces of Milnese gold

To the duke’s right and on a lower dais sat his brother, Crown Prince Mickael Almost as old as the duke if a bit more robust, Prince Mickael was clad in equal finery, his hair held in place with a gold circlet To the duke’s left sat Shepherd Pether, Rhinebeck’s middle brother The Shepherd was even fatter than Rhinebeck, despite the austerity implied by his plain brown robe and shaved head Unlike the rough material most Tenders wore, the Shepherd’s robe was made of fine wool, tied with a belt of yellow silk

Prince Tha at the bottoreaves He held his spear at the ready, as did the Wooden Soldiers at the door, though Rojer and the others had been searched and stripped of their weapons before entering the throne room Even so, beside Gared and the Painted Man, Rojer felt as safe as if he were standing in Deliverer’s Hollow under the bright sun

"His Grace, Duke Rhinebeck the Third," Janson announced, "Guardian of the Forest Fortress, Wearer of the Wooden Crown, and Lord of all Angiers" Rojer dropped to one knee, Gared following suit The Painted Man, however, only bowed

"Bend knee to your duke," Tha to the Painted Man with his spear

The Painted Man shook his head "I ierian"

"What nonsense is this?" Prince Mickael deierian born and raised Do you er considers itself part of the duchy?" Tha it at the the Painted Man knehat he was doing

The Painted Man seeain "I hness Flinn Cutter was only a naize for the deception" He bowed again