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After breakfast they readied their horses and rode from the square, which was eeons lurking about and waran felt obligated to give Fergal so of her past with Tinificance As the horses plodded along Mirwellton’s hfare, which led to the keep, she explained that she and Timas were classmates at Selium and had not been friendly

“In fact, he and his cronies made life miserable for a lot of students, mostly the commoners ere at Seliuovernor’s son”

“Is he the one you beat up?” Fergal asked

“What? How do you know that?”

“Mel told me”

Condor’s hoof sucked in the mud

“Ah, of course she did Well, I didn’t exactly beat him up I defeated him in a bout of swordplay Soundly defeated hi” She s it up or even allude to it while we’re in the keep Don’t bring up his father, either”

Fergal thought for arinned

“Er, yes, the traitor In fact, now that I think of it, it’s probably best if you don’t say anything at all When we see Timas—Lord Mirwell—it’s probably wise if you just stand there and look, well, Riderly”

Fergal scowled at her, but did not argue

They rode on in silence When they reached the portcullis of the keep’s curtain wall, the scarlet-clad guards, who knew the insignia of the king’s e They were now truly in Ti increased

They rode across the courtyard into the shadow of the keep The structure was sih walls and narros, all stone, and without eed little fron over the centuries It was made for war and Clan Mirwell had not deviated froe While souard, Mirwell kept a sizeable arovernor’s atte, Mirwell’s militia had been dilory, and would reovernor proved his loyalty beyond a doubt

They halted and dis to the keep’s entrance A soldier took their horses while another stepped from the entrance to ask their business

“A an said