and so it might be safe for the servant girl Hope to return to the city of Kamrit.
“The long illness that plagues King Andarys has taken a turn, they say, and has worsened. The grand chamberlain, Lord Ferris, is carrying out the king's wishes for him.”
Madia felt her gut tighten. My father, ill! And that cretin Ferris running the kingdom. . . .
“They say Lord Ferris is hunting enlistments, and his soldiers are said to be everywhere lately, especially in Kopeth, looking for young men to join their legions.”
“Perhaps they will stay in Kopeth,” Madia muttered, her mind going in two directions.
“But don't you see, they will come here soon, searching for freemen, or any man willing to serve the king. Did you not say you were still wanted by every soldier in Ariman? Or do you think, with the king's illness, your crimes might have been forgotten?”
“Perhaps,” Madia said, paying strict attention now. “Though . . . I would doubt that.”
Of course, she still had no idea who else was involved, which made trying to understand the possibilities just as frustrating as it had been the day she was attacked.
“Then I fear for you. You said that your service in the castle made you known to all.”
“That is true,” Madia replied. “When might they come?”
“A few days, I think. Perhaps a day.”
She had heard of a town beyond Kopeth, known as Kern, nearer the northern border of Ariman—though not too close, as anywhere close to Bouren was nowhere she wanted to find herself just now. Still, there might be nowhere else to go. Except home. “Then I must leave tonight.”
“You must let me help you.”
“You say the king's illness is an old one. Do you know anything more?”
“No, only what they say.”
Madia had never known of any such illness, so she thought t
“The long illness that plagues King Andarys has taken a turn, they say, and has worsened. The grand chamberlain, Lord Ferris, is carrying out the king's wishes for him.”
Madia felt her gut tighten. My father, ill! And that cretin Ferris running the kingdom. . . .
“They say Lord Ferris is hunting enlistments, and his soldiers are said to be everywhere lately, especially in Kopeth, looking for young men to join their legions.”
“Perhaps they will stay in Kopeth,” Madia muttered, her mind going in two directions.
“But don't you see, they will come here soon, searching for freemen, or any man willing to serve the king. Did you not say you were still wanted by every soldier in Ariman? Or do you think, with the king's illness, your crimes might have been forgotten?”
“Perhaps,” Madia said, paying strict attention now. “Though . . . I would doubt that.”
Of course, she still had no idea who else was involved, which made trying to understand the possibilities just as frustrating as it had been the day she was attacked.
“Then I fear for you. You said that your service in the castle made you known to all.”
“That is true,” Madia replied. “When might they come?”
“A few days, I think. Perhaps a day.”
She had heard of a town beyond Kopeth, known as Kern, nearer the northern border of Ariman—though not too close, as anywhere close to Bouren was nowhere she wanted to find herself just now. Still, there might be nowhere else to go. Except home. “Then I must leave tonight.”
“You must let me help you.”
“You say the king's illness is an old one. Do you know anything more?”
“No, only what they say.”
Madia had never known of any such illness, so she thought t