Page 99 of The Last Wish of Bristol Keats
That didn’t take long, Tyghan thought.
A crowd drew Kormick like a moth to a candle. “Remember,” Tyghan whispered to his officers. “We’re not amused by the nobles’ presence. We’re annoyed.”
Tyghan turned.
Twelve Fomorians approached on enormous gray steeds with silky black manes. Tyghan had to admit, their horses were magnificent. If Fomorians knew how to do anything right, it was breeding the beautiful beasts. And Kormick cut quite a regal picture atop one. But his warriors were a scarred, monstrous lot, their muscular shoulders barely contained by uniforms. And they looked thirsty, but not for drink. They eyed the crowd like they were already bludgeoning heads.
“Trénallis,” Kormick said, shaking his head. “It seems all the other kingdoms understood the agreement. Twentyonly. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Tyghan remained silent, defiant, like a ruler who was cornered but unbowed.
“Beating your pathetic chest by flaunting the rules? It’s what we all agreed to.”
Is that him?An excited whisper from the crowd of nobles behind Tyghan. The chatterbox.
I think so. He looks like a king. The know-it-all.
Ohhh, I’d love to meet him. The ingenue.
“Quiet!” Tyghan growled at them. He turned back to Kormick. “They insisted on attending. Nobles and council members. I warned them not to come. They tagged along anyway.”
Kormick raised a quizzical brow. “You can’t even control your own subjects?” He scoffed with contempt and swung his leg over his horse to dismount.
We should have listened to the king and stayed home. The rule follower.
But I didn’t want to miss this! It’s the event of the century!The adventurer.
He’s more handsome than I expected. The flirt.
Kormick stood eye to eye with Tyghan. His warriors dismounted too.
“Go ahead,” Tyghan said, his gaze steely as he met Kormick’s. “Get rid of them. You’d be doing me a favor.”
Kormick remained planted in place, like he was searching for a lie in Tyghan’s face. “My scouts tell me you have no troops behind you. As long as it remains that way, you won’t have to be watching the skies for dark clouds. See how reasonable I can be, Trénallis? And unlike you,Ican control my subjects.” He pushed past Tyghan. “Now to meet your rule breakers, to see if they stay or perish.”
The crowd received him and his warriors, offering up a believable amount of fear at first, with a chaser of curious adulation. Officer Perry crowed convincingly about how much he had heard about the king of Fomoria, and Sage Jarvis made sure there was a continuous hum of excited chatter.
Time ticked by as Kormick moved through the group, speaking with one noble after another. Eris’s gaze met Tyghan’s.This is either going to go well, or very, very badly. A smile on Kormick’s face was no indication of anything positive. Melizan, Cosette, and Sloan discreetly circled around to be in position, if events turned violent.
Finally, Kormick stepped away to where Tyghan waited. “They can remain. They only wish to be witnesses to history, and they will have that wish. It seems your subjects are looking forward to the transition.” He and his warriors got back on their horses. He leaned forward and said quietly to Tyghan, “Remember, little king, if any blood is shed in this valley tomorrow, it will be by your hands.”
“The only blood I will shed is yours, if I don’t have my brother back by the end of the day tomorrow. I’ve met your demand and come without troops.”
“Of course,” Kormick replied. “I’ll be glad to be rid of him.”
After he rode away, Eris stepped up and said, “Nice touch. You exuded reckless bravado and frustration. He expected nothing less.”
Dahlia intercepted Eris as he walked to his tent to get his jacket. “What are you doing, Eris? You haven’t been a knight in thirty years. What is this all about?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m doing what I’ve always done, working to preserve a nation.”
“Not as a knight! A sword does not belong on your back!”
“My son asked me to take on this position.”
Dahlia’s next words stalled on her tongue. “Your son? You told him?”
“Yes, whenmytiming was right. And I hope you give him the grace to tell you on his own. Stay out of his personal business, Dahlia.”
