Dragon Prince 02 - The Star Scroll Read Free Page B

little. He didn’t want to consider what he would have told Sioned if her son had been injured.
    Giamo puffed up the cellar stairs and gave a shocked cry. Meath patted his shoulder.
    “All taken care of. But I’m afraid we’ve made a shambles of your room.” He glanced down as capable hands went to work on his wounded arm. “It’s nothing,” he told Willa.
    “Nothing?” She snorted and tied off the bandage she had made with strips torn from her apron. “Nothing that could have been deaths in my house, that’s what nothing! Now, you find out who these ruffians are and what they’re about while I find some good strong wine to restore the blood you’ve lost.”
    Meath was about to protest that it was only a scratch—then remembered the glorious wine Prince Lleyn had treated him to at this very inn last autumn. He nodded enthusiastic approval and Willa snorted once more.
    There were more casualties among the furniture and plates than among the people involved. Rialt would have a sore shoulder for a few days, and the merchants’ dignity had been more bruised than their backsides. Meath righted an overturned chair, tested it for soundness, and pointed to the Gribain commander, who sat on the floor with her hands bound behind her. “Have a seat,” he invited.
    Sullenly and awkwardly, she obeyed. Her red tunic was a little darker along one shoulder, but Meath judged the wound to be superficial. Of her companions, three would have very bad headaches and the other would not be walking entirely upright for a while. After assuring himself of their relative good health, Meath stood before their captain with arms folded, unimpressed by her arrogant demand to be released on the instant.
    “Captain,” he told her, “I don’t care if you stand guard outside Prince Velden’s own bedchamber while he favors his wife with his attentions. You know the law here.”
    “It was a private matter between me and my men,” she snapped. “You have no right—”
    “I have the right of any man or woman to make sure the law is obeyed. I want several things, and I want them now: your name, those of your men, and the reason for this outrage against Prince Lleyn’s peace. And then you may make your apologies as well as restitution to those you’ve offended here today.”
    “Apologies!” She sucked in a breath and glared at him.
    Meath glanced down as Pol plucked at his sleeve. “What is it?”
    “I’ve sent Giamo to fetch the patrol. They should be here soon.”
    “Good thinking. Thanks.” The boy looked a little pale, but seemed in perfect control of himself. “Are you all right?”
    “Fine. But I don’t think this was any simple disagreement,” he added thoughtfully. “In fact, I’m sure the one with the beard started it on purpose.”
    Meath was almost afraid to find out why. Neither was he looking forward to an explanation about Pol’s conjuring of Fire. Meath and Eolie had never shown him how. Perhaps Sioned had before Pol left Stronghold, but somehow Meath doubted it. Pol would have told him.
    The faradhi looked down into clear eyes. “Why would he start a fight?” he asked quietly.
    “Because he wanted to kill me.” Pol shrugged. “Rialt kept him from throwing his second knife. You were busy with the others and didn’t see. But he wasn’t aiming at you the first time, either. He was after me. ”
    It wasn’t natural for a fourteen-year-old to speak so calmly about such things. Meath started to put an arm around his shoulders, but Pol slid away and went to the cellar door, where Willa had just appeared with clay mugs of wine. Pol appropriated one and took a long swallow, then helped her serve the rest. Meath downed the contents of his mug in two gulps and then approached the man who lay trapped and unconscious beneath the overturned table.
    He was unremarkable in every way—height, weight, coloring, features—and that very plainness signaled danger. Who would notice this man, but for the uniform and the