The Twelve Kingdoms Read Free Page B

of my sword warmed the palm of my hand. Just a brief touch to my mother’s jewel before I made myself move my hand away. One simply does not approach the High King with hand on sword, even if he is your father.
    Particularly my father.
    I studied him during that long walk, taking his measure. Enraged, yes, but not yet boiling over with it. He’d noted the lack of a babe in my arms, though that information would indeed have flown ahead from the moment I dismissed the Hawks and only confirmed what his spy network would have relayed. Oh, Amelia, I hope you appreciate what I’m doing for you.
    A man stood near the empty throne at Uorsin’s right hand—my seat—and though he didn’t have the audacity to sit in it, he had a proprietary air. As if he belonged there. Another of these foreign men, he stood a good half head taller than I and his reach would likely outstrip mine by a forearm’s length, if not more. A muscle-bound giant with a warrior’s keen-edged poise. I could only hope that his bulk would slow him if it came to a fight. He caught my assessment and smiled, a bare tightening of the lips, a grim promise that his mind, at least, was not slow.
    More bad luck. Danu stacked the challenge deep for me today.
    I bowed, showing the respect I felt for my father, my King, and the throne on which he sat, that kept the peace of the Twelve Kingdoms.
    â€œSo.” Uorsin’s voice came out in a low rasp. “My eldest daughter, at least, returns to me. But strangely empty-handed.”
    Defend. “High King, I—”
    â€œNo!” He slammed a fist on the arm of his throne, making me jump inside, though I’d long since trained myself not to show it. Uorsin respected strength, and like the bear whose standard he carried, he turned more aggressive at any sign of fear. Something my sisters had never quite internalized. But then, I’d always shielded them from the worst of it. If nothing else, I’d succeeded in that. “Spare me your excuses. I don’t wish to hear the long, sad, sorry tale of your recurring difficulties in following simple instructions. I want to know one thing and one thing only, understand? The next words out of your mouth, Daughter. Where is my grandson?”
    Dangerous in this mood. He would not like the exact answer, but he’d grow angrier if I gave him anything but that. “With the Princess Amelia,” I answered, crisply. A good soldier.
    â€œAha. An honest and exact answer. And where is the Princess Amelia?”
    I sent a swift prayer to Danu and met my father’s eye. “I don’t know, my King.”
    He stared me down, deceptively calm. “I believe you don’t know. Do you know why?”
    Certainly not because he trusted and believed in me. “No, my King.”
    â€œBecause”—he said the word softly, hissing the final syllable— “nobody knows where she is!” He finished on a shout that pierced my temples. I had to relax and widen my eyes to keep from wincing. The foreign warrior watched me while appearing not to, still assessing. I held my ground, keeping my sword hand relaxed at my side, and did not reply to Uorsin, as he had not asked me to.
    â€œPerhaps”—Uorsin dropped into the rasp again—“you could find it in your heart to offer me a crumb of information. Perhaps you could tell me where they are not ?”
    Danu get me through this. “The Princess Amelia is neither at Windroven nor with King Erich. Nor has she, to my knowledge, taken refuge at any of the temples of Glorianna.”
    â€œIs that so?”
    â€œYes, my King. As last I knew.”
    â€œAnd what precisely do you know?”
    Parry. “I attended Princess Amelia’s lying in. The labor was a difficult one, but I’m happy to report that both she and your grandson came through in the blush of good health.” All true. Fancy foot- and bladework to cover the lies of