Read Online Besieged by Rowena Cory Daniells - Free Book Online

with it.’
    Oskane gestured for him to go and Franto scurried out.
    ‘You shouldn’t let him speak to you like that, Uncle.’
    ‘I trust him implicitly.’
    Edorne did not look convinced.
    ‘You will report to me. I must know what Baron Nitzel and the king are up to.’ He leaned forward, dropping his voice even though they were alone. ‘Beware Nitzel. He will try to win you over with promises of an alliance, but he is not to be trusted.’
    ‘I’m no fool, Uncle.’
    ‘Which is why I chose you to replace me.’ His nephew was smart, but he didn’t have nearly thirty years experience of court politics.
    ‘And I am honoured to follow in the footsteps of Oskane the Pious.’
    Oskane had the grace to look down. His daily flagellation was common knowledge. Each time he took the holy scourge and punished himself in search of the divine, he dug deeper into the hollow core of a man who could see only human frailty and chance behind events both great and small. And he prayed even harder for a sign from the gods.
    Pouring two goblets of wine, he passed one to Edorne. ‘To the new high priest.’
    Edorne took a sip, then put his cup down, as abstentious as he was fastidious. ‘You say you are stepping down from office to carry out a special service for the king?’
    ‘For him and for Chalcedonia.’
    ‘Surely as your successor I should know the nature of this service?’
    Oskane drew breath to tell him, only to discover he was reluctant to admit he would be raising a half-blood child, even if that child was the king’s unwanted son. Edorne was an educated man, but he had a True-man’s natural repugnance for anything Wyrd. ‘It would be safer for you if you didn’t know.’
    ‘Where you are going?’
    ‘Your reports will be forwarded to me.’
    ‘All this secrecy... is it truly necessary?’
    I just saw the queen murdered. What do you think? Oskane raised his glass. ‘To Chalcedonia, and the church curbing the worst of the king’s excesses.’
    Edorne took another sip. ‘You can trust me.’
    He could. Because Franto had appointed an agent to report on the new high priest.
    Oskane put his wine down unfinished. ‘I must go.’
    ‘It’s mid-afternoon. Surely it would make more sense to leave early tomorrow?’
    Oskane shook his head. The longer he stayed, the more chance someone would discover the infant and want to know what he was doing with a newborn. The more chance Nitzel would decide one of his trusted servants was a better choice to train the king’s half-blood son. Forcing down his impatience, Oskane gestured to the map of Chalcedonia and the many islands off the coast. ‘I have a hankering to live on an island.’
    He was going inland and south.
    ‘Very well.’ Edorne came to his feet and opened his arms for a parting embrace. ‘I will miss you, Uncle.’
    Bless him, he meant it. Oskane felt tears burn his eyes and was surprised by the depth of his reaction. As he pulled away from the embrace, he wondered if he was doing the right thing by his nephew. But there was no time for doubts.
    When he entered his private chambers, he found a raddled female fingering the rich brocade of his formal robe. The wet-nurse? Was this the best Franto could do? The smell of her made him wrinkle his nose. ‘Don’t touch that.’
    She jumped and snatched her hand back. ‘I didn’t hear you–’
    ‘Obviously. If the babe wakes, keep him quiet. Sit there and do not move.’ He pointed at the velvet stool where he sat each morning while Franto washed and oiled his feet. Surely she was too old to be a mother? ‘You are a wet-nurse? You can feed him?’
    She nodded and went to unlace her undershirt.
    ‘No need for that,’ he said hastily then strode back through the hangings to the outer chamber to find Franto and complain. But his servant had six penitents lined up. There was a cripple, and a boy of seven, and the other four were all over forty. ‘These are our servants?’
    ‘You want them to agree to leave