Read Online The Bloody Quarrel (The Complete Edition) by Duncan Lay - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Duncan Lay
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down at the table. Rosaleen said Dina spoke the truth. And she could not be as bad as Aidan. “How do we make that happen?” he asked.
“Get me the evidence that Cavan wanted. You need something tying the King to the Fearpriests, the snatchers, the witches and the selkies and to the Kottermanis. I present it to the nobles and they will act. Already they are afraid and angry about this marriage. They do not need much to tip them over the edge.”
“Really? They looked delighted about it when the King spoke,” Devlin interrupted.
Dina shook her head. “Have you learned nothing in your time here? To show your true feelings at a time like that would be a fatal mistake. But they are scared and furious. Nobody likes Meinster and he has just made himself the second most powerful man in the land. To those of us who have crossed him, defied him and thwarted his ambitions, it is a terrifying time. He never forgets and he never forgives. Oh, I can assure you that there are many nobles in Berry right now who are meeting and whispering nervously together.”
Fallon glanced at Rosaleen, who gave the smallest nod of her head, saying she could detect no lies there.
“We have to be careful. We are being watched by Regan,” he warned.
“And you are right to worry. He has a network of informants through the city, reporting back to him,” she admitted. “But he cannot keep you in here all the time. You will get a chance. If you find anything, send word to me and I will find a way to meet. Apart, we can do nothing to stop Aidan. Together, we stand a chance.”
Fallon glanced at Rosaleen and she nodded. “The truth,” she said.
Fallon signaled and Devlin escorted Dina and Gannon out.
“Do you think—” Brendan began but Fallon waved him down. “Wait for Devlin,” was all he said.
His mind was racing. He could see the possibilities in her words and part of him wanted to leap at the chance. But what of his dream? Was just killing the King enough or would he still be haunted if he did not sacrifice himself? Surely he needed to be punished as well …
“Well, that sounded better than you throwing your life away and maybe ours with it,” Devlin said as he walked back into the room.
Fallon looked around the table. “Is that what you all think?”
“It galls me to say it but maybe this is the best way,” Padraig said. “The real question though, is can you accept that or are you still set on killing yourself?”
Fallon rubbed his eyes. What had seemed so certain that morning was now all mixed up. Could he have a life after killing Cavan?
“I need to sleep on it,” he said, although it was only shortly after noon.
*
Kerrin wanted to go down to the crossbow range again. Anything was better than staying in these rooms. It had been bad enough when Dad talked to everyone and said the Prince was dead, but then it had got really scary when he started crying. Dad had never cried before, and he didn’t know what to do. Then he had been strange again that morning, while Padraig had wanted to sit with him and hug him. That was even scarier. Grandpa had begun to talk about the two of them living together and maybe going to look for Mam. He had wanted to ask about Dad but had been afraid of the answer. Then Dad and the others had come back, Dad looking angry and his friends looking happy, which was even more confusing.
When Dad walked into their room and lay down on his bed, saying nothing, he watched for a little while and then could take no more.
“Dad, what is going on?” he asked cautiously.
“Nothing.”
That was a lie, so he joined him on his bed. “Are you going away? Are you going to leave me?” he demanded, still afraid but having to know.
His dad stiffened, then sighed. “Maybe.”
“Why? Was it something I did? I know I wasn’t any good with the sword,” Kerrin said miserably.
Dad turned over then. “It was nothing you did. It was something I did. I might have to go but grandpa Padraig will watch
“Get me the evidence that Cavan wanted. You need something tying the King to the Fearpriests, the snatchers, the witches and the selkies and to the Kottermanis. I present it to the nobles and they will act. Already they are afraid and angry about this marriage. They do not need much to tip them over the edge.”
“Really? They looked delighted about it when the King spoke,” Devlin interrupted.
Dina shook her head. “Have you learned nothing in your time here? To show your true feelings at a time like that would be a fatal mistake. But they are scared and furious. Nobody likes Meinster and he has just made himself the second most powerful man in the land. To those of us who have crossed him, defied him and thwarted his ambitions, it is a terrifying time. He never forgets and he never forgives. Oh, I can assure you that there are many nobles in Berry right now who are meeting and whispering nervously together.”
Fallon glanced at Rosaleen, who gave the smallest nod of her head, saying she could detect no lies there.
“We have to be careful. We are being watched by Regan,” he warned.
“And you are right to worry. He has a network of informants through the city, reporting back to him,” she admitted. “But he cannot keep you in here all the time. You will get a chance. If you find anything, send word to me and I will find a way to meet. Apart, we can do nothing to stop Aidan. Together, we stand a chance.”
Fallon glanced at Rosaleen and she nodded. “The truth,” she said.
Fallon signaled and Devlin escorted Dina and Gannon out.
“Do you think—” Brendan began but Fallon waved him down. “Wait for Devlin,” was all he said.
His mind was racing. He could see the possibilities in her words and part of him wanted to leap at the chance. But what of his dream? Was just killing the King enough or would he still be haunted if he did not sacrifice himself? Surely he needed to be punished as well …
“Well, that sounded better than you throwing your life away and maybe ours with it,” Devlin said as he walked back into the room.
Fallon looked around the table. “Is that what you all think?”
“It galls me to say it but maybe this is the best way,” Padraig said. “The real question though, is can you accept that or are you still set on killing yourself?”
Fallon rubbed his eyes. What had seemed so certain that morning was now all mixed up. Could he have a life after killing Cavan?
“I need to sleep on it,” he said, although it was only shortly after noon.
*
Kerrin wanted to go down to the crossbow range again. Anything was better than staying in these rooms. It had been bad enough when Dad talked to everyone and said the Prince was dead, but then it had got really scary when he started crying. Dad had never cried before, and he didn’t know what to do. Then he had been strange again that morning, while Padraig had wanted to sit with him and hug him. That was even scarier. Grandpa had begun to talk about the two of them living together and maybe going to look for Mam. He had wanted to ask about Dad but had been afraid of the answer. Then Dad and the others had come back, Dad looking angry and his friends looking happy, which was even more confusing.
When Dad walked into their room and lay down on his bed, saying nothing, he watched for a little while and then could take no more.
“Dad, what is going on?” he asked cautiously.
“Nothing.”
That was a lie, so he joined him on his bed. “Are you going away? Are you going to leave me?” he demanded, still afraid but having to know.
His dad stiffened, then sighed. “Maybe.”
“Why? Was it something I did? I know I wasn’t any good with the sword,” Kerrin said miserably.
Dad turned over then. “It was nothing you did. It was something I did. I might have to go but grandpa Padraig will watch
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