Forest Kingdom Trilogy 2 - Blood and Honor

knack for discovering things that everyone else had thought safely hidden. It wouldn't matter so much if he wasn't so damned honest. Beats me how he's survived at Court all these years.'
    Jordan worried his lower lip between his teeth and thought furiously. If he remembered his briefing correctly, with the King's death it was traditional for a Regent, chosen in advance by the King, to rule
    over the day-to-day problems of the Kingdom until a new King was declared. The Regent at this time was one Count William Howerd, first cousin to King Malcolm. A fair man, but a hard man, had been Roderik's summing up. And too honest for everyone's good, Gawaine had added.
    'How soon does he want to see me?' said Jordan. 'And where's DeGrange, and Argent? Shouldn't they be in on this?'
    'DeGrange is busy checking into whether there really is a traitor among our people,' said Gawaine. 'He'll join us when he can.'
    'I've sent word to Robert,' said Roderik, 'but we can't wait for him. The Regent wants to see you immediately. Lewis and Dominic are probably already on their way to Court by now. We must leave at once, your highness. It would look very bad if you were to arrive late.'
    Jordan nodded, and let them usher him out of the main door and into the corridor. The two guards followed along as an honour escort. It was only then that Jordan remembered he'd left the dog behind in the bedroom. Ah well, he thought, I could hardly have taken it into Court with me. I just hope it doesn't crap on the carpet while I'm gone. He glanced at Sir Gawaine, striding hurriedly along beside him.
    'What do you think of the new clothes? Is it a suitable outfit for meeting the Regent?'
    'It'll do,' said Gawaine. 'You've worn worse, in the past.'
    Jordan scowled. 'You're a great help. Look, what if the Regent really has found out about us? What can we do?'
    'I don't know about you,' said Gawaine, 'but if things do turn nasty, I personally will head for the nearest window, crash right through it without pausing, and keep on running until I reach a different country.
    Somehow I don't think the Regent will see the funny side of all this.'
    'Terrific,' said Jordan.
    He thought hard as they hurried down yet another corridor. Of all the confusing details in his new role, the missing will interested him the most. Whoever took it must either have wanted to know who the King had named as his successor, or have believed the will held a clue as to the whereabouts of the crown and the seal. But it seemed clear that neither Lewis nor Dominic had the crown and seal; if they had, they'd have made themselves King by now. Jordan didn't like the way his thoughts were heading. If the Princes didn't have the will, then who did? Could there be some other, separate party at work?
    Jordan looked up, startled, as his party came to a halt before the huge double doors that led into the Great Hall. Two servants swung open the doors, and stood rigidly to attention as the herald announced to the assembled Court the arrival of Prince Viktor and his party. The packed Hall fell silent as Jordan, Roderik and Gawaine stood a moment in the great doorway, taking in the scene, and then a slow ripple moved through the Court as the men bowed and the women curtsied. For a moment Jordan wanted to look behind him to see who was there, and then he realised they were paying homage to him, Prince Viktor of Redhart. He nodded curtly in response, and the courtiers relaxed a little. Jordan strode unhurriedly forward into the Hall, and Roderik and Gawaine moved with him. The two guards fell back a few paces, to give them the illusion of privacy. The courtiers chatted quietly about unimportant matters, but Jordan noticed that their eyes never moved far from him or his party. He stopped and looked boredly around him, doing his best to project an air of total indifference. Roderik leaned close to murmur in his ear.
    'Lewis and Dominic don't seem to have arrived yet. That's ominous. Given their headstart, they should have been here long before us. I'm going back to find DeGrange, and see what's happening. Gawaine will look after you. For the moment, don't take any risks. Just scowl at everyone and say nothing. They'll accept that as normal behaviour, particularly after a bad day's hunting. I'll be back with you as soon as I can.'
    He bowed formally to Jordan, and left unhurriedly. Only another actor would have spotted the telltale stiffness of tension in Roderik's back and shoulders. Jordan looked casually