The Diamond Throne

stammered in surprise, ‘I didn’t know that you were in Cimmura.’
    ‘I didn’t think you did, Annias. As you’ve so correctly pointed out, the Pandions are under Church authority As the ranking churchman present, I think it’s proper for me to take charge of this inquiry You are to be commended for the way in which you have conducted things thus far, however’
    ‘But –’
    ‘That will be all, Annias,’ Dolmant dismissed him. He turned then to the kings and to Lycheas, who was staring open-mouthed at him.
    ‘Your Majesties,’ the patriarch began, pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind him as if deep in thought. ‘This is indeed a serious accusation. Let us, however, consider the character of the accusers. On the one hand, we have an untitled merchant, and on the other, a runaway serf. The accused is the preceptor of an order of Church Knights, a man whose honour has always been above question. Why would a man of Lord Vanion’s stature commit such a crime? Indeed, we have as yet received no substantiation that the crime did in fact take place. Let us not move in haste.’
    ‘As I mentioned, your Grace,’ Annias injected, ‘I have dispatched church soldiers to Arcium to view the scene of the crime with their own eyes. I have also ordered them to seek out the churchmen who were in the castle of Count Radun and witnessed this horror and to return with them to Cimmura. Their reports should leave no doubts whatsoever.’
    ‘Ah, yes,’ Dolmant agreed. ‘None whatsoever. I think, however, that I might be able to save us a bit of time. As it happens, I myself have with me a man who witnessed what happened at the castle of Count Radun, and I don’t think his testimony can be questioned by any man here.’ He looked at the robed and cowled Count Radun, who had remained unobtrusively at the rear of the chamber. ‘Would you be so good as to step forward, brother?’ he said.
    Annias was gnawing on a fingernail. His expression clearly showed his chagrin at having the proceedings taken out of his grasp and at the appearance of Dolmant’s unexpected witness.
    ‘Would you reveal your identity to us, brother?’ Dolmant asked mildly as the count joined him before the kings.
    There was a tight grin on Radun’s face as he pushed back his hood.
    ‘Uncle!’ King Dregos gasped in astonishment.
    ‘Uncle?’ King Wargun exclaimed, coming to his feet and spilling his wine.
    ‘This is Count Radun – my uncle,’ Dregos told him, his eyes still wide with amazement.
    ‘You seem to have made an astonishing recovery, Radun.’ Wargun laughed. ‘My congratulations. Tell me, how did you stick your head back on?’
    Annias had gone very pale He stared in stunned disbelief at Count Radun. ‘How did you –’ he blurted. Then he recovered. He looked around wildly for an instant as if seeking a way to escape. Then he seemed to get hold of himself. ‘Your Majesties,’ he stammered, ‘I have been misled by false witnesses. Please forgive me.’ He was visibly sweating now. Then he spun about. ‘Seize those two liars!’ He pointed at Tessera and Verl, who were both cringing in terror Several red-liveried guards quickly rushed the pair from the room.
    ‘Annias thinks very fast on his feet, doesn’t he?’ Kaltenmurmured to Sparhawk. ‘How much would you care to wager that those two will manage somehow to hang themselves before the sun goes down – with a certain amount of help, of course?’
    ‘I’m not a betting man, Kalten,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘Not on a proposition like that, anyway.’
    ‘Why don’t you tell us what really happened at your castle, Count Radun?’ Dolmant suggested.
    ‘It was really fairly simple, your Grace,’ Radun replied. ‘Sir Sparhawk and Sir Kalten arrived at my gates some time ago and warned me that a group of men dressed in the armour of Pandion Knights were planning to gain entry by subterfuge and murder me and my family. They had a number of real Pandions with them. When the impostors arrived, Sir Sparhawk led his knights against them and drove them off.’
    ‘Fortuitous,’ King Obler observed. ‘Which of these stalwarts is Sir Sparhawk?’
    Sparhawk stepped forward. ‘I am, your Majesty’
    ‘How did you become aware of this plot?’
    ‘It was quite by accident, your Majesty. I happened to overhear a conversation concerning it. I immediately informed Lord Vanion, and he ordered Kalten and me to take preventive steps.’
    King Dregos rose to his feet