"I wish I had acted sooner," Lyam said. "Sir Jehan had this entire plot in motion by the time I decided to do something."
"You knew this was about to happen?" Kai said, incredulously. "Then why didn't you tell me?"
"I tried, a couple of times," Lyam said softly. "But you had other things to do. You didn't seem too con- cerned with the affairs of the kingdom at the time."
Crestfallen, Kai looked down, studying the floor. "I suppose you're right. I had no idea how selfish I was.
Too busy getting drunk and fooling around with women. I should have seen it myself! How that man played me like a fine instrument, the same way he's playing my father. If only Father would come down. If he would listen to me! But it's too late for all of that"
Lyam looked like he was about to disagree, then apparently thought twice about it "Perhaps it is," he conceded, his shoulders sagging with d A guard entered the dungeon, whispered some- thing urgently to the four others. At once, they gathered up the cards and wine and stashed it all away in a hurry.
"What's going on over there?" Naitachal asked.
Maybe it's Sir Jehan coming down here to gloat. Or perhaps he wants one last wheedle for informati Althea before he executes us all.
Two more guards, each wearing an elaborate uni- form more suitable for the King's chambers, looked around the dungeon carefully before whispering to someone unseen in the outer corridor. Kai looked up from his sitting position, in time to see his father, Archenomen, cautiously enter the dungeon.
Kai leaped to his feet, the chains rattling loudly around him. The boy opened his mouth to speak, but nothing cam Naitachal also got to his feet, as did Lyam.
No one spoke as the King approached the cells, his footsteps echoing loudly in the dungeon.
There was something peculiar about this visit The guards who were "watching" them seemed rather disturbed that the King was present, while the King's personal guards glanced at them suspiciously.
Did they listen to us? Are the King's personal guards beginning to notice something wrong? Are they starting to see what Jehan is doing? Naitachal thought hopefully.
The King first went to Lyam's cell. "Sir Jehan claimed that you were trying to overthrow me by tak- ing control of the guard," the King said, sounding a little surprised. "He also denied that he had taken you and the Ambassador prisoner. He said you were still at large. Yet, here you both are."
King Archenomen turned to look at the Ambassa- dor. Naitachal bowed respectfully, but said nothing.
He turned back to Lyam. "What exactly is going on here, Captain?"
Lyam cleared his throat. "If I may speak freely, Majesty. Sir Jehan is conspiring to start a war Althea. I suspect he may be plotting to overthrow you, in the confusion that such a war would engender."
The King shook his head, bewildered. Naitachal was beginning to feel confused, himself. There seemed to be two Archenomens, or possibly more!
One was a simple-minded man who believed every- thing Jehan told him. One was a frightened child, cringing at every hint of magic. One was a shrewd ruler, and one a senile old man who could not remem- ber what was happening from day to day. . Archenomen was real? All of them? Or none?
Right now it seemed to be a combination of the simpleton and the child. "But that makes no s Lyam. He has everything he could want."
Lyam replied carefully. "No, Your Majesty, he does not. He doesn't have the throne. Kai was quite correct in saying that assassins were sent to kill him and Alaire; one struck a fatal blow to your son. Alaire raised magic in order to save his life. Kai was not trying to raise an army of wizards to defeat you. These were all clever stories by Sir Jehan to appeal to your fears, and to turn you against your son. I admit Kai has been less than responsible in the last several months, but he is far from being the traitor Sir Jehan would have you believe."
The King went to his son's cell, looked through the bars at him. Naitachal began to hope. There was more intelligence in the Kings eyes than he had seen in a long time.
And he began to remember certain drugs that could befuddle even the wisest man. Had Jehan been drugging the King?
"Is this true, son?" the King said, softly.
Kai swallowed, but looked his father in the eye.