The Bastard Prince of Hollowvale

ond blast was

ost had changed: men were on their feet, rifles emerging from cloaks, boots crunching hurried patterns in

st, and silence followe

ht what little sun made it through the haze. Behind them trailed a covered wagon and more soldiers-twenty, maybe

gnized the

te. A favorite of the crown, equal parts charming and cruel. He was dressed in furs over chainmail, a

past the gate, voice smooth as spiced win

jaw stepped forward. "Dep

with a grin. "Cond

norted. One hawked

rebels," th

horse's flank. "We're simply following reports of seditious traffic-illegal

the onlookers. He watched the wagon, the men beh

w facing the cro

trade stories, inspect what needs inspecting, an

not theirs. A sharp n

s gut t

the barracks, musk

iliar face. Lady Rythe. We danced once at a ta

deserved i

ll t

Might we make use of your hall for

hesi

ing slightly. "We're all

ed once. "You

teeth. "That

at and lies. Inside the main hall, a feast of dried root stew and boiled pork w

, untouched plate, eye

hat always ended with his blade in someone important. He wore his charism

al, saying little. Playing along. Sh

en's sleeve. A vial. Small, glass. He palmed it,

iced. Exce

, pushing away

e. "Ah. The brooding stranger," he said loudly. "Yo

said

id. "Unless you're

"You have too many men

I have exactly a

d moved towa

the first sold

unsheathing cut across

rything

y loaded underneath. Two guards at the back cut down the smugglers

lbow into the closest soldier's throat,

a furnace of s

nly the blur of motion and a b

Blood filled his m

ke rolled in. Flames li

h

im out of the room, across wet earth an

ion cleared just enough to see the

re

r, grayer-but those ice-

ice a rasp. "One day you'd ha