Page 44 of Crownless King

“No. That’s his current favorite, Barbet.”

By the way Barbet held his head, however, one would think his station was far higher than simply a lord’s favorite.

Voron marched straight to him.

“Greetings. We’ve come to speak with your High Lord.” He sounded weary; the journey had been rather tiring for all of us.

Barbet hiked his chin up even higher, making me wonder if wearing that many giant feathers made his neck stiff and sore.

“High Lord Cardinali sentmeto greet you. He doesn’t like using the servants’ entrance himself. Sadly, we don’t have much choice in this case, do we? The main entrance is seven floors up, which clearly is too high for some.”

His lips quivered either in a condescending smile or a grimace of distaste. It didn’t matter which one. The insult was obvious in his words, as was the pompous look he gave Voron.

Indignation jolted through me like an electric shock. This was such a low blow, even for the arrogant prick that Barbet looked to be. Anger blinded me. I barely heard the swishing of Voron’s sword being drawn as I took a step forward.

“Whoa.” I squinted at Barbet, tilting my head. “You’re way too full of yourself, my lord. Your ego is so bloated, you better hold on to something before you fly off like a balloon, without even having to use your precious wings.”

Barbet jerked his head back, blinking at me as everyone around us broke into laughter. Even the highborn who had come with him snorted and snickered.

He rotated his head back and forth, as if searching for help. His confusion was comical on its own, making the laughter intensify.

The High Lord’s courtiers chuckled, some more furtively than others. The servants behind them guffawed to their hearts’ content, holding their sides and slapping their thighs or the sides of their tails.

“Who the fuck isshe?” Barbet shrieked, pointing at me with both hands.

“Lady Sparrow.” Voron moved him aside with his sword. “Remember her name with gratitude. She’s just saved your life. I would’ve skewered you like the dumb turkey that you are.”

He strolled past Barbet. I stepped around the haughty courtier, too, and said to Voron with a sideways glance at Barbet, “There’d better be a reason for all that self-importance other than those flashy feathers. Though I doubt there is one.”

Slapping Barbet’s painted face would’ve felt wonderful. But seeing the look of humiliation in his eyes was almost as satisfying.

Voron shrugged. “Lord Cardinali changes his favorites more often than even Tiane did. He’ll probably be replaced before we even leave here.”

I noticed he’d stopped referring to his twin brother as “the king.” Voron either already thought about himself as the monarch or was training his mind to think that way.

“Now,” Voron addressed the crowd gathered behind Barbet. “Is there anyone here less chatty and more useful? You.” He pointed with his sword at anarienman. “Take us to your High Lord.”

* * *

High Lord Cardinali was a tall, slender man with long, crimson-red hair and skin just a shade lighter. He rubbed his chin in thought, staring at the tablecloth in front of him.

The dinner had ended. The entire household had been dismissed, leaving Voron and me one-on-one with the High Lord. Voron had told him who he was, and judging by the High Lord’s expression, he remained skeptical.

“That sounds interesting, Lord Voron. Nice tale and such, but why have we never heard of your birthright before? Where are the eyewitnesses? There are usually crowds of nobles flocking around a royal birthing. Yet no one has said a word about your birth for almost two hundred years.”

“Out of the people present that day, only two have survived,” Voron replied.

The High Lord shook his head. “That’s impossible.”

“Not if they have deliberately been eradicated.”

Scratching his chin, the High Lord mulled over Voron’s words.

“Who are the surviving two?”

“The priest and the musician.” Voron leaned back in his chair. “But I’m sure they have given so many promises to the royal family that they would perish the moment they even think about speaking the truth.”

The High Lord frowned.

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