A Flight of Ravens by John Conroe (books to improve english .TXT) 📕

riveted manacles around all four of Neil’s limbs as well as a collar around his neck, all five rings connected by expensive steel chain that could be adjusted as the guards saw fit.

Near the end of the process, Dr. Eltienne entered the throne room, carefully skirted the imprisoning process, and approached the acting queen.

“Doctor, what word on my father’s condition?” she asked.

He glanced at all the people, but she waved him to speak.

“Ah, His Maj…” He faltered as he took in her seat upon the throne.  “Ah, your father, the king, is momentarily stable.  His left kidney was punctured by a knife stab and his superior vena cava was nicked as well.  He was tremendously lucky that his attacker”—the doctor looked at Slinch—“botched the heart strike.  It was also fortunate that I was still nearby after my earlier exam, Your Majesty. He has lost the kidney, but his bleeding has been controlled.  He is unconscious, but we must be very wary of infection.”

“Would you repeat for the benefit of the others here why you had examined and treated him earlier?” Brona asked.

“At Her Majesty’s request, I examined King Helat for signs of long-term poisoning by scorpion sand striker venom.  The king allowed the examination, and I did, in fact, find signs that he’d been exposed to very diluted venom for some period of time.”

“Why, Doctor?” Kiven Armstrong asked.  “Why would anyone use that particular toxin?”

The doctor glanced my way, then turned back to the group.  “Sand striker venom, if highly diluted, will bring on bouts of intense psychosis.  I believe it was used in the last war to destabilize the woldling hordes.”

“And you absolutely know the king was suffering from such poison?” my father asked.

“Yes. The venom causes a green tinge to the sclera of the eye, the, ah, white part.  It also damages the nerves in the bottom of its victim’s feet.  The king showed both of these symptoms.  Moreover, he instantly responded to the antidote I administered.”

“Your High… er… Majesty,” my father began, his tone somehow implying impropriety in the honorific of the acting queen. “How, pray tell, did you know to look for such poisoning?”

“Why, Lord DelaCrotia, it was your son,” Brona said instantly.  “Not your traitorous one, but your patriotic one, who saw the signs in my father even as the king was ordering him jailed while in the depths of Neil’s induced psychosis.”

“I see,” Father said, looking my way, making it seem suspicious.

“Do you, Lord DelaCrotia?  Really?” she asked, brows raised.  “Because it seems like you don’t.  In fact, I get the distinct impression that you somehow are misinterpreting this entire series of events.  Let me set you straight.”

“Now, Brona,” my father said, instantly causing everyone around him to take a step away and earning himself the undivided attention of Erser, Kiven, and every guard.  “I mean, Your Majesty,” he started to correct, but Brona held up one hand, palm out.

“Let’s see, Rucian. Your second son has turned traitor and become a Tainted agent of the Paul.  That dishonor might by itself be enough for me, as acting queen, to name your title and lands forfeit. In fact, there might even be an edict already signed by my father to that effect but held in abeyance somewhere around here at my request,” Brona said.  “However, the actions of your third son continue to far outweigh the damage done by Tallen. I could enumerate them all, but some are so secret that if I told you, I might have to have you killed.  Therefore, in the interests of your family, perhaps you might avoid adding any weight to the side of dishonor?” she asked him.

My father was furious and embarrassed. I knew the visual signs well.  A major part of his personal approach to manipulation focused upon turning the perceptions of his audience against the object of his ire.  Brona had deftly cut his legs out from under him before he could do so. All he could do was nod and keep his mouth shut.

“For those of you who were not in the castle tonight, upon the good doctor’s treatment, Neil Slinch reacted by personally stabbing the king and sending Raven assassins to kill me.  It seems I was better guarded than my father, no doubt because I was not suffering from toxin-induced psychosis and had had the good sense to send for my Shadows.  The assassins died, some Ravens barricaded themselves here in the throne room and were driven out by my forces, while Slinch and allies attempted escape, and the rest you know,” she said with a wave at me and Jella.

“But why, Your Majesty?” Lord Grantell asked.

“Because he was already owned by another country before he ever came back to Montshire,” Lady Kardian said in her gruff voice.

Brona smiled and leaned back on the throne, waving for Lady Kardian to continue.  She looked every inch the queen.

“King Helat and Slinch roomed together in the Royal Academy when we were all much younger,” Lady Kardian began. “After graduation, Slinch went on something of a journey of self-discovery.  Traveled about Nengled but ended up in Berkette.  Neil is from a merchant family, one with solid success, enough to buy his way into the Academy.  King Helat’s father, old King Sarn, wanted his son to know the common people, hence his selection as a roommate.  I was part of your father’s class, Your Majesty, and we had known each other our whole lives, so I was often around when Neil and Helat held their famous group discourses.  They covered almost every topic imaginable, but I distinctly remember Neil ranting about the inherent societal injustice of the kingdom’s system.  He was much enamored of Berkette’s Republic, weren’t you, Neil?” she asked, looking at the drooling, kneeling Slinch.  “Thought Montshire should be remade into Berkette’s mirror image, where a successful man could buy his way into power.  When King Sarn passed on and Helat ascended the throne, Neil appeared for the coronation and wormed his way into a