---

SALAZAR QUATES

Shortly after putting an end to the rebellion, King Diablo sent me and three thousand of his soldiers to retake Harkhall. He sent the rest of his forces to clean up the country of the remaining Decan loyalists.

"The first priority is to retake Harkhall," he ordered us lords. "The second is to find Lady Joy and bring her to court. Do what you must if she puts up a struggle. But don't harm my son's elf-girl ward. I don't want to start a war with the elves. Make sure you either escort her back to Lord Vargo or keep her well-guarded until a party of his comes and gets her."

This was bad.

King Diablo doesn't suspect me of being an informant, so my house and I are safe. But everything is crumbling for Decan.

If I hadn't stepped in, his father would've ended him. He's alive right now and it's terrible that I can't visit to tell him news, but Joy is in danger. I know that he'd want me to put her first.

Decan was too straight a man. He only worried about what was ahead of him and never paid attention to everything else around. In the event something like this were to happen, I hope he had a plan to keep Joy safe.

He has to have one.

I didn't mention it to him or King Diablo, but I noticed Ser Castell and Patch missing by his side.

He must've ordered them to stay back at Harkhall and protect Joy.

For Joy's sake, Decan, let my prediction be right.

We arrived at Harkhall in only three weeks. The guards that manned the walls gave up the castle the moment I went to negotiate.

"Where's Lady Joy?" I asked. "And Valentine?"

"Why do you think we gave up Harkhall so easily?" Edric the master-at-arms said. "We've got no one to protect."

"Are you telling me they fled?"

"Ser Castell and Lord Decan's squire arrived with a dozen knights. The squire and two knights took Lady Valentine and rode for Lesorias. Ser Castell and the others took Lady Joy and fled. Dr Vyman received a message from the Capital that Lord Decan was defeated and locked away. He told us to give up Harkhall if we wanted to live."

"He's right about that. Raise the portcullis and have the castle go into quarantine. No one enters, no one leaves."

Decan may be too straight, but he was smart where it counted.

It was getting late so I ordered my men to rest and start a search party for Joy first thing in the morning. The soldiers celebrated by drinking to our recapture of Harkhall. I went to bed, ordering them to keep quiet.

I snuck out that night and rode for the most likely place Joy ran off too. It was a hidden tower not many people knew about—certainly not soldiers who weren't familiar with this area.

The only way to the tower was through a chokepoint in between a canyon. However, if a skilled jynxist were to use an earth spell to cover up the path, no one would be the wiser.

The next day we did a grid search within a ten-league vicinity from Harkhall. After two days of searching, I left Lord Grell to take charge of Harkhall and rode back to the Capital to report that Lady Joy had gone into hiding.

"She'll be found at some point," King Diablo said, handing me a letter. "It's an intercepted message from Dr Vyman to Decan and dated on the day of the eclipse. Joy is bearing Decan's child and she can't stay in hiding forever. We just need to be patient."

Joy is with his child? This just complicates things.

After Decan's birth, King Diablo lost the ability to have children. He wouldn't end his house by executing his only son. That was the one thing that guaranteed Decan's safety.

But if King Diablo gets ahold of his grandchild, he will have an heir. He'll have no need to keep Decan alive.

"Of course, Your Grace."

"I'm summoning all of the houses that remained neutral and took up arms against me. They will bend the knee and swear fealty. I want you to gather the houses that are uncooperating."

It took a fortnight for all of the houses to gather at the Capital. The lords and their families stayed at the apartments and the lesser nobles at lavished inns.

On the day of the ceremony, the throne room filled with standing nobles. It was always a courtesy to provide seats during ceremonies, but King Diablo ordered none to be set up.

He did allow the children to take seats.

The quartz throne was higher than the rest of the throne room floor. Half a century of steps led to the platform and on that was the quartz throne.

I, along with the council, the royal guard, and the lords and nobles who stayed loyal to King Diablo's side stood behind the seated king.

The throne room had always been empty and used for looks. It was only really used during ceremonies and when commoners were allowed to ask for the King's Justice.

However, it wasn't commoners that filled the throne room this time around, but nobles, all looking up to the king.

The room had gotten so hot that the doors were left open, leaving half a dozen jynxists to circulate the air.

King Diablo raised his hand and the entire room silenced.

It took so little for a king to command.

The herald stepped forward. "In recent news, Decan Lancaster, King Diablo's own son has attempted to usurp him under the ruse that the king was performing a ritual. He was swiftly defeated when they encountered King Diablo, but the damage had been done. The country is in ruin. The realm is divided. The city has been sacked. And the rumour is working its magic. You lords who stand before us were against the king or took no sides. His Grace has summoned you all to bend the knee and swear fealty."

King Diablo spoke. "I offer you my counsel, my lords. Bend the knee and swear fealty to me. I will pardon your crimes and allow you to go back home. I just want your word that you will never take up arms against me again."

One by one, the summoned lords approached the steps, easing their swords out of their scabbards and laying them on the first step.

"You are the one true king," Lord Martin said. "We were wrong for going up against you, and picking no sides was a no lesser crime. But now we see that you are the only king we mean to bend our knees to."

One by one, they swore their fealty until none were left kneeling.

"Your words run deep, my lords," King Diablo told them. "But they can be broken like the words of fealty you swore when I was crowned. I want more than words to assure you that you will not revolt again. You've got beautiful families, my lords, it was good that I asked you to bring them."

Soldiers approached the lords' children.

"I will be taking one child from each house as a ward."

"No," Lord Martin begged. "You cannot."

"Words cannot assure that you will not revolt, but the lives of your children will. If you think of rebelling against me again, I hope you think of your children first."

Holding lords' children as hostages disguised as wards was something King LaFleur did. King Diablo was now doing the same.

He's becoming the very ruler he overthrew. It's like nothing has changed.

We don't need a king who saves the people for honour or glory. We need a king who saves the people because it's right. A king has to be loved by the people before he even becomes one. King Diablo was no one until he took over King LaFleur.

Lineage is not a reliable way to pick a good leader. It should be chosen through ways other than blood. We need someone who rules because they want to. We don't need a king who just sits and does whatever, leaving matters to his subjects.

Decan was that person.

"If any man in this hall has matters they want to set before His Grace, speak forth or forever hold your peace," the herald declared.

I must do it now. May the gods be on my side.

I took one step, then another, and another after that. I kept taking steps until I was at the bottom of the stairs where the rest of the lords had been. "Your Grace."

King Diablo stared with a menacing look. "What matters do you have, my lord?"

"What of Decan?"

"He is a traitor and traitors must be dealt with. Whatever you say won't change that."

"He is a traitor. I won't deny it. But he was my friend. He is your son. I understand that he deserves to be punished, but all I ask for is mercy."

"He still garners followers. If he is gone, they will be as silent as him."

"There is a doubt in your heart, Your Grace. If you wanted to kill him, you would've done so."

"I haven't killed him because I'm still thinking over what he can and can't be used for."

"What of your legacy? Everyone is well aware that you are unable to conceive another child. Decan is all you have and he is your heir. If you kill him, your house will crumble into nothing."

"It's true that I can't have an heir. But Lady Joy bears his child, and that child will have my blood. That child is as much an heir of mine as he is."

"What if that child isn't born a boy? Your name will still disappear. And even if the babe is a boy, Lady Joy is missing. We cannot find her."

"We will. I've got the entire realm searching. The knights guarding her know how to take lives, not deliver them. She can't go through childbirth alone."

"At least send him to the Divot. I beg you for that. Strip him of all titles and let him serve the realm."

"Treachery is a weed," Lord Martin reasoned out. "If you don't pluck it off the roadside, it will consume innocents that pass. What madness do you think will drive His Grace to spare the life of a traitor?"

"The madness of mercy. And don't speak of traitors so lightly, Lord Martin. If I recall your words, you are as much a traitor as he is."

"Do you know the story Gallidus the Gallant?" King Diablo asked. "The lord that gave mercy to thieves that torched his villages. Gallidus would later come to die when the same thieves set his castle ablaze. It's not swords and arrows that kill. Mercy kills." He stayed silent for a while. "But your words and determination have moved me, Salazar. Your father and I grew up together as wards under King LaFleur. You and Decan did the same under Lord Arynn. Your father was much a brother to me as Decan is to you. And you are right. He is my son. Decan will be punished, but I will grant him mercy."

"Thank you, Your Grace."

"However, Decan's planted a seed within the people about some ritual. It's a lie, but trouble starts when people start believing it. I won't let myself be harassed by these impunities. I look like a villain and he looks like a hero. That's how kings fall. I shall do as you ask and spare my son, but Decan has to confess. I want him to tell the people that he was trying to usurp his king and father. I want him to put an end to these rumours."

They are not rumours.

I bowed. "He will, Your Grace. I will tell him myself."

"He shall then summon Lady Joy to court and I will name his child as my heir. He will then live the rest of his days as Warden of the Divot. I will grant him the ability to visit his wife and child on special occasions."

"You are generous."

"But he must confess."

"He will," I said, my heart soaring. "Oh, I know he will."