Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

Lonsdale House

London home of the Earl of Hereford and Worcester

"W e believe it is a credible threat, Chris." A middle-aged man with shoulder-length gray hair and piercing, dark eyes was speaking over the rim of his cup. "You know that there are plenty of John's supporters who seek vengeance for what happened to the man. Many of them believe John was murdered so Henry could be put upon the throne and they wouldn't be wrong."

In the large solar of Lonsdale with an entire wall of windows that faced out over the Thames, four men were peppered throughout the room. Standing, sitting, leaning… and listening.

It was an important moment.

Since William Marshal's death a few years earlier, his son, also William, had stepped into his father's shoes admirably. With the country calming somewhat after years of turbulent reign from John, they had a fifteen-year-old boy on the throne and he was being guided by some of the greatest men in England. Henry's personality was much different from his father's, but as with most men who grow up royal, he had a certain disconnect. His reality wasn't the reality of most of the people in England, for he lived in a world of intrigue, politics, and a legacy that wasn't always a proud one. But Henry wanted to do good and he was being molded by men who also had a more peaceful and global view of England's future.

But there were those who resented the new rule and the new ruler, those loyal to his father who saw the lad as a usurper. They'd been dealing with those rebels for the past seven years and, thus far, had been able to root them out and remove them.

Christopher didn't see any difference with this latest threat.

"Nay, they would not be wrong about John's death," he said after a moment of pause. "We all know that John's death was hastened. But I do not regret it and I know your father did not, either. It was his idea. As regent for young Henry, he believed a nine-year-old king was better than his father, who was destroying the country. We've had these threats before, so I am unconcerned with this one."

"I'm not."

A man standing over near one of the windows overlooking the Thames turned towards the group. Sir Sean de Lara, a powerful Marcher lord known as the Lord of the Trilaterals for his three important outposts, was a man with a great deal of experience when it came to kings and threats and espionage. He had been King John's bodyguard for several long and horrifying years, but the truth was that he had been a spy for William Marshal, placed next to the king to keep an eye on him. He'd almost been killed for his dedication the year before John died but, these days, he was healed and stronger than ever.

He was a man to listen to.

"Why, Sean?" Christopher said. "Tell me what you're hearing."

Sean stepped away from the window. An enormous man with piercing eyes, his gaze moved between William, Christopher, and David, who had come to town for the same celebration that had them all here. Some of the most trusted and important men in all of England and an integral part of The Marshal's spy network known as the Executioner Knights.

"I have my own spies, as you know," Sean said, which was true. He'd largely taken over a big portion of the espionage branch of the Executioner Knights. "The word from my men in London is that a former supporter of John has engaged an assassin to move against young Henry. Unfortunately, rumor has it that he is someone we all know and trust."

Christopher frowned. "Who?" he demanded. "An ally? An Executioner Knight, God forbid?"

Sean shrugged. "That has not been made clear," he said. "All I know is that it is someone we know and would not suspect, which is going to make our task more difficult."

"Then what do we do?" David asked. "How are we supposed to protect the king from people we trust?"

Sean nodded. "A very good question," he said. "I am trying to get more information. But until then, we are going to have to be very careful with the king's movements and who is with him on a daily basis. For example, this celebration for his day of birth. Everyone of importance has been invited. How do we know it is not one of them? While I do not believe it is any of our core agents, I would not be surprised to know it is someone on the fringe, someone we have mayhap worked with in the past and, therefore, would be trusting of him. As I said, I am trying to get more information but until I do, we are going to have to confine Henry."

William grunted. "That will not be a simple thing," he said. "For example, Bromley's Tournament of Champions is happening and Henry has expressed his desire to attend."

No one seemed to think that was a good idea, but Christopher spoke softly. "On that note, you should be aware of something," he said. "I know you all remember that Jax de Velt's son, Cassian, served me for a long time and was betrothed to my daughter when he disappeared shortly after Jax's death."

"I do recall that," Sean said, looking at him curiously. "That was a very sad thing, indeed. He was traveling home to pay his respects to his father when he vanished."

Christopher sighed heavily and sat back in his chair, facing his trusted friends and his brother.

"It seems that Cass has been found," he said. "He is competing in Bromley's tournament."

While Sean and William simply looked confused, David nearly exploded. He'd not heard the news before now and his expression was one of shock and rage.

"He's what ?" he hissed. "He's at Bromley? How do you know this?"

Christopher put up a hand to ease him. "Essien, Addax, and Sherry found him," he said. "Es and Addax went to compete in a tournament in Gloucester and Cass was one of the competitors. Evidently, he's a career tournament knight who goes by the name of The Dark Conqueror these days. Sherry got a good look at him and confirmed that it was, indeed, Cass. That is why I've given Es and Addax permission to compete at Bromley, why I've sent my children and grandchildren and knights over there. Including Brielle."

David stared at him a moment, astonished. "Does she know he's there?"

"She does not."

"Do you not think that is going to be a terrible shock to her?"

Christopher rubbed his chin. "I have debated whether or not to tell her," he said. "But in the end, I decided not to. If I told her now, it would only make her wild with angst and confusion and she would build it up in her mind. If she goes to the tournament and happens to see him, I feel that it is the better situation for her. She'll not do anything radical or hysterical with her siblings, nieces, and nephews about. Or her son."

David understood, sort of. He knew all about Max. "But what about her son?" he said. "Won't she tell Cassian?"

"I would assume so," Christopher said. "My greater concern is where he has been these past seven years. It has been lingering in the back of my mind that, somehow, he was robbed and hit on the head and left with no memory of who he was. That is the only reason I can imagine for him simply disappearing like that. Mayhap he didn't know enough to come home. That thought is the only reason I'm not storming the tournament field right now and dragging him off in chains. I think we need to approach this situation very carefully, for even if he disappeared on purpose, there has to be a reason behind it. The Cass I knew was a responsible, dedicated young knight. In any case, something terrible has happened. I want to know what it is."

David didn't have as much patience as his brother and simply nodded his head, even if he didn't entirely agree. But Sean was very interested in the situation.

"You're sure it's him, Chris?" he asked.

Christopher nodded. "Sherry saw him. He knows him. He confirmed that it is Cassian."

Sean appeared thoughtful. "Let me put some of my men on this mystery," he said. "Let me see if I can find out where Cassian has been for the past seven years and why he might have left without a trace."

"It couldn't hurt."

It was settled. As Christopher and David and William began speaking more about the tournament itself, Sean was lingering on Cassian de Velt. His trusted spies had told him that a former supporter of John had engaged an assassin who was trusted by the rebel warlords. An ally who would not be suspected. Sean didn't know why he was suddenly interested in Cassian de Velt, but something told him to investigate the man. Strange that the man should suddenly appear when this new threat had surfaced. He certainly fit that description. Where had he been over the past seven years?

He was going to find out.

What more perfect assassin than a long-lost son of a beloved ally, who would be welcomed by those close to the king with open arms?

An interesting thought, indeed.