Too Many Princes (64 page)

“
She didn't have a name?
”
Cliodora scowled, as if she was sure Pikarus was teasing her.

“
Let it be, Cliodora,
”
Therula warned. Pikarus had been using only past tense in speaking of this mystery woman. Something must have happened to her. For one thing, if she were still alive, Brastigan wouldn't have her horse.

Cliodora walked along, pouting. Therula heard her muttering that she would ask him about it herself. Walking like this wasn't exactly togetherness, but Therula had no intention of being alone again. Reminding herself that she wanted to enjoy Pikarus's company, the elder princess asked,
“
What kind of horse is it?
”

“
Urulai,
”
Pikarus said.

“
Really?
”
Therula demanded. For a moment, her love smiled into her eyes, just as in days gone by.

“
It is a fine mare,
”
Pikarus said.
“
I can understand why Brastigan is so attached.
”

They had crossed the courtyard at last. Therula pushed into the stables, eager for a sight of the rare breed. It was easy to pick out the Urulai horse by her height alone. Her coat seemed to gleam in the dim light of the stable, a gray as pale as moonlight. The mare had her nose buried in a pouch of grain, but lifted her head with a snap as they approached.

A groom appeared, bowing to both princesses.
“
Did you want to ride, your highnesses? I'm afraid Fire Rose still isn't ready to ride, but there is the bay...
”

“
Bring me an apple,
”
Therula answered absently. Her full attention was on the beautiful horse.

The lad cleared his throat.
“
Your highness, Prince Brastigan didn't want anyone to be near this horse.
”

His Adam's apple bobbed nervously when Therula turned, frowning. Then she realized he was probably right. The Urulai horse had backed to the far end of her stall and fixed them with a wary regard. Strangers clearly made her uneasy, and a frightened horse was a dangerous horse.

“
It's all right,
”
Therula told the groom. She stepped back to give the animal room. It seemed she would have to be content with admiring the mare from a distance. She had an elegant, arched neck and dark eyes that reminded Therula of a wild deer. It was hard to estimate her height without getting closer, but the Urulai horse clearly overtopped the other beasts in the stable, just as Brastigan stood tall among men.

“
She's beautiful.
”
Cliodora sighed with longing.

“
I can see why Brastigan wanted her,
”
Therula agreed.

“
Sergeant!
”
A call made them all look around. Javes trotted into the stables.

“
No one's seen hide or hair of him,
”
Javes reported, breathing lightly.
“
I don't like this.
”

“
Nor do I,
”
Pikarus said. He turned to Therula.
“
We may still have time before dinner.
”

“
Time for what?
”
Therula asked. She had the feeling there was something she was supposed to know, something obvious, but she didn't know, and it chafed like a woolen cloak against her skin.

“
To find Brastigan,
”
Pikarus answered impatiently.
“
He must still be in his room. Can you summon the housekeeper to let us in?
”

“
Of course.
”
Therula turned away before her face betrayed her, but her heart was a storm of hurt and rage. Why was Brastigan so important? Pikarus had had weeks to talk to Brastigan! He should have wanted to spend time with her, Therula. To reassure her there was hope for their love. Instead, he was obsessed with her rascal brother.

Pikarus had said that Oskar's wager didn't matter, but maybe that wasn't how he really felt. For the first time, Therula was willing to consider that Oskar, with his odious assumptions, might have been right.

* * *

Someone was knocking on the door. A man's voice came muffled from the corridor. It might have been Pikarus. Or it might not.

Brastigan roused just enough to realize that he didn't care who it was or what they wanted. His head felt too heavy to lift. He let it rest on the tabletop and waited for the noise to stop so he could go back to sleep.

* * *

Brastigan snapped awake as rough hands caught at his elbows. Reflex, honed by too many days spent at the Dead Donkey, moved him before his mind was fully awake.

Brastigan caught the edge of the table, where he had been sleeping. He pushed with his hands and kicked with his feet. Table legs grated over the floor as the force sent him crashing into someone on his right.

“
Yoh!
”
the fellow yelled. There was a crash and a thud as Brastigan's chair and the man went to the floor together. Another man laughed coarsely.

Brastigan tottered backward, giving himself room. There were two men, one on either side of him. They wore the hauberks and helms of the palace guard.

“
Who are you?
”
Brastigan demanded. His voice was thick with drink.
“
Get out of here—I'm sleeping!
”

He was still in his quarters. Fading daylight in the window showed that he had been passed out for some while. His two visitors looked like Cruthan soldiers. There was the familiar black surcoat with the tower insignia on the breast. But that definitely wasn't Cruthan they were grunting at each other. They ignored his orders and advanced, grinning unpleasantly.

Unfortunately, Brastigan was still staggering drunk. At least, he hoped he was drunk. How else to explain the whirling black tunnel where the archway into his bedroom should be?

There was no time to think about that. The two men separated, coming at him from different angles. Brastigan had witnessed enough robberies to know what could happen next.

“
Get out of here!
”
he shouted. Brastigan was suddenly furious at these oafs for barging into his peaceful binge. They didn't listen.

He lunged at the man on his left. He used his foot instead of his fist, a spinning kick that blended into his dizziness. He was too slow. The fellow caught his foot and pulled, dragging him forward. Brastigan fell, but he managed to twist his foot free. He landed rolling and would have come to his feet, but the other one swung Margura's bottle in a swift green arc.

Light and pain exploded in Brastigan's head. He lay twitching, desperate to move. His legs wouldn't obey him. He was kicked onto his face. His arms were jerked behind him. Then came the cold click of manacles. And the world went away again.