Bright Swords of Serena

Chapter 5

 Hollander left King Raidon's office as quickly as he courteously could, ignoring his friends and Amory following after. In his rooms he sank down on the couch, hands locked behind his neck, elbows on his knees. There were worried voices, a door shutting and then Devran saying, "Anders?"

"Leave me alone."

"Are you all right?"

He was, or would be soon: with the succession provided for, people would leave Caro alone, would leave Susanna alone, maybe even leave him alone. The sense of pressure off his back was incredible. But it should have been done years ago, and he knew it, and Calvan and Raidon had known it. Why had they had to wait so long?

"Go away," Hollander said to a persistent Devran. He wanted to be alone with the news. "Or at least get me something to drink."

He meant tea; what appeared in his hands was a glass of whiskey. He didn't even like whiskey; he kept it in his quarters for Clark. Must have been the first thing someone had laid hands on. He downed the contents of the small glass and set the glass on the table. His throat and stomach were burning, but he felt better. Devran's arm was about him, Devran's voice encouraging him to breathe. Then someone knocked on the doors.

Company. Damn it. All he wanted was privacy. He said, "Go see, Sasha," and Amory went to open the doors.

"Sir? Count Rosslyn."

Well, it could have been worse. He sat up and said, "Come in, if you must."

Rosslyn ignored his rudeness and sat down across the table from him. "I just came to ask—"

"I'm fine, thank you, now go about your business."

"Not why I'm here. You understand it had to be done."

"I'm not stupid."

"I meant why he had to wait."

"Calvan, or Raidon?" Devran said scornfully.

Rosslyn said patiently, "Raidon. He couldn't push Calvan while he was still in mourning, and then there was Soliane Banks and the Maruja, and there wasn't any time to do it otherwise."

"We know that," Clark said. "But you're a friend of Lady Dana's family. And of Calvan's, since then. Where were you last night? Convincing our crown prince exactly who to name?"

"I had nothing to do with it," Rosslyn said. "Calvan wanted my advice on something else."

"Namely?"

"Namely none of your business. I came for other things, too. Let me point something out. I've spent some time in the navy, and I know it would have been easier for Captain Cherys to take the Maruja to the White Isles, say Marys Harbor, than to Cape Sharon. That anchorage is a curse, between the cross-currents and all the chop over the Demmardene shoals. She was taking a big chance in an unfamiliar ship with a deep keel, wouldn't you say?"

"What's your point?" Clark said.

"What's the difference between Losindar and the Isles?"

"You tell us," Devran retorted.

"Only a marginal difference of time, from Soliane Banks. A great deal of difference in Count. I've met Cherys. I've sailed with her. She's good, she's smart, and I respect her judgment to hell and gone. So why Nicky over Inig?"

"Do lead us."

Rosslyn ignored his sarcasm as she had his rudeness. "Because Nicky is ten times the sailor Inig is, and, I'm sorry, she's a lot smarter. Inig wouldn't have gotten it. Wouldn't have rushed to Miroen with it. And we'd all be a few days behind, and not persuaded of the danger, and that much closer to disaster with Aethir."