RHIDAUNA, The Shadow of the Revenaunt, Book 1

CHAPTER 18 AT THE PALACE (Part Two)

Again, Ghyll was aroused, now by noise in the hallway. A voice, authoritarian and unintelligible, rose above the sound of footsteps and rattling keys. Panic? he thought vaguely.

Then the door crashed open and a number of guards stormed into the cell. The regent, beet red and agitated, squeezed past them and confronted Ghyll.

'This,' he exclaimed, with a wave to the dirty cell. 'This was not the intention! The guards should have offered you a guest room, not this... this hole. Only when Father Jenos began about the dungeons, I understood. Terrible, in one word terrible.'

Ghyll saw how excited the old man was. 'It's all right,' he said. 'I mostly slept.'

The regent took a deep breath. 'Father Jenos reported that you are indeed Jadron's ward. Jenos is a mentalist; he knows when someone speaks a falsehood. You are truly Ghyllander Halban Hardingraud, King of Rhidauna.' With an agility that belied his age, the old duke sank on one knee. 'Welcome home, Highness,' he said. Immediately, the guards jumped to attention and the combined sound of their fists against their breastplates echoed through the cell.

Ghyll felt faint, as if the whole cell wavered around him. All of a sudden, reality eluded him. 'There's a mistake. I only came to bring the regalia back. I'm not the king, or anything.' He dropped down on the edge of the bed.

'But you are, sire,' he heard the regent say. 'The youngest son of King Halfraud IV and Queen Milliane from the House of Leudra-Lidraud.'

Still feeling lightheaded, Ghyll followed the duke to release the Companions from their cells.

Olle was walking up and down his cell, worried about his foster brother. But when he saw nothing was wrong, he relaxed.

Torril sat in his cell, hands clasped between his knees, looking dispirited, but at the sight of Ghyll, his face brightened. 'I wondered what kept you.'

'Now you've been in a Rhidaunan dungeon after all,' Ghyll said. 'And they don't even know who you are!'

'Tsk,' Torril said haughtily. 'You call this a dungeon? Where are the rats? The mold on the walls? The shackles and chains? And it is all dry.'

'This is Prince Torril of the Nhael,' Ghyll said gently to the regent. 'He is a good friend to Rhidauna.'

Bo looked upset when they freed him, 'Already? I had almost thought of a way to blow out the cell door. Ah, that would've given them a bang!'

'Magister Bernabo Lusindral,' Ghyll said. 'Boom-is-Bo they called him at the Institute.'

Damion they found in Uwella's cell. When the door opened, he colored as if he'd been caught at something. 'I didn't want to leave her alone,' he said quickly.

Ghyll smiled. 'Of course not. That's very chivalrous of you. But how did you get in here?'

'He changed into a spider.' Uwella's voice sounded a little unsteady. 'I hate spiders.'

'Damion DeAsharte-Luyon and the wikke Uwella deGry, beastmasters. Uwella is the Valvodjara of Vavaun.'

The regent sighed deeply. 'I can only express my sincere apologies to all of you and to His Royal Highness. This was truly a misunderstanding.'

'His Royal Highness?' Olle sprang in front of Ghyll. 'Is it true?'

Dumbly, Ghyll nodded.

'You are in the presence of King Ghyllander III Hardingraud,' the duke said with immense satisfaction.