The Blood Knight - J. Gregory Keyes [134]
“It will look as if I do not feel the need for them,” Anne replied.
“I don’t think so,” Austra countered. “It will be a sign of your weakness. You must take an entourage. You must have a maidservant, or else no one will take you seriously.”
“I’m taking Cazio. Or is that what this is about?”
Austra pinkened, and her brows lowered in anger.
“I won’t pretend I don’t want to stay near him,” Austra said, “but I want to be near you, too. And I stand by my reasoning. You claim to be queen, you’ve come to take the throne—you must act the part. Anyway, are you really so afraid?”
“I’m terrified,” Anne admitted. “Robert agreed so readily, so confidently. I don’t know what it means.”
“That, at least, is a wise assessment,” Artwair’s voice came from outside the tent. “May I enter?”
“You may.”
The flap brushed open, and her cousin ducked in, accompanied by a man-at-arms.
“You have reservations, then?” Anne asked.
“Holy saints, yes. You have no idea what Robert is playing at, Anne. You might be slain the moment you leave our sight.”
“Then Sir Neil will chop off Robert’s head,” Anne said reasonably. “How will that benefit him?”
“Perhaps instead you will be taken prisoner and tortured until you give the order for his release. Or merely held until Hansan troops arrive.”
“I’ve made it clear to my uncle that if I am accosted in any way, his head will roll. Besides, I’m taking fifty men with me.”
“Robert has thousands in Eslen. Fifty is a only gesture, nothing more.
“Think, Anne! Why would Robert allow you to place him in this position? He could easily have held Eslen against us until his support came.”
“Then maybe he isn’t so certain that his support will come in time,” Anne suggested. “Or maybe he’s not so confident that his allies will support him at all. What if the Church should claim a Hansan as regent and send my uncle to the gallows?”
“That’s possible,” Artwair said, then he sighed. “But if that’s the case, why not open the gates and let all of us in? I believe he must have some dark design. Or perhaps it’s worse than that; perhaps Robert isn’t actually the master here, and he’s being sacrificed to lure you into the grip of whoever is in control.”
“And who would that be? Praifec Hespero?”
“Possibly.”
“Possibly,” Anne echoed.
She held her cousin’s gaze, wishing she could explain her visions to him, how she had seen the secret ways that lay within the walls of Eslen. Whatever her enemies had planned, they were men, and men could not know about the hidden passages.
Unfortunately, the same glamour made it impossible to explain that to Artwair.
“Perhaps to any and all of that,” she admitted. “But what alternative do you see? You’ve just admitted that we cannot easily take Eslen by brute force. Besides, whatever Robert’s plan may be, I have an advantage he cannot know about.”
“What advantage?”
“I could tell you,” Anne said, “but you would not remember.”
“What does that mean?” Artwair asked irritably.
Anne bit her lip. “I have a way of getting troops into the city.”
“That cannot be. I would know of such a thing, were it true.”
“But you are wrong,” Anne told him. “Only a very few know of this way.”
He rubbed at the stump of his hand for a moment.
“If this is true, so…” He shook his head. “You have to be more specific.”
“I can’t,” Anne replied. “I’ve sworn an oath.”
“That’s not good enough,” Artwair said. “I can’t allow it.”
Anne felt suddenly light. “What are you saying, Cousin?”
“If I must protect you from yourself, I will.”
Anne drew a long breath, surveying the guards. How many more did he have outside?
Well, there it was.
“How do you intend to protect me, Artwair? What do you imagine you will do?”
Artwair’s face twisted with some emotion, but Anne couldn’t see what it was.
“We need you, Anne. Without you this army has no cause.”
“What you mean is that without me, you have no army.”
He stood silent for a long moment.
“If you must put it that way, Anne, then yes. What do you know of these things? I’ve always liked you, Anne, but you’re just a girl. A few months ago you hadn’t the