Chapter 7: The Forged Order

The captain unrolled the scroll with a snap.

"By order of the Moon Court," he said. "Lucas of Moorhaven, you are summoned to the north gate, where a carriage waits to take you to Ash Lodge."

Lucas stood in the bathhouse doorway with a towel around his waist and water dripping from his hair.

Julius stood at his shoulder, naked except for a second towel, and he had not said a word.

"On what grounds?" Lucas asked.

"On your own request, my lord." The captain held out the paper. "This order bears your signature."

Lucas took it.

It was a short, neat page.

It said that Lucas, being of sound mind and twenty-three years of age, yielded the Moon Seat and the Moorhaven estate to Melinda.

It said he asked to be sent to Ash Lodge for his health.

It had his name at the bottom, in a careful hand very close to his own.

He turned the page toward the light.

"This is dated last Tuesday," he said.

"That is correct, my lord."

"My birthday was this Tuesday."

The captain's face did not change.

"Last Tuesday I was twenty-two," said Lucas. "Anyone who can count will tell you that."

"Whoever wrote this wanted it ready before the hearing, and she didn't think about the number."

Behind the captain, two guards shifted their feet.

"The seal is real," said the captain stiffly. "The order stands. I have my duty, my lord."

"Then do it."

The guards stepped forward.

They were three paces away when a deep voice said, "Touch him and I'll break your arms."

Troy came around the corner of the bathhouse with his hand on his sword.

Felix was at his shoulder, silent, with cold eyes.

They had followed Julius from the practice yard.

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