They Gave My Crown to an Adopted Daughter. The Queen Raged novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: The Gate

I came down the tower stair three steps at a time, and Conroy met me at the bottom with his hand already on my arm.

"The north gate," he said.

"Come and look."

We ran up onto the east wall, where the sentries stood back and let us pass.

Below us, the road from the north gate was black with horsemen riding two abreast.

There were three hundred of them at least, in grey fur and iron caps, with the long Skarn spears upright in their stirrups.

They rode into the gate square.

At their head a banner of grey silk showed the wolf's head in black, and I had seen that banner on a wall in Skarnholt every day for three years.

"My uncle," said Conroy.

His face had changed.

It had gone flat and cold, and I realized I had never seen the Regent of Skarn, only the man.

"The gate captain just opened it to him," I said.

"The Chancellor's letter did."

"Then he can take it back."

"He can't," said Conroy. "Your lords have never seen three hundred Skarn spears in their own streets, and they will decide the war has started."

A single rider broke from the column and came up the palace road at a trot.

He wore the herald's grey sash, and he reined in at the foot of the steps and called up to the wall in a voice made for mountains.

"The Lord Marshal of Skarn greets the Prince-Regent!" he cried. "He has come to escort his nephew home, and to witness the Midwinter Rite for the north."

"He will wait for the Prince at the Long Bridge at dawn."

"By the old law of the pass, no blade is drawn before the parley."

Conroy said nothing.

"If you don't come," the herald added, almost politely, "he will take it that you are held."

My husband stood very still with his hands on the cold stone.

"It's a trap," I said.

"Yes."

"You ride into three hundred of them alone."

"I ride to the bridge to talk to a man who taught me to hold a sword. If I don't go, he comes up this road with his spears, and your lords will strike first, and the city burns."

"Marigold promised me the council at sunset," I said.

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