Taming the Thorny Rose novel · Chapter 15 of 24

Chapter 15: The Court Sits

We came up out of the crypt at dusk the next day, and the summons was already pinned to the door.

Black paper, Osric's seal.

A Sitting of the Houses, tonight, to hear a petition on the king's fitness.

Aldric read it twice with his burned hands steady, and his color had come back.

"He can't do the Rite early," I said.

"No.

"The Rite is for midwinter and the stones.

"But any elder may petition a Sitting to name a regent."

"Meaning he wants a vote before I can lift a blade."

"Meaning he knows what he saw."

He looked at me.

"Someone watched the crypt door."

I turned the page over.

"Then we say nothing about the book," I said.

"Not to the court, not to anyone."

"Astrid?"

"Astrid dies before she talks.

"But the fewer who know, the fewer who can be made to."

He almost smiled.

"You are very good at this."

"I'm a hunter.

"Hunters know what a trap looks like from outside."

The great hall was full to the rafters.

Twelve houses sat in tiers of black stone, each under its own banner.

Osric stood at the foot of the dais in a coat of grey silk.

He had the look of a man at his own party.

Aldric took the high seat.

I took the one beside it, with the Thorn blade across my knees.

"The petitioner may speak," said an old vampire with a voice like a hinge.

Osric bowed to the hall.

"Good houses," he said, "I do not rejoice in this.

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