The Sentinel Mage

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE





TWO DAYS AFTER the border closed, another squadron was expelled from Lundegaard. The officer commanding the squadron arrived at the palace late in the evening, bearing a message from King Magnas of Lundegaard: any further Osgaardan soldiers found within Lundegaard’s borders would be sentenced to death.

“Screamed with rage when he heard it,” one of the king’s armsmen said, in the mess hall that night.

“Sounded like a stuck pig,” another armsman said, through a mouthful of food. “I just about wet myself.”

Karel listened to the laughter, chewing slowly.

“Then what?” someone asked.

“He threw a vase at the officer. Smashed into a thousand pieces. And then he sent for Duke Rikard.”

“What happened then?”

Karel looked up to hear the answer.

The man shrugged. “Bell tolled midnight. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

The armsman alongside him grunted and speared a piece of mutton on his fork. “I wouldn’t want to be Duke Rikard, right now.”

“Me neither.”

Karel’s hands clenched around his knife and fork. He wanted to push to his feet, to belt on his sword again and hurry to the princess’s side. He couldn’t. It was past midnight; one of the duke’s armsmen had the duty of guarding her now.

He looked down at his plate. There was nothing he could do but wait.