Blood and Honor (Forest Kingdom Novels) Read Online Free Page B

details that mattered: those directly affecting the prince he had to play. He sighed silently. He hated politics, and Court politics in particular. Intrigues made his head hurt. He supposed he just didn’t think deviously enough. He thought hard about what he’d been told so far, and a question occurred to him.
    “Gawaine, you said Prince Viktor had been away from Court for four years. Where’s he been all that time?”
    “The king sent him into internal exile,” said Roderik, before Gawaine could answer. “A minor border city, called Kahalimar. Like his brothers, Viktor was never known for his self-control, and eventually he went a little too far. It was thought a few years in the back lands might help to cool his blood.”
    “I see,” said Jordan. “So I’m playing a villain, am I?”
    “Viktor’s not that bad,” said Gawaine quickly. “He’s headstrong, and too easily led for his own good, but at heart he’s a true prince. I’ve sworn to defend him with my life.”
    Jordan made a mental note to talk to Roderik and Gawaine separately; their views on Viktor seemed to differ quite a bit, and that might be important. A new thought struck him, and he gave Roderik a hard look.
    “You still haven’t said why you chose me for this job. All right, I’m an excellent actor, one of the best, but there are others almost as good as me. And most of them are much better known these days than I am.”
    “That was part of the problem,” said Roderik. “If one of your more illustrious colleagues were to suddenly disappear, it would be bound to be noticed. Questions would be asked. However, in your case … well—you understand, I’m sure. And there was one other reason why we particularly wanted you.”
    “Oh yes?” said Jordan. “And what might that be?”
    “You’re a conjurer, as well as an actor.”
    Jordan looked at him blankly for a moment, and then nodded slowly. “Of course, the royal Blood …”
    The kings of Redhart were magic users, and had been for generations. Every member of the royal line inherited the ability to manipulate one of the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. The spreading Bloodlines were jealously guarded and nurtured down the centuries, as it was discovered that the purer the Blood, the more powerful would be the resulting magic. For a while, the royal line became dangerously interbred, producing monsters and mules more often than normal children. These days there were strict laws and traditions to protect the magic-carrying Bloodlines, and the elemental powers only remained truly powerful in the carefully monitored royal line.
    “Prince Viktor has the fire magic,” said Roderik. “Whoever was to take his place had to be able to counterfeit this magic convincingly. You’re a conjurer, Jordan; a few flames on demand shouldn’t prove too difficult for you.”
    Jordan frowned unhappily. “They’ll see through it. They’re bound to. My tricks are good, but they’re still only tricks and illusions.”
    Roderik smiled, and shook his head reassuringly. “No one will suspect anything. They’ll see only what they expect to see.”
    Jordan looked at him for a moment, and then shrugged. “You’ve obviously put a lot of thought into this, so I suppose you must know what you’re doing.”
    “Then may I suggest, Your Highness, that we get a bloody move on,” said Sir Gawaine. “We’re pressed for time.”
    Jordan nodded, and went to get his horse. Roderik sent Sir Gawaine with him, just to keep him company. They walked in silence. Jordan didn’t know what to say to the knight, and Gawaine seemed content to leave it that way. They walked quickly through the darkening evening, their steps echoing dully back from the stone walls on either side of them. The houses were silent, and no lights showed past the closed shutters, but Jordan had no doubt he and Gawaine were still being watched. People in small towns didn’t miss much, if they could help it. Jordan sneaked a few