Mattox paused to glare up at the man. “More than a handful, eh?”
“How about sixty times that many?”
This bit of information got him to his feet. He was a bit wobbly, but that would burn off after a brisk tour around the inner walls of the compound to check on things. “Are you telling me the guy brought nearly three hundred troops with him?”
Renken made a wry face. “Well, we haven’t done an exact head count, but it’s pretty damn close, from what I’ve seen.”
“Does the battle lord know this is a peace conference, and not a call to arms? Showing up with that many men is going to hurt the feelings of some of these pansy-ass battle lords, not to mention create a lot of anxiety among the Mutah warriors.” Mattox growled softly. “Dad isn’t gonna be too happy to hear this.” His comment earned him a snort of amusement.
“That’s why I’d rather you tell them.”
“Awright. I better go let them know now, while they’re both there. Dad wants me to walk the parapet with him later, anyway.”
As Renken left out the front doors, Mattox turned to head for the kitchen and the rear door, when he was jostled in the back.Damn. Twice in one day. Place is getting too damn crowded.
“Watch it, buddy,” he automatically grumbled.
“Watch it yourself,” an unfamiliar voice shot back with more than a touch of irritation.
Turning to confront the guy, he was met with the back of the departing figure. A brown braid all the way down to a pert ass made him hesitate. He started to reach for the person, but another hand stayed him.
Weever smirked. “Too bad we got more of those high and mighty assholes in attendance than we do honorable ones.”
“They could be honorable,” Dewey remarked from the table next to them. “It’s just when they get surrounded by those of equal status, they get itchy about jostling for a position of importance.”
Several soldiers who’d overheard muttered in agreement, when Weever cleared his throat.
“Matt?”
Mattox was going to ignore the man, when the soldier’s next remark got his attention.
“You might want to find out why they’re taking a seat at D’Jacques’ table.”
“What?” A quick glance proved him right. An older man, plus the one with the braid, and three soldiers wearing identical uniforms that weren’t Alta Novis, were parking themselves at the head table, next to the fireplace.
He checked the side door. Although he knew his parents were taking their meal in the lodge, there was still the chance they might come in for dessert, or for some other reason.
He was aware of eyes following him up to the table where he caught the squatters’ attention. Behind them, he noticed one of the kitchen help standing outside the kitchen, a tray in her hands. She was baffled as to the newcomers sitting there, and was unsure whether or not to serve them. Like Mattox, she kept checking the side door for sign of the battle lord or lady.
His first impulse was to order them to go sit elsewhere, but common sense and sudden sobriety reined him in at the last second.
“Excuse me, but you can’t sit here,” he told the group. He focused on the older man, assuming the guy would be the battle lord.
The man didn’t answer at first. Instead, he flashed Mattox a smile. “We’re here to meet Yulen D’Jacques. We would have sat elsewhere, but there’s no other available tables, it seems.”
Mattox swept the room. There were seats available. Just none where all of them could sit together. He turned back to the guy.
“You’re sitting at the battle lord’s exclusive table. You’ll need to find an empty seat in the main room.”
The man gave those sitting at the table a look he couldn’t quite make out before ending back at him. “This is the battle lord’s table?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m exactly where I need to be. My name’s Lorgon Edge, the Battle Lord of Vega City.” He made a dismissive wave of his hand. “Go inform the help we’re ready to eat. And let me know when D’Jacques will see me.”
That last pushed him off the thin line he’d been walking. Mattox parked his hands on his hips, forcing himself not to grab the hilt of his sword. To do so would be seen as a threat. “Since you didn’t ask, allow me to introducemyself. I am Mattox D’Jacques, Battle Prince of Alta Novis, and I’m not asking you anymore to leave my family’s table. I’m giving you and your groupies to the count of five to get up and move. One.”
The three guards, one of whom he assumed had to be Edge’s second, got to their feet. They never took their eyes off him as they pulled their own weapons partly out of their sheathes.
