Lyndal went to the king and took his hand. Astin felt a pull of jealousy at the intimate gesture. God help him if she did make it to his bed while he was forced to stand guard outside.
‘Please,’ she begged, ‘let the people locked in that tower go home. Don’t punish them for being hungry.’
Borin pulled his hand free. ‘They are criminals. They took axes to the wall that my father built.’
‘They were desperate to gain your attention, to be seen and heard—and it worked.Please. Let them return to their families who are already suffering more than you can imagine.’ Seeing his hesitation, she added, ‘You could do it. You could go to that tower and release them yourself, be the hero of the story. They’ll not forget it.’
He searched her eyes for a moment. ‘If I do that, they will think they won.’
Lyndal stared at him in confusion. ‘Your Grace, you’re on the same side. It’s not you against your people, it’s Chadora against the famine. Their win is your win. But right now the merchants are losing, which means we’re all losing.’
Astin’s throat thickened, and a realisation hit him hard. She really was the queen Chadora deserved. He had been too lost in his jealousy to truly see it.
Borin looked to his mother. ‘And what am I supposed to say to these criminals? Am I expected to simply pardon them and open the gate?’
‘Yes,’ Lyndal said immediately. ‘That’s how an act of mercy works. Maybe it’ll result in one less riot down the track, or maybe it won’t. But you do it anyway.’
Borin tapped a foot on the ground, looking between the two women.
‘I think you should listen to her,’ Fayre said after a long silence.
‘And be seen as weak?’
Fayre shook her head. ‘Acting out of pride and anger is weakness. Showing mercy takes incredible strength.’
Borin huffed like an angry bull. ‘Fine. Let us go to the tower before I come to my senses.’ He looked at Lyndal. ‘You will stand at my side so I can blame you when they turn on me.’ With that, he marched off in the direction of the gate, two guards flanking him.
‘Off you go,’ Fayre said to Lyndal. ‘You do not need me.’ The corners of her mouth lifted slightly when she said that.
‘Do hurry up,’ Borin shouted over his shoulder, prompting Lyndal to start walking.
Astin ground his teeth together and followed them.
When they arrived at the tower, Astin trailed Lyndal up the winding narrow steps, to a cell halfway up where all the prisoners had been packed in. Lyndal stood at the king’s side while he addressed them in a slightly less obnoxious tone than usual. It was interesting to Astin that the prisoners were not watching the king but were looking at Lyndal. And when the cell door swung open, they continued to look at her, as though they did not trust what the king had said.
‘There’s nothing to fear,’ Lyndal reassured them. ‘The defenders will escort you to the gate. You’re going home.’ She moved back, going to stand with Astin.
Slowly and cautiously, the merchants filed out, each one pausing to bow or curtsy before descending the steps.
Borin lifted his chin and pushed out his narrow chest, visibly pleased by the show of respect.
‘At least he’s happy,’ Lyndal whispered to Astin.
‘Until he realises the truth.’
‘The truth?’ She looked up at him.
The young king was not the only one who was clueless about what was happening at that moment. Leaning in so Borin would not hear, he said, ‘They’re not bowing to their king. They’re bowing toyou.’
Chapter 22
Lyndal pushed the covers back and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She looked around the dark, empty room, then went to the window and pulled the shutters open, taking in greedy lungfuls of air. She stilled when she caught sight of the sky. There was a gap in the clouds, and a handful of stars shone down at her. A smile spread across her face. It had been a long time since she had seen stars.
Walking over to the door, she pulled it open. Roul appeared in front of her before she had a chance to step outside, his solid frame illuminated by torchlight.
‘Everything all right, my lady?’ he asked, looking past her into the room.
‘I would like to go to the fountain court.’
