They were the kind of eyes that seemed to have seen much, reflecting a deep and hard-earned wisdom. But the branches of fine lines in the corners suggested that whatever he had experienced of the world, it had not taken his joy in life.
He reminded her of Rafe so much that she felt sure he must be a healer, and she found herself liking him, purely from the warmth of his presence.
“No… yes,” she said, trying to get her thoughts together. “Please, sir, I’m desperate.”
He gave her a reassuring look. “The assizes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You may sleep in the hostel tonight and come before the justices tomorrow.”
“No, please.” She stepped forward. “I need help now. I need soldiers….”
He frowned, and she blinked, trying to remember what she’d heard, searching her mind for the correct name for the Temple Knights. “I need your Clibanarii. Please, a terrible injustice is being committed as we speak.”
“My child.” He reached out and took her hands. “Everything always looks worse when we are cold and tired. Come in and find solace, then approach the justices with a clear heart in the morning.”
“No.” She shook his hands away and straightened her spine. She didn’t have time for this. “I’m not your child. I am Alanna, daughter of Moireach of Verturia, and wife to Ballanor, King of Brythoria. I am your queen.”
His eyes twinkled, but he looked at her with new respect, not because of all her titles, she was sure, but because she finally respected herself.
He gave her a polite bow. “Welcome, Queen Alanna of Brythoria. My name is Haniel, and everyone can seek solace here, even queens.”
“Thank you.” She ran a tired hand through her strangely short hair as she continued, “But it isn’t comfort I need, it’s help. Urgent help, from as many of your Clibanarii as you can spare. I’ll go down on my knees and beg, if that’s what is needed. If we don’t hurry, we’ll be too late to stop a tragedy.”
His brow furrowed as his purple eyes focused intently. “What kind of tragedy?”
“Have you heard of Captain Lanval?”
He looked confused for a moment and then his eyes narrowed. “The traitor of Ravenstone?” He folded his arms and gave her a far less welcoming look. “Wasn’t there a rumor that you and he—”
She cut him off, her anger rising fast and hard. “No. Nothing you could have heard is true—and I’ll gladly go before your truth seeker to prove it.”
Alanna gripped her hands together and worked to hold on to her temper. She needed help and alienating the Nephilim would not solve anything. “The king is insane. He’s looking for a war, and he killed his own father to ensure the treaty would be broken. He blamed Captain Lanval. And me. And when we escaped, he hunted us down. He attacked us in your woods, and I expect he is torturing my friends as we speak.”
“What?” His bushy red eyebrows flew up in outage. “These woods belong to the temple. They are for quiet introspection and peace. The king knows that. Surely he wouldn’t bring violence here?”
Alanna leaned forward and clasped the older man’s hand, looking deep into his eyes and hoping he could see the truth. “You must believe me; Ballanor takes pain and destruction wherever he goes.”
Haniel shook his head, unconvinced. “My dear, I think you must be overwhelmed. You look exhausted. I’m sure the king wouldn’t—”
“No.” Alanna stopped him with a curt wave of her hand. They were running out of time. She reached up and pulled the laces out of her jerkin with a sharp tug, catching the vest as it fell forward and allowing it to gape wide at the back.
“My child! Please, you must not—”
She cut him off once more, this time by spinning around and leaning forward.
His harsh gasp rattled across the courtyard as he swallowed the rest of his words. She stayed one more second, letting him see what her husband had done to her.
She pulled her vest back together and laced it tightly before turning to face him again. “I fled my husband to come here, to your temple, to stand before your justices and clear our names. And once that’s done, to petition for an annulment. But he hunted us down….”
Her words caught against the lump in her throat, but she forced them out. “While we stand here discussing this, he’s hurting, maybe even killing, the people that I love.”
He watched her carefully, assessing, and she stared back, meeting his eyes, knowing that if he refused to help, she would have to go back by herself.
“And these people, the ones that you love, these are soldiers? Lanval and others like him?” Haniel asked dubiously.
“Yes.” Alanna clasped her hands tight in front of her waist, trying desperately not to let her irritation show. “They’re good and honorable men and women. Lanval and his sister Nim, who sacrificed herself to save him when he was wrongly imprisoned. Tristan, the captain who risked everything to rescue Nim. Garet and Jos, who flew straight back into danger and helped to save me from hanging for a crime I didn’t commit. Rafe, who stayed by my side and healed me—”
His eyebrows drew together. “Rafe?”
“Yes.” She hurried on impatiently. “Rafael and his brother Jeremiel—”
