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“My men will patrol the borders as much as they can,” Rylan said, “but we cannot surround the entire Kingdom of Silverhelm. There will always be the possibility of a breach.”
“Parnell, are there new recruits available if I wish to take some of the more seasoned men for duty in the castle?”
“Yes, what do you need?”
“I want additional guards—men you trust implicitly—around Alexandra at all times. She and my unborn son must be protected. I will remain at her side, but I may not always be enough.
“There is something else,” Parnell said, his tone hesitant.
“What is it?”
“Rylan found more information on Janet and her family.”
“Tell me!”
“Though her parents are long dead, there is a living sibling,” Rylan said.
“Where?”
“Unknown,” Parnell said, “but I do know his name.”
“And it is?”
“His name is Kolby, my king”
There was a long pause.
“Kolby?” Branford’s voice was just a whisper.
“We believe him to be the same, yes.”
“First Dalton surfaces within my borders, and now we find my wife’s handmaid was the sister to one of the men that murdered my parents?”
“Yes.”
“How was this not discovered before?” Branford bellowed.
“I went back to a previous source,” Parnell said. “At the time, he claimed to know nothing, but when the deaths of Janet and Nelle were publicized, he decided to come clean with his knowledge.”
“He withheld this from us before?”
“Yes, sire.”
“Where is he now?” Branford growled.
“Quite dead, sire.”
“Good. Repost the bounty on Yagmur and Salik. If Dalton has reappeared, those other two are certainly close by. Let it be known they may be in nearby territory, probably in Hadebrand.”
“Already done, sire,” Parnell replied.
“Good man.”
“If those two are both shown to be loyal to Hadebrand,” Branford said, “there could be proof of Edgar’s involvement in my parents’ murders.”
“My king”—I heard Parnell take a deep breath before he continued—“if there were such proof, we would have found it by now.”
“If only I had the strength of men to openly go against him.”
