Page 27 of Retribution

He knew that from experience.

“Where is this information coming from?” he finally asked. “Who would know such details of the lady and what she intends to do?”

“Someone very close to the archbishop,” Perrin said. “He is the reason we know so much about Cambridge. Even when Edward was away and Henry was alive, this man kept us well informed, so I have no reason to believe he is lying about this.”

Aidric shook his head. “I did not mean to imply that,” he said. “But, clearly, this is a crucial situation. Cambridge and his courtesan will be at the feast tonight.”

“I know,” Perrin said. “That is why I am here, so you are warned of what is to come.”

Initial shock of the information fading, Aidric now found himself chewing over the entire situation. With a heavy sigh, he turned away, scratching his head as he pondered what he’d been told. It seemed straightforward enough. At least he’d been warned. He would have seen Cleodora tonight and when she spoke to him, he would have been delighted. He wouldn’t have suspected an ulterior motive.

God, he was so disappointed.

“So the archbishop wants his prized courtesan to seduce me,” he said after a moment, speaking his thoughts aloud. “He wants her to use me to get next to the king so that she can somehow kill him. Or he wants her to convince me to commit the deed personally.”

“That is the truth, Aidric,” Perrin said quietly.

Aidric sighed again with frustration. “I spoke to the woman for five minutes,” he said, growing agitated. “I saved her from a robber. And that was it. There was nothing more to it. Now, I am to be part of Cambridge’s scheme to rid himself of Edward?”

“It seems that way.”

Aidric frowned. “Then he shall be disappointed,” he said. “I am sorry if this puts the lady in a bad way, but I will not be used. Unless…”

The last word was spoken slowly, which had everyone looking at him. “Unless… what?” Britt said. “What are you thinking, Aidric?”

An idea had occurred to Aidric and he turned to the men in the chamber, mostly Britt and Perrin, as he gathered his thoughts.

“Bear with me,” he said. “Something just occurred to me.”

“What?” Britt asked.

Aidric looked at him. “That much as Cambridge viewed my chivalrous act toward his courtesan as an opportunity to rid himself of his enemy, mayhap we should look at the situation in much the same way.”

“What do you mean?”

Aidric lifted an eyebrow. “The lady is supposed to use me,” he said. “What if… what if we use her?”

That had everyone’s attention. “What do you mean, Aidric?” Perrin asked. “How would you use her?”

“Cambridge is, without a doubt, one of the biggest threats against Edward,” he said. “The entire purpose of the Executioner Knights is to eliminate all threats to the throne. They have been doing it for decades.”

“True.”

“So why not eliminate Cambridge?” Aidric said. “Why not use the lady for this purpose? If she can assassinate a king, she can certainly assassinate an archbishop.”

Perrin was catching on. “Turn the tides against Cambridge?”

“Exactly.”

“That means you would have to become an Executioner Knight.”

Those quiet words were spoken by Gerard, back in the shadows. Everyone turned in his direction, including Aidric. “I am a trained knight, just like you,” he said. “What I do not know, I can learn.”

“That is not an outlandish suggestion, Gerard,” Perrin said. “If we could eliminate Cambridge, it would remove a very serious threat to the king. And to England.”

Gerard came away from the wall, hearing Perrin’s words even though his gaze was fixed on Aidric. “Aye, you are a knight,” he said. “But you are not a spy. You are not an assassin. Both of those things go against everything the knighthood stands for, Aidric. And you already have a post—commanding the Guard of Six. You are needed here.”

“Then what would you suggest?”