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The men around the table stayed silent. Calder might speak of pulling with the others, but he meant nothing of the sort. He was in command now, him alone. And left to Calder, Malcolm had no chance at all.

Alistair held Calder's eyes for a long moment, then dropped his gaze to the table before him.

"Aye. I understand. But still—I would not see Malcolm harmed. He's Ian's son."

"Then teach him to hold that tongue of his."

"I will."

Calder nodded. "Good. Now, ye say ye saw the laird last evening. How much longer does he have?"

"Master Kerian said a few days—a week at most."

Calder nodded. "Just as ye said, Hamish."

The man thus addressed smiled eagerly. "That's right, Calder. You can count on me."

"A week," Calder said, frowning. "Well, we can wait that long. And then Jemmy will be taken care of."

Alistair cleared his throat. "I had thought—if we gave him gold to buy a ship—he'd be happy to go back to Spain."

Janus, an older man who had sat on Kirallen's council for many years, nodded his agreement. "I think he would."

"But what if he doesna want to go?" asked Sir Dunstan.

Calder sliced a hand through the air. "Spain? Nay, I think not. Master Jemmy is bound for...more distant points."

"Calder," Alistair said strongly, "Jemmy is the laird's son and my kinsman. I—"

"Dinna fear, Alistair," Calder said. "There will be no blood guilt on your hands."

Alistair glanced around the table. Janus looked troubled, but the rest of them were smiling their approval. The room seemed to draw around them, dark and cold and stifling.

"I don't like it," Alistair said.

"Ye needn't take part," Calder said. "Just stand back and let it happen, man."

"I don't like it," Alistair repeated, though his voice held little strength now.

"'Tis not the way ye'd have it," Calder said, not unkindly, willing to give a little in return for Alistair's obedience. "We all ken how ye must be feeling. But when it's done, ye will see it was the only way."

Alistair considered arguing further, then bowed his head. His silence was the only answer Calder needed.

CHAPTER 26

Alistair blinked in bright sunlight as he walked into the courtyard. He drew a long breath and tried to banish the chill of the council chamber.

"Alistair."

Malcolm touched his arm. "In there—ye didna really mean it, did ye?"

"Aye, Malcolm, I did. The council is control now and ye had best get used to it. There's no use in angering Calder any more, all right?"

Malcolm drew back, his eyes sparking. "I'll not take orders from that traitor. Nor any man on the council."

"I'm trying to protect you, Malcolm, don't you see that?" Alistair said urgently, putting his hands on Malcolm's shoulders. "They hold the reins and there's nothing either one of us can do about it."

"But d'ye no' ken what they mean to do? They mean to get rid of Uncle Jemmy."