THIRTEEN
"Is there a knight called Sir Lander staying here?"
All heads in the taproom turned toward the guard who'd spoken, but no one answered.
"He is needed up at the castle," the guard continued, growing impatient.
Tense shoulders relaxed, and most of the men resumed drinking. All but Xylander, who debated whether to answer the summons or flee.
If it were his father's summons, fleeing would be the wiser choice. But this was Castrum, not home, and this king had showed no signs of madness.
"What's he needed for?" Xylander called.
Now heads turned toward him, out of curiosity more than anything else. In Flamand, dread would have elicited sharp gasps from the men, as they hunched their shoulders in relief that the curse of the King's notice had passed them by...but mad kings were
