Chapter 15Eldric slumped down into a chair and put his head in his hands. ‘This is madness,’ he said. ‘I can’t allow it.’
Sylvriss raised her eyebrows. ‘Can’t, Lord Eldric?’ she said. Isloman hid a smile behind his hand.
Eldric looked up, flustered. ‘An unhappy choice of word, Majesty,’ he managed. ‘I meant... won’t... shouldn’t...’ He stood up and slapped his hands against his sides in frustration.
‘Majesty, you can’t,’ he said. ‘In your condition, and with winter coming on, such a journey would be madness.’
He turned to Isloman as if to seek an ally, then, bringing his hand to his forehead, he turned his back on both of them and stood staring into the fire to compose himself. When he turned round again his face was a picture of fatherly reasonableness.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said reluctant
