14
It was an intended act of kindness that caused the trouble.
After seeing their captain alive and in one piece, Saker and Biggin were determined, unbeknownst to Harkell, to see what they could do to restore his fortunes. They tried to open the conversation with their present captain, a stolid, unimaginative young aristocrat who could see no advantage in risking his career to champion his disgraced predecessor. And they were stonewalled by every other officer they approached. No one wished to be associated with someone who had fallen from the prince’s grace.
Eventually, they changed tack and watched the prince’s tent until they were able to identify one of his advisors. A ferrety young wizard seemed to spend a great deal of time on errands for His Royal Highness. His name, they discove
