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‘May I see it?’ Brand held out his hand

The boy dropped it into his palm Brand silently blessed the boy He didn’t need to ask whose this brooch was He had seen it enough times pinned to different cloaks, over the past ten years He could even rehtly, the clasp biting into his palm as surely as the betrayal bit into his soul He wanted to shout in rage He should have seen the difficulty weeks ago, but he had chosen to ignore the pointed re

‘You say you have never been in the stables, Hrearek?’

‘He said never, ood enough forwould never lie to his leader’

‘Unless he intended on challenging for the leadership,’ Brand said quietly ‘Do any of you wish to challenge?’

Brand waited for Hrearek toanywhere but at him His stomach twisted Hrearek’s hesitation sealed his fate It had to be done, but it didn’t mean that he had to enjoy it

‘What did you say the perpetrator should have happen to him, Hrearek? Refresh my memory!’

‘Flogged with a hundred lashes,’ Godwin supplied

‘I said that she should be flogged Aye!’ Hrearek’s eyes blazed defiantly

‘Can you explain why Godwin discovered your brooch in the stables?’ Brand thrust the brooch under Hrearek’s nose

‘II’

‘You thought you’d teach me a lesson, maybe? You believed that you should be the one who had the honours, is that right? You rather thanafter Sven’s death and should have been h hi to challenge for the leadership

Hrearek’s tongue flicked out ‘I don’t knohat to say You are an able leader, Brand I would never challenge you You know that We go back to Constantinople’