A creeping dread rose in me. I remembered my moment of sharing the King’s pain. Regal would remorselessly watch while that pain crept past the numbing herbs to overwhelm his father. I could not imagine a man being capable of this. Yet I knew Regal would do it. “When did this happen?”
“Just an hour or so ago. You are not an easy person to find.”
I looked more closely at the Fool. “Go down to the stables, to Burrich. See what he can do for you.” The healer, I knew, would not touch the Fool. Like many around the Keep, he feared his strange appearance.
“What will you be doing?” the Fool asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. This was exactly one of the situations I had warned Chade about. I knew whether I acted or not, the consequences would be grave. I needed to distract Regal from what he was doing. Chade, I was sure, was aware of what was going on. If Regal and all others could be lured away for a time … I could think of only one piece of news that might be important enough to Regal to make him leave Shrewd.
“You’ll be all right?”
The Fool had sunk down to sit on the cold stone steps. He leaned his head against the wall. “I suppose so. Go.”
I started down the steps.
“Wait!” he called suddenly
I halted.
“When you take my king away, I go with him.”
I just stared up at him.
“I mean it. I wore Regal’s collar for the sake of that promise from him. It means nothing now to him.”
“I can make no promises,” I said quietly.
“I can. I promise that if my king is taken, and I do not go with him, I will betray every one of your secrets. Every one.” The Fool’s voice was shaking. He put his head back against the wall.