Free Children of Time (The After Cilmeri Series Book Four) by Sarah Woodbury

he’d imprisoned for most of his life and who died in 1282, before I came to Wales. Valence had trotted Hywel out as a challenge to us last summer, because under Welsh law, Hywel should have a right to lands in Wales comparable to my father’s. “That I knew—”
    Bevyn held up a hand. “Let him finish.”
    “Meanwhile, Valence has allied with Alfonso of Aragon, who seeks a quick marriage to Princess Eleanor,” Huw said.
    “Eleanor is the eldest daughter and has first claim to succeed her father, were the barons to consent to that,” I said. “She’s nineteen now. How long can the barons deny her right to rule?”
    “As long as they can,” Bevyn said. “Both Valence and Alfonso are in London and will attend William’s wedding.”
    “Thus, Alfonso strives for the throne, even if no baron wants to see a Spaniard with the crown of England on his brow,” I said. “It would be as horrifying to them as a Frenchman.”
    “Alfonso has made no secret of his intention,” Bevyn said. “Whether he thinks he can control Valence instead of the other way around isn’t clear. Valence views Alfonso as his puppet.”
    “Valence prefers to work behind the scenes. That’s been his pattern.” I studied my companions. “What is the nature of the threat against me?”
    “Ambush on the road,” Aeddan said.
    Delightful. “As if I haven’t had enough of those,” I said.
    “We are looking into it, my lord, but without specifics of time and place, only rumor …” Aeddan said.
    I nudged Bevyn, who’d come to sit beside me. “Then you’ll just have to keep me safe.”
    Bevyn bowed his head. “As always, of course.”
    “You spoke of news from London,” I said to Aeddan. “I hope you have more. We’ve had some difficulty distilling truth from falsehood these last few weeks. What of Kirby, the other regent?”
    “He didn’t support Valence’s attack on Wales, and is working to reform the Treasury,” Aeddan said.
    I almost said, borrrring , but didn’t. I understood the power Kirby wielded. Edward had appointed him Lord Treasurer in 1284, making him upon Edward’s death the nobleman with the highest standing. Now, in addition to regent, he was also the Bishop of Ely. Although his demeanor was mild, he had stepped into the middle of difficult disputes with aplomb. For example, before King Edward’s death, he’d summoned the mayor of London and his alderman to the Tower of London to discuss disorder in the city. When the mayor had resigned in protest of the summons, Kirby had refused to appoint another and had ruled London himself since then.
    “Okay. What else?”
    Aeddan cleared his throat. “Questions have been raised as to whether or not the death of Prince Edward, the last remaining son of King Edward’s body, was a natural consequence of disease, or he was … helped along the path to Heaven.”
    “London is rife with rumor and suspicion,” Huw said. “The barons are reluctant to crown anyone in Edward’s stead, for fear that the one they choose committed regicide to get there.”
    Bevyn scoffed. “Such a man wouldn’t be the first king to murder his predecessor. Still, there’s more to it than that. Right now, we have two rivals to the throne: Alfonso and William, with their respective betrothed princesses, Eleanor and Joan. However, neither Alfonso—or rather, Valence—nor the Bohuns have the support of enough barons to actually take the throne. Everyone wants a third candidate and they’re all jostling among themselves to determine who that’s going to be.”
    “Gilbert de Clare has my vote, though if he ultimately betrays us and turns against Wales, he would prove as difficult an enemy to counter as King Edward,” I said. “Still, none of this touches on me. I pose no threat to anyone but Hywel.”
    “Perhaps,” Bevyn said. “You have power in your own right, however, and the Norman lords know it. Whichever side you come down on could influence other barons. Wars have been started