Page 40 of Winter Gods & Serpents

My brows rose. “My own? Oh no dear, his blood might be Isjordian but his soul certainly Adriatian,” I spat at the cocky soldier.

The troll next to her let out a low laugh. “I like her,” he murmured joyfully to Nesrin who only glowered at me.

Couldn’t blame him, I was charming like that.

She motioned to the man to cross to our side. “He was trespassing for shelter, your soldiers informed us he was a criminal, we do not kill or mutilate our captives, I believe that is your expertise. Whatever he has done he must have feared your punishments, I expect nothing less than monstrous, must have forced him to take such a decision, but we still cannot offer to keep him in our lands, our law refuses to facilitate Isjordians. He is free to go by our decree.”

“You are right,” I said approaching the man now in our reach. “We do not have your generous hearts, typically for rapists we mutilate their genitalia, but for child rapists we are as you say, monstrous?” I thumbed in question, raising my brow.

Both the Adriatians shared a look of shock.

The man now shook in horror and wiggled furiously out of the soldiers hands screaming not to let us take him toward the Adriatians. Attempt evil you should expect evil, yet many wicked feared wickedness. Make yourself a bed of embers and expect not to burn?

“But,” I said examining the human filth afront me, “I bet you are so used to the wrongs of your sort that this might seem petty. Genocide does par petty over this, doesn’t it?”

The troll leaned over to Nesrin. “I really do like her.”

“Cai,” my voice in a hard order. “The man is to be stripped and properly mutilated, hanged by the Highwall, and drained out of blood. Invite all those above sixteen to witness if they wish to do so.” Lowering in front of the man I dug the tip of my dagger on his neck, for vermin like him I would go to hells myself to drag and kill him a thousand times, over and over. “A beautiful ending, you will go down in history,” I exclaimed spitefully. “But buried with dung, right amongst your like.”

The two Adriatians had now gone silent. Nesrin rested her gaze pensive and guilty on the ground, the other one only blankly stared at me in a haze as if struck by the sight of a ghost.

“Shame this will come to an end, I very much enjoy these trials,” I said, and the two very silent guests blinked to reality.

The troll laughed. “I have a godson who might like you.”

I stuck my bottom lip out. “I’m promised to his unfortunate luck.”

“He is a lucky lad.”

“Oh, he has not the slightest idea.” I turned on my heels to leave the hunted tower.

We stayed in Arynth for the night for a few other prisoners, since our journey took most of the daylight they were to be dealt with tomorrow.

Cai had done just what I instructed. A massive crowd gathered by the draining man, women threw rocks and slabs at the body, but he had been dead not long after being slashed. Such a shame.

We dined with the Albius who told us several decade old stories, he was much older than he looked, given that he was a Verglaser probably even much more than I’d guessed. He knew my mother, spoke to her a few times, and told me how he had thought her wise and gentle amongst many other traits. He offered his condolence once more noting I had gone silent after his stories.

I took my leave for the night, Cai on my heels.

“So?” I asked nervously halting mid-corridor.

He spent most of the time here questioning the trespassers, the wall guards, and people in Arynth.

He shook his head. “It seems all far from what you thought. The Adriatians say this agreement is mainly about lowering the Highwall, free grant to move through Isjord for trade deals with the other kingdoms. Apparently, they are already in negotiations with Hanai and Eldmoor for trade.”

“And for my father?”

“Produce, monthly. Rental land for Isjordian workers and more produce free of taxation, spices, fabrics, medicine, passage through Moor sea for expedition purposes and lastly, you. The final seal to prove their safety, that you don’t turn to an Auran beast. It seems just like that, truly. Both kingdoms are profiting plenty from one another.”

Laughable, all this was extremely entertaining. How was Numengarth filled with idiots who utterly underestimated my father; poor, empty brained fools everywhere. He was spinning everyone in circles. This deal was his new plaything but what I didn’t get was how could the spirituals fall for it.

“Do you know what is one thing that is just as heard, easy as made and simple as thought?”

“Cakes—” Cai’s voice filled with worry as had his features.

“A plain lie, that’s what is.” I tried not to sound paranoid about being paranoid, but it all came out the same. “Do you think I buy in any of this bullshit?” I felt my breath grow rapid while I paced back and forth the narrow corridors of the lords house. My chest clutched tight, restraining me out of breath, my sight already clouding in specks of black.

His hands rested on my shoulders, bringing me to a halt. “Remember that time you followed that girl everyday back to her home, Jess was it not?”