Page 98 of Wanted: Rogues and Bards

“Fenric?” Maxie’s soft voice managed to cut through all the shivers and frustration, grabbing his full attention.

“Yeah, Puppy?”

“I find myself confused about something.”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the young man, who was currently seated in the middle of the room with one leg crossed over the other. His posture was perfectly straight, and lines dug heavily into his brow.

“What ails you, Puppy?” Belstrom prodded.

“Since we started this journey, several people have made comments about how Count Pierres is known for his kidnapping and sex trafficking. However, according to Moorwood’s most ancient laws, the enslavement of any person and forcing them against their will to perform any acts of a sexual nature, regardless of sex, age, or race, is strictly forbidden. It’s a capital offense and punishable by death.” Maxie drew in a deep, shaky breath, but it did nothing to remove the tremor from his voice when he continued. “Why is this permitted to happen? Why have the king and the courts done nothing about it? How—how has he not been punished? Is it because of The Box? Has The Box declared he may break every law in the kingdom? What good is a god if it won’t protect its people?”

Fenric shoved off the wall and crossed to where Maxie sat. He knelt and placed his hand on the young man’s slender shoulder. Up close, he could see the tears glistening in his bright gold eyes and feel the trembling of his frame. He didn’t know who this young man was, but it was clear that at one time, he’d truly believed in justice and the government protecting its people. Fenric’s heart wept because he was watching some of the last of Maxie’s innocence shatter before his eyes.

“It’s okay, Puppy,” he said, squeezing his shoulder.

For the first time, Maxie jerked out of his grasp. “It’s not okay. This will never be okay.”

Fenric pulled back his hand, curling it into a ball as he scrambled for something to say.

“You are correct, Puppy. Vile actions are unacceptable.” Belstrom took over. There was something soothing in his deep voice and slow cadence. “To my knowledge, Count Pierres’s ability to act with impunity is not the result of a boon from The Box. I have never heard of Mineas favoring Count Pierres. In truth, a substantial part of his power is derived from the support he has won from a number of the heroes.”

“Like Lance Carrington and Gale Reeve,” Lirion cut in, his words as sharp as a blade.

“They leverage their reputation, strength, riches, and even murder to silence any who might reveal the truth of the count’s activities to the high courts and even the king,” Belstrom continued. He shifted so he was sitting on the edge of the bed, moving closer to Maxie while adjusting his glasses a bit higher on his nose. “There is also the matter of familial relations.”

“Huh?” Rain grunted from where he was sprawled across the bed behind Belstrom.

“Count Pierres is a distant relation of either the king or queen,” Fenric grumbled. “I don’t remember which anymore. It’s not a strong tie, but Count Pierres can claim royal blood. As such, those people tend to get a much higher benefit of the doubt than regular folks.” Fenric’s lips twisted into an ugly smirk as he met Maxie’s gaze. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the king knew nothing of the matter. Count Pierres probably has people he’s paid to run interference in the royal court to make sure the king never hears the truth. And if he did, King Wymond would probably scoff at the matter as nonsense and demand proof.”

“Proof the informant wouldn’t live long enough to provide,” Malfas added. When Maxie lifted his gaze to where the warlock was standing close by, Malfas drew his club across his throat and stuck out his tongue, mimicking death.

Maxie sat silent for a couple of seconds, his hands balled into tight, vibrating fists on his knees. Just as Fenric was about to touch his shoulder, admonishing the young man to calm down and breathe, Maxie exploded again. “We have to do something!”

“Whoa! Whoa!” The cry went up from nearly every member of E.V.I.L. at the same time.

“Puppy, it’s not that we agree with what they’re doing, because we don’t. Not at all. Those are despicable, horrible, disgusting, scum-sucking…um…um…”

It was literally the first time Fenric had ever seen Malfas struggle for words. Naturally, the pirate was able to pick up the cursing.

“Fucking limp-dicked, pus-covered cowardly fucks who don’t deserve the right to breathe!”

“Every villain has a line they won’t cross,” Hapi added, his lip curling in disgust. “The kidnapping and selling of people into sexual slavery—particularly any who might be of a young age—is frowned upon among our kind. There are plenty of villains who will happily destroy another villain for pursuing that line of business.”

Maxie suddenly snagged Fenric’s arm with both hands and gripped it to the point of almost bruising. “Villains like you, right?”

Fenric didn’t know how it was possible, but he swore Maxie’s eyes doubled in size with a single blink. He wasn’t implementing everything Lirion had taught him, but the little shit was trying. It also didn’t hurt that he was already so desperate and heartbroken.

“Puppy, come on,” Fenric whined. “It’s not that we don’t want to do something. There’s only seven of us, and this place packs some incredible firepower. The security is almost as bad as sneaking into the royal palace. It would be far easier and safer to just sneak one or two people in to get Lirion’s sister.”

“But Aria isn’t the only kidnapped person in there. What about the others who have no one to save them? Can we do something for them? Please, Fen. Just a little something. I swear I won’t ask for anything else ever again.”

Fenric finally jerked his eyes away from Maxie’s and looked at his fellow villains, only to find not one of those bastards willing to meet his gaze. At least when he looked over his shoulder, Lirion had the good grace to appear somewhat guilty.

Well, that was their one shot to shut down the youngest’s plea. It was on their heads now.

“So…I had this other idea,” Fenric started, but he didn’t get any further because Maxie squealed and crashed into him, throwing his arms around his neck and squeezing until Fenric couldn’t breathe.

Hapi chuckled darkly, but even that sound was cut off under the sharp look Fenric shot him.