AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re a woman of letters,” I say to Lucella Vernok next, using the intelligence Alrion gathered for me. The one they call Vern was a clerical aide in the mayor’s office before her town was wiped off the map. “You will make yourself useful in the city’s library.”
The last spy, Kriss, I assign to the stables. He posed as their coachman, so I assume he won’t be completely useless there. Besides, no one needs much of an education to muck horseshit.
In other circumstances, that would also have been Rhea’s place. Alrion told me she likes horses. But that wouldn’t be much fun, now, would it?
I take my time before getting to my prey. I can feel her strange eyes focused on me as she braces for the upcoming blow.
“You will not be questioned. I have little interest in the ways of the south, and I doubt any one of you has ever been told anything even resembling truth.”
I can tell my words are both angering and disturbing them. They want to vilify me. Wouldn’t it make their lives so much simpler if I was who they believe me to be? Unfortunately for everyone, I am nothing but the king of night, lord of the north, child of the shade. I have no designs on the south. Taking care of half of this island is hard enough.
“Your sentences are valid for a hundred years, after which, so long as you’ve worked well, your debt to Nyxar will be considered paid. You may return south if you so wish.” In a hundred years, one way or another, this conflict will be history. Either we’ll be at peace, or the majority of the population will have been reduced to ashes.
“You’ll all be watched, of course,” I add, deliberately not broaching the subject of the only one who matters, the only reason why they’re not already hanging at the end of a short noose. “And transgressions of one will see all of you punished. We will reassess your sentence if you cause further disturbances.”
I direct my gaze to Rhea at long last.
Uncanny leonine eyes. Flawless skin. Lips so ripe, of a rosy blush, even without any cosmetics. She’s physical perfection, yet rotten to the core, spoiled by her upbringing, her trauma, her erroneous beliefs.
A simpler man would throw away the whole fruit, but I’m patient enough to carve out the putrescence and keep the rest, even if it’s only a bite.The ripest fruits are the sweetest.
“Now, what am I to do with you, murderess?” I muse out loud, amusement breaking through my implacable mask. I can’t help but smirk. “You seduced me, and let me use this enchanting body of yours, then took advantage of my vulnerability to strike me. I assessed many of your skills last night,” I say, my voice suggestive, to the delight of my subjects. They chuckle at her expense. “There is one that is of use to this court. I will keep taking what you’ve offered, darling Rhea. You are now my lady of pleasure.”
The Allean guests gasp, my court claps, and her purple-haired friend screams insults, trying to rush to me.
Rhea herself holds her back. “Didn’t you hear him? One of us steps out of line, all of us pay,” she hisses.
That does little to calm Sorsha, the loyal dog. “He’s a monster! He’s going to hurt you!”
“That’s what men do.” She’s matter-of-fact, unsurprised.
The part of me that demanded the name of whoever had forced her before last night roars again, urging me to hunt down anyone who hurt her, instilling such beliefs inside her. Which is ludicrous, of course. I’d have to hunt myself.
“Do you accept your new positions, prisoners?” I ask all four, making it clear that no individual assignment is negotiable.
As if I’m giving them a choice.
“Yes,” Rhea replies first, staring pointedly at the friend she’s still holding back.
Sorsha sneers, and glares, and pouts, but she nods, and so do the other two.
“Very well. Now this unpleasantness is out of the way, let us have some music. It is Lughnasadh, after all.”
I wave to guards, and the four infiltrators are taken back the way they came.
16
RHEA
We're separated right after we come out of the great hall. No surprises there. Sorsha squeezes my hand in show of support and trust before her guard wordlessly nudges her forward with the hilt of his longsword.
“Touch me again and I’ll shove it in your ass,” she snaps.
The guard chuckles. “This way, tigress.”
I’m taken upstairs, and the other three, down different hallways on the ground floor.
I'm reeling, too many emotions churning for me to make sense of them all. If I must pick the strongest, I'd choose bewilderment.
