Death and Honor: Book 2 of 2 (18 page)

Gabriel blink, certain he hadn’t understood her. “You want me to let Xander murder your father?”

Amanda sighed again. “Better if he’s a victim of an assassin then a traitor to the crown. I will not see my family torn apart by my father’s stupidity.”

Gabriel nodded, he saw her point, but it pained him that such a decision needed to be made at all. “If that’s your wish I’m sure Xander will be happy to grant it. I won’t stand in his way.”

“Thank you, Gabriel. I hope you don’t think less of me. Sometimes hard decisions must be made. As a child of the nobility you learn that at an early age.”

“We’ll be leaving soon. Promise me you’ll stay in the church. I’ll arrange for Griff to come check on you.”

“I promise, just be sure you come back safe.”

“I will.” Gabriel kissed her then left her to get some rest. He went to the kitchen to check on Solan and Xander, but found the priest sitting alone. “Where’s Xander?”

“He went back to his inn to sleep. He says he’s ready when we are. How’s Amanda?”

“Better than I feared. When I told her about her father she said it would be best if I let Xander kill him.”

“That isn’t surprising. Her family stands to lose everything.”

“So she said.” Gabriel couldn’t accept Amanda’s willingness to sacrifice her father, no matter what he’d done. He was still her father.

“Don’t be too quick to judge her.” Solan must have read his mind. “Remember she has scores of relatives to protect. Would you condemn them along with the duke?”

“Of course not, and I don’t judge Amanda. It’s hard to hear such sentiments spoken out loud is all.”

“Especially after losing your own father.”

Gabriel nodded. “So when do we leave?”

“How about noon tomorrow. That will give me time to make arrangements and buy supplies.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“
H
ow many are there
?” Xander asked the druid, Kiera Oakshadow. It was three hours after moonrise and he, along with his brother and Solan, had met the woman half a mile from Duke Cariden’s hunting lodge. The lodge was a sprawling, two story mansion built of logs. To one side a barracks of the same style housed his guards, who now patrol the area.

“Thirty guards patrol the grounds in groups of five. I have no idea how many are inside.” Kiera eyed Xander, lip curled with disdain.

“What are you thinking, Xander?” Gabriel asked.

“I’m trying to decide the best way to take them out.”

“We don’t need to kill them,” Gabriel said. “We can sneak past.”

Xander shook his head. “You’re either soft or stupid. Those soldiers’s job is to kill trespassers, like us. I doubt they’ll have any qualms about doing it.”

“Your brother is correct.” Solan laid a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder.

Gabriel and Kiera stared at the priest in dumb silence. The old priest surprised Xander as well, but he hoped he hid it better than they did. He’d taken the old man for a softie like his brother.

“I’ll take care of it.” Xander drew his sword. “I’ll call you in when the way is clear.”

“Solan?” Gabriel’s voice held a pleading tone.

“It has to be done,” Solan said. “If one of us is hurt and we need to retreat in a hurry those soldiers might be the death of us. Our mission is too important to allow sentiment to stop us from doing what must be done.”

“I won’t be long.” Xander pulled up the hood of his cloak and stepped into a shadow.

He emerged from the shadow of the barracks. Through his connection with the demon sword he sensed the life forces of the men scattered around the grounds. From the lodge he sensed a demonic aura that made the imp he killed earlier feel like a mouse.

That is a greater demon, no doubt Drago’s second in command. My power can shield us as long as we don’t get too close.

“Can you kill something that strong?”

The devourer’s disdain echoed in his thoughts.
I can kill anything. The question is can you get us close enough to strike without getting yourself killed.

Now the disdain belonged to Xander. “Don’t worry about me.” He moved toward the closest guard patrol, a panther on the hunt.

G
abriel
, Kiera, and Solan crouched behind a pile of boulders within sight of the lodge grounds. They had neither seen nor heard any sign of Xander. Gabriel took that as a good sign as any raised alarm would mean the guards had spotted Xander.

“Xander is quite bloodthirsty,” Kiera said.

Gabriel offered a glum nod.

“Don’t judge him too harshly.” Gabriel was surprised when the priest would come to Xander’s defense. “In his world the least hesitation might get him killed. I don’t believe he enjoys killing, it’s just his job.”

“That’s a poor excuse.” Contempt dripped from Kiera’s voice.

“I’m not offering an excuse, but an explanation. Xander does what he must to survive.”

Kiera snorted and Gabriel understood how she felt. Xander seemed more of a stranger than a brother now. Gabriel stilled loved him, but he didn’t understand the way he thought.

“Explain it any way you wish,” Kiera said. “The man’s a monster and if we didn’t need him I’d be happy to put him down.”

“Anytime you’d care to try.” Xander’s cold voice came from the darkness a moment before he stepped from the shadow of a large pine.

They started at Xander sudden appearance. Gabriel watched his brother and Kiera lock gazes. It didn’t take the druid long to look away. Xander laughed. “That’s what I thought. The way is clear. We can move when you’re ready.”

The four of them ran across the manicured lawn and came to a stop beside the main entrance to the lodge, a set of twelve foot tall double doors. “I will wait here,” Solan said. “I’m no warrior and will slow you down. Gabriel, you and your brother have to deal with the demon. Kiera you must find the key fragments.”

“They could be anywhere,” she said. “How do I find them?”

Solan reached into his pocket, pulled out a golden compass, and handed it to her. The arrow pointed straight at the mansion. “I enchanted the compass for this occasion. It will lead you to the fragments.”

Kiera nodded. “I’m ready.”

Gabriel drew his sword, which glowed with a pure white light. He looked at his brother who wore an eager smile, his black blade in hand. Xander’s sword drank in the moonlight, giving no reflection. Looking at the blade gave Gabriel a chill.

“Shall I open the doors?” Xander asked.

Gabriel was better suited to opening the heavy doors, but if Xander thought he could handle it he’d let him. “Go ahead.”

Xander stood straight and raised his sword above his head, Gabriel realized what his brother intended, but didn’t act quick enough to stop him. He winced, expecting to hear the black blade bounce off the heavy doors. Instead Xander made half a dozen lightening slashes and the door clattered to the ground in pieces. Xander offered a mocking bow. “After you.”

Gabriel stared at the inch thick oak slabs lying on the ground. Xander’s sword cut through them like they were silk. He stepped over the debris, Kiera followed right behind him, and Xander brought up the rear. They entered an entry room; halls branched to the left and right. Straight ahead they found a staircase leading to the second floor.

“Where are the guards?” Xander asked. Gabriel wondered the same thing. They must have heard the racket when the doors fell. Guards should be pouring out of the woodwork.

Gabriel shrugged. “Beats me.”

“The compass says I have to go this way.” Kiera pointed down a hall to the left.

“Be careful.” Gabriel spoke to Kiera’s back as she had already turned down the hall. Turning back to his brother Gabriel asked, “What now?”

Xander ignored him, his brow furrowed in concentration, eyes closed. “The men are upstairs, along with the demon. I assume Duke Cariden is with them.”

“They’re waiting for us,” Gabriel said.

Xander nodded a vicious grin twisting his lips. “It would be rude to keep them waiting.”

“We should warn Kiera.”

“I’m sure she can take care of herself. We can rescue her after if need be.”

Gabriel couldn’t fault his brother’s reasoning. “Let’s go then.”

They charged up the steps, taking them two at a time. At the top Xander turned right, down a door lined hall.

“Are you sure this is the way?”

Xander ignored him leaving Gabriel no choice but to follow. Xander stopped in front of a door. “Through there.”

Gabriel took a firm grip on his sword and nodded. Xander cut the door off its hinges and kicked it into the room. Ten guards stood in a semicircle in front of Duke Cariden who stood behind a large desk, serpent staff gripped in his right hand.

“You two are trespassing.” The duke pointed his staff at them. “I insist you leave at once.”

“I wonder if you recognize me.” Xander ignored the duke’s order and stepped deeper into the study. My name is Xander Kane. You ordered my family killed for some stone trinket. It’s for you to die.”

“The name doesn’t ring a bell. Remove him.”

One of the guards reached for his sword. Xander’s attack came so fast Gabriel barely registered it before the guard twitched on the floor in two pieces. “Who’s next?”

All hell broke loose. The remaining guards drew their weapons and attacked. Gabriel had time enough to see his brother cut down a second man before he had his own hands full with a pair of guards eager to carve him into chunks.

X
ander cut down another guard
. He found no satisfaction in it, none of the guards had the skill to challenge him, and they got in each other’s way as much as anything. It was like slaughtering sheep. All of them together weren’t worth his time. The devourer was in his glory, every time its transformed flesh sliced into another guard a jolt of pleasure surged through Xander as the demon sword consumed the unlucky man’s soul.

Drop!

Xander fell to his stomach an instant before a blast of flames shot through the space he’d vacated. The guard trying to sneak up on him screamed when the fire seared the flesh from his bones. Xander looked up to see the duke pointing his golden staff in his direction, flames dripped from the serpent’s mouth.

The staff is the demon.

“No kidding.” Xander rolled away from another blast of fire. He sprang to his feet and leapt back to avoid a third blast. “How do I get past those flames?”

Very carefully.

Xander cursed all demons and sprang away from another stream of fire. When he landed he whipped his throwing dagger at the duke and a howl of pain rewarded him when the blade sank into Duke Cariden’s shoulder. Even better, the staff fell to the floor and rolled a few feet away from the now unarmed nobleman. Xander advanced, eager to complete his business with the duke. Two guards remained, but Gabriel had them well in hand. Perhaps he could take his time getting his revenge.

The golden serpent coiled and spat fire at him. Reflexes honed by years of fighting for his life saved Xander who yanked his head clear of the flames an instant before his face would have burned off. The stink of burned hair filled his nostrils. Xander rolled away from yet another blast.

“You didn’t tell me it could move.”

I told you it was a demon
.

“So are you.” Xander dodged again. It took all his skill to avoid getting burned to a crisp. He couldn’t even think of counterattacking.

Steps thudded behind him. Xander glanced away from the serpent to see his brother racing forward, glowing sword raised. The demon swung its head toward Gabriel and spat a stream of fire. “No!”

White fire erupted from Gabriel’s blade, snuffing out the demon’s fire. Without missing a step Gabriel attacked, slashing at the serpent. The demon’s supernatural speed kept it from getting cut in half by a hair’s breadth.

Xander regained his feet, grinning like a mad man. “I see you know a trick or two.”

Gabriel chose not to comment instead advancing on the golden serpent without a hint of fear. It must be nice to have a sword the absorbed demon magic. “Why can’t you do that?”

Even I have limits.
The devourer managed to sound defensive.

Xander flanked the serpent to his brother’s left. No matter which direction it turned one of them would be free to attack. A golden light surrounded the serpent. Xander flinched, ready to dodge whatever flavor of death the demon loosed at them.

Instead of an eldritch blast the serpent grew, doubling in size, and then doubling again, and again. Soon its hooded head scraped the ceiling. Undaunted Gabriel attacked, swing his glowing sword with enough force to put a gash in the now tree truck sized body. Gabriel’s sword bounced off scales thicker than steel plate and twice as tough.

The huge head reared back. Xander leapt, hitting Gabriel in the side and pushing him out of the way of meter long fangs that would have skewered like the kabobs the vendors sold in the market back home.

“Are you okay?” Xander rolled with Gabriel out of the serpents reach and clambered to his feet.

Gabriel nodded. “The Bright Sword didn’t cut it.” He sounded dumbfounded.

“I noticed. I can kill it if you can keep it from incinerating me.”

“Stupid mortals.” The serpent hissed. “Your pathetic weapons can’t harm me. Your plotting only delays your inevitable deaths. I will devour you body and soul and when my master is free my kind will dominate your world.”

“After we finish with you, worm, your master is next.” Xander raised his sword, ready to continue the battle.

The serpent roared and breathed fire. Gabriel stepped in front of Xander, sword raised, to snuff out the flames. “If you won’t burn I’ll crush you to pulp.” The serpent lunged, smashing the desk and chair into so much kindling.

Gabriel leapt back, not letting the serpent get too close. Xander shot forward to attack. He dodged the serpent’s huge fangs which sank into the floor boards. When it pulled back the wood smoked as the demon’s venom rotted them away. Xander slashed as he leapt past the serpent, the devourer cut a deep furrow in the serpent’s scales. The demon hissed in pain and a surge of power unlike anything he’d ever experienced hit Xander like a bolt of lightning.

The giant serpent didn’t realize it was supposed to die after one blow and struck at Xander, fangs leading. He had no time to dodge. Xander raised the devourer in a vain attempt to block the attack. Fang and sword came together, but instead of being sent flying the serpent push him back a foot then Xander stopped and held the giant demon back. Stolen power surged through him and the serpent’s fang cracked along its length.

The demon recoiled, hissing in pain and anger. Xander grinned. He’d never felt so much power. The devourer threw off waves of energy and Xander felt the demon sword’s desire to attack. The serpent coiled in the corner of the room and regarded Xander with a wary hooded glare.

Gabriel eased up beside Xander. “You okay?”

“Never better.” Xander willed the devourer to grow until he held a six foot long great sword.

Xander charged, his great speed made blinding by the infusion of demonic energy. He leapt and with a single, powerful, slash lopped the serpent’s head off. Xander screamed as the overflow of energy poured into him every muscle clenched until he feared his bones would break. Then it stopped. Xander fell to his knees and gasped.

He had no time to recover. The slain serpent burst into flames which soon engulfed half the room.

Gabriel knelt beside him. “Xander!”

It took a moment for Xander to realize that was his name and his brother was speaking to him. He faced Gabriel who flinched away. “We’ve need to find Kiera and get out.”

Xander nodded. He had no wish to be burned alive, again. “You go on. I’ll deal with the duke and catch up.”

“We should stick together.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Xander got to his feet. “I’m sure Kiera needs you more than I do. Go!”

Gabriel left the burning office, a disappointed frown wrinkling his face. With his brother out of the way Xander focused on finding Duke Cariden. The duke’s pitiful life force hid not far away. The flames weren’t spreading too fast, good, he could take his time. He honed in on the dukes' life force like a bloodhound on the trail and soon came to a blank wall. There had to be a hidden door. Cariden couldn’t walk through walls.