Demon Within (24 page)

‘I’ll go find him.’ He nodded to Kai and hurried off towards the guest quarters via the outside stairs.

Sabe followed Kai outside while Kiera remained in the hall. Looking at Eloise and her father she crouched down to face them. ‘You’d better start packing; I don’t think Kai’s going to change his mind. I’ll get someone to help you.’

‘Kiera, please! I don’t think this was my father’s doing, please can’t we talk about this, before-’

‘It’s too late. Your father broke Kai’s trust, he’ll never forgive him.’

‘But it wasn’t my father, I’m sure!’

Kiera shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter whether it was your father or Roulan, Kai won’t forget a betrayal.’ She looked over to where Leon lay on the floor; he groaned as he sat up and smoothed his hand over the side of his head. ‘I’ll get someone to help Leon and your father to your rooms, it will be better if you stayed there.’

Eloise watched Kai striding backwards and forwards in front of her father’s soldiers. She couldn’t understand why she couldn’t reach him. She was sure all this was Roulan’s doing and had to get Kai to understand.

Outside in the courtyard and staying under the terrace, Jace couldn’t wait for his father to know what had gone on. He’d heard the stories of Kai acting like a wild beast and now he knew for himself, they were true. Hearing shouting he turned to see Maika dragging another man by his arm down the outside stairs.

‘Get your hands off me! You have no right!’

Noticing the guards lined up in front of Kai on their knees, Roulan knew he was in serious trouble, by the look on Kai’s face he had no doubt he was going to die.

Sabe stepped towards Kai and reached his hand to his friend’s shoulder. ‘Kai, I think we should wait before you do anything hasty.’

Kai’s head snapped towards Sabe, his eyes glared. ‘Hasty? I think I’ve given this waste of skin and bone enough time. He’s been sneaking around from the moment he got here.’

Roulan was forced to his knees, shouting incorrigible words of protest. Glaring at him in silence, Kai thought about his next move.

‘Oh Eloise! What’s going on?’

Nissa was late arriving as she’d been sewing and wanted to get it finished for the wedding the following day. It was after she’d heard Roulan being dragged from his room she looked out onto the courtyard and saw Kai standing over the guards.

Seeing Eloise and Leon helping Garlan stand, she closed her eyes in disbelief. ‘This is bad, isn’t it?’

‘You have no idea Nissa. We have to…’ Eloise’s shaky voice trailed away to nothing. Tears ran down her cheeks and Nissa feared the worst for everyone.

‘What did Roulan do?’

Kiera continued watching the scene outside. ‘He stole gold from the mines, and he’s given it to mercenaries from the South.’

Gasping and covering her mouth, Nissa’s eyes widened.

‘He’s a fool. He deserves what he gets.’ Kiera sneered.

‘Which is?’ Eloise stepped towards Kiera, her brows rose questioningly then Eloise remembered their arrival and the men hung by the gate. Kai was going to kill her brother.

‘Kiera! Please, can’t you speak with Kai?’

‘Won’t do any good, the law doesn’t bend for anyone.’ Her dark eyes stared at Eloise before she left the hall and walked onto the terrace to stand beside Jace.

‘I’m sorry you had to see this.’

‘Does this happen often?’

Shaking her head, Kiera wrinkled her nose. ‘No, not that often. People of Blackhill know when you break a law; you pay for it with your life. It’s an efficient deterrent.’

He slowly moved his gaze towards the guards and Roulan. ‘I guess outsiders don’t know how that works.’ Jace sighed and watched the scene.

Kicking one of the guards and pushing his face into the dirt, Kai growled.

‘You know what we do to thieves here in Blackhill, but it seems you didn’t think our laws applied to you!’ Kai moved towards the next guard and spat in front of him. Continuing along the line, he halted when he reached Roulan.

‘We don’t make exceptions here, not for any man!’

Terrified eyes stared up at him; Roulan’s dark hair fell around his face. He was shaking with fear. ‘You… you can’t treat me like this, I’m-’

‘You’re no one!’

Drawing his knives from his sides, he took a step back. Kai turned to look at Sabe with a wildness that even Sabe hadn’t seen for a long time. Without looking at the guard that was unfortunate to receive the first blow, Kai’s arm swung to the side and sliced across his neck. The others ducked to avoid the swing of the blade, and the blood. Roulan gasped in horror and fell forward, resting his head on his hands as he begged for his life.

‘Please! NO! I don’t want to die!’

Listening from inside, Eloise had covered her eyes too late to see the guards body fall forward as blood spurted out everywhere. It made her feel sick and now her brother would suffer the same fate. He was a constant irritation in her life, but she couldn’t watch him die.

About to leave the hall, Sabe watched her approach the doorway from his place outside and quickly rushed forward to stop her. His hands gripped her shoulders as she tried to push past him. ‘You should go to your room Eloise; you don’t want to see this.’

‘That’s my brother! I have to speak with Kai, let me pass Sabe!’

‘It’s too late for that, go inside and take your father to his room.’ His dark eyes, full of pity for her, stared down. Seeing tears forming in her eyes, he sighed and shook his head to the side gently. ‘Eloise, I’m sorry. I think it’s too late for words. Please, go inside.’

Pulling away from his hold she glared at him. ‘He can’t do this, please! Stop him!’

She couldn’t watch anymore and ran inside. Huddled together with her father, Nissa and Leon, she wished she could wake up from the nightmare.

Watching from the quiet of the terrace as he stood with Kiera, Jace felt sorry for Eloise and her family. As much as Garlan was his father’s enemy, he didn’t want this. His father was intending to return to speak with Kai in the morning, to discuss the proposal for an alliance, but he didn’t see much point now. He certainly didn’t think Kai would be interested in making any more contracts.

The courtyard started to fill with more and more people as word spread of the deceit from the King and his son. It was getting late and growing darker with each passing moment. Sabe looked around and saw an opportunity to calm the situation.

Taking a tentative step towards Kai, whose sword was poised ready to strike another guard, Sabe interrupted Kai. ‘I need a word.’

Scowling and taking a deep breath, Kai lowered his sword and nodded for Sabe to come closer. ‘What?’ He snapped.

‘It’s getting late and this could take some time, especially since you’ll be giving Roulan a sword, won’t you?’

He was famous for his silver-tongue and putting it to use could stop the bloodshed, albeit until tomorrow. A grunt forced from Kai’s chest told Sabe he’d made his point. He raised his brows and waited for Kai’s orders.

‘Take them to the cells; we’ll continue this in the morning. It’s getting dark and we don’t want to miss anything… do we?’

Turning towards the people gathering in the courtyard, they cheered at their leader and started to leave. Breathing a sigh of relief, Sabe slapped Kai’s arm.

‘I think you’ve made the right decision friend.’ Smiling hesitantly, Sabe turned towards the doorway to see if Eloise was still watching, but he couldn’t see her.

Maika and Saul and the other warriors pulled the remaining prisoners to their feet and hauled them off to the cells with Roulan still begging for his life. Watching them, and then turning to look around to Kiera and her friend under the terrace, Kai took a deep breath before looking down at his bloody sword.

‘Have this cleaned for tomorrow.’ Handing it over to Sabe, Kai marched inside and stormed down the eastern hallway.

Sabe followed into the main hallway and assumed Eloise and the rest had gone back to their rooms as he couldn’t see them, it was better they stayed out of the way. Calling to the house staff, Sabe instructed them to take refreshments to their rooms as they wouldn’t be joining them for supper. Running his hands through his hair and puffing out a long breath, Sabe raised his face to the ceiling.

‘That was close.’ Kiera’s voice made his hands fall to his sides as he gave another long sigh.

‘Well this isn’t good.’ Turning to look at his sister and Jace, he frowned. ‘I expect you’ll be re thinking your plans for an alliance?

With raised brows Jace cocked his head to the side. ‘I think I’ll leave that decision to my father, he’s the one who wanted this.’

‘Your father’s a wise man, and I’m sure he’ll make a good choice, either way.’

Leon’s voice made everyone turn as he approached from the hallway having returned from the guest rooms.

‘We’ve never met.’ Extending his hand to Jace, he smiled. ‘I’m Leon; it’s my letters to your father that have kept you informed of Garlan’s plans.’

Surprised and taking his hand Jace couldn’t believe he was finally meeting his father’s friend and spy from Brightstone.

‘I had no idea you were here. It’s good to finally meet you.’

Sabe and Kiera watched with furrowed brows and eager to know more details, Sabe questioned. ‘How do you know each other?’

Stepping closer Leon apologized to Sabe.

‘Forgive me, but, I’ve been keeping Caster informed of Garlan’s plans since I discovered he was still alive.’

‘Who was still alive?’ Kiera butted in.

Smiling casually and replying coolly as usual. ‘Caster, he’s Garlan’s older brother, and the rightful King of Brightstone.’

Sabe and Kiera gasped and stared in amazement. They hadn’t expected this.

Leon continued, he didn’t see any point in holding onto the facts now, and while he wasn’t sure if Jace was aware of all the facts, he’d need to know sooner or later, so it might as well be now.

‘That’s not all. It was Garlan who pushed Caster over a gully when they were hunting. He’d insisted it was an accident and that Caster was dead and lost, the body fell quite a distance and Garlan said he couldn’t remember exactly where he’d fallen.’

It was deathly silent until Sabe spoke. ‘Oh this is priceless!’

‘Shh.’ Kiera scowled and nodded for Leon to carry on.

‘Well as you can imagine, Garlan was now prince regent and as soon as his father passed, he became King.’

Leon wiped his face with his hand and apologized; he was still suffering a headache from Kiera’s punch to the head and took a moment to compose himself.

‘It was Eloise’s mother, Charlain that I felt sorry for the most. Garlan had been jealous of Caster, he and Charlain were betrothed and Garlan wanted her for himself. So with his brother out of the way, he made his feelings known to Charlain.’

‘Coward, sleazy coward!’

‘Shh!’ Sabe glared at Kiera and grinned.

‘Charlain didn’t want anything to do with Garlan; she hated him, but was forced to marry him by order of her father.’ Pursing his lips and looking towards Kiera, Leon apologized before continuing.

‘Forgive me Kiera, but I don’t like to speak about the immoral behavior of men in the presence of a woman, are you sure you want to hear the rest?’

‘Are you serious? Of course I do! Continue, please!’

Bowing and glancing to Jace, waiting for him to nod, he continued.

‘He forced himself on Charlain and even though they were officially married, she vowed she’d never have anything to do with him. So he took her by force. Threatening to speak to her father, he had her confined to one of the towers, and visited her for… well…I’m sure you know the rest.’

‘That’s disgusting, he’s a pig.’

Jace furrowed brows at hearing Leon tell all that his father had only told him a few days earlier. It made him sick, hearing what he’d done. He didn’t deserve any respect and Jace felt sadness for Eloise, she was innocent in all of this.

‘Are you alright Jace?’ Leon noticed his expression.

‘I’m fine, my father told me just a few days ago, I’m still finding it hard to believe but I’m alright, go on Leon. I think everyone needs to know.’

‘Very well.’ Drawing a long breath, he continued.

‘After a few weeks of Eloise’s birth, Garlan visited Charlain once more, but she’d refused him, as usual, but this time she’d had enough and called on her ‘gift’ and set the room alight… and burned herself alive, in front of Garlan.’

Kiera’s mouth gaped so wide her jaw almost hit the floor. Leon closed his eyes and puffed out a breath. He’d never got over that and after hearing about Caster, and that he was still alive, he set out to find him and advise him of everything. Agreeing once he’d found Caster, that he’d be his spy and keep him informed of Garlan’s movements until the day came that he could overthrow him and take back what was his.

‘I must add that Eloise and Roulan are unaware of any of this.’ Scowling he added. ‘Well, I know for sure Eloise doesn’t, but it is possible Roulan may know a little. Please don’t let her hear of this. We’ll be leaving in the morning so there’s no need for her to hear this right now.’

Spinning about and massaging his forehead with his fingers and thumb, Sabe puffed out a long breath. Taking in everything Leon said, it took him a while to make sense of it all. After a few moments, he started laughing.