Gideon [The Marujan Brothers Series] Book Two (16 page)

Chapter
Nineteen

'The man who passes the sentence
should swing the sword. If you
would take a man's life, you owe it
to him to look into his eyes and
hear his final words. And if you
cannot bear to do that, then
perhaps the man does not deserve to die.'
-George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire,
#1)

S
weat
trickled down his temples and into his eyes.
He wiped them with a swift swipe of his hand.
Time stood still for a while or perhaps he was just seeing things
in slow motion. A distant buzzing stretched around him as he
watched the probable two dozen Kankul soldiers march on to the wide
empty field of what seemed to be a large colosseum, heavily lit
with hundreds and hundreds of torches, and sealed by a metal domed
roof. The place was built to keep all out...or all in.
They—the despicable kind he'd known to be the enemy for centuries
as centuries more to come—came to a stop before the only opening; a
large door directly before him some two hundred meters away.
Gideon wiped at his sweat again, sniffing and knowing already what
was to come. The dusty fog, that was generated as the soldiers had
walked heavily across the dirt-packed flooring, finally settled and
a brisk breeze slapped against him before the air itself, too, went
still.
Gideon did not know, for sure, where that breeze had come from. But
it had come with the right timing, sending a rash of goose bumps
across his bare arms. He wondered if Hadaen would make it there
before or after he died.
Like hell he would! Gideon chuckled inwardly at his own thoughts.
He had his own type of heaven to look forward to so dying was not
on his life list. He arched a brow as the Kankul soldiers roared
all at once, sending a wave of stinking breath towards him. For the
life of him, the only thing Gideon could think about at the moment
was how good his humor was getting, and that these Kankul fuckers
had better step up their intimidation technique.
What did they expect him to do, cower like a bitch?
Psssh!
He was a third of
the Marujan Dynasty. It was he that they should be intimidated
by.
Widening his stance and finding a newly found strength, Gideon met
the gazes of each and every Kankul man on the field. The act that
Deorci had pulled on him back in the cell a half hour ago had been
cheap and cowardly. How the fiend had found a way to weaken his
defenses was a mystery to him but he had no intention of ever
letting it happen again.
Deorci wanted a fight? A fight he'd get. And one he'd sooner never
forget!
Clenching his fists, he breathed deep, praying to The First for
strength. This fight was for Esyth. He hadn't laid eyes on her for
three years but he knew now that the universe could never be so
cruel as to take her away from him.
And this fight was for Sienna. He squeezed his eyes just, sending
out another short prayer that she'd survive. If it hadn't been for
her....
He shook his head. He was going to wring Deorci's neck and rip his
fucking heart out, right before he gave him a well-anticipated
ass-kicking!
Gideon looked around him one last time before fastening his gaze on
the bloodthirsty soldiers before him. To be honest, he'd expected
to see more of them. Hundreds more. The fact that there were so
little of them, gave his confidence an upward push. It meant that
Deorci's defense wasn't as strong as he'd first thought. Whatever
the case, he wouldn't just stand here and wonder. He needed to find
Esyth and see that she's alright. The First knows, only that
knowledge alone could keep him going. Gideon didn't know if revenge
possessed the strength to drive him anymore.
Widening his stance, he wiped a trickle of sweat from his temple
and stared at the soldiers. They are well protected in steel armor
straight up to their wretched heads. Gideon smirked; things had
certainly changed. Where had the days gone when they'd fight fists
to bare fists, and with just the thin barrier of cloth on their
backs.
Something must certainly be off that he was yet to notice.
"Why don't we all just skip the introductions and get on with
this," Gideon shouted across the field, rolling away the knot in
his shoulders and cracking his knuckles. "Deorci has got me right
where he wants, right? Or is he too much of a pussy to face me
now?"
The soldiers neither flinched nor uttered a word. Gideon watched
them as they but stared back at him for several more minutes. Just
when he'd thought he could take the silence any longer, one of the
soldiers stepped forward, his hand hovering over the handle of his
sword.
"They always talk too much when they know they're about to be
fucked my death himself," the soldier muttered with a drawl,
encouraging a few snickers from the rest of the group. "Do tell us
exactly how you'd like to die so we'll make it a bit easier on
you."
Gideon barked out a harsh laugh.
These
dumb fucks…
"Show me what you've
got."

The soldier smirked, glancing back at his
fellow men and then returned to his original position alongside
them. The more they all stood there staring at each other, the more
Gideon grew anxious. If they were meant to fight, then why not
fight and be done with it? Why the staring contest?

Gideon shifted his feet
restlessly. He was a firm believer in a fist-to-fist solution of
problems and whoever won the fight must have been the party who had
been in the ‘
right
’ from the beginning.
Yeah, he could picture himself beating all these fools into bloody
pulps already.....and still have plenty of time and energy to spare
to face Deorci. Gideon chuckled to himself and flexed his
shoulders. His confidence alone was what kept him going during the
harder parts of these days. And damn it, he didn’t want to sound to
sound harsh but if he didn’t fucking love Esyth; he sure as hell
wouldn’t be here right now. He’d be somewhere in his own kingdom
sipping on a couple beers and a few games of chess. And maybe
finding another naïve maiden to fool around with, all the while
dodging the angry mama.

Yeah…he would certainly
not
be here, stinking
like a skunk from a lack of a good bath and waiting on Deorci’s
idiot ass to show up.

As the seconds ticked by—and yes,
somewhere in the depth of his subconscious, he was actually
counting those seconds—Gideon fought against the urge to summon all
the pent up anger he had been storing for all these long lonely
years. He didn’t know he managed it, and only The First could
explain it to him because he found himself uncharacteristically
calm at the moment; when all he wanted to do was huff and puff and
blow this fucking dungeon to pieces. But he needed to use his head
in the matter; he had to think. Gideon had no idea
when
Hadaen would show
up (he knew his brother would never let him down) but he had to
play it safe for the time being. He had to remain calm.

For Esyth’s sake.

……
.you Gideon, have always been so
special. I saw it in your eyes for the few moments I held you in my
arms. You'll be the one to hold both your brothers up. They don't
have the patient will like you do…..
He could hear his mother’s words drifting through him like a
calming breeze. Closing his eyes for the briefest of moments,
Gideon inhaled deeply, focusing on the image of her beautiful face.
He hadn’t known her and yet…. It was as if he had. He opened his
eyes and blinked twice. Yeah…he
had
known her. She had lived within him all these
years, giving him a strength that set him apart of everyone else.
He was special, that’s what she’d told him and he believed
it.

He believed it.

Now all he had to do was focus on
Esyth. She was everything to him. She…and his brothers. And Amelia
too. They were a small and close knit family but they had been
through a lot together; they were there for each other no matter
what. Trust, dependability, love: his family. But now he wanted to
explore and to enjoy all that that was meant to be his; to start
his own family and to bathe in the love he knew was waiting for him
with wide open arms. A love that he was more than willing to
reciprocate. A love that he
did
reciprocate.

……
. She'll be waiting for you.
You'll know what to do,
his mother had
said. A slight smile twitched the corner of his lips as the image
of his emerald-eyed darling came to him. Gideon glanced at the
Kankul soldiers and smirked, cracking his knuckles. It was payback
time and he knew firsthand and personally that payback was one hell
of a bitch.

He chuckled humorlessly and shook
his head. They fucked with his father…he was too young to fight
back. They fucked with his kingdom...they’d lost
that
time. But they
fucked with his woman… Big mistake!

When he left this damn stink hole,
it will be swept off the damn map. And he sure as hell was
not
going to leave
without Esyth.

* * *

D
eorci’s
nose flared hotly as he observed the Marujan brother down in the
field. Things were not going as he had planned. Why was the damn
idiot so
fucking
calm?! He’d expected the filthy bastard to be stomping his
way across the field, spewing his abominable red energy and wiping
out his worthless soldiers already. It was plain and
simple.

Deorci was pissed.

He ran the tip of his index finger along his
jaw, thinking. He was half tempted to go down there and show the
Marujan just what he was made of but one and only one reason alone
stopped him…

His Plan B.

Deorci smirked, the grin on his
face a crooked attempt at a smile, as he rubbed his palms together
in thought. He wanted all of them there when he decided to dispel
his plan; and by all of them, he meant, all three Marujan brothers
and whatever else fucking idiots they’d be bringing along with
them.
Including
Malakai Baamel.

He’d learnt of the traitor’s
whereabouts for some days now. Frankly, Deorci had thought the
little fool had died…thrown himself over a cliff, better yet. But
to know that Baamel was actually planning against him made him
angry beyond belief. No…. Angry was a big understatement. He was
feeling murderous. The man hadn’t been the best right-hand man and
Deorci had disliked his presence for months, like a terrible itch
crawling under his skin. But the mere fact that his ex-man was now
teaming up with a Marujan made him want to rip his own damn heart
out. Deorci chuckled. Well, his
metaphorical
heart.

Turning, he straightened the
lapels of his long leather cloak and stared at the large eight-inch
thick iron door directly before him. He gazed around his study,
taking in all the ugly furniture and accessories. He smiled. He
loved every piece of it. His eyes returned to the door. Behind it
was the key to his victory over the Marujan kingdom
this
time and he had no
intention of fucking his chance up.

His own kingdom was weakening…more
than three-quarters of his men had been wiped out. He had to act
today! Before the Marujan found out just how weak his stronghold
was becoming and swopped in for the kill. He wasn’t naïve…and he
wasn’t stupid either. All three brothers together against him would
be a fight to the end.
His
end. So, he had to prepare the best weapon he
could discover and use it. It was his only choice.

Inhaling deeply, he summoned his
own energy and held his hand up, whispering a slow chant.
“
Sinjei manaueri epii
…”

The door opened in one swift motion, creaking
loudly and almost shaking the entire room. He released a heavy
breath and stepped inside. There it was…his weapon. Deorci observed
it thoroughly, feeling beyond pleased with and proud of himself. He
smiled and crossed the empty room to take a better look at his
possession.

“
I know he’s here.”

Deorci chuckled and looked down
the blonde beauty, he green eyes sharp with the highest levels of
hatred and disgust. He’d kept her comfortable despite the fact she
irritated him beyond belief. She was his now. At least,
for
now. “He
is.”

“
You…won’t…win.” She said each
word with firm shakes of her head.

“Sweetheart, I’ve already won…” And he reached
out to touch her face.

She grimaced and drew back. “Don’t
you dare touch me.
I hate
you
!” And she grunted deeply, working up a
fat blab of phlegm and spat it in his face.

His nose flared and his mouth
curled into a snarl that could make any grown-ass man piss his
pants. And this was one of his
good
days. Deorci flicked the mass of saliva from
between his brows and looked at her silently for a while. She
looked back, chest heaving with fury and dread and eyes wide with
open contempt.