A Kingdom Falls (The Mancer Trilogy Book 1) (16 page)

“Those lovely yellow roses there are called the Wolverton rose.  Her Majesty, the Queen, was kind enough to allow us to take some cuttings many years ago,” replied Beth Rothgal.

“I’ve never seen them before.  What’s their scent like?” asked Maria, turning around.

“They come from a far away exotic land and their scent reflects that, Banker Clough.”  Beth turned to speak to a woman outside the room.  “Steph, cut three of the Wolverton roses, and bring them here.”

“Yes, Mistress Rothgal.”

Beth turned her attention back to Maria.  “You shall soon find out why they are so highly prized.”

Maria smiled.  “I shall look forward to it.”

Charles Rothgal ran his professional eye over Maria’s bodyguard.  “Your servant has a very military bearing, Banker Clough.”

“These are dangerous times, Master Rothgal.  A woman needs to be protected.”

“Especially if the bank she works for charges such ridiculous rates.”

“I thought we could be civil about this,” said Maria, lightly.

“I am sure we can,” soothed Beth, laying a gentle hand on her husband’s arm.  “Please, be seated, Banker Clough.”  Beth indicated a nearby comfortable looking seat.

“Thank you,” smiled Maria as she moved to the indicated seat.  “I must say, you have the most wonderful eyes, Lady Rothgal.”

“Em, why thank you, Banker Clough,” replied a slightly confused Beth.  “Wine?”

“Please.”

“Sylvia!” Beth called through the open door, “please bring in the wine.”

“They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul,” said Maria.

“Oh, do they?  What a nice thing to say.”

“Yes, and you must have a very beautiful soul.”

“Thank you.”  Beth cast a questioning glance at her husband.

“Enough of my wife’s eyes,” dismissed Charles Rothgal.  “We are here to discuss the ridiculously high interest rates you are charging us, Banker.”  He gave Maria a hateful stare.

“Charles!” scolded Beth.

The servant, Sylvia, entered the room, carrying a tray upon which stood four glasses topped up with wine.  “The wine, ma’am.”

“Ah, good, yes.”  Beth removed a glass and sipped it.  “Yes, that is fine.”

Sylvia went to Maria, who helped herself to a glass, before making her way to Charles, who snatched the glass from the tray, and, finally, to Maria’s bodyguard, who stood silent and unmoving.

“He does not drink whilst on duty,” called out Maria.

Sylvia bowed her head in acknowledgement of Maria’s words.  Casting a lingering and appreciative look at the swordsman, Sylvia moved away towards the exit of the room.

“He is a fine specimen of manhood, is he not?” commented Maria as the servant walked past her.

“Ma’am,” replied Sylvia with a coy smile.

“For crying out loud,” muttered Charles Rothgal and drained his glass.

As Sylvia left, Steph walked in carrying three yellow roses.  “Ma’am, the roses, as you requested.”

“Please give them to our guest, Steph.”  Beth looked at Maria.  “I think you will find their fragrance without equal.”

Maria took the roses from Steph, being careful to miss the thorns, and sniffed the flowers.  Her eyes opened wide with wonder.

Beth smiled sweetly.  “Isn’t the scent simply divine?”

“It is,” replied Maria, still opened-eyed.

“You may leave us, Steph, and close the door behind you when you go.”

“Yes, Lady Rothgal.”

Maria watched the woman leave, as she continued to enjoy the bouquet.

“At bloody last!” declared Charles as the door closed.  “Can we now get down to the matter at hand?”

“Which is?” asked Maria, turning her attention to Charles Rothgal.

“Getting you to reduce the monthly repayments on our loan.”

“You did sign the agreement, Lord Rothgal, including all the sub-clauses.”

“It’s not that we don’t want to pay,” said Beth.

“Excellent,” commented Maria with a smile.

“It’s just, at the moment, we are having trouble with repayments, due to bandit and werewolf attacks.”

“I am sorry to hear that.  Have you tried petitioning the Queen?”

“Bah, she is nine-tenths useless.”  Lord Rothgal ground his teeth.

Lady Rothgal answered, “We have, Banker Clough, but she says she cannot help; hence, why we ask for you to help and understand in our time of need.”
Maria breathed in the wonderful scent of the roses in her hand and sighed deeply.  “Well, let’s have a look at the contract.”  Placing the roses gently on the floor, she looked at her bodyguard and called out, “Guard, to me!”  The man she called Guard made his way towards her.  He unslung a backpack and silently handed it over.  Looking at her bodyguard’s perfect physique, Maria said, “You are getting a bit flabby.  I think you need some exercise soon.”  The man nodded his head and moved to stand behind her as she rummaged through the backpack.  “Ah, here it is,” she said as she pulled a scroll out.

“What’s that, Banker Clough?” asked Beth Rothgal.

“This, Lady Rothgal, is the loan paperwork you have with the Bank.”

“Oh.”

“You see, I want to help you with your problem of running your estate and supporting your workers.”

Beth looked at her husband with excited eyes.  Maria made a show of looking down the paperwork.

“Can I ask what you are looking for, Banker Clough?” asked Charles Rothgal, his tone and manner now much more civilised.

“What?  Oh, I am looking to see if a particular clause has been written in the paperwork and ...yes, yes, I have just found it.  I think this is the clause that will relieve you of all your worries.  Here, have a look.”  Maria handed the document over to Beth.

“Em, what am I looking for, Banker Clough?”

“Yes, what are we looking for?” asked Charles as he moved to stand next to his wife.

“It’s clause 8B,” replied Maria as she continued to look around the backpack.

“Clause 8B,” repeated Charles as he and his wife looked down the scroll.

“Ah,” said Maria as she found what she was looking for.

“This... this can’t be right?” stated a confused Beth.

“Read it to me,” said Maria, standing whilst keeping one hand inside her backpack.

“It’s says that if the holder of the debt...”

“That’s you,” confirmed Maria.

“...should die along with their spouse, and the outstanding repayments are more than half the worth of the estate...”

“Which they are,” added Maria.

“...then all of the holder’s lands, goods, and livestock shall immediately become the possession of the Red Bank, bypassing any offspring or relatives.”

“That is the correct clause,” nodded Maria.

“I don’t understand,” said Beth.

“Basically, if you and your husband die, then you will no longer have any monetary worries.  All your debts will be paid off and your son will not inherit your bad debts.  In fact, he will not inherit at all, but he is a strong intelligent lad and I am sure he will find something to do.”

“But... but that would mean, we would have to die.”

“Correct.”  An evil smile crept onto Maria’s face as she dropped the bag she was holding, allowing the Rothgals to see that she was now wearing a glove with long, thick, steel talons.

“What is the meaning of this sick joke?” demanded Charles Rothgal.

“It’s no joke, Lord Rothgal,” replied Maria.  “This wonderful glove will make it look like werewolves will have attacked you... Oh my!”  Maria’s eyes went wide and her voice shook with awe.  “Oh my, you have been granted a very special honour.”  Maria and her bodyguard fell to their knees as a shadow-door formed in the centre of the room.

“What’s happening, Charles?” asked Beth as she rushed to stand by her husband.

“Damned if I know, but I am not standing for it.  GUARDS!  GUARDS!  GUAR...”

The shadow-door opened and from it stepped a robed figure with a hood hiding its face.

“My lady,” said Maria.

The figure threw back the hood to reveal a woman’s face framed by wild jet-black hair; however, the most captivating thing about this woman’s face was her eyes.  They shone with a deep fanatical light, tinged with a hint of madness.  “
He cometh
!” she hissed.

“Yes, my lady,” answered Maria.

“Who is this person and who is coming?” demanded Charles Rothgal as he manoeuvred himself and his wife towards the door.

“This, Lord Rothgal, is the Lady Joanna Harris, and she is talking about our Lord and Master, her son-to-be.  My lady is talking about the Midnight Man.”

“Oh my lord,” whispered Beth.

Standing, Maria said, “He will be of no help to you now.”

At that moment, the door opened and two guardsmen entered.  “Kill them!” shouted Charles Rothgal.

“Now the fun begins,” purred Maria.

***

An hour later

Maria stood in the smashed remains of the drawing room.  Blood covered her face, arms, and body; however, none of it was hers.  It was the blood of the servants, whom she had tracked down and slaughtered, as well as the blood of Lady Beth Rothgal.

In one hand, Maria held the precious yellow roses to her nose as she gently inhaled their delicate fragrance.  The other hand still had the glove attached and on the end of two claws were Lady Rothgal’s eyes.  “You really do have the most wonderful eyes, Beth,” Maria said to the two orbs.

“My lady,” a strong male voice said.

“What is it, Guard?”  Maria turned her head to look at her bodyguard, who had just entered the room.

“The last few servants have been caught and killed by our men who were in position outside the estate.”

“Excellent news.”

“Yes, it is,” said Joanna Harris as she entered the room.

“My lady.”  Maria bowed her head.

Joanna walked purposefully towards Maria.  “Nice eyes.”

Maria raised her glove higher to give Joanna a better look.  “Yes, they are.”

“May I?”

“I would be honoured, my lady.”

Joanna reached out and removed the two eyeballs, before popping them in her mouth and chewing.

Maria watched, fascinated, as various fluids and bits of eyeball fell from the vampyre’s mouth. 

“They say that the eyes are the window to a person’s soul and, within them, a part of the soul resides.  Her soul was delicious.  I thank you, Maria.”

“It was a pleasure, my lady.”

Joanna reached out with a pale hand and grasped Maria’s jaw.  “My son shall be returning to this world shortly.”

“
The Midnight Man cometh
,” whispered Maria.

“Yes,
the Midnight Man cometh
, and you shall be there when He does.”

“My lady...”  The grip tightened on Maria’s jaw.

“Do not interrupt me, girl.”

Maria shook her head.

“As I said, you shall be there to bear witness.”  Joanna’s cold dead eyes stared deep into Maria’s and, finding no fear, Joanna smiled.  “You have pleased us, Maria, and with the successful conclusion of this mission, you shall be one of the few that will be tasked with spreading the word of His glorious return.  You shall be a Dark Herald.”

Maria’s eyes burned bright with devotion.

“And if you do well at that, then who knows?  Maybe even entry into the Brethren of the Night.”

“My lady!” gasped Maria.

“Until then,” Joanna looked across to the man known as Guard, “you should have some fun.”  Letting go of Maria, Joanna slit the palm of her hand with one of her own fingernails.  As dark blood oozed out of the open wound, she held it against Maria’s mouth, allowing a few drops of her blood to enter.  Maria’s body tingled as the tainted blood fell on her tongue.  Speaking to Guard, Joanna said, “I hope you are feeling fit.”  Guard nodded his head.

“Good.”  As Maria fell to the floor, Joanna opened a shadow-door and stepped through.

Guard looked down at Maria, who was slowly getting to her feet.  A feral grin spread across his face when he saw the lust that burned in Maria’s eyes as she made her way towards him.

***

The next morning

Reif Rothgal stretched in his bed and yawned, before scratching his chest hair.  “Time to get up,” he said to himself.

Just then, the door to his bedroom burst open and Alex Weir rushed in, breathless.  “Reif!”

“What the fucking hell is it?”