Blood Lies (Dark Brothers of the Light #9) (29 page)

Sagging, Clovis' gaze swept to the left,
pulled irresistibly by dread. She had finished with Willard and
Sewell, who hung writhing in their bonds, their wounds oozing.
Maruska had her barb into the last of his brothers. Tancred keened
and moaned, twisting as much as he was able, eyes wide with a
flight from sanity. The barb popped out, and Tancred went to
pieces, screaming as Clovis had. The next was Thorben – except for
whimpering at the pain, the mind-torn duke seemed unaware of what
was being done to him.

Convulsions wracked Clovis, his awareness
graying until all he could see was a small point on the floor
beyond his feet. The soldiers unfastened the prince, and he
collapsed into a fetal position, breathing hard. Clovis went
silent, trying to focus past the pain and terror.

It's all over – except to die well.

Clovis listened to the confused whimpering
of Konrad.

"Hurting me," Konrad moaned as Maruska
worked her barb deeper while the egg began its journey. "Why
hurting me? Was I bad? Hurting."

Tears of pity made rivulets across Clovis'
cheeks when Konrad's whimpers turned to shrieks as the barb
expanded and the egg slipped inside him. Konrad succumbed quickly
to the venom, slumping unconscious in his bonds. Clovis said a
small prayer of gratitude for that. "White Lady, bless Konrad with
a quick and easy death. Don't let him suffer."

Within an hour, there were twenty-seven men
huddled together on the floor. Some wept, others still screamed. A
few were quiet – like Clovis.

Seven had been spared
because Maruska had no eggs left, and were returned to the larder.
Sewell, who had always seemed the weakest of the five brothers,
proved himself the strongest. Uncurling, he dragged himself to
Clovis, placing his hand over his brother's wound. Clovis responded
with the same gesture, his hand shaking so badly he could scarcely
achieve it. Sewell's eyes closed, and he lost consciousness.

Too weak to sit, Clovis squirmed close
enough to drag his brother to his chest and stared at the window,
saying in a hoarse murmur, "White Lady, bring your champion
swiftly. Let no more myn die as we are."

He heard her voice whispering like a soft
breeze through the room.

"Dawnreturning marches from Ildyrsetts as we
speak. He will arrive before the end of spring."

Despite his suffering, Clovis smiled as his
awareness went black.