Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (47 page)

She could not hold back her tears, they began to roll down her flawless cheeks. Her father’s gentle face flashed into her mind, he was so very trusting and caring, he seldom had an unkind word for anyone. How these evil men had taken advantage of him and his good nature was unthinkable to her. “I want to know how he died and I want to know now.” She had never been so angry in all her life. She hadn’t even noticed Rhys had joined her on the dais until she felt his hand resting on her shoulder and heard the murmurs from the crowd.

“I would rather not give the details, Highness. I will just tell you that it was William Blackthorn who perpetrated the horrible deed.”

Raygan jumped to her feet throwing Rhys’s hand off her shoulder and wiping the tears from her face. “You will tell me in what matter was my father was killed, Bishop Lyfair, or you will come to regret it.”

“Very well, Highness, from what I understand after giving your poor sick father a beating, the duke suffocated him. It was a terrible death, Highness, from what I overheard the duke telling his accomplices and it was not quick. You must try and remember. As awful as his death was the King’s frail body was released in to the arms of the Almighty and now he resides in heaven with his God.

Raygan slowly sat down on the throne, eyes full with the tears of rage.

“I can give you more details on the conspiracy, Highness. I have heard several conversations and know just about what they were planning to do.”

Raygan slowly looked up at the Bishop as if she had just noticed he was there. “Names, just give me their names.”

Bishop Lyfair did as his Princess asked and gave her every name involved in the regicide but his own.

“I have only one question left, Bishop, did my brother know about this conspiracy?” The Bishop shrugged his shoulders. “I have no proof of it, Highness, other than how close he and the duke became after your father’s death, and as you remember he was quite upset when you father named you heir, by his actions, I don’t see how he could not have known?”

***

Talorn had his King’s arm around his neck and was helping the wounded monarch off the field of battle as best he could.

The King had fought valiantly until an arrow punched through his armor and buried itself in his thigh. The wound was deep and Cain had lost a lot of blood but it was all Talorn could do to get him to leave the field.

They had held their ground against Havalon’s sons today, but it was too late. He and Cain both knew it, but it was good to see his Bandarans fight so well. There was not much they could do now but fight on and pray for God’s mercy.

The King was silent as they trudged up the hill where the command tent sat like an oasis in the desert. Black smoke and crows filled the sky and the heat was as hard on the men as the enemy. Both sides suffered from the abnormally warm weather. The air should be much cooler even though it was early in the fall.

If they could just hold on a month or two, the winter would come and the armies would be forced to stop until spring came.

The King looked over to his general as he limped along beside him. “They could not push us back today, Talorn, we still might have a chance rally the men and I will speak with them this evening.”

The King’s eyes rolled up in his head and he lost consciousness. Talorn had to use all the strength he had left to drag the King close enough to their camp that some of the soldiers saw them and came to help. “Get his surgeons, it’s the right leg.” Several soldiers carried the King into his tent and the surgeons started their work.

Talorn tossed his heavy helmet on the ground and grabbed a large goblet filled with wine. He drained it and handed it to one of his squires to refill, war was dry work, he thought.

“It seems you had a good day son.” Talorn nearly spilled his wine. “Father, what are you doing here?”

Duke Blackthorn dressed in his full battle armor walked into the tent. “Things have taken a turn for the worse in Bandara and your little bitch of a wife is responsible for it. She started an uprising among the people, took the palace, and hired a rogue band of mercenaries to help her.”

Talorn looked at his father like he had lost his mind.

“Raygan did all that? I find that hard to believe, Father.” William slammed his armored fist down on the small table that held a large pitcher of wine, breaking the legs off it and sending wine and clay shards all over the floor of the tent.

“That’s not all, she summoned a demon that wiped out what few of the guard you and that fool of a King left me, and to top it all off Ansellus Fox has returned and is helping the little sow.”

Talorn had never seen his father’s anger this out of control. “Watch how you speak about my wife, Father. Now calm down and tell me what happened.”

“I told you what happened, we lost the damn capital, you idiot.”

***

Endra had fed her children and now they were all asleep. All but Payton, he was looking out the window at the city of Turill. He was the one whose looks favored their father the most. It was hard to look at him and not remember what had happened to her. She loved him dearly, but his dark eyes were a constant reminder of the man who destroyed her life. The boy had never slept much, even as an infant, he was always the last to fall asleep.

“Mother, will we get to see a real battle soon?” Endra looked at him quizzically. “War is a terrible thing, Payton, not something to be watched and it’s not a very pleasant thing to think about before bed, Son.”

“I dream about it all the time. I see the cavalry and infantry in my sleep. I know when they should move and when they should be still, someday I want to be in a war, no one will beat me. I will be the best general ever.”

Endra put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him in the direction of his bed.

“I don’t know what you will do when you get older, Payton. You should just get to sleep for now, little general.” The boy crawled into bed and she pulled the blanket over him and kissed him on the head.

“Was my father a warrior?” the boy asked looking up at her with his piercing dark eyes. None of them had ever asked about their father, she didn’t know what to say.

“I believe he was, Payton.”

The child gave a very unsettling smile. “I want to be like him when I grow up.”

Endra tried to smile but couldn’t. “Goodnight, Payton,” was all she could manage to say.

She had waited until Payton fell asleep, then she went to look in on Kian. He was sleeping when she went to tend the children. Whatever had attacked him in the garden hadn’t kept him down long. When she stuck her head inside his room she found his bed was empty and his weapons and belongings were gone.

She thought his wounds would keep him in bed for the night. She had planned to go and stay with him after putting the children to bed. Now she had no idea where he had gotten to. Endra decided to see if anyone had seen him leave, so she went looking for someone she could ask.

K’xarr had taken command of what was left of the city watch and was using them for palace guards. She approached one, hoping he might know where Kian was. The watchman had told her that Kian had been asked to vacate the palace. They had seen him out and had been ordered by the Princess not to let him back inside if he was unaccompanied.

Endra’s jaw tightened and she stormed down the hall to the Princess’s quarters. The little noble was going to hear from her. Kian had helped her at no small risk to himself, now he was not to be allowed in the palace? She would see about that.

Two guardsmen with spears blocked her way. “Is the Princess expecting you?” the taller one asked.

“No, but I want to see her, can you ask if she will see me please?” She tried to hide her anger from the two men as best she could.

The shorter guard said, “Her Highness already has a guest and she said she didn’t what to be disturbed.”

Endra kicked the tall guard between the legs he dropped to the ground like a stone. The shorter guard stood with his mouth open surprised by her sudden violence. Her fist slammed into his jaw, she followed that with an uppercut to his soft belly, she was about to throw another punch when the door opened.

Rhys stood there with a look of shock on his face. She went ahead and threw the punch anyway, knocking the guard to the ground. “I wanted to see the Princess right now.”

Rhys looked at the two men rolling around on the floor. “Why didn’t you just ask?”

Endra rubbed her hand, the short guard had a bony chin. “I did, I said ‘please’ too.”

Rhys shook his head and stepped to help the two battered men. Endra walked past him into Raygan’s chamber. The gaudiness of the room stopped her from speaking for a moment, she had never seen anything like it. Everything was gold, silver, and silk. Her home in Sorrack wouldn’t even make a good dog kennel for this woman.

“Highness, you have had a trying day with the news about your father, I know, and I know you are about to become the Queen of this land, but I must ask why Kian is not welcome in your home? You would not even have it if it weren’t for him.”

Raygan got up from the huge bed she had been lying in. Endra could see she had been crying, the Princess’s eyes were red and swollen.

“I know what he did here … Endra, isn’t it?” Endra didn’t reply. “I’m truly thankful and you might be right, if not for him I may still be in that filthy barn.”

The Princess brushed at the front of her dress and stretched herself up to all of her five feet of height. “He is Half Elven, my dear, and there are some places they are not accepted, some of my subjects might not be so willing to support me if I allowed him to stay here.”

“Did you know he was wounded, Highness?”

Raygan nodded her head. “I was told the wounds were minor.”

Endra’s hands clenched into fists. “He is a good man, kind and loving, you would keep him out over the circumstances of his birth?”

Rhys walked back into the room, he could hear the women in the hall and he chose to remain silent. The healer was not a fool.

Raygan glanced at him quickly. “I’m sure you think he is all those things, Endra, and maybe he is, but what I saw was a monster, a killer, nothing more. It really wouldn’t matter what his disposition was anyway, he is what he is. Now if you will excuse me, I have things to discuss with my healer.”

It was all Endra could do not to punch the Princess in that sweet little face of hers, but that would not get her anywhere but the gallows. She turned and walked out, slamming the door so hard that it shook the silver sconces off the Princess’s wall.

Rhys softly groaned. “Highness, you have a lot to learn about people, if I may say so, I’m surprised I’m not working on your face again right now.” Raygan flopped down on her bed more like a girl that a woman. “First, I asked you to call me Raygan in private, and second this Korlest woman is just a peasant and she must be insane to trust that creature. I thought I was very respectful to her since she walked in here, unannounced.”

Rhys sat down beside her and brushed a stray hair out of her face. “I know you’re upset about what you found out today, but let me tell you something about Endra. I haven’t known her long, but she is the kind of woman if you were to make her your friend, she would give her life to help you. I won’t even try to explain Kian, but he is no monster even though he has a right to be. Trust me. I know the truth of what he has suffered.”

Raygan looked at him and batted her eyes. “Do you find her beautiful?”

Rhys laughed. “You are not even listening to me. Endra is beautiful, one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, but it’s you I find the most beautiful, Highness.” Rhys leaned forward and kissed her. His face turned red and he quickly leaned back. “I’m sorry, Princess, I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Raygan smile at him amorously. “I don’t know either, but why don’t you think it again.”

Rhys kissed her again wrapping his arms around her shapely body. He hoped she would forget some of the pain she was feeling, but it was he who forgot though; with her body pressed against him, he forgot everything. He didn’t leave her room until the next morning.

Kian sat in the stable where he planned to sleep, he was still sore from the Goddesses’ attack but that was not what was keeping him up.

He couldn’t get her out of his head. He didn’t know what to do, he thought about telling K’xarr, but he would not be happy about a Goddess interfering with his plans, and Kian felt he had caused enough trouble for his friends as it was.

He would have to try and think of something on his own before the Mistress used him to fulfill her evil whims, whatever they might be. He thought maybe he should just leave, then he could resist the evil Goddess and when she killed him it would be over. Would dying be so bad? He didn’t think so, but he couldn’t let the Mistress kill him, he had made a vow to himself to make sure Endra and the children would always be safe. He would just have to find another way out of his predicament.

“Kian, are you in here?” Endra had found him.

He started not to answer then changed his mind. “I’m here.”

She came towards him, dressed in soft leather leggings and a sleeveless white shirt belted at the waist. “Are you feeling okay?”

Kian looked at her, she talked to him like a child now. “I am fine,” he all but whispered.