The Oreans

Chapter 61

Chapter 61

The King of Flora

Alen did not know who Lord Shemil was talking to until he advanced into the room, which according to Levi was a death chamber, and there found the outcome of the noise they had heard as they approached, a scene reminiscent of the one in the de Lys' grounds just the previous night. Fighting down the shudder that ran through him and clenching his teeth to ward off disgust, he tore his eyes from Berun's blood-spattered figure on the floor to the man standing beside him, who was shaking all over as he peered at their party through a haze of tears.

"Bruno?" he mouthed with some hesitation, the junior master being quite unrecognizable in both garb and bearing.

"They killed my father," Bruno cried, pointing at the two figures beyond the bars and the dagger at the floor near them. To Alen's shock, he recognized his two masters in their prison uniforms of gray even before he could see their shadowed faces.

"That's not true," the princess said weakly. "It's he ...."

"Get him," the grandmaster ordered. The nine senior masters went past Alen while the junior masters lined up behind him.

"What are you doing?" Bruno retreated as Zeblon and Mison grabbed him by the arm. "It's not me!"

The rest surrounded him and in no time Nefil and Levi managed to cuff his hands.

The grandmaster surveyed him with disgust. "Wilmore has told me all this morning after you have tried to kill him again. I overheard your conversation, you see, and managed to rescue him from your pet the moment you're gone. What kind of snake was that?"

"I don't know what you're saying? Let me go this moment!"

"Juniors, take him. Lock him up in the dungeon. Make sure he will not escape."

The seniors turned Bruno over to the junior masters, who dragged him away, still thrashing, the claims and pleas he yelled at them falling on deaf ears.

Then, over all this commotion, Adrien suddenly cried out urgently, "Re—Rafim! Oh no, help!"

Every eye fell on the two prisoners. Rafim—the princess—was hanging limply at her brother's arms.

"Alen, the key," the grandmaster told him.

Alen did not need to be told. He was already side-stepping the pool of blood to get to the door fitted among the bars.

"Hurry!" the prince urged him.

Fumbling through the bunch, Alen tried one into the lock and at the sound of the metallic click heaved a sigh of relief. He pulled the door himself and let the prince out.

"What happened—" Jebin began, but the grandmaster silenced him with a look.

Lord Shemil said hurriedly, "Alen, lead the way out. Levi, Gad and Jedu, pick out a couple of the juniors and follow." Then addressing the distraught prince, he explained, "The Circle already knows everything, Sire. They are awaiting you. There is a carriage outside that will bring you straight to the palace. Sherinea will also be there to take care of the princess."

As if of one body, every eye fell on the inert figure Adrien was holding, their shock and unspoken question at this revelation evident on their faces.

Looking alarmed, the prince stammered out, "They know... but Reishina doesn't... How did they take it?"

"Do not worry, Sire. I already spoke in her behalf. They're shocked, yes, and not a few disapprove of what she has done. However, they are not so cruel as to condemn her without hearing her out.... Seeing her this way, I am certain they will save their questions until she is ready to face them."