Feral Hearts

31

On and after the long journey, Victoria never talked to Lukas. She distanced herself from him, while Lukas is sure that it is about their love making that made her like that. And with her ignoring him, the time passed faster than he thought.

And now he's here...

The old corridors enfolded him and one thing is for sure, he's back.

Everything in this castle became a nightmare.

These familiar turns, the same vases, the same suits of armor, the same paintings, even the same guards. His years of existence and everything was the same, except him. In the niches small silver lamps burned oil squeezed from whales in distant seas. Lukas walked from one pool of light to the next, behind a guard whose armor beggared his own. Victoria and the others had been led to separate destinations, and Lukas went alone to whatever reception awaited.

The place still made him feel small. Doors built for giants, ceilings soaring so high that a man with a lance could scarcely touch them.

They came to the west wing, the royal quarters. Where his blood takes him.

Where his father's dark legacy existed.

Lukas imagined that his father is still seated in the black claw of his throne, brooding above the court, and him being his son is led toward his father between the men of the Imperial Guard.

But his gone!

Lukas made sure he did.

Lukas followed the single guard, feeling vaguely cheated. Did he want to be surrounded by armed men? Had he grown so dangerous?

Lukas felt foolish for a moment. He brushed a hand over the hilt of his sword. They’d cast the blade from the metal that ran through the castle walls. A true heirloom, with a heritage at the Tall Castle predating his by a thousand years at least.

He ached for a confrontation. He ached to asked why. But no one can give him answers.

Voices rose at the back of Lukas mind, clamoring, fighting one against the other. The skin on his back tingled, the muscle beneath twitched for action.

“A bath is ready my king?” It was the guardsman and Lukas nearly drew on him.

“No, I still need to attend some matters. Where's the Beta?” Lukas said. He forced himself to calmness. “I need to talk to him right now.”

“The beta has retired, my king,” the guard said.

Was he smirking at me? Lukas thought watching the guard’s eyes which held intelligence.

Lukas didn’t associate with the palace guard.

“Asleep?” he would have given a year of his life to take the surprise from those words. He felt like an asshole. Of course, his beta was tired for handling the palace when his away. And maybe it is best to wait until tomorrow.

“But Elder Jadissa from north, awaits you in the library,” the man said. He turned to go, but Lukas had him by the throat.

“Use the right tone when you are around me,” Lukas said. “I expect it will provide amusement to somebody, but, if you . . . worry me . . . one more time, I will kill you. Think on it, never disrespect me because if you do, you’ll earn a sword through the stomach, unless you redeem yourself in the next twenty seconds.” It was a defeat, resorting to crude threats in a game of subtlety, but sometimes one must sacrifice a battle to win the war.

“I'm sorry m-my king. . . Again, all I want to say is that, Elder Jadissa is waiting for you . . .” Lukas could see he’d turned his smug superiority into terror. He’d stepped outside the rules of play. He squeezed his throat a little.