The Empty Ones (Fantasy Romance)

80. Not for you

It's a moonless night. It is a rare occurrence for all three moons to be covered. And this makes it very dark in the gardens. That is good and bad.

I don't have night vision like he does so it takes me some time to find him in that desolated corner.

"Mahrani," he whispers.

I search for his gaze în the dark. I want to look at him when I say it.

"General."

"You wanted to see me. Alone," he adds, stressing understandably the last word but he is avoiding to look into my eyes. It means he feels guilty. Good. As he should.

"Yes. I want to ask you a favor."

I am angry with you and appalled and also angry with myself for having thought you are better than the rest but anger isn't going to help in any way, but guilt just might.

"I am listening," he says.

"I want you to help me break someone out of the dungeons."

For a while he looks at me, speechless, the pink overthrowing the brown in his eyes Along the now tiny pupil.

"You heard me. So, what do you say?"

Silence.

"You might think this is preposterous. Because it is. And that I shouldn't reveal this to you. Because, well... I shouldn't. It's high treason after all. But, you see, if I don't, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. So it doesn't matter."

I smile. It probably doesn't reach my eyes. And he is still stunned and in a strange state of numbness.

I am not sure what I was expecting but this is making me doubt myself. Rightfully so. This plan was very damn risky. And now I am in deep trouble and there's no going back.

"Tell me, General, was it enjoyable? Did she struggle?" My voice is calmer than expected. I guess I passed the line of sanity. "Did you get, hmm, satisfaction when you hurt her? You said girls in the priory are children. She was only three start circles older. Just like me. Almost a child by your metrics. Yet you disemboweled her and brought my husband a limb in a box." I swallow so my voice doesn't start shaking. "She was my friend, you know. We grew up together. And my husband forced me to deliver her to you. And you, you didn't disappoint. Him, I mean. You did exactly how you were told. Like a good... Boy."

I search his eyes again and now he doesn't advert his gaze anymore.

"Why did you do this?" I ask finally. "Out of all the traitors and bootlickers at court I believed you to be different. I respected you."

In seconds the world flipps. I am in his arms almost crushed, with feet off the ground. His eyes are blood shot and looking into mine with an intensity bordering madness.

"You are maddening," he whispers out of breath and I am not entirely sure he is not going to kill me.

His fingers are clenched on my upper arm and I am sure by now they turned red.

"Please, help me," I say now, as demure as I can be.

"Is this girl so important?" All his composure is broken.

"She is the only one I have left. Please. I will do whatever you ask me to in return."

Something in his eyes moves. He is so damn conflicted. So it might be true after all.

"This is your magic, isn't it?" No, and this is surprising. "Alas, it doesn't matter. I will do your will. Would have anyway. There was no honor in what I did and I despised every moment. But I couldn't deny an order. However now, I wasn't given any."