Secret Keepers

Chapter 31

They quickly encircled the man and he gasped. "Wait! What happened? We were winning. I had the soldiers on my side!"

Dagger snarled at him. "We killed the ones fighting. The others ran."

Cutter raised a shard of wood to kill him when I made him stop too. He gave me a glance, but he lowered his weapon. I held out my hand one more time. "Give up the crown. Now."

He suddenly realized his dream was up and he reluctantly handed the crown over to me. I smiled in triumph and then shrugged at him. "You did as I said. Maybe I should let you live?"

The Secret Keepers all snarled and seemed to fight on the leashes I had put on them. Runner nearly grabbed him before I held up a hand and he backed away reluctantly. I polished the crown on my shirt and looked at my reflection. Then I shrugged. "But I did warn you about calling me a whore again."

The terror that crossed his face was almost humorous. I glanced up at Tracker. "You're the Prince, but may I come up with the punishment?"

He gestured at Darwin and nodded once. "Be my guest."

I looked at Runner and rubbed his arm. "To serve the justice that so desperately needs to be served, I'll let you give him forty lashes before the rest of you can slaughter him however you feel."

Runner smiled a pleased and devilish smile filled with malice. He grabbed Darwin by his hair, dragging him down the hallway while the man screamed. The rest followed him except Cutter and Tracker who stayed with me. While I was distracted, Cutter suddenly rushed over and embraced me, nearly crushing the air out of me. "I was so worried! Were you okay?! What'd they do to you?"

He pulled back and before I could explain, he gasped and gently turned my head slightly upwards. "Which one did this? There's a hand print on your jaw!"

I shook my head and took his hands. "It's fine. The one who did it is taken care of. I probably gouged his eyes out before Rage ripped his head off his shoulders."

Tracker grimaced. "Please tell me that's just a statement and not real."

I nodded and he shuddered. "Lord. Now I do have a question. What'd they do to my dad to get the crown?"

I paused and looked down. "I...I saw them..."

He cocked his head. "You saw them what?"

I shook my head and gestured to him. "Take us out to the gardens."

He led the way out the back of the castle much to his own confusion, but as we stepped out, I walked him and Cutter over to the slain body of the king. Tracker froze and I saw his body tense. "No."

He walked over in a dull trance before falling to his knees beside his father. He reached up and touched his dad's face gently. I saw him fight back a sob before tears spilled down his cheeks and he pulled back, crying pitifully. "No! I never even got to tell him I wasn't going to be king!"

Cutter looked down at me and then leaned closer, gesturing to him. "Do what you do best Shadow."

I took a deep breath and walked over, kneeling beside him and leaning on his arm. "Its okay, Tracker. The man who did this died a death that paid for this and every crime he'd ever committed."

"Was the murderer the man who Rage ripped apart?"

"Yeah."

He nodded and his jaw tightened. "Then I'm not worried about avenging him."

Cutter came over and took the crown from my hands. "So as of this very moment there is no king?"

I took it back and handed it to Tracker. "I think you should have it Tracker. It is your birthright."

He stared at the golden crown. I saw the decision rolling around in his head, obviously not that easy to decide. He lifted it as if to put it on his head and then he paused and shook his head. "I can't. I'm no leader. I never even wanted to be king."

I sighed. "Well who else would be worthy of wearing it?"

He gritted his teeth and then looked back at the reflective surface of the crown. "I know exactly who."

When I expected him to run inside to find some son of a nobleman to give it to, he looked directly at Cutter. "You."