The Angel of Death

Part - 24

Tiatan hopped down from the broken wall, where he sat waiting for Alayken saying "Ah... you bought her here so I can kill her."

"Don't touch her" Alayken said as he let unconscious Tessa to slip down on ground "Not now at least. She is the only leverage we have against those two nephews of mine."

"What about the other one you bought from earth?" Tiatan asked.

"That one needs to be alive too, in case I have a use of her. Once Xaincia's throne is mine, you can kill them both. Until then put her with the other one." Alayken said and walked away towards the ruined castle.

"Where are you going?"

"To bring another one for you to play. The one you would love to play with before you kill her."

"Who?"

"Darian's precious mortal wife 'Janet'."

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Darian bent sideways and caught the reins of Ambrosden as he slow down near him.The horse was without the rider, that meant Stefan must be close by. He must have loosed Ambrosden so he could hide in the Lavi bushes as they used to do while they were young.

Heart pumping in excitement, he pursed his horse ahead towards the biggest grove of lavi bushes in Erodian woods. It lays around the eastern side of the stone circle.

He reached the edge of the bushes and was about to call out when he saw Stefan. Standing there with four warriors surrounding him with their swords drwan.

Stefan looked up at his brother as his horse stopped right in front of him.

"Stefan..." Darian murmured, barely containing himself from jumping from the horse and hugging his brother.

"Darian... brother....-" Stefan tried to speak but was unable to decide how to address his brother now. They were not just brothers now, things have changed drastically and now he was just an exiled criminal and his brother was the king of Xaincia "- My lord." He finally said and kneeled down.

How Darian wanted to pull his brother in his arms but he had to maintain his worth as a king and people of Xaincia would not respect him if they thought he just forgave a criminal because he was his brother. They need to see how Stefan has changed in five years, know what Stefan has become now. He left Ambrosden's reins and spoke "Get on the horse Stefan, we'll talk at the castle."

"I sorry my lord but I am just a criminal, I can't go the castle. Dungeons would be the right place for me." Stefan said bowing his head.

"I am the king. I decide who goes where in Xaincia. Horse. now." Darian spoke through clutched jaws, inwardly begging Stefan to comply for once.

Stefan looked up and saw the blue eyes of his brother before getting up and taking the reins of Ambrosden.

Before he could climb the horse Darian asked "Where is Lady Tesalina McCartney?"

"The king asked you a question. Answer. Now." A warrior at his side spoke with a poke by the tip of his sword at his shoulder.

Darian fisted his hands tightly till his knuckles turned white, seeing his brother getting treated like a lowly criminal was not an easy thing for him. The warrior must have sensed something because he immediately stepped back and lowered his sword.

"Well, where is she?" Darian asked again staring at the warrior who assaulted Stefan instead of his brother who he asked.

"She is gone back where she belongs" Stefan said, looking at his brother. He have noticed the way he reacted when the guy behind him poked him with his sword. Was Tessa right that Darian truly loves him? Enough to forgive his crimes? A little hope spurred to life in him.