Payne of Knight

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

     I DIDN’T EXPRESS MY CONCERN with Ivory. I tried to stay forced on my refusal to the Elders. A whole week had passed since me and Ivory’s little thing. I was back on missions and completing them without fail or any injuries to me or my comrades.

     I waited until a Saturday to talk to them. I talked with Ivory about it again. I wanted him to be a part of my decision.

     “Ok. I’m going.”

     “Alright.” Jeez, he’s givin’ me that face. Crap, I hate it when he does that. Please stop looking at me like that before I’m unable to leave this room. And just like that he looked away from me and walked into the bathroom. I was convinced I had mind powers.

     “I’ll be back, ok?”

     “Ok.” Damn, he still sounds sad. But I gotta go. I’ll use my minds powers later.

       I left the room and walked to Room of Elders. I was pondering how the conversation would go. I wasn’t really nervous. This was serious and there was no time for that. But for some reason that walk down the hallway seemed to take forever. At any rate I made it there in one piece.

     I didn’t even knock on the door. Instead I just listened.

     “Do you think it was wise to offer that boy a chance at becoming an Elder?”

“Nova, you worry too much. I, Matthew Viceroy, will take care of the boy.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Boy?  Do they mean me?

“I do think it’s wise.”

“No, you don’t. You’re just saying that to shut her up.”

“Ahhh, Daniel. That’s where you’re wrong. As I said before I do think it’s wise. The boy will take his place.”His? Sir Ira’s?

“Speaking of Ira, I’ve heard that he’s taken ill recently.” I could detect the slightest hint of concern in Madam Nova’s voice. I don’t think she wanted the others to hear it.

“Yes, he has. Courtesy of Daniel. He slipped the poison that I gave him into his dinner while we were having our meeting last week. It takes awhile it set in so he seemed like he was just fine. Quite the fatal poison really.” No…that-that’s not true. Why would he do that?

“Matthew, did you say ‘fatal’? I thought it was just to get him out the way not kill him.”

“Killing him will keep him out of the way permanently.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was crazy. Surreal. And I couldn’t do anything but listen. The fact that they would want to kill Sir Ira was overwhelming. My chest was tight. I think I was hyperventilating but I kept my hand over my mouth because I didn’t want them to hear me.

Madam Nova had been quiet for awhile. I started to think that she really didn’t want to do this. Then she said, “If Payne doesn’t accept, what will you do with him?”

“‘Do with him’? Heh. You’ll see. His father-that bastard, shouldn’t have…. Damn! That should have been me, not him!!” What-what is he talking about? Shit. I think I’m about to pass out. I have to stay conscience long enough to hear….this….

I passed out. I guess the shock of hearing that Sir Ira was very possibly gonna die and my dad in the same conversation was a little too much for me. I don’t remember much after that. But I remember being scared out of my mind because I wasn’t sure if they’d hear me hit ground.

 Next thing I knew I was in the infirmary. My vision was blurry and I had trouble getting my bearing at first. As soon as I did I called out Ivory’s name.

“I’m here. Are you ok?”

“Yeah, now that I know you’re here.” I could tell that he wasn’t buying it. I knew he wanted the full story but first I had to ask him a question.

“How did I get here?”

“Vincent.”

Thank God.

“Vincent? Where is he?” I saw Vincent in a new light after that. He saved my skin. If one of them had walked out and found me, it would have been game over.

“He had to leave.” Something was off. Ivory was acting different that his usual worry wart self. I could tell something was bothering him. His tone of voice was flat. He didn’t have a change in facial expression. This worried me. I decided to do a little quiz.

“Ivory Cain.”

“What?” Ok, that’s a first.

“You have a sister, right? Two years younger than us?”

“You know I do.” Change in tone.

“What’s her name?”

“Why are you asking me this?”

“Just answer the question.” I was starting to calm down. He began to show emotion. Ok, maybe this is the real Ivory Cain. And if it is, why is he acting like this?

“Krystal. With a ‘K’. Happy?”

“No. not yet.” If he gets this next question wrong, I’m screwed.

“Jeez, what more do you want from me?!” Holy!  I’ve never heard him yell before…something’s definitely wrong. I was beginning to become a little scared of him. Lying in a hospital bed with him yelling like that was surreal. I was beginning to not even want to ask my next question because I thought he might blow up.

“This is the last question.” I tried to keep my voice from shaking. I didn’t know who I was more worried about. Me or him.

“Hurry up and say it.” Ok, now he was starting to piss me off. What was his major malfunction? I started to tell him off but I kept my cool.

I said this clearly and carefully. “What is my name?” I was waiting for him to say ‘Payne”. But I didn’t know what I would do if he did. Run? Call for help? Luckily, I didn’t have to do any of that.

“Kage Knight.” Oh, shit. That was a serious scare. If he answered wrong….

“Now that you’ve passed my little test….what the fuck is wrong with you?”