Human Sacrifice

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

“After a long and lengthy trail, we have concluded that the best way to lay old crimes to rest is that Phoenix Marchesi is to be executed” King Ashtin sighed, addressing his court. Most of the members cheered, whereas the minority, the ones who disagreed, just sat there in shock. Katya had been forced to sit through the sentencing and she felt her tears spill down her cheeks; he may have left her for dead but somewhere, deep down, she still loved him.

“You can’t!” she sobbed, standing from her seat. The King sighed and sat her down again, nodding. Once the sentence had been applied it couldn’t be changed unless the King himself approved, and Ashtin wanted Phoenix dead more than anything. He would make sure that Phoenix’s blood spilt over the palace floors. Katya had filled the void left when the twins had left home, and he now looked at Katya and Lyle like his own daughter and son.

“Oh I can. Phoenix has committed a crime and this is the punishment. Case closed” Ashtin sighed, slamming the gavel onto his desk. The court dissolved and went their separate ways, going back to their day to day jobs. Most worked in human workplaces without even being questioned as to why they left randomly to attend vampire court; if they missed a summons they could be put on trial. The youngest member of the court was 17, and he went to school with me. His parents were out of town and the King had requested that he stayed with me for a few days until they got back; of course I couldn’t say no.

Lyle smiled at me whilst measuring me. He said he could fix me up a couple more outfits seeing as I’d decided to stay in the castle again; Zach wasn’t exactly the most caring brother in the world. “Honey, you have perfect measurements. If I was straight I’d totally go out with you” Lyle laughed.

“Well thanks for the vote of confidence” I laughed, holding my arms out as he continued to measure me. “I honestly think that you would make a good couple with Scott, but he’s more interested in Monica huh”

“Yeah. No offence to Patrique or anything but he’s not my type. I like the whole rugged and bad appearance” Lyle laughed softly, jotting down my measurements onto a small notebook he carried around in his waistcoat pocket. “So what sort of outfits do you want made? I’ll get my sister to make me some designs”

“Just t-shirts and jeans, there’s no point in dressing up in this place” I laughed, hugging him. “My mum always told me not to waste effort on those who don’t pay attention anyway”

Lyle nodded and walked out, shutting the door behind him. Sighing I sat down on the end of my bed and took my hair down from its bun. Oh, I forgot to mention, I’d been moved next door to Gwen so I had to play my music loud most of the time while she slept with every man in the castle. Most of the time though it was Patrique because I would hear them talk afterwards, and he has a very distinctive voice. Both he and Scott did.

And the lucky band this time happened to be my favourite: Marilyn Manson

I stopped the album half way through though when I heard crying go past my door, and it sounded strangely familiar. It sounded a bit like Katya, but I couldn’t be sure until I saw the crying person for myself. I opened my bedroom door and looked in each direction of the corridor, and then Katya ran past. I stopped her to find out it was her who was crying, and I pulled her inside. I could question her.

“Why are you crying?” I asked, looking at her as tears ran down her cheeks like two separate waterfalls. She couldn’t even speak with how much she was crying.

“They’re going to kill Phoenix” she sobbed. “I tried to stop them but they said it’s final, and he’s going to be executed Brix”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure there’s a way we can stop him from being killed, I promise” I said, holding her hand. “I’ll go and talk to the king” I nodded, pulling my jacket on.

“But the King doesn’t like talking to sacrifices Brix!” she whimpered as I walked out of the door. Whether he liked it or not, I planned to have a discussion with him: even if it resulted in me being put to death. In my eyes, besides what he did to Katya, Phoenix was an innocent misunderstood person. Hopefully I could bribe him with the whole ‘I’m looking after your seventeen year old court member so you can do me a favour as well’

I reached his study and suddenly me confidence disappeared. Three knocks and I stepped back from the door when he opened it. He was about to slam it when I stuck my foot in the way, cringing as the full weight of the door crushed onto my foot. I think he admired the fact I went through pain so that I could have my say. “What do you want?” he asked calmly. He sounded like a confused rabbit in headlights and it unsettled me.

“I want to talk to you about Phoenix”

“Well guess what Brixie, I don’t want to talk about Phoenix. In fact he is the subject that I would like to talk about least; I’ve just had to talk about him for two hours whilst at the trial. He is guilty and he will die Brix, his blood will cover the floors of this place” Ashtin nodded, pushing more force onto my foot. I winced from the pain.

“Just let me talk to you about it, please” I said with scrunched up eyes, trying to ignore the pain. No matter how hard I tried I feared that my foot was broken.

“I suppose talking about it won’t hurt that much” he laughed, opening the door. “Come in”