Volume V: The Tragic End of Treason

Chapter 14: Back to the Trenches

I was dozing off sitting up when Galat came to me.

            “We have to get back to planning.”

            “We?” I questioned.

            “You’re the backbone behind this, you’re not fuckin’ quitting this now. We’ve already lost people. People died for your self righteous bullshit! Get back in gear.”

            “We need to get to Cellus.”

            He put a hand on my shoulder. “Welcome back to the game.”

            I smiled at him slowly. “I was always in the game, just now I hold the better hand.”

            He shook his head in a confused effort and continued rattling off plans.

            “We’re still horrendously outnumbered, the best tool we’ve got is the element of surprise, which Dyre kind of fucked up.”

            “What’d Dyre do? He quit.”

            “Remember Cellus’ right hand man? Lyre?”

            I nodded. I remembered the distorted look of pain when I’d caught him in the hospital. I’d stopped him from killing Toryn. Ironic.

            “Well Dyre caught up with him. Beat the life out of him. And he hung the broken body up outside one of Cellus’ big hideouts.”

            “What’d he write on him?”

            “What?”         

            “What did he write on the body?”

            “He wrote - “I am avenged only once, tenfold comes next.” - in blood. How the hell did you know he wrote on him?”

            “Tradition. Don’t you remember?”

            Galat faltered. We’d been demons in our youth, we knew the codes and methods and traditions. We knew how to deal with vengeance. He shook his head slowly, as if trying to get rid of the echo of his conscience ringing in his ears. He knew, just as I did.

            “That was a long time ago, Dean.”

            “Havok. And it wasn’t that long.”

“It was. We’re different now.”          

            I glared up at him. “Whatever gets you to sleep at night.” And I got up and walked away, lighting a smoke on my way to the window. So Dyre got his man - good for him. Tenfold, huh? Who could he go after? Who was there to blame for Ashe’s death?

            Klyde.

            That’s a hell of a fight. Klyde and Dyre. I’d pay to see that. Note to self - follow Dyre. If he can find Klyde, I sure as hell want in on it.

            I enjoyed the smoke for awhile, then took my coat and went for a walk. Hadrien was loading guns as I left, Galat and Dev were planning quietly. Setting a time to attack. Toryn was sleeping. Poor baby, still recovering from a gunshot wound and her body’s sickness. Almost as sick as her mind.

            I walked for hours, dropping by the Dragon to check on the Drakes. Set was working with someone, Payge was straightening up random things. I walked in and leaned across the counter from her. She turned with a start.