Dragon: A Histories of Purga Novel

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The proceedings continued on as if no interruption had been made. The bodies of the Behemoth's victims were quietly taken off the landing and disposed of. The clothes and ashes of the soldiers were gathered together and then trashed.

All the while, Wilhelm continued his eloquent rants and speeches. He whipped the crowd's emotions into a frenzy again with such laughable ease. It seemed they would do anything, say anything, kill anyone, destroy anything if their psychopathic leader decreed it.

He walked confidently around his little stage. His hood still covered his head. His features were still a dark, shadowed mask. His voice still carried that odd mechanical sound. Yet, still he was able to control the entire situation.

Liza watched from her hiding spot a little while longer, her disgust growing by the second, before she decided to abandon it for a safe haven about fifty yards away. She wouldn't be able to see as well, but she could still hear and the distance would afford her more safety.

She waited until Wilhelm was facing away from her and then bolted. She ran as fast as she could, her heart hammering in her chest. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her, making everything seem slower and making her feel as though her body were trying to conduct live electricity. She glanced around nervously, but no one was paying attention. Which was good, considering she was basically out in the open, exposed to everyone present.

She looked back to where Wilhelm was but couldn't really make anything out so she decided to leave the area altogether. She wanted to be far away from Wilhelm and whatever weird influence he seemed to have.

Enough was enough.

She couldn't take the savagery and killing anymore. Besides, she didn't see the point of staying. Prince Rone would either come, or he wouldn't. It didn't really matter one way or the other. If he did come, then he would be killed right along with the Terra. If not, then the girl would be burned alive. It was horrible, and barbaric, but there was nothing she could do to prevent either event from happening.

So instead, she walked away.

She felt guilt rise up in her, but she forced it away from her thoughts. She was too tired to care. She was too exhausted. She had tried to do what she could to end this nightmare, but Wilhelm was too strong. The deadly creature she created should've been enough to destroy him forever, but instead, the Behemoth had been stopped in its tracks and forced away.

What more could she do?

She didn't have an answer.

She thought about her daughters and her husband. They were still being held captive, but she didn't know where. She had tried so hard to get the information from Wilhelm, but every time he dangled them in front of her, he ripped them away again and forced her to do one more thing.

She half ran, half slid down a hill that led to the street. She got as far away from that display of outright fear-mongering as she could. She came to the hill's end where a wall of blue colored brick was cut into its side.

By that time, she'd gathered quite a bit of speed and she couldn't stop herself. She went over the side and plummeted to the sidewalk four feet below, knocking the wind out of her. She flipped onto her back and gasped like a fish out of water. Her eyes bulged slightly, and there was a terrifying second where she thought she wasn't going to be able to get air back into her lungs.

Then, blessedly, she was able to breathe again and she picked herself up. She got to one knee, took another deep breath, and then got all the way up.

Her head was slightly dizzy but it faded quickly. She looked around, her body suddenly filled with fear, but no one was around. The rebel soldiers were closer to the grim proceedings and had left this area alone.