City Of The Damned (Gear Hearts Book 3) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 15: Gunslinger Brothers

Third POV

I had been sitting on the top of the clock tower, waiting for Jack to appear.

Watching videos for over five minutes until I heard a dagger shot past my ear and it pinned to the wall.

"How strange" said Jack while I detached my earphones. "You would join the King's heinous plan."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Oh, he's treated equally in the palace." Jack gestured his two fingers. "Let's talk."

I summoned my whip and lashed at him.
Jack dodged each swing as he threw flying knives at me. I stashed it away. Suddenly, Jack sprang towards me, hitting me on my jaw.

He pinned me against the wall with his hand, pointing the tip of his knife on my neck. "Careful, little brother. The last time we had a real duel, you lost."

I coughed.

"I'm impressed by your achievememts lately. You and I are not so different after all, Third" Jack said.

"But I will never like you" I grunted. "I'm not a psychopath."

"They love you." Jack's voice reaping with jealousy. "Everybody loves heroes in this city. But one thing they even love to see more. To see you fail. In spite everything you have done for them. Eventually they'll hate you."  He pressed the blade further into my skin, but not slicing. "I could kill you right now but The King has offered us a great choice. Think about it, Third!"

He let go of me. Jack turned around and leaped to the other building.

I gasped for air before I composed myself. I stared ahead, summoned my whip as I followed Jack.

***

I found myself before two large double door.

The guardians led me to the throne room. Where I knew I was expected.

Jack's gaze narrowed, full of revulsion I was too familiar. "Giving up, Gunslinger?" asked the King.

"I offer you my allegiance to you, your majesty" I said as I looked over at Jack. "Heard that you needed Gunslinger at your side."

Jack's anger slipped again. "Your majesty—"

"Hush, Jack" The King said, cutting him off with a raised hand. "Your bloodline had been guardians with the royals for over a century. Try not to eliminate what your family has been working so hard." He turned at my direction with a cunning smile. "So as I've heard, there is one of the unearthly gems in the possession of an Enchantress. What do you know of it?"

I kept my face steady with a stoic expression. My stomach burned from panic.

"May Illumino has the gem. And she has been hiding it with her for over several months." I said.

The King's gaze tells me he wasn't satisfied. We know too little of the Unearthly gems. The Shadow gem could nullify any sort of dark magic, it has been tested in Arthit's. The results were scary and amazing at the same time. It increased his speed, his ppwer multipled itself.

"Prove me your loyalty. I'm disappointed on some wizards, Third. There are some people searching for the lost Starkthorn, both Fae and Wizards. It revolts me. " said the King. His fingers gripped the arm of his throne. "Well you have nothing to say?"

"No, your majesty." My voice was automatic and monotoned. "but I hope you'll let me speak in Khai's part. He didn't know he was a royalty. The Gear Hearts didn't know. Not until they found out the murders lately. Khai was popular and idolized by many."

"Prying is really your style."The King cackled. "And how much idolizing should I tolerate? Am I going to ignore his popularity? How they talk about his reckleness and achievements?! He would be dead if he sat on my throne! No, they think only themselves and their supposed to be dead Starkthorn!"

Horror filled up my body and I tried not to unmask my real intentions. So, he sent after those who were still searching for the lost Starkthorn because Taeko Valentine felt threatened.

He's crazy.

"Would you bow to your friend?" The King asked.

I forced down the gulp in my throat. "He is royalty. But he might not take your—"

"You dare to question me?"

My heart was racing now. "No, my King."

"Good"

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

Jack's eyed me suspiciously.

I was here, I could abandon the plan, to forget and try to end Jack and King Valentine and save Khai, end it here and now. 

I was in their palace. I was so close. My body wound up rigidly at the idea. Ready to storm off the palace and went on a killing spree.

It was the desparation tugging me, not Gunslinger arrogance. Even if I got to kill the King and my brother, I would end up being hunted for the rest of my life.

But the wizards needed a new king. This was about giving the citizen justice and ensuring each of us had a voice.

I tried to distract myself by going over our plan in my mind.

"You have three exact days to steal the shadow gem." The Ice King smiled viciously. "And you will be rewarded. Join me, imagine what we have to accomplish together."

***

My chest raced with dread as I led myself into one of the luxurious rooms.

However, someone had been waiting outside my room. His cold grin freeze me for  a moment. Matthew Disaro.

"Sir" My jaw tensed. I waited. Waited for him to throw whatever mockery or insults.

But Matthew was waiting too.

"Perhaps, you have been guilty about betraying your friends" Matthew drawled, like a trickster. Every word pouring out from this man's mouth was hypnotizing me.

I held my breath, try not to give in. "I do not feel guilty about it. This is my decision." I lied.

"Is it? Is it really your decision? Or is ir because your friend, no..."Matthew chuckled. "your lover friend. I can spot a liar when I see one, Third. I saw you the you look at him and the way he looks at you. You cannot lie about your feelings."

I clenched my teeth, not knowing what nonsense he would say.

"You do not like when I speak of your boyfriend?" said Matthew.  He leaned against the wall with crossed arms. "He has been given the finest clothes, the best foods before his execution."

A special treatment? I nearly snort at that. 

"All I'm saying, my dear Gunslinger" Matthew sneered. "Love, love, love, love. Love is the cost of chaos in this wretched world."