Chapter 58
Chapter
Fifty-Eight
Gerard stared, mouth ajar as he listened to the woman who had been his stepmother for the majority of his life. It seemed such a strange occurrence that his and Elias’s stepmothers were working together to kill them.
Four soldiers from Zephyrias surrounded Gerard. And standing at attention around the top of the tower were more soldiers and sorcerers.
“Adelina, do not do this,” Gerard said, trying to keep his voice calm. “You’re a kind-hearted woman. Do you really want to murder your husband and your five stepchildren? You can’t want that! You can’t want our blood on your hands!”
“It’s not that I want to do this!” Her brows puckered.
“But when the king and you are all dead, then my children will be queen, the heir to the throne, the dragon warrior, and the spare to the dragon warrior. They will no longer be pushed to the side! They will be respected and powerful!” Her voice brightened as she spoke.
Trying not to be obvious, Gerard tugged at his shackles behind him. “Are my siblings and my father still alive?”
“They are!” She paused. “But not for much longer. I’m really sorry, Gerard. I know this must be difficult for you. But we promise to make your siblings’ deaths as quick as possible. You can take comfort in that.” She hesitated. “Only Elias will die painfully.”
Gerard’s chest squeezed. “What?”
“Emmeline hates him. It was actually suggested that you and Elias be killed as soon as you were taken. But Emmeline wanted to watch Elias hurt.” She pressed her lips together, as if not approving of that part of the plan.
Gerard couldn’t get air into his lungs.
But Elias was an archmage! A fact no one knew. No doubt when the empress attacked him, he could kill her and escape. He wouldn’t be taken! He’d get away and be safe!
“She thought Elias watching you be killed would hurt him, since he seems to care for you. That’s why you are still alive.
Truthfully, I did not want him tortured,” she whispered as if worried Empress Emmeline might overhear her even though the empress wasn’t present.
“But she has told me what he is like. He seems quite wicked.”
But then Gerard’s brain snagged on something Adelina had said. “Who suggested that me and Elias be killed already?”
She opened her mouth. She shut it. Her lips twitched, and she looked away.
Gerard frowned.
Then she exhaled and continued speaking as if Gerard had not asked the question.
“I am sorry, Gerard. I did ask if we could kill you painlessly at least. Emmeline said she can do that. She just wants Elias to watch you die.” She shook her head.
“I know it is all very … uncivilised. But at least the peace treaty will continue. You can be glad of that.”
Gerard could not see that happening. Although he didn’t know their whole plan, it all seemed so chaotic and with too many moving parts. Could they actually pull it off? And surely someone would discover what the empress and queen consort had done.
But maybe no one from the other kingdoms would care if the dragon king and his five eldest children perished.
After all, they had just been at war with them.
Perhaps the other kingdoms would overlook any suspicions they had against the empress and the queen consort and be comfortable making a peace treaty with the new rulers of Draconia.
“My daughter will forge a great future for the kingdom.” The queen consort smiled. “She will be a wonderful dragon queen!”
She glanced around at the sorcerers, soldiers, and bandits gathered. “I asked Emmeline if we could involve my children in this plan. They are so clever. But Emmeline advised against it. I pointed out that her children got to be involved.”
She sighed. “But she said only the children who were at the White Monastery were. She reminded me that Prince Matteo isn’t part of the plan. I thought that maybe if the king instructed our children to come here, then they could be involved too.
“But King Alaric didn’t want them to come. He doesn’t care about his other children one bit.” Her head bowed slightly.
She placed a hand on Gerard’s shoulder and squeezed. “I am truly sorry that you have to die, Gerard. But I’m doing this for them. They will be important like you are, once you are gone.”
Gerard forced himself not to shake her hand from his shoulder. “I’m sorry my father treated you and your children so badly. I should have said something. You deserve better.”
“Thank you, Gerard. I’m glad you see that.”
“But murdering us is not the way!” he pleaded. “Perhaps if I talk to my father, perhaps we can find new roles for them. Then they will be important too.”
“I don’t … I don’t know.”
“Please. You don’t want to do this! I know you don’t! We can find a way for your children to be important without you becoming a murderer. They wouldn’t want that.” Gerard opened his mouth, about to say more, but the door leading to the top of the tower swung open.
The robed figure he’d seen earlier, along with Empress Emmeline, came forth. Then two soldiers appeared. Elias hung between them.
Gerard’s heart clenched. Elias’s eyes were half-lidded. Blood spilled from his forehead, dripping down his face and onto his clothes. His hands had been tied in front of him with rope.
“Elias!” The name tore from his throat. He tugged at his shackles. He got to his feet and took one step. Two soldiers grabbed him.
He struggled against them. He managed to take another step closer to Elias. But a third soldier lifted his spear and smashed the butt into Gerard’s gut. Gerard groaned. They shoved him down. He grunted as his knees impacted with the stone.
Hunched over and panting, he watched Elias’s sagging form be dragged forward.
“Put him beside his husband. Don’t worry about being gentle,” the empress commanded.
“Elias!” Gerard cried out.
Why wasn’t Elias fighting back? He was a lightning archmage! Why hadn’t he managed to escape? They didn’t have him in shackles. Just rope. That wouldn’t stop his ability to use his magic.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Elias is not an archmage.
But then why did he have that mask? Why hadn’t he denied it when Gerard confronted him? And why had he admitted to being the one to injure and scar Gerard?
Gerard tried to look Elias over and assess his wounds as they brought him closer. His shoulder had been cut, and blood stained his clothes around the wound. They threw Elias. He landed heavily on the ground. Elias moaned and closed his eyes.
On his knees, Gerard shuffled closer. The cut on Elias’s shoulder and the gash on his forehead seemed the only obvious wounds. And neither seemed particularly deep. Had they knocked him out before he could gather his power and fight back?
Empress Emmeline walked towards them. She nudged Elias with her boot.
“Stop that!” Gerard glared.
But she ignored him. She pulled back her foot. She kicked Elias in the side. Elias groaned.
“Hey!” Gerard yelled. He tried to rise. But one soldier hit him in the back, and another grabbed his shackled hands and yanked him back down. Two other soldiers pressed down on his shoulders.
And all the while, Elias lay motionless.
“Elias.” Gerard’s voice shook. “Elias. Please wake up,” he begged. He leaned forward. “Please.”
But one of the soldiers gripped his shoulder, fingers digging, stopping him from getting any closer.
The empress huffed. “Well, I won’t kill the annoying brat if he is unconscious. I want him to feel it. I want him to be torn from the world weeping and screaming and begging for mercy that will not come.”
Then her gaze fixed on Gerard, who the guards still held back.
She smirked. “You know what, let the dragon warrior get closer to his beloved. Let the lightning prince wake, gazing up into his adoring husband’s eyes.
” She laughed. “Sorry, I mean eye. Then, when Elias wakes, I will shut that one eye forever.”
The guards released Gerard. He shuffled until his knees pressed against Elias’s sides. He cursed his bound hands. He needed to touch Elias. He had to check him over for any other wounds.
The rage he’d felt towards Elias earlier that day had dissipated. He just wanted Elias to wake. To fight back and be free and fine and safe. Gerard would give anything for Elias to open his eyes, look at Gerard, and smile.
The queen consort walked towards the empress. “Emmeline,” she said, voice soft. “I was just thinking. Do you really think we need to kill Gerard? He was just suggesting that he might have a word with his father. Maybe we can resolve everything without resorting to killing so many.”
Empress Emmeline’s facial features stayed frozen for a moment. Then she let out a slow breath. She turned to Adelina. “It is far too late for that, my dear. And we’ve discussed this previously. If there was another way, we would have found it. We only do this because we must.”
Adelina lowered her head. “I know. But it doesn’t feel right.”
Empress Emmeline placed her hands on Adelina’s arms. “Unfortunately, this is the only way for your children to get what they deserve. Remember you are doing this for them. A mother must sometimes do dreadful things for the sake of their children.”
The empress stroked Adelina’s arms. “Soon it will all be over and we can put this unpleasantness behind us. You and your children will move into a bright future together, a future that you created for them.”
Adelina nodded but bit her lip.
Then Empress Emmeline walked over to the robed figure who stood near the tower door. The empress and the robed figure talked, too low to be heard. Then they disappeared down the stairs.
Gerard glanced down at Elias, who still lay unconscious on the stone. At least his breathing appeared even.
“Elias.” He leaned closer.
Adelina walked towards them. “I am so sorry, Gerard. But it seems there is no other way.”
“So you are involved in this too, Queen Consort Adelina? It seems I’m not the only one with an evil stepmother.”
Gerard startled. He looked down. Elias still lay on the ground on his side. But he stared up at Adelina, violet eyes bright. It did not look like Elias had just woken from unconsciousness. And his speech was clear and strong.
“I’m not evil! I promise you, I am not!” Her eyes pleaded with Elias. “When I explain to you why I do this, then you will understand!”
“Then tell me everything,” Elias said.