Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
PHOENIX
I remain seated, my knee bouncing while we wait for the Ezkai and nobles to leave the war room. Only the Taaslord remains, always shadowing the General, no matter what.
Daegel glances at me over his shoulder before closing the door behind him. Once it’s only the three of us left, the General sighs, pushes his chair back, and sets his heavy boots on the edge of the large table.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the most powerful man in Ekios this casual.
When the General speaks, his voice is full of…amusement. “You don’t seem too fond of King Francis.”
I look at the Taaslord standing over the General’s shoulder and then back at the handsome fae. “I’m not. Never said I was.”
“And why’s that? Your family was one of King Francis’s loyalists.”
Does the General know that King Francis murdered my family? Did my reaction to King Francis give me away? Surely if Daegel noticed my rage, other fae in the room did, too. At least those who are vigilant enough.
“You wouldn’t be fond of King Francis either if you knew how he treats his Decarios,” I spit, voice full of venom.
I can’t help it. “We’re fucking property for him, his personal killer squad.
It’s the law that every human Decarios born in Wetra needs to serve the king, no exceptions.
He lies to everyone that it’s an honor and a gift, oh so rare. But it’s just another form of slavery.”
“I’m aware,” the General says, his eyes softening. “We don’t approve of his ways.”
There’s a gaping maw in my chest. I cross my arms, trying to shield myself from my own vulnerability.
“Why did you bring me here today? Clearly King Francis isn’t a fan of your idea to attract more humans to Ekios.”
The General exchange a glance with the Taaslord. Then he says, “I had to see where your loyalties lie.”
I blink. No fucking way. It was a test?
“You thought I was…a spy he sent?”
Neither men say anything. Silence is an answer enough.
I scoff. “I am not a spy for King Francis.”
“Oh, I know that now. But I had to be certain, Ezkai Phoenix. A lone human girl coming from Wetra, from a prominent loyalist family, to join Order of Ezkai, and succeeding at it for the first time in the history… I’m sure you can understand my suspicion.”
“You knew my father.” I shake my head. “You said I was safe here because of the promise you made to him.”
Here I thought it was Daegel’s connection to Caligos that was forcing the General to keep me at an arm’s length, when it turns out it may have been all my own doing.
“And I meant it.” The General drops his feet and leans forward to brace his elbows in the table. “Now that I’m sure about your loyalty and where it lies, we can accomplish great things together. However, I can tell there’s something you’re not being honest about, Ezkai Phoenix.”
My heart races. I try to calm it down by breathing deeply. I fail.
“I don’t think I understand, sir.”
He eyes me for a long moment. The silence stretches between us. Sweat drips down my spine. I don’t say anything, though.
Finally, the General speaks. “Your vitals during that meeting were concerning. Someone who feels this strongly about another person…well, it must be more than simple dislike or disagreement about their politics and morals. So tell me, Ezkai Phoenix, why does King Francis bother you so much?”
Fuck. Of course me loosing my temper wouldn’t go unnoticed. Not by this man.
For a beat, my lungs seize breathing.
Can I lie?
I blink at him. The General’s face is neutral and open. Dark eyes watch me with curiosity.
There’s something in his gaze that makes me feel…like I can tell him anything.
I’ve kept everything inside me, locked neatly in a box at the back of my mind. Something that’s mine.
Truth be told, I’m terrified to open it. To let someone else in.
To let them see what lies behind all those walls I’ve build around me.
Before I know it, my lips are moving and words I least expect spill out of my mouth.
“King Francis ordered my family’s death.
They’re gone because of him. I survived by mere accident.
As I watched my family’s home burn with them inside that night at the hand of Axel Dukas and the Royal Guard, I swore to avenge their death.
That’s why I’m here, in Ekios. Why I joined the Order of Ezkai.
So I could gain enough power to destroy King Francis. ”
I snap my mouth shut, eyes wide.
What the fuck was that? It’s the first time I’ve admitted my true intentions to anyone. I glance between the Taaslord and the General. Both of their faces are neutral, no judgment or disgust in their features.
For a brief moment, relief I don’t expect floods me. It’s as if a fraction of the weight I’ve been carrying on my shoulders has lifted. I can breathe a little lighter.
The Taaslord watches me with kind eyes, which throws me off. I bristle at the silence that stretches.
The General laces his fingers. “Finally. Nothing is more precious than honesty, Ezkai Phoenix.”
I blink at him, unable to speak. I’ve said too much as it is.
My shoulders slump. It was stupid of me, to share this. The General will never take me seriously now that he knows my true motivation.
I’m resigned to be shamed, when the General surprises me. “Tell me, how do you plan to destroy King Francis?”
I look between him and the Taaslord. “Am…er—I don’t have a solid plan, sir. Yet.”
The General’s eyebrows hike all the way to his hairline. My cheeks burn with shame. I can’t keep his gaze any longer, so my eyes drop to my hands in my lap.
“What do you know about blood debt?” the General asks after a long silence.
My head snaps up. “It’s part of your culture here in Ekios. Kata Nightingale mentioned something about it when I was at the Ezkai Academy. She said I owed her a blood debt because of what my father had done to her brother, who was charged with treason or something like that.”
The Taaslord chuckles. “You’re lucky she disappeared under such mysterious circumstances before she could collect.”
I gape at him. “Sir, I already said I had nothing to do with that!”
The General throws the Taaslord a look over his shoulder, smirking. “He’s just messing with you, Ezkai Phoenix. That matter has been put to rest.”
I run my sweaty palms over my leather pants and clear my throat.
“I believe what Noire wanted to say is that a blood debt is a serious oath one takes on when they feel that they’ve been wronged and they must find justice. Only death can repay that debt, but we believe it must be honorable and clean. It’s the only way to satisfy the spirits of the gods.”
I frown. “Sir, I don’t understand where this conversation is going.”
The General grins. “You say you seek vengeance for your family’s death, which is completely understandable, yet you have no plan.
Gaining power is not a plan, nor is it a means to an end.
It’s just a way to fill your time, to delay the confrontation you say you seek.
” His voice drops a couple of octaves. “You’ve had a chance an hour ago.
And King Francis lives. Let me ask you, Ezkai Phoenix, are you certain vengeance is what you truly desire? ”
I scoff. “Yes! It’s my life’s purpose, and I won’t rest until King Francis pays for what he has done. No matter what I must do. I’ll burn the whole of Wetra to ash if I must.”
“Ah, to be young again,” the Taaslord says, dreamily.
The General glances over his shoulder at him before returning his attention to me.
The tips of my ears burn. “Don’t patronize me, sir.”
“We aren’t, Ezkai Phoenix,” the General says, amused. “I’m trying to help.”
I frown again.
“If you’re so bent on making vengeance your purpose in life, then the right way forward is to take on the blood debt oath.
The only way to fulfill it is with the clean death of King Francis.
Not by sacrificing people of Wetra who have done nothing to you, or your family, who just tried to survive the rule of a greedy, corrupt king. ”
My voice is dangerously low when I speak. “What if he doesn’t deserve clean death?”
“Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. It’s not for us to make such judgments.
As Ezkai, we must carry ourselves with honor and our actions must be in accordance with our laws,” the General says kindly.
After a beat of silence, he adds, “I wanted to speak with you in private, because I was going to offer you my mentorship. From time to time I like to take on prominent Ezkai as mentees to help them reach their true potential. I believe you are an exceptional Decarios, and there’s much you could accomplish. We could accomplish. Together.”
I’m stunned to silence for a moment. I can’t believe the Ezkai General offered to be my mentor.
Even after he learned of my true desire.
“You still want to mentor me, even after learning about my thirst for vengeance?”
The General smirks. “Decarios live a long life. It’s only natural that we encounter blood debt at least once.
Ekions are not above it. We accept it and treat it with respect.
As my mentee, you’ll train harder than anyone else.
I’ll hone you into a lethal weapon with a sharp mind and keen senses to help you collect the debt you’re owed. ”
This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, for three years.
It feels unreal.
I swallow. “I appreciate the generous offer, sir. But I have to ask, why? What’s in it for you to help me claim the blood debt I’m owed.”
“You may believe seeking vengeance is your life’s purpose right now, but it doesn’t have to be the only thing you do with your time, Ezkai Phoenix.
Mentoring and helping shape you into a powerful Ezkai serves the Order and Ekios in the long term.
” A corner of his mouth curls. “Besides, taking out King Francis may be beneficial for Ekios. As you’ve seen, he’s proving to be quite a thorn in my side. ”
I clasp my hands together and smile.
The General himself wants to mentor me and make me into a lethal weapon. And I can help him in return by eliminating a man who stands in his way.
I press my fist above my heart and dip my chin in respect. “Sir, it’s an honor. Thank you. I would love nothing more than to be your mentee.”
I’m so flustered and excited I’m about ready to get on my knees and kiss the man’s feet.
“Good. But I must warn you, becoming my mentee will come with a lot of perks, and some drawbacks,” he says, carefully.
“You’ll have more eyes on you than now, and may even face some pushback from those who don’t approve of you gaining my favor.
Being my mentee will also test your loyalty and inner strength, over and over again.
You may not agree with me, but you’ll have to obey. ”
Is he talking about Daegel here? I lift my chin. “I’m ready. I’ll work twice as hard if I must to prove I’m worthy of your favor.”
“Great,” the General says and flashes me a smile. One of those dazzling ones that makes every woman’s knees tremble. “We’ll start with a training session next week. I want to introduce you to the blessed trinity, a concept you must master to become unbreakable.”
I grin. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Elated, I rise from my seat and head for the door.
Just as I open the door, the General’s voice reaches me.
“Claiming blood debt you’re owed can be a lonely path, Ezkai Phoenix.
Walking it is not easy, and when you finally claim what’s yours, it won’t bring you the satisfaction you’re seeking.
I doubt your father would have wanted this path for you. ”
I freeze.
“I’m not trying to talk you out of it, Ezkai Phoenix,” he adds. “But it’s my duty as your mentor to warn you.”
I snap out of it and, with a curt nod, leave.