66. Lawrence
Lawrence
I could barely stay awake from the pain as I was pulled into a dim room surrounded by torches.
With as big and grand as it was, I didn’t miss the merge between old days and new.
Torches, yet there was a chandelier above, dimmed enough that it was barely noticeable.
And although we were surrounded by stone, the mahogany dais and chairs the veiled men stood in front of was trimmed in gold.
So was the seating area, which was full of more robed men and others wearing suits.
I even recognized a few. It was Lord Summerlyn walking in that had me going from half-dazed to being alert.
“Hey. Hey!” My voice was barely audible from the continuous hours of screaming.
Of begging. I pulled at the chains, nearly crashing to my knees through the pain.
I felt more blood leave me, but my words were all I was focused on.
“Traitor,” I exploded. “I won’t forget this, Lord Summerlyn.
I won’t—” My eyes widened. “Lord Oxley?”
My anger was in overload as more lords began to walk in, but the pain of yelling at each one was outweighed by my need to shout. I kept my hatred evident, watching as more men filled the seats.
Elec Wexler.
Theodore Hart.
It was Penelope and Vaughn entering the room that hurt the worst. Not just in my chest, but from my step backwards. I was cowering… I was afraid. And where I retreated in fear, the rest of the room lowered to their knee in respect.
The couple walked forward, coming to stand not ten feet away from where I was shackled.
Where Vaughn’s glare didn’t leave mine, Penelope wouldn’t look my way for long.
She was out of it. In a daze, like I had been.
She stared ahead at the men standing and filling the seats, but I knew she probably didn’t see them.
The robed figures at the dais all sat down except the one at the very top. The veiled face turned to me, and his voice was deep as it cut through the room.
“Lawrence Evans, by order of The King, The Judic, and The Council, you are hereby presented for formal judgment. You are charged with violation and unlawful entry into The Order, and the forceful abduction of Queen Penelope. You are charged with acts of violence against her person. You are further charged with the offences of treason, murder, and assassination against the Masterson bloodline as well as a fraudulent reign. You stand here not to defend yourself… but to be dissolved.”
My mouth parted. “Dissolved? What do you mean? Is this not a trial?”
Silence.
“You have already admitted your guilt. Our evidence is sufficient and standing right here.” The veiled man’s hand rose to gesture to Penelope. Her face was slightly pale, and she seemed to wince as she tried to hold still. She was in pain… because of me.
“Your evidence,” I continued, “is… she—” I stopped, hating how the fear kept locking up my words. “I made a mistake. I thought I loved her, and I’m sorry I hurt her. I just wanted Penelope as my queen—”
“A role that clearly does not exist.” The man at the top of the dais stressed. “You were never the true king, Mr. Evans. Your line was traitorous, and they were all frauds.” He paused, lifting his hands to those in attendance. “We will make our way to the Ritual Room.”
“R-Ritual?” My eyes darted between the men at the dais to Vaughn and Penelope.
Guards gathered in, unhooking my chains, but I didn’t care about those or the pain.
I dove towards Penelope, more falling through the weakness.
Vaughn pulled her into his side before I could even get close.
“Please! Penelope, I beg you. Q-Queen Penelope. Queen, please. What is happening? What are they going to do?”
She eased from Vaughn’s arms, giving him a reassuring nod before walking closer to me. I was on my knees, and guards held to each shoulder. I could see people in my peripheral watching… waiting to see what she was going to say. All I could do was stare up at her, pleading to her with my eyes.
She couldn’t let them hurt me anymore. She wouldn’t, right?
This fear was the punishment. Hadn’t I already paid with the rapes?
The beatings? My entire body was one cane mark after the next.
I was a body of nothing but broken, red lines.
I’d paid! My body was barely functioning.
I was bleeding. I was broken, and not just physically.
Mentally, I was shattered. She had to know that.
Surely Vaughn bragged to her about what he’d had done to me.
All those guards…
All those hours…
The laughing.
The degradation.
“Please, I’ll do anything. Let me go. I’m not king. I’m n-not. I’ll publicly confess. I’ll go far away. I’ll never bother you again. You’re Queen. They listen to you. … Please. You have to have mercy. I messed up. I’m sorry.”
Blue eyes met mine, but she stayed silent. Vaughn stepped in behind her, but I was sure she didn’t even notice. Her stare was locked on me, and it was just as hard as she was.
“Do you know how hard it is for me to look at you? For me to look at myself?” The words were almost inaudible.
A long moment passed. “There comes a time when we have to be honest and admit to ourselves whether we’re salvageable or sacrificial.
” She stepped in closer. “You are not salvageable. You are not beneficial. And you’re most certainly not safe to be around.
What you do have is blood, and that is valuable. ”
She clasped her hands in front of her, continuing.
“We’re going to use your blood in conjunction with ours, and we’re going to cleanse the stain your family has put on not just the Masterson line but so many others.
The Evans’ reign is over, and I wouldn’t save your life if it meant ending mine.
” Disgust flashed on her face. “Now stand up like a man and walk to your death with a little nobility, because it’s the last thing you’ll ever do. ”
The guards pulled me to my feet. Before I could think to speak, Vaughn was already leading Penelope away from me. People were crowding out of the room, and I kept my eyes lowered through each painful, shaky step.
Nobility.
An Evans… noble?
With each shaky, unstable step it became more laughable. There was a first time for everything.
Noble.
Honorable.
Brave.
All I had was this walk. But it was more than that. The moment I left the large room, I saw firsthand what I was truly facing. Just past the doors was a crowd of people.
Most of the men I couldn’t see. They wore robes, and they were packed in thick as I was wedged into the path between them.
Boos shouted. Spit splattered against my hair and face.
Hands waved in the air, and the volume was deafening.
Some reached out, shoving me. Slapping against the side of my head.
Had it not been for the guards, I would have fallen more than once.
Each room was infested. Every hall there was a mob of men who would have loved to take my life.
My heart was racing through the blur of movement, and it took everything in me to even walk.
Sweat was beginning to bead on my ruined, nude body.
The pain lessened as adrenaline had me fighting to walk faster.
The sway of candlelight left me disoriented.
Each step brought me closer to a death I didn’t want.
And yet… I was nearly at a jog as I tried to race towards the open door ahead. But I was choosing. I was trying…
No. I was afraid.
Humming from the shouts vibrated into my bones.
Chuckling somehow floated in the distance, worming its way in, and injuring my broken ego even more.
The Masters were laughing at me. They were happy I was about to die.
The wound was raw, burning more into the questions I’d never have answers to.
Was I truly such a bad man? Was I so disliked?
I’d hurt people.
Didn’t everyone?
Had it been enough to make me hated?
Feared?
They didn’t fear me anymore.
I couldn’t talk myself out of this one. I couldn’t use charm or power. I was going to die, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Should I try and run?
Plead a little more?
Noble…
This couldn’t be happening.
Noble.
The guards led me through the door, giving way to a large lion shallowly carved into the middle of the room.
I knew it immediately as the Masterson Crest. Cuffs were centered and waiting for me, and Penelope and Vaughn stood just above it next to an upside-down crown.
A circle enclosed it all in, and I knew my blood was going to fill the crevice within the stone.
Men crowded in behind me, and I jerked against the guards for the smallest moment as they led me to the center of the circle. I felt sick as I jerked my gaze back up to Penelope’s.
Her eyes were as cold as ice as she stared me down. Where I wanted to beg, I couldn’t find the heart to as I was forced to lie down against the cold stone. Cuffs locked around my wrists and ankles, and the hum of the chant started low, increasing in volume.
“Blood remembers what was lost,
Blood repays the kingdom’s cost.
Blood of many, blood of one,
Together, the false crown is done.”
The chant repeated, changing, echoing, and growing louder as it filled the stone space. My body trembled as I took in the hooded figures around me. Some held knives. Others were completely masked and void of anything but voice as the volume rose.
“Blood remembers what was lost,
Blood repays the kingdom’s cost.
Blood of many, blood of one,
Together, forever, until we’ve won.”
Silver reflected in the light, and I took in the dark sapphires on the dagger Vaughn held.
He walked around, coming to stand next to my ribs.
His hand came up, quieting the men surrounding us.
My body convulsed through the fear, and my breaths were deep and heavy as I jerked against the shackles.
My eyes jumped over to Penelope, but she was watching Vaughn as he faced the men.
“We’ve been waiting a very long time for this.” His lips tugged back at the side. “Our wait is officially over. So, I proudly say to you now…
Blood remembers what was lost,
Blood repays the kingdom’s cost.
Blood of many, blood of one.
We’ve cleared the path—the Crown is won.”
Vaughn lowered, meeting my eyes as he leveled the tip of the blade at my wrist. I bit my bottom lip, tensing and pulling back as much as I could on the cuff.
Excruciating pain exploded as he dragged the knife down to my elbow.
Panic set in, and I sucked in so much air I almost choked.
Sounds came, but not the horror-filled screams that wanted to come as I watched blood leave me to race to the shallow, indented crest.
Vaughn stepped over me, moving to my other arm. The men surrounding us were suddenly slicing their own palms and letting their blood drip and pour down to the crest as well. The carved channels darkened in color and again the pain came as Vaughn cut from my wrist, up past my elbow.
“God! Please!” Yells did leave me then. My eyes were so wide. I was trying to grasp some form of control, but I was starting to jerk and go wild against the metal that kept me trapped. “Please stop! Please!”
I met hazel eyes as Vaughn stepped down between my legs.
He bent forward, stabbing into my inner thigh, slowly dragging the knife towards my ankle.
My screams went from desperate to hopelessly horrified.
They were deafening as they echoed against stone.
My body was shaking. Jerking. Thrashing nowhere. My head went back and forth.
Masters were constantly shifting around us, adding their contribution to the shallow pool of blood that was beginning to collect. I could feel myself getting weak and lightheaded as I continued to fight. My eyes lifted, and I found Penelope watching me. Glaring down at me.
“Maybe I’ll die, but you’ll see I was right. You love me. You love me!”
Blinding pain ripped its way down my thigh, towards my other ankle, and a growl left Vaughn.
He headed towards the top of the crest, lowering over my head to face me.
He wrapped his hand around the blade, jerking it over his palm.
Warmth splashed against my chest, and he held out his hand over the upside-down crown.
“Royal blood now seals the claim.”
The men shouted out. “Crown and kingdom, true to name.”
“By my blood, the line is restored.”
“Rise again, forgotten lord.” They rang out.
“Old blood honored, new blood sworn.”
“Now the rightful crown’s reborn.”
He handed the dagger to Penelope, and I watched as she cut her palm, letting the blood fall over the crest.
“The old blood is honored,” Vaughn yelled out. “The Order fills the Crown, and the blood of the rightful line is awakened forever.”
“The true kings are honored.
The brotherhood is bound.
The royal blood has returned.”
He nodded at their chant.
“Only by blood we remember.” He lifted both of his hands.
“And this we will never forget.” He opened his suit, grabbing another long, jagged knife.
The blade leveled at my throat and his lids turned to slits as his lips peeled back.
Hate. It came out in a thick cloud as he leaned in closer to me.
“She loves me. Me. That’s forever.” He sliced hard and fast. My mouth shot open, and the ceiling blurred.
The chanting faded. For the first time… I was powerless. Truly… alone. Fading.
“It is done.”