The Descendants Book One: The Broken Scroll Page 7

  Deverell smiled gravely at Roland, clearly enjoying his power over the blacksmith. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small whistle. Almost as instantly as he blew it, two soldiers arrived in the doorway.

  “Dous Tenants, “Deverell called, “take this man prisoner.” He nodded at Roland.

  Roland started to speak but the Lemirre Electoral beat him to it. He had listened quietly up until this point.

  “Now see here, First Captain. This is a bit unnecessary, isn’t it?” he asked, blocking the path to Roland.

  “I don’t think so, my lord. This man is in violation of the law. He will be taken to Capital and placed in the King’s prison.” Roland let out a gasp and a small whimper at this.

  “On what grounds?”

  “Insubordination. He failed to acknowledge a direct order from the First Captain. Now stand down, Tralton, or I will be forced to take you as well.”

  He stepped toward the Lemirre Electoral. Tralton opened and closed his mouth several times as if to say something else, but then exhaled loudly and moved to the side, defeated.

  “Thank you,” Deverell said in mock gratitude. “Now gentlemen, if you please.” He motioned to the soldiers to grab Roland.

  Davin, sensing they were leaving, moved away from the door and around the side of the building. He fumed inside over this Deverell’s cruelty. There was no way Roland was guilty.

  He watched Deverell, Tralton, Roland and his escorts make their way back to the crowd, following slowly behind. They dragged him into the circle of people. Roland dropped in front of the first line of soldiers and didn’t try to get up.

  Gasps fell from the mouths of the townspeople and muttering broke out. Deverell raised his hands and called for their silence. Slowly, the voices faded back out.

  “People of Lemirre, one of your own have been charged with a crime against the King.” Davin heard more gasps all around him.

  Deverell continued, “He will be jailed in the prison at the Capital. This, however, is not the full extent of his punishment. He will also be lashed for you all to see. This man will be you’re example. Do not fail me…or our king.”

  A women’s voice, louder than the rest, emerged on the area opposite Davin. Seconds later, Niahm forced her way into the middle of circle.

  “What are you think you are doing to my husband!? He has done nothing wrong,” she said, fiercely.

  Deverell faced her and smiled, once again, sickeningly sweet. “That matter is not for a beautiful woman like you to decide.”

  Niahm’s presence did not waver. She was clearly not afraid. “You will release him!”

  Deverell shook his head slowly, taking a long time to answer. “I’m afraid that will not happen.”

  Roland spoke up at this. “Niahm, darling, please don’t do this. There is nothing you can do.”

  Niahm stared at Roland for what felt like a long time, but eventually backed away.

  No one spoke. Davin was sick. This sealed it. Either this Deverell had gone rogue, or the king had lost his head.

  Something had to be done.

  His anger began to flare. No one deserved this treatment.

  Davin watched as a long whip was placed in Deverell’s hand. Roland’s shirt was removed by the soldiers that had thrown him down onto the street. Deverell rounded to Roland’s back side, pulled the whip back, and swung. Roland roared as the flesh was torn away from his body. A large, red gash lay where the whip had connected.

  Davin looked away and clenched his fist. This was wrong. He heard another crack off the whip. How could he just stand by and let this happen to his friend?

  There was another crack and Davin did all he could to keep himself from shaking. He took a couple of deep breaths and swallowed hard.

  Screwing up his courage he squeezed through to the middle of the circle.

  “Let him go! He doesn’t deserve this and you know it.”

  Everyone, including Deverell and Roland, turned. Deverell’s mouth hung open as if he couldn’t believe what he heard.

  “What did you say, boy?” Deverell asked.

  “I said, let...him...go.”

  “That’s what I thought you said, but I had hoped that you had not been so bold and foolish.” He paused. “I suggest you watch your tongue young man, or you’ll be next.” He caressed the whip as if it were a fluffy pet.

  Davin breathed heavily. His heart pounded as if he had just sprinted a league. “No. If you don’t let him go, I will force you to. This man is innocent and does not deserve this punishment.”

  “You are obviously delusional, boy. I don’t think you understand your situation here.”

  “Yes, I do,” Davin shot back.

  “What is your name?” Deverell asked, sounding irritated but amused.

  “Why do you care?”

  Deverell smiled, but his eyes remained intense and full of contempt. “Listen boy, I’m still giving you the opportunity to walk away free. Don’t try my patience anymore.”

  “I am not afraid of anything you could do to me. Let Roland go or you may have reason to be afraid.”

  He had just realized he was shouting. He couldn’t control it anymore.

  “You are walking a fine line, Davin. But by all means, continue with your idle threats,” Deverell said, his tone growing less entertained and more angered by the moment.

  “How dare you call yourself a soldier protecting our kingdom? If the King truly favors vileness and evil, he has chosen wisely the man to lead his army.”

  Davin knew immediately he had gone too far. But he also knew his response had been inevitable. The rage within him was bursting forth like a wild animal. Deverell’s expression changed from mild amusement to loathing in a second.

  “That’s it. Seize this boy! Place him in chains next to his friend here.”

  “No!” Roland yelled. “Davin, listen to me. Don’t do this to yourself. You’re meant for more than this.” He turned to Deverell. “Captain, do whatever you want to me, but don’t touch the boy.”

  “Too late. Your friend had his chance. Now where were we?”

  He raised his whip again, but Davin was already sprinting across the circle. Deverell turned just as Davin reached him. Davin jumped at the last second and the whip hit Davin instead. He cried out as it connected with his arm.

  Davin stumbled only for a moment, regained his sure footing, and jumped head first at Deverell’s torso. As his arms wrapped around it, they flew into a wild tumble. They stopped rolling just before the edge of crowd. Davin got up and looked to Deverell laying dazed several feet away.

  His body ached from the crash onto the ground, but he ignored it and rolled over toward Deverell, grasping at the First Captain’s throat. Deverell swung his arm around and delivered a sharp blow to the side of Davin’s face, causing him to fall back onto the ground.

  Two sets of hands reached out and grabbed Davin on both shoulders, lifting him into a standing position. They were the hands of soldiers who dragged Roland. Davin reacted instinctively, trying to shake them off by spinning. They lost grip on him and twisted away.

  Before thinking, he had caught his balance and charged forward. The two soldiers tried to draw their swords, but Davin was too quick. He flung his arms out as the three of them connected. The soldiers flew back and slammed into Tralton’s house on the opposite side of the street, hitting with a sickening crunch. They didn’t move when they hit the ground.

  Davin stood transfixed at what he had just done. Where had that strength come from? It must have been another one of his new abilities, and he had just taken down two men with nothing but his own strength! The shock of it barely had time to set in.

  Davin shot back around to find arrows pointed at his chest. The front row of troops had set their sights on him.

  One soldier walked over to the two men crumpled on the ground.

  “They’re dead, sir,” he spoke solemnly.

  Deverell stood up and turned to Davin, his eyes wide with interest. “Do not ki
ll him. I want him taken into custody.”

  Davin reacted quickly, turning away to run. He only took three steps before he felt a sharp pain. It took his breath away. Looking down, he saw a small patch of blood growing bigger around his shoulder. He realized he had been shot with an arrow. Not to kill, but to merely stop him from getting away.

  Then he felt the sting again as another arrow struck him inches from the first spot. The strength in his legs gave away and he hit the ground hard. Before he completely pasted out, he saw Deverell. Deverell chained his hands and had him carried away. Unable to keep his eyes open anymore, he slipped into unconsciousness.

  Chapter 6 Alliance of Two

  When Davin opened his eyes again barren, grey stone walls surrounded him. Glancing around, he realized that he had never been inside any sort of prison, but he’d also never had a reason to visit one. There wasn’t much to see. Fading sunlight shining through the miniscule window in his cell told him it was probably early evening. Through the small window he could see he was still in the foothills, which meant it could only be one place. It was the small jailhouse, just outside of Lemirre.

  The ache of his shoulder reminded him of the two arrows that had pierced his skin. Someone had put a bandage over the wounds, but blood had still managed to run enough to soak the bandage thoroughly. He left it alone for now, glad that it wasn’t still bleeding.

  To clear his head, he got up and paced the floor, trying to not make swift movements for the sake of his shoulder.

  A revelation came to him as he waited there in the gathering dark and silence. It washed over like a bucket of freezing river water and ached nearly as much. His mother had told him something when she was taken, words that were no longer vague. Davin realized what she had been talking about after all these years, about his future. His mother had wanted the same thing the Ancient woman in his dream wanted. They both told him that he would need to take a stand against something, if only because of his linage and abilities.

  And he had done nothing less than gain the attention of the First Captain himself. His heart leapt into his throat. All he wanted was to wake and find that it had been a nightmare. That he could head back to his cabin and go hunting again to tomorrow like normal, forgetting any of this had happened.

  It made the situation worse still that the memory of his mother was now connected to this burden he didn’t want. He’d done everything he could’ve to keep her in his memory. And now, for the first time, he wanted to forget.

  With great defiance, he pushed her from his mind and his eyes become wet. He quickly wiped them on his shirt, glad that no one had witnessed his moment of weakness.

  Davin discovered, shortly, that no activity was happening in this area of the Hold. As time passed, a slight fear began to creep into his bones. How long was he going to be in here without anyone coming to see him? The First Captain hadn’t just left him alone to rot, had he?

  No, that couldn’t be, Deverell knew there was something special about him, otherwise he would already be dead.

  Finally lying down on the small bed, he stretched his arms out behind him. A burning pain throbbed lightly. The Cureist must have worked on the wounds, but they were still very tender.

  He had begun to investigate the patch further when there was the sound of a latch being undone.

  The metal door leading into the holding cells swung open and in stepped Deverell. Davin seethed internally, clenching his fist to keep from exploding at the army’s commander.

  The man smiled with a mock warmness that made Davin’s skin crawl.

  Through his clenched teeth, Davin dictated the question that had been burning in him the most.

  “Where’s Roland? What have you done with him?!”

  “You don’t waste any time do you. He is already on his way to the Capital. The King’s prison awaits his arrival. Trust me; he will not have a pleasant stay, if he manages to stay alive that long.”

  “What do you want with me? Why am I still here?” Davin asked. He wanted to know if the Captain would tell him the truth. Deverell swaggered up to the bars of the cell.

  “I want you dead,” Deverell said abruptly enough to take Davin aback. As soon as your purpose here is done, that is. But what I want is irrelevant to the King. He wants you brought to him when your job is done. He had other plans for you, but he is mistaken. He cannot control me.”

  Deverell dropped his gaze slightly as if this irritated him, but this was clearly an act. No man who craved power like Deverell would pass up the opportunity to use Davin. The question remained. Did Deverell know who he really was?

  Davin smirked. He was feeling brave at the moment and wanted to coax Deverell to keep him talking. “So that’s your story. You have turned traitor to the king.”

  “That man is no king of mine.”

  Davin shook his head. “What is this job I’m supposed to do? You should be bringing me to the king now. But you’re not following King O’Hara’s command anymore. Isn’t that treason?”

  “I believe you are in no position to accuse me of that, boy. I will act as I see fit. The king would have seen the fault of keeping you alive eventually.”

  Davin was shocked at this man’s open disrespect for the O’Hara. “If only he could see his First Captain now. You would lose your life in an instant.”

  Deverell inched as close to the bars of the cell as he could and gestured Davin closer. Speaking softly, he whispered in a tone that chilled Davin’s bones. “Maybe you have not yet been made aware, I cannot be controlled.”

  Davin felt the sudden dread dissipate and his confidence return as Deverell moved away. The First Captain returned to the spot he had stood upon entering and added, conversationally, “It is no matter. I do admire your candor, Davin. You are walking a fine line here. I will give you the same chance to live peacefully as I did another. If you join with the king and myself, you will be honored, and have a long life at O’Hara’s side. If you choose otherwise, you will not. The other one made his choice, what is your answer?”

  Davin glared at him, taking deep breaths to slow his galloping pace of his heart. Picturing himself with a knife around the First Captain’s throat, he shook his head.

  “I thought you said only the king wants us alive. You seemed convinced I should be killed.”

  Deverell smiled his cold, calculating smile before speaking. Davin knew that a man in his position had to be intelligent. “The king thinks he can convince you. But I know that it won’t happen. So the only other option is death. The only reason you are still alive is because I know you are not a normal boy. And we know you are not alone.”

  Davin’s mind whirled. Everyone had seen him throw those men with incredible strength, but could Deverell really know his ancestry?

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You are a Descendant. The King knows about your kind. There is another like you as well. He killed the governor of Daust and his reputation is spreading. We can’t have that. You are going to lure him here. If it wasn’t for our need to find him, I would not have followed the king’s order to keep you alive.”

  Davin looked away. There was another one like him? Could it have been that man that called himself the wanderer? Why would a wanderer have killed the governor? There were so many questions. His heart pounded, but he remained straight faced.

  “How exactly am I going to do that?” Davin asked.

  “By your mere presence, boy. I know there is a connection that is strong between your race. The king will be displeased when he finds you both dead, but that is not your concern. I will deal with him.”

  Davin felt sick. This was O’Hara’s right hand man? The man who commanded thousands of soldiers? No wonder the kingdom is in bad shape. He wouldn’t have complained if Deverell had been struck dead right in front of him, and that was a bold thought for someone he’d only know a single day. He’d never wished that on anyone before.

  While the Deverell still remained breathing, however, he decided to see how
much information he could weasel out of him.

  “I was in the forest that day, you know, with Roland,” said Davin, casually. He waited until the First Captain’s confusion showed. “I know that your men were in there burying the governor of Daust and I have a feeling that you didn’t come here simply for a visit. What I don’t know is what the real reason is.”

  “You are a perceptive one, Davin. His death is by no means a secret. Many towns outside of Daust now about what happened that night. And many have spoken of the unnatural power that was witnessed. I have reasons for my men being in that forest. None of which you would understand, or even need to know. And you can’t prove why I came here, so I suggest not saying anything to upset me further.”

  “If my death is so certain, what is the harm of telling me everything?”

  Deverell tilted his neck to the side and popped it. “Clever, but I do not consider someone dead until he is.”

  Davin knew he couldn’t find the truth while sitting in a cell, unless Deverell provided some proof, which didn’t seem like a likely scenario. He was forced to accept that anything Deverell told him for the time being could be true.

  Deverell merely stared at him with a look that seemed to be deciding how best to off him. It was awkward and unsettling.

  “If you really think you’re going catch him, you’re fooling yourself,” Davin argued, speaking more confidently than he felt.

  Deverell smiled softly, “We will see. Rations will be sent to your cell shortly.”

  The metal door clanged shut and Davin was alone again. A short while later a small meal, consisting of a few pieces of bread and a slab of meat, arrived at his cell. He began trying to formulate an escape, but in his current state there wasn’t much he could do. The window was too small to squeeze through and he wasn’t strong enough to bend metal. Several minutes of strenuous pushing and pulling proved that theory.

  He had just crawled onto the small bed and started creating images out of the deepening shadows on the wall when he heard something unusual.