Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
“I only don’t know this because you called upon me for this meeting,” Seph informed him.
“It was decided at breakfast, prior to me calling upon you, and it is now well past lunch. Even Liam and Jell did not inquire as to which party you would ride with. They simply rode without you.”
Seph clenched his teeth.
Liam and Jell, staunch Go’Doan, Liam worshiping at the altar of wisdom and healing, Jell simply being…Jell.
Both of them…
Useless.
Fenn’s gaze shifted momentarily to the priest at Seph’s back in a way that Seph did not like.
It then returned to him.
“And now for those extremes I was referring to,” he murmured.
Seph was about to walk away as he asked, “Extremes?”
“Those that require discipline,” Fenn explained.
The skin all over Seph’s body electrified and this meant he did not walk away.
He prepared to flee.
However, he did not get the chance to flee.
They set upon him, and although he fought, kicked and shouted, it took frighteningly little time to drag him to an old, weathered tree stump.
They forced him to his knees beside it.
By Bedi, they intended to whip him.
He felt his cock pulse as his skin again charged in a much different manner.
But when they pressed him to bend over the stump, it was not his chest held to the grayed wood.
It was his forearms.
With one man behind him shoving down with both hands in Seph’s shoulders, and two men to either side holding his forearms to the stump, Seph watched with mounting trepidation as Fenn moved off behind a tree that stood proud not too far from where he knelt.
Fenn returned with a long-handled ax.
Dearest Go’Chas.
No.
“Fenn,” he whispered.
“Now,” Fenn began, coming to stand before Seph at the stump, “which hand was it that you used to crop a loyal solider about the face?”
Which…
Hand?
“You cannot do this,” Seph told him.
“It doesn’t matter,” Fenn replied, “as I’ll be taking both.”
“No!” Seph shouted, twisting savagely, but inconsequentially, against his captors. “You cannot do this, brother! We are one! We are The Rising!”
“Do not worry, brother,” Fenn responded. “We are all trained. We will staunch the flow of blood and stitch you. You will not lose your life this crisp Dellish afternoon.”
But Seph wasn’t listening.
He was struggling.
The only priest not holding him down came forward to tightly tie a leather truss at the meat of Seph’s forearm.
The priest to Seph’s right shifted as Fenn moved into place and raised the ax.
“No!” he shrieked.
The next sound that came from him was also a shriek, but it was not a word, though it communicated perfectly the depths of pain that swept it out of Seph’s mouth.
Oddly, losing his other hand, Seph didn’t even feel.
Mostly because, seconds later, he’d lost consciousness.
54
The Significance
Tedrey
Receiving Chamber, Manor of Lorenz, Captain of the Trusted, Fire City
FIRENZE
Tedrey sat on the plush cushion in the seat set in the window and stared out at the bustle of the street at the front of his master’s house.
Firenz citizens moved to and fro, carrying baskets in hands, on backs, on heads, or bags in arms (or on backs). Or their hands held the hand of a little one who trotted beside them. Or they sat atop a fine, sleek Firenz steed and cantered along the road, going about their business.
There were some who were smiling. Some laughing. Some frowning. Some expressionless and deep in thought or intent on whatever they were doing.
Life went on.
But weeks ago, their king’s palace was attacked. Men were executed publicly. But hours after that, their king took his queen in matrimony even more publicly and the city buzzed with excitement as the air rang with revelry.
And but a few days later, it was known and spoken about widely, of the quiet, private, but noble funeral that had been held for the wife of a traitor, a woman forgiven by a king and sent to the next realm with adoration and respect.
And today…
Nothing.
It was just any other day.
As the day before the attack on the palace was.
As the day after the royal wedding was.
And every day in between.
Life just went on.
It was all…
Insignificant.
“Tedrey.”
He jumped when he heard the deep voice growling toward him and turned his head to see the warrior, his master, and the owner of the manor walk into the room.
“My lord,” Tedrey replied.
Lorenz stopped and sighed heavily before he said, “You do not have to call me that, amico. I have shared this.”
“You don’t like master,” Tedrey returned.
“I do not for I am not that either, until I begin to take your arse again, and you can call me that if you wish while I’m doing it.”
Tedrey pressed his lips tightly together and watched Lorenz take another two steps into the room and stop.
“This,” he said, lifting his heavy arm and indicating what Tedrey would understand was his lips being pressed together with what Lorenz said next, “is why I’ve come to speak to you.”