By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,5
stairway. He presumed that it would lead to the king’s wing.
An artfully crafted Nackimore wood door had been left wide open. Jalarn rushed through a grandly furnished room, then noticed another door that led outside. Probably to a balcony. Soft voices sounded from just outside.
Jalarn stepped through the door and found King Seraphim and Queen Shelba standing on the balcony. They were holding one another. Their eyes widened when they saw him coming toward them. The king tightened his hold around his wife.
Jalarn scoffed at the sickening sight as his men arrived and quickly surrounded them.
The king trembled, but his queen stood rigid. She glared angrily at the men that had taken over her palace. The palace that now belonged to Ittonifer’s empire.
Which will one day be mine.
General Waltez, one of the other commanders of Malinor, stepped onto the large balcony.
“Good work, Jalarn,” he said.
Jalarn’s knights threw the seven Cardamonian commanders, along with General Landine, onto the hard floor. The Malinorians gathered around and kicked them repeatedly.
“Stop!” King Seraphim cried.
“I thought that it would be better to save your commanders for this moment,” said Jalarn. “It will make things more… interesting.”
The queen spat in Jalarn’s direction. It was an act that no respectable female in Malinor would do.
“Animals!” she shouted.
Jalarn nodded at his knights. They stopped beating their captives.
“Get up,” said Commander Waltez.
They forced their captives to line up side by side.
“On your knees!” shouted Waltez.
With one Malinorian knight behind each Cardamonian commander, the decapitations took place.
King Seraphim whimpered like a child as the blood of his men splattered all over him. He stepped away.
Of all the kings that Jalarn had ever captured, Seraphim was by far the most cowardly. He was a man worthy of death. His squat wife showed more dignity than he did. She raised her chin as one of Jalarn’s knights approached her. He forced her to bend down on her knees.
“No!” cried King Seraphim.
Jalarn walked around the trembling king, towering over the older man. Sweat dripped down his round, sickly pale face. It always amused Jalarn to observe the range of emotions that his victims displayed before they were sentenced to death – terror, rage, regret. Sometimes all three at once.
Commander Waltez held a sword to the stout king’s throat.
There was nothing but fear written on Seraphim’s face.
“Down on your knees beside your wife,” said Jalarn.
“Please, stop this. I’ll do anything you ask!”
“What could a pathetic, fat king like you do for me?” Jalarn spat.
“I – I know many of Edandir’s military secrets. I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“No one wants to associate with a traitor, Seraphim. Besides, Ittonifer isn’t interested in their plans. You don’t think we have spies?” said Jalarn.
“B-but I have valuable information. Please, at least sp-spare my wife!”
“Only servants of my lord, what you would refer to as the devil, deserve to live under Malinorian rule.”
“Tell him that we will serve Ittonifer and their lord!” cried Queen Shelba.
“My wife and I will serve whoever you require us to,” said King Seraphim. “Please, spare us!”
Jalarn exchanged knowing looks with Waltez. A few of the other men laughed.
This was one of the most intriguing things that always seems to happen before a killing. It never ceased to amaze Jalarn when people thought that switching allegiances would save their insignificant lives.
Jalarn stepped over to the queen. He pushed his knight out of the way and placed his sword over her head.
King Seraphim rushed over and fell at Jalarn’s feet, panting.
“Wait!” cried the king. “I – I’ll show you where my gold and silver mines are. I’ll give you half of our wealth as tribute.”
Well, well. This is a fortunate turn of events.
Jalarn sheathed his sword and encircled the king with his menacing walk. King Seraphim was turning out to be smarter than he appeared.
“Do you swear? I don’t want to discover at a later date that you are hiding anything from me.”
“I swear!”
“This will greatly please Ittonifer ”
“I’ll show you where it is right now.”
“Good.”
*****
General Edandir searched for Talya among the wounded knights in Sanctus’ hospital camp. It didn’t matter how many years he had fought in battles, he would never get used to the unspeakable wounds that some soldiers endured. He had prayed all through the battle that his daughter would not be harmed. She had charged so quickly into the thick of the battle that he had not been able to catch up to her.
Then she had to fight Jalarn, of all men.
Several refugees from Cardamon passed by. His heart went out