The Devil's Judgment
Page 33
Ideria wanted a purpose in her life. Being a thief like her father no longer seemed noble enough. A member of the king’s army hardly seemed satisfying. A member of the king’s court made her soul sad. Sitting around all day was unacceptable. It was Draymon who inspired her. One day while training, he told a story that he had repeated a thousand times, one of finding a lost girl and returning her to her family. That was it. That was what Ideria needed to do—help others with no form of reward other than the balm for her soul. “I will, Uncle Draymon.”
Dearborn brought her left hand to her mouth as silent tears rolled from both eyes. She interlocked the fingers of her right hand with Draymon’s left hand.
“Mother, I’m going to leave now before we start this hugging, crying process all over again.”
Dearborn nodded and Ideria left the hallway.
As Ideria made her way to the exit, she cursed Nevin. She was not fond of farewells, but at least she did not hide from them. She felt bad for thinking ill of him when she turned the final corner to see him standing in front of the exit with Rue, Woe, and Hope. All four of them had full traveling sacks by their feet. Her mouth drew down into a frown.
“What is this?” Ideria asked as she approached.
“What does it look like?” Nevin replied. “We’re coming with you.”
“No.”
“Don’t be coy. We’ve been a team for so long I don’t remember a time before.”
“No.”
“We can’t simply let you walk—”
Ideria slammed the end of her quarterstaff against the ground. “No!”
“But . . . why?”
“Because you have a life here. All of you. Nevin, you are the treasurer to the king. Rue, you are the premier scientist in the land. Woe is an aerial guard and Hope helps mother and Draymon with the children.”
“These are certainly fun jobs, Ideria, but nothing that we can’t walk away from.”
“You can walk away from them today, but what about tomorrow? Next week? Next year? Regret will set in after the first argument any us of has with another. Regret turns into resentment. I love you all, which is why I cannot have any of you set aside your lives for me. You’ve all found answers in this castle. All I’ve found here are more questions.”
They stood in silence for moments, but the tears made it feel like hours. Finally, Hope stepped forward and hugged Ideria. She whispered, “You’ve always been a sister to me.”
“You, too.”
Hope stepped away and Rue approached. He, too, gave her a hug and whispered, “This is the last chance to discuss us.”
Ideria squeezed tightly and replied the same way she always had for the past two years any time he brought up romantic possibilities. “Now is not the time.”
Rue looked at her, the hurt heavy in his eyes, but nodded and walked away.
Woe approached and handed his travel sack to her. It was heavy. “Thank you, Woe, but I have plenty of supplies in my own bags.”
“Take it. It’s filled with turkey legs.” Woe walked away.
Nevin’s turn. His shimmering blue eyes said everything. She replied in kind. He smirked and whispered, “You look like Mother.”
Again, she replied in kind, “You look like father.”
“Hope and I are to wed in two years. Her father insisted that it not happen an instant sooner, stating we need the time for the euphoria to wear off and to allow us to be certain.”
“Two years? I will return in two years for your wedding.”
Nevin stepped aside, allowing Ideria to leave . . .
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Copyright © 2019 by Chris Pisano and Brian Koscienski
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ISBN: 978-1-62006-219-7 (Trade paperback)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2019940316
FIRST HELLBENDER BOOKS EDITION: May 2019
Product of the United States of America
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Set in Bookman Old Style
Designed by Crystal Devine
Cover by Lawrence Knorr
Cover art by Koa Beam
Edited by Lawrence Knorr
Continue the Enlightenment!