by Dan Decker
It was customary for generals to get their own places in the city so that they could still be part of the community. Adar had been lazy and hadn’t yet had the time so he’d been staying in his official quarters within the Inner Wall. He doubted he’d get around to it for months. It might even take him years if he stayed unmarried for too long.
As far as Adar knew, Helam had been the only general that had his primary residence within the walls of his own base. That wasn’t supposed to be done but generals could do as they wished. It further illustrated the paranoia and separation that Helam had put between himself and the rest of the leadership of Rarbon.
The home was several stories tall and far less pretentious than some of those the other generals had in the city. A little shack stood just outside the front door. Adar assumed that Helam’s personal guards had stayed there when Helam had been inside. He wondered about the shack as he entered the house. Why hadn’t the guards been given quarters within the home? It looked like there were plenty of rooms. Had Elaire insisted they stay outside?
Adar went to the room where Molach was staying. There was blood on the walls outside, which wasn’t surprising. Maual had been forced to kill several of Helam’s guards before they’d been able to secure the place. Adar had sent Maual and a few others to make sure that Molach didn’t escape before attending the meeting with the Rarbon Council.
When Adar opened the bedroom door, Molach briefly opened his eyes before closing them again.
“I can’t explain why, but I’ve been expecting you. I suppose once you kill me, it will be over for you.”
The blanket was pulled up to his neck, covering his bandaged wounds. The healer that Maual had brought in to examine Molach had revealed that his wounds were worse than Adar had thought. It had been dark and Adar had cut him deeper than it had appeared.
Adar pulled back the covers to confirm the placement of the wounds with his own eyes. Another man with similar wounds had been found dead from taking sycanon root. Helam was thorough, Adar couldn’t deny that.
He repressed a shudder as he thought again of what would have happened if Elaire hadn’t made Helam decide to push up his plans.
“So you’ve heard.” Adar had been hoping to break the news to him but he’d forgotten to include that in his orders. It would have been interesting to know whose death Molach was more broken up about, but it didn’t matter.
“Your father went to a lot of trouble to give you a second chance. Almost everybody he suspected of being Kopal is dead. You’ve lost a lot of friends today.” Molach’s silence was all the corroboration that Adar needed. “I’ve come to present you with a choice.”
Molach opened his eyes. “Quick death or slow, depending on how much I tell you?”
“Nobody knows of your involvement with the Kopal but me. Your father saw to that.”
“You’re going to let me go?”
Adar shook his head. “Nothing so simple, I’m afraid. Would you believe me if I told you, there has been too much death today? If I turn you over to the council, they’ll behead you after you’re tortured for every last bit of information.”
“So you want something.”
“Yes. An oath. Actually, several oaths. You swear fealty to me. You can never in your heart return to the Kopal, you will always fight against the Hunwei. I’m assuming that some of the Kopal survived. You will rejoin their ranks and work your way as high as you can while always providing me with regular reports.”
“You want me to betray them. To spy on them.”
Adar nodded. Molach appeared to be considering his offer. Helam wasn’t a complicated man. He wanted simple things. A wife that loved him, a son that he could be proud of, and a way to fight the Hunwei. Molach struck Adar as the same sort of personality, though, he lacked his father’s strategic prowess for conceiving and executing plans.
Adar could make use of a person like this. He wasn’t lying when he said that he’d seen enough blood for one day. Molach was well liked and his execution would further serve to raise tensions between the Radim armies, Adar didn’t need that. If Helam and Adar wouldn’t have been enemies, Adar and Molach might have been friends. They were almost the same age and had both excelled in the Radim armies.
Perhaps Adar was being too idealistic to think that he could turn Molach. If it failed, he could always turn Molach over to the council later. If it succeeded, Adar would have a way of monitoring a dangerous faction within the city.
“Will you want me to resign my position?”
“No.” Adar watched as the implications of that unfolded to Molach. It was unlikely that Molach would be promoted to general of Paroke army given what his father had done. With time, the opportunity may come to him again, provided he prove himself loyal. If he were able to do that, Adar would have direct control of two armies.
“And if I refuse?”
Adar shrugged. “I’ll turn you over to the council.” It would be awkward explaining to the council that he’d forgot to mention a key piece of information like a Lieutenant General that belonged to the Kopal, but Adar would find a way. He was tired and it had been a long couple of days. He might just be able to get away with saying it had slipped his mind.
When Molach nodded, Adar released a breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding. Once Molach had sworn the oaths, Adar’s first command was to get some rest and heal. After a moment’s thought, given the Kopal proclivity for suicide, he also included an instruction to avoid doing that as well. Molach rolled his eyes but agreed.
Adar opened his mouth but there was a knock at the door and he instructed them to enter.
“General Rahid.” It was a messenger from the Council. He took a breath and coughed. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“You are summoned before the council. The first trial has been decided.”
Author’s Note
If you would like to receive notifications about other upcoming works, sneak peeks, and other extras, go to dandeckerbooks.com and sign up for my newsletter. Finally, if you would like to reach out, please feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]. I always enjoy hearing from readers.
Books by Dan Decker
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Dead Man’s War
#1: Dead Man’s Game
#2: Dead Man’s Fear (Coming July 2019)
War of the Fathers Universe
Prequel: Blood of the Redd Guard
Volume One: War of the Fathers
Volume Two: Lord of the Inferno
Volume Three: Enemy in the Shadows
The Containment Team
Volume One: Ready Shooter
Volume Two: Hybrid Hotel
Thrillers
Jake Ramsey Thrillers
Black Brick
Dark Spectrum
Blood Games
Silent Warehouse (Short Story)
About the Author
Dan Decker lives in Utah with his family. He has a law degree and spends as much time as he can outdoors. You can learn more about upcoming novels at dandeckerbooks.com.
Contents
War of the Fathers
War of the Fathers
Prologue
Part One: Shadows of Bloodshed
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Interlude 1
Part Two: Tempest of Fire
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Interlude 2
Part Thr
ee: Towers of Ash
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Epilogue
Lord of the Inferno
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Enemy in the Shadows
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Blood of the Redd Guard
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Author’s Note
Books by Dan Decker
About the Author
Contents