Knight of Swords: The Swords Trilogy

by Curran-Ross, Sara

  The burden upon me was heavy, but I could not falter. Part of my mind was still human. It suffered from a conscience despite the crimes of these wretched people. Too many depended on my actions to save them. I wondered why Sebastian had taken so long to answer my call to his consciousness. I thought he cared for his flock as though they were his own children. Was he really willing to sacrifice them all to possess Juliet, to rule her power? I thought of Gabriel, of my own feelings. Perhaps he would. I needed to change tack.

  I walked to the front of the stage and sought out the girl who knew of the Book of Talus. I beckoned at Jason to bring her to me. She came struggling in Jason’s grasp, shouting for her mother who was beside herself with fear as to what I might do to her child.

  I made the girl sit down next to me so I might begin to question her on the whereabouts of the dungeons. At first she insolently refused to answer. She was trembling, but I sensed she was more afraid of Sebastian than she was of me. The child was the only one in whom I detected a trace of guilt.

  ‘You have been to the dungeons, haven’t you, Millie? You and your friends sneaked down there and have seen what Sebastian does to the women. You don’t like to hear the screams or the taste of what you eat. Last time you spat the flesh out when your mother wasn’t looking.’

  She stared at me aghast. I smiled as I sensed her making every effort to shut down her thoughts, but she could not hide from me. I was already inside her head, taking what I needed. I was far too strong for her to put up a mental defence against.

  ‘Where are the dungeons, Millie?’

  ‘He said you could all read minds. No, I mustn’t, mama will be angry. Sebastian will not let her take the medicine any more. I don’t want her to die.’

  ‘Then you must help me.’

  ‘I can’t tell you. Please, sir.’

  She could feel the weight of the villagers’ eyes upon her, willing her not to reveal their shameful secrets. Screwing her eyes up tight, she emptied her mind of as many thoughts as she could. All her mind would show me was a picture of her favourite dress. I wanted to laugh. Her simple games would not stop me from finding out.

  I said her name softly, but made sure my voice lost none of its stern command when I called her attention. Slowly, she opened her eyes as I drew her gaze to mine. I pushed deeper into her mind, searching out her secrets through her eyes. She was helpless to stop me, but she was a strong, stubborn girl. She fought well.

  I regretted causing her some small discomfort as I knocked down her barriers with the energy I sent into her mind to clear a path. But I could sense her relief that I forced the truth from her. The others would know she did not give me the information willingly.

  The dungeons were under the small castle of Haydon, half a mile or so away, to the west of the village. But there was a tunnel that led from under the church graveyard all the way to the castle.

  I had all I needed. If Sebastian would not come to me, then I would go to him. Forcing his hand, I would make him respond to me. Despite his silence, I knew enough of the creature to know he would be in a dilemma over freeing his people whilst not letting go of Juliet. I called to him with my mind once more. This time he did not ignore me. His rage filled my mind to the brim.

  ‘You will not have her. She gave herself to me willingly. Let my children go.’

  ‘You gave Juliet no choice. She is not yours to have. Give her back to me. Free Juliet and the other women, then I will let your pathetic children go. If you don’t, I will seal them up in this freezing hall, leaving them all to die. Then I will come for you as I promised. It is useless, Sebastian, I know where you hold the women . . .’

  He interrupted me abruptly, his voice thick with devilish humour, ‘But you do not know where Juliet is.’

  ‘What have you done to her to stop our communication?’ I hissed.

  ‘My friends, the Caratacos demons, know of ways to suspend the mind in blinding agony so nothing can get in or out. Life has no meaning, no beginning or end. Every thought is of pain, nothing else.’

  ‘If I had you in front of me . . .’

  He gave me his own venomous hiss, ‘If her blood had not been contaminated, I would have taken her by now. The Caratacos are purifying her blood. They have hidden her where even you will not find her. Let my children go.’

  ‘I will never give up. Give me what I want. Give me the book.’

  ‘The book?’

  ‘The Book of Talus. I know you have it.’

  ‘How did you . . .?’

  ‘I want it.’

  He was silent for a moment. ‘Meet me in the graveyard of my church. I will have the women ready for you. Perhaps we can arrange a challenge for Juliet. Let us lay this matter to rest once and for all. As for the book, it is not mine anymore.’

  ‘Who has it?’

  He ignored my question.

  ‘Do not hurt my flock, or I will take the heads of your women.’

  Sebastian would never let Juliet go until I killed him. However, I did not believe he was capable of taking me on in a physical challenge over Juliet with his battered, limp body. He would attempt to trick us, of that I was sure. Letting go of the hybrid females would mean losing profit, possibly even the deaths of many of his flock. I would need to have my wits about me at our meeting.

  I was also anxious about the book. Whose possession was it in now in? Had it been taken from Sebastian, or had he entrusted it to someone? Many more would die if I did not get it back. If I gave my hand up too readily, I could lose more than Juliet. I needed to plan my next move carefully.

  Chapter Fourteen

  We moved fast through the snow, up the hill that led to the church graveyard. Only Jason accompanied me. The cloud had receded, revealing the moon long since past its peak. As a result, the temperature was dropping, and the snow was freezing, crunching underfoot. Icicles hung from the gravestones as we walked around them. For the first time I became distinctly aware of the chill. While I did not experience the biting coldness in the same way I once had as a human, it was sufficient for me to be glad of wearing my long, woollen riding coat. My knights and I all wore the heavy, black coats to conceal our swords. It made our appearance as human as possible. Amused, I fancied it was our uniform. We were, after all, soldiers, our Queen’s warrior army.

  Sebastian’s pathetic, spindly figure appeared from behind the small, stone church, flanked by two hunter demons in their black hooded cloaks. I straightened stiffly, glancing at Jason. Like myself, he held his sword by his side in a firm unrelenting grip, ready to strike.

  Sebastian stood before me in a top hat, an incongruous accompaniment to his clergyman’s garb. He smiled that sickly smile which never failed to make my skin crawl. He nodded a greeting to me.

  ‘Lord Valancourt.’

  ‘Where are the women?’ I snapped, ignoring his reference to my human title.

  ‘They are being brought here. My flock?’ He removed his hat, handing it to the demon on his left side. Wisps of his long hair lifted from his head in the breeze.

  I watched him intently as the demon on his right side handed him a sword. ‘They will be released when you let the hybrids go.’

  ‘Good, but in the mean time we have a challenge to fight.’

  I narrowed my eyes darkly at him, feeling the beast inside me rise to the bait. I cast my eyes over his ugly, weak form. ‘Are you sure you are capable of a challenge Sebastian?’

  Sebastian splayed his arms wide in an amused gesture. ‘Do not let this form fool you, Nathan. I am stronger than you think.’ The demons moved away as he raised his sword at me.

  I followed suit. ‘So I get to kill you now, Sebastian?’

  He laughed. ‘Now why would you do that? I am the only one who can tell you where Juliet is? You must make me talk first.’

  Rage burst inside me, a furious explosion of violent desire. I moved to strike him with my sword, but he defended well, expertly blocking every move I made. He was a skilled swordsman, better trained than myself. T
ime after time our blades clashed as we danced around the gravestones, sending a deafening echo across the silent countryside.

  ‘You aren’t having the women brought to me, are you, Sebastian?’

  I fell back, stumbling over one of the tombstones.

  ‘Did you really think I am going to let you have them?’ he asked, sarcasm heavy in his tone.

  He raised his sword to bring it crashing down upon me, but just in time I rolled away from him in the snow. I jumped to my feet as his blade struck the stone, grating across the surface. He growled. We stood facing each other, ready to pounce, moving in a circle as we both calculated our next move.

  ‘No, I didn’t. That’s why I have sent my knights into the dungeons to fetch them. While we fight, they are being rescued.’

  Sebastian laughed again. ‘You’re too late, Nathan.’

  I opened my mouth to speak, but the words froze against my lips as I heard a familiar shrieking sound. I looked up quickly. Juliet’s words of warning on the stairs of Eldridge House replayed in my mind, ‘Don’t look at them.’ I looked away just in time to see Sebastian’s blade. I twisted my body violently to the side. Mindfully alert, I watched as the glinting steel narrowly missed contact with my neck.

  The ravens shrieked again over head. ‘There are your female hybrids, Nathan. Aren’t they wonderful? Beautiful, dark creatures that can bring death in such a brutal way.’

  ‘No, it’s a lie. A trick.’

  I struck out at him with my sword once more. ‘Where are they going? What are they doing?’

  ‘They are going to kill my flock.’

  I panted with exertion, astounded. ‘But I thought . . .’

  He stopped, watching me closely. ‘Yes, I did. I do care for them, but they have outlived their usefulness. They are now a liability. You have proven that to me, Nathan. I cannot be held to ransom over their safety. I have business to attend to.’ He smiled. ‘You understand? The ravens will attack, they have no choice. When they have killed, they will die.’

  ‘They are immortal. They can’t be killed unless their heads are removed. They can’t be made to do anything,’ I angrily insisted.

  ‘But I have learned ways to master the female hybrid mind. Their powers are tamed. I command them all. I have simply removed their will to live. When they kill the villagers, they will die. No one will be able to stop it. Soon, I will command Juliet’s mind,’ he laughed.

  The ravens were fewer in number than when they attacked at Eldridge Hall. However, their mass was still large enough to cause death to humans should they decide to make them a target. I shouted to Jason.

  ‘Get the others. Stop the ravens. They are the female hybrids. They are going after the people in the village hall. You must stop them, for if they kill, they will themselves die.’

  Jason did not answer me. He simply turned back towards the village, running to obey my instructions. Sebastian started to laugh once more. I couldn’t bear it. My attack upon him became fierce, my intent renewed. I fought with all of the strength I had, using the full weight of the power bestowed upon me as Knight of Swords. Unbridled anger appeared to summon my character, I made good use of it.

  I ploughed into Sebastian, knocking him down. I had taken him by surprise. His sword fell into the snow – his head striking hard against a large stone figure of an angel standing above one of the graves.

  I grabbed his dazed form by the lapels of his coat and pulled him up so that he might see the fury blazing in my eyes. His head rolled back.

  ‘You command them, call them off, or I will remove your head.’

  ‘No. I can’t. You can’t save anyone, not the women, not the villagers, not even Juliet.’

  I hit him. I could not bear his vile words anymore. Still he smiled from his bloodied mouth. I shook him.

  ‘Where is she? What have you done with Juliet?’

  ‘Your lack of communication with her mind almost drives you to madness, Nathan, doesn’t it? I almost feel sorry for you. Your pain grows worse by the hour. You will lose your mind before you find her.’

  I shook him again. I shook him so hard this time that I believed his bones would separate from their joints, and his body would crumple into a heap of bone, sinew, and flesh.

  ‘I should kill you,’ I shouted at him.

  ‘But you can’t. I am the only one who can tell you where your precious Queen is. You have to let me go. It’s the only way you can attempt to find out. That is your real challenge Nathan, not this sword fight,’ he paused. When he spoke again there was humour in his voice. ‘See if you can outwit me. Let me go. If I die, so does she. The Caratacos demons will kill her when they find out I am dead. Let me go.’

  I stared at him, shaking with the force of the tempest that battled inside my conflict ridden mind. If I let him go, could I outwit him? And if I didn’t, would I be successful in forcing the truth from him? I doubted it.

  I gave a loud grumble of anger as I let go of his coat. He fell back into the snow and lay there, unmoving. I picked up my sword. Without a moment of hesitation, I ran it forcefully through his body. He screamed in agony, clutching at his stomach. His hands soaked in the blood that seeped from the wound. I towered over him with some small amount of satisfaction in consolation as he writhed in the snow, staining its purity with the spilt evil that ran through his veins.

  ‘I will let you go. I will win this challenge you have set. Get on your feet before I run my sword through you again.’

  I watched as he began to raise himself from the ground with a struggle. He would be healed in a matter of a day, perhaps hours, but at least he would suffer until then. The demons came to help him stand. I turned, hearing the sound of horses pulling a carriage on the other side of the hill. The demons hurried a groaning Sebastian to it, half dragging him. I followed, watching them help him get in to it.

  Another man sat in the carriage. As it began to move away, he leaned forward to look at me. I recognised the gruff, ruddy complexion and stout figure at once. It was William Cameron.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I hurried back to the village hall, but it was too late. My men had fought valiantly to defend the people of the village, but at tragic cost. Sebastian’s ravens had been efficient in their killing. Many of the villagers lay in bloody pools. However, the sight that dismayed me most was of the dead ravens, now metamorphosed back to their true forms.

  The hybrid women lay dead around my feet after making their attack, just as Sebastian had prophesised. Their appearance was not dissimilar to the small urchins we had rescued. But even in their poor state there was no mistaking their great beauty, common to our race. They were clothed in rags and smeared in dirt. Each woman’s eyes were stricken with terror. I did not understand how Sebastian could remove their will to live. They were immortal beings like myself. What devilish trickery had he poisoned their minds with?

  A man ran past me clutching at the bloodied hole that had once housed his left eye. It did not rouse my pity. The villagers had brought their demise upon themselves in consorting with a devil like Sebastian. Behind the movement, I saw Jason sitting on one of the chairs, holding his head in his hands. One of the fallen women lay at his feet with his sword through her chest. I stood looking down at the horrific scene, hypnotised by the woman’s eyes, remembering Sophie’s murder. How many more women would Sebastian destroy before I got the opportunity to take his head?

  I cast a sweeping glance around at my men. My knights were despondent. Their faces were downcast. Tears swelled in the eyes of some, others blazed with anger and hopelessness. They stood over the women, grief stricken. Their hearts filled with remorse for having had the necessity to use violence to stop them attacking the villagers. The villagers were criminals, party to the torture of the hybrid women they sought to rescue. My men did not believe them worthy of protection. It was unjust. For the women to die when we could do nothing to help them was too much to endure. Our race was depleted of females because of Sebastian and others enslaving them t
o the humans for a profit. Each of my knights had been lonely without a mate for many years, in some cases centuries. The loss would weigh heavily on their souls.

  I felt anger rise inside me. I let it grow until it was stronger than my sorrow, than my fear for Juliet, drawing strength from it. I put both of my hands on the hilt of the gilt edged sword, encrusted with a single, large, fiery emerald, a sword fit for a Taleian knight. I pulled it from the female hybrid’s body in one fluid motion. The woman’s flesh released the blade with a soft sigh. I handed it to Jason.

  ‘Avenge her death, Jason. You may mourn later.’

  He looked up at me. There were tears in his eyes. He cast them down at the blood stained tip, shaking his head.

  He told me fiercely, ‘I will mourn her and the rest of them now.’

  ‘Listen to me, all of you . . .’ I spun around, drawing the attention of my men. I spoke loudly over the weeping of the villagers. ‘You did not kill them. Sebastian is the one who murdered our women. We must avenge their deaths and retrieve our Queen in their honour.’

  ‘It’s useless, Nathan. Sebastian defeats us at every turn. How can we ever hope to find the Queen when he has even managed to close down your bond with her,’ Cedric moaned.

  He was right of course, but I was a stubborn man when I put my mind to something. I was not about to give up on Juliet, ever.

  ‘I will not let that creature take Juliet away from me, from us. We have found her once, we will find her again. Together we have moved mountains of snow. Together we will retrieve our Queen. Who is with me?’

  I stared at every man in turn, attempting to pre-empt their response. Despite their misery, no man would dare to let me down. I was their leader. It was their duty to obey without question, overriding any reservations they had. They nodded slowly. Most of them would not meet my eyes. I sensed their reluctance in believing we could defeat Sebastian. It was not good enough. I wanted their hearts with me.