Fate of the Fallen by Kel Kade

Author:Kel Kade [Kade, Kel]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781250293794
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2019-11-05T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Aaslo slipped out of the chamber before the sun rose. The queen was still nestled within his sheets. By the soft upturn of her lips, she seemed to be safe within pleasant dreams. He wasn’t sure he felt so pleasant about the experience. While the night was certainly enjoyable, the queen was a married woman; yet he could not have rejected her. Anyone with such power could not be denied. No, she was an intelligent and compassionate woman. He wondered if he was being unfair.

“You didn’t try to deny her because you wanted her.”

Aaslo knew it was true, and he didn’t know how to feel about it. He drew up short when he turned to find Captain Lopin staring at him from where he leaned against the opposite wall. Two more royal guardsmen stood to either side of the door.

With a scowl, Aaslo said, “Why are you standing outside my room?”

The captain said, “You did not seem the kind of man who would sleep late.”

“I was told I would be permitted to leave today.”

Lopin nodded toward the closed door. “You would leave without so much as a farewell?”

Aaslo glanced back to the door, feeling a twinge of regret. “She doesn’t need farewells. She needs to know someone is out there doing something to save all our hides.”

Lopin stared at him unmoving. He said, “You think that should be you?”

“Absolutely not,” said Aaslo. “I think I should be tending my saplings on the western slope right now.” He looked at the man pointedly and said, “If someone else wants to step up, I’ll be happy to pass the responsibility.”

Lopin inhaled sharply as if frustrated, then averted his gaze toward the end of the corridor.

“I thought not,” said Aaslo as he turned. “I wouldn’t trust you to follow through anyway.”

“Brutal.”

Aaslo was mildly surprised to hear Mathias’s voice at that moment. He said, “I wasn’t sure you were listening anymore. You were remarkably silent last night.”

Lopin stepped into his path. “It’s not my place to question the king. I am sure he will change his mind after his shock has dissipated.”

“His shock?” Aaslo said. Ielo would tell him to hold his tongue, but his anger got the better of him. He didn’t attempt to hide his disgust when he said, “The king wasn’t the one who watched his best friend get stabbed through the heart. He wasn’t the one who stood vigil over his body, only to be told by the high sorceress that nothing could be done. He wasn’t the one who cut off his best friend’s head and carried it across the kingdom!” Aaslo stepped toward Lopin. “Rakith is the king, and he is too shocked to act? Tell me, Captain, are you too shocked to act?”

Lopin clenched his jaw. “I am the captain of the royal guard. It is my duty to protect the king.”

Aaslo shook his head. “Even if you could, what good is a king if all his subjects are dead?”

Aaslo made to pass Lopin, but the man reached out to grab his arm.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.