The Bloodied Rose by Danie Ware

Author:Danie Ware
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 2018-09-28T08:53:28+00:00

Chapter Seven

In among the people of the town, there was a face Augusta knew.

An older face, male, lined with sun and smiling – she remembered his name as Subul.

He had been one of Kawa’s followers, strong in his faith.

Now he had the symbol of Khorne carved deep into his forehead, and his own blood was caked dark around his eyes.

‘Hold!’ She commanded the squad to cease fire.

The people were stopping. They looked like the hounds, snarling and straining, but Subul seemed to be their leader and their voice, and they paused to let him come forwards.

‘I knew you would come back,’ he said to her. ‘Sister.’

His voice was deep and layered with power. He wore horror like a cloak.

He raised his chin, facing her down. Around him, the villagers stared, their eyes full of lunacy. A single ork stood with them, as daemon-crazed as the rest.

‘It was you,’ Augusta said. ‘You led them here.’

‘Of course.’ He grinned. ‘They followed me, and willingly. They dragged Kawa from her home, and offered her to the oldest god of all, the god of our past! Some offered their skulls, others… still wait for that honour.’ He spread his hands like a conjurer. ‘Witness,’ he said. ‘Innocent lives – the lives you once swore to protect and save. What will you do, Sister? Will you gun them down?’

‘They have turned from the Light,’ Augusta said. ‘Forsaken the Emperor–’

‘Emperor, Emperor, Emperor.’ Subul snorted. ‘What is your Emperor but a corpse? What is your Emperor but a rotting excuse for your barbarous acts? How many times have you witnessed his punishments, the horrors done in his name – they all lurk here, Sister, you have seen them! We are the same, you and I – soaked in the blood of innocents.’ He was staring at her, his expression livid, intense. ‘Join us, Augusta. Join us as your Sisters did.’

What?

That stung. Her hand tightened on her blade and she stood to her full height, inhaling the hot stink. ‘Felicity would not surrender her faith. She is a member of the Order, a follower–’

‘Of Saint Mina?’ His laugh was harsh, mocking, laden with implication. ‘Felicity saw the truth, Augusta. Saw the truth of your Order’s history, its thirst for blood. Saw what you red-clad women really are.’

‘You will perish by my hand,’ Augusta told him. ‘By my faith.’

‘You and your false God.’ Subul grinned, the expression savage and somehow wider than his face. His teeth were sharp and coated in gore, in shreds of flesh. ‘Do you not know where you are, Sister Superior, where you have blundered in your ignorance and your blind faith? You have your eyes so fixed on Terra, you cannot even see your boots.’

‘I do not play these word games.’ Augusta snorted. ‘You are a heretic, and I am done speaking with you.’

The people were chanting now, rhythmic and soft. It sounded almost like the Sisters’ battle litany, but the words had been warped, twisted.

That we wouldst bring them only death…

That we wouldst

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