A Gleam of Hope: Dark, Dystopian Fantasy (What Darkness Hides Book 2) by JMD Reid

Author:JMD Reid [Reid, JMD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fallbrandt Press
Published: 2024-04-29T00:00:00+00:00

The waves of anger radiating off Amiollea flowed around Maegwirio. She boiled as Warden Akozogwio continued his testimony, practically gloating about how he’d cut her down. The way he spoke of his sword stabbing into her belly and the sound of her scream sparked his own fury.

What sort of man would take such pleasure in that?

It was alien to Maegwirio to even think about hurting someone. To take pleasure in harming another. It offended him, but he had to swallow his outrage and listen. He wrote down the occasional note and kept his breathing calm. His emotions cool. For Amiollea’s sake. He was discovering a temper he didn’t know he possessed. His self-control chafed whenever Akozogwio glanced at Amiollea, the warden’s eyes sizing her up for her noose.

“And then what happened, Warden?”

“I rallied our forces and led them away. We rushed back to the gates in the confusion of the dark. Death almost got us, but we managed to outrun the light.”

“I know you did all you could, Warden,” Ward Advocate Ottefighea said. She glanced down at her papers before sitting. “I am finished, Wardleader.”

“Your witness, Maegwirio,” the old man said.

Maegwirio stood. He couldn’t go past the table and approach the witness. That was to avoid intimidating whoever testified, not that Maegwirio could intimidate Akozogwio. Not after how their scuffle the day before had gone. A nervous ripple washed through him. All the eyes of his people were on him, especially widow Nachiotzea’s baleful orbs.

“Warden Akozogwio, I just wanted to thank you for helping get our people to safety.”

The warden’s brows knitted tight. He ran a head across his shaved pate. “I was just doing my duty.”

“And a dangerous one at that. I know we are all grateful for the work you and your fellow wardens do to protect us.”

Suspicion loomed in Akozogwio’s eyes. Amiollea muttered something unflattering beneath her breath.

“Is it correct that you said you prevented Amiollea from hurting any more of our people, Warden?”

“Aye,” he grunted. “Like they did to Chiddeffio and Degheokwio.”

“And what was Amiollea doing when you cut her down?”

“She was running.”

“Running?” Maegwirio said, like this was shocking news. “You said she was running? Not fighting?”

“No, no, she was running. Almost straight toward me. The stupid bitch blunde⁠—”

“Moderate your language!” Nexohachea, the sole woman on the council, said. “This isn’t the dark streets.”

“My apologies,” Akozogwio muttered, inclining his head. “She ran straight at me. Didn’t know I was there.”

“From what direction did she run?”

“My left. I was on the right side of the column.”

“And, just so I understand, you were on the outside of the column?”

“You know that. You were there.”

“So if she were running at you, from your left, that meant she was already inside the column, yes?”

“Like I said, they had infiltrated us unaware, slipping past the wardens.” He shifted. “It’s noisy with a full caravan. Lots of distractions. Easy for the naked verm . . . for the naked cultist to slip into us unaware.”

“So, if she were attacking us, trying to

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.