Knives of Bastion (An Empire Falls Book 2)

by Harry Leighton

“Are you close?”

  “We were.”

  “Then you maybe understand.”

  “But…”

  “Please. Leave this with me,” she said, standing up. She walked to the door.

  “I don’t know what to say,” Daeholf said.

  “Nothing you can at the moment,” Elena said. She opened the door and left. Trimas and Zedek came back in.

  “That went as well as expected then,” Trimas said sadly.

  “What do you think she’ll do?” Zedek said.

  “I don’t know,” Daeholf said.

  “The law is her life,” Trimas said. “She’ll do the right thing.”

  “Her brother is more,” Daeholf said.

  “Could she really arrest him?” Zedek said.

  “She knows what would happen to him in prison,” Trimas said. “She won’t do that.”

  “Then you think she’ll kill him?” Zedek said.

  “I’m not sure she could do that,” Daeholf said. “Could you kill your own brother?”

  “I don’t have any siblings,” Zedek said. “But, no I don’t think I could.”

  “I couldn’t,” Trimas said. “Unless they tried to kill me first.”

  “You think…?” Zedek said.

  “I couldn’t believe that. But then we don’t know just how broken he is,” Trimas said.

  “Then we have a problem,” Daeholf said, standing back up and reaching for his sword.

  “You really think that is a good idea?” Zedek said.

  “If she can’t kill him…” Daeholf said.

  “I can,” Trimas said.

  “Go after her, please,” Daeholf said. “Make sure she’s safe.”

  “She’s got a head start,” Trimas said. “She’ll probably be going home though. Where does she live?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been stuck here so it’s never been important.”

  “Fuck,” Trimas said, strapping on his sword and making for the door.

  “Good luck,” Zedek said.

  “What are you going to do?” Trimas said.

  “Angry soldier hating probable serial killer brother of the woman he’s just slept with on the loose?” Zedek said, indicating Daeholf before picking up a spear. “Where else might he turn up?”

  “Good thinking,” Trimas said before dashing off.

  *****

  Elena ran.

  It was close to the end of the trading day and the streets were busy but she paid them little mind, her head full of confusion.

  Her brother.

  A killer.

  Could it really be true?

  Not really looking where she was going, she clattered heavily into someone as they stepped away from a stall, sending her stumbling and him crashing to the ground. Not waiting to see if he was okay, she shouted an apology as she righted herself before racing off again.

  Home. She was going home. That was the best chance of finding him.

  But … what was she going to do when she did? Talk to him?

  What would she say?

  Her last conversation with her brother hadn’t ended well. How the hell was this one supposed to go? Are you a killer? Can you please stop it?

  She ran through their previous talk in her head. Once again it shocked her. He’d shouted stuff at her she’d not thought possible coming from him. But perhaps that was the key thing. Things she’d not thought possible from him. Had she really been that blind? Had she really missed everything, all the signs that something was wrong?

  He’d been lying to her for a long time. On some level she’d known all along. But deep down, she’d hoped that it had just been about how fast he was progressing. That he hadn’t wanted to disappoint her. That she’d been deceived was probably more her fault than his if it came to it. She’d been deluding herself. Clearly there had been something wrong, she’d just not seen it. Or chosen not to.

  Yes she’d been busy with her work. Crime never stopped so how could she? But you had to drawn the line somewhere and it looked very much like she’d been on the wrong side of it. She’d been busy, yes, but maybe that had been the point. Had she been avoiding him all this time? Had something inside her seen that there was a problem and shied away from it? Had she thrown herself into her work so that she didn't see what was happening?

  If she’d spent more time with him, would things be different now?

  That line of thought wasn't helping. She’d done the best she could she told herself. It hadn’t been easy. Things had been hard but she’d done the best she could for him. Revenging him. Looking after him. Looking out for him. Keeping him safe. But now it looked like she needed to have been keeping others safe from him. Sometimes you think you know someone and are proven wrong. And she was a detective. Could he really have slipped all this past her?

  There was only one real way to find out.

  It didn’t take her long to get home but when she got there she paused, waiting outside the front door. If it was all true, was she in any danger if he was home? How should she play this? Should she just go in as normal, talk to him calmly? Should she go in armed, expecting trouble? She put her hand on her cosh. Whilst she didn’t really believe he could hurt her, she hadn’t believed he could kill people either. Though that was still to be proven for certain, it didn’t pay to take risks. She opened the door cautiously, listening carefully.

  Silence.

  It didn’t look like he was home and it was doubtful he would be laying in wait for her somewhere inside. She entered, leaving the door ajar in case she needed to make a quick exit, uncertain if it came to it that she could fight her brother. She explored their lodgings cautiously but he wasn’t home. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. A little of both, she admitted to herself. Whilst she didn’t relish the confrontation, him not being here was only putting it off. Since he wasn’t here, she took the time to search his room. Maybe there was something here that could confirm or deny the accusations that had been made about him.

  It didn’t take her long to find something she’d rather not have.

  She held up the small purse, examining it carefully. She’d never seen it in Regis’s possession. Whilst that was no guarantee, it was nothing like the style of something he’d actually use. Reluctantly she loosed the drawstring and emptied the contents out into her hand. Mostly coins, but there was also a token for admission to the city barracks. This pouch hadn’t belonged to Regis. It had clearly belonged to a soldier. Whilst she didn't like to admit it, there were very few ways Regis could have got his hands on this, and even fewer that were legitimate. Scratch that. To have hidden it in his room meant that there were no legitimate ways.

  She felt sick. It was him then. He was a killer.

  She sat heavily on the end of his bed. He was a killer but he wasn’t here for her to confront. Where could he be? He may have been at work, but that was unlikely. He never stayed until dark even on the days he normally worked and she didn’t think today was one of those. Although it was possible he had decided to put in a few extra hours to avoid her, it was far more likely he was out looking for trouble. He was angry and he was a murderer.

  There was a good chance he was out looking for his next target. But who could that be? Clearly a soldier but there were a lot of them in the city. Tracking him before he managed to get to his next target was unlikely. Where would you start?

  She stopped cold.

  She’d told him about Daeholf. What had happened between them. And that he’d been a soldier...

  Oh hell. She started back for the butcher’s shop at a run, fearing the worst.

  *****

  “Something’s burning,” Daeholf said, sniffing the air.

  Zedek walked over and looked out of the window. “Smoke coming from the shop next door,” he said. “I don’t see any activity though.”

  “No one trying to put it out?” Daeholf said.

  “It doesn’t look like it but I can’t be sure from here,” Zedek replied, still watching. “Maybe I s
hould go help…” he added, turning back to Daeholf.

  "I’ll be fine, and we can’t risk it spreading,” Daeholf said. “Go.”

  Zedek frowned but nodded, looking quickly at his spear before dropping it and leaving at a run. Daeholf watched him go, thinking for a minute. He looked down at the leather breastplate laying in the corner. It had been made for him, at his own request, but so far he’d had no need of it. Maybe, just in case, now might be a good time. He was alone and a little extra safety wouldn’t hurt. He could put up with any jibes the others made later. He walked over to pick it up but as he did he heard a small sound by the door. He turned quickly and saw a thin angry looking man. One who was holding a knife.

  “You would be Regis then,” Daeholf said calmly. Regis sneered, moving towards him, knife raised. Daeholf quickly grabbed the breastplate but there was no time to put it on. He grasped the buckles, holding it out like an improvised shield, setting himself. He studied Regis closely, noticing that the blade looked clean. Hopefully that meant Zedek was okay.

  Regis came in fast, slashing with the knife. Daeholf deflected it with the improvised shield, moving to keep it between him and his attacker. Regis frowned, changing his stance slightly, now probing, moving, slashing and stabbing from a variety of angles, testing his target who had proved a bit more difficult than expected. Daeholf moved carefully, reading the feints and deflecting the genuine attacks, looking for some way to gain an advantage against his younger, fitter and better armed opponent. He took a moment to glance at the sword hanging at the head of the bed. Too far away. Regis noticed the look and smiled. Daeholf feinted as if going for the sword before stepping in quickly, leading with the crude shield and going for the knife. Regis stabbed quickly, razor sharp knife piercing breastplate and arm below both. He smiled in triumph but was quickly met by Daeholf’s right fist, a shuddering right cross that caught him flush on the left cheek. Regis stumbled back, stunned, letting go of the knife as Daeholf kept coming, shoving into him hard. Regis flew backwards, crashing into the doorframe and rebounding, dazed. Daeholf let go of the breastplate he was holding, pulling the knife blade free from his arm as it dropped, and folded Regis in half with a punch to the gut before dropping an elbow into his back and sending him to the floor. Regis landed near where Zedek had left his spear but Daeholf hooked it up quickly, ready. Regis tried to scramble up, dazed, getting his left leg under him but Daeholf took it out quickly by smashing him in the knee with the spear butt.

  “Stay down,” Daeholf said, turning the spear to point the business end at Regis, grimacing as he did so. He heard a noise on the stairs and turned to look, spear point still trained on Regis.

  Zedek appeared, out of breath. He took in the scene with a glance. “Shit,” he said.

  “Yeah,” Daeholf said, blood running down his left arm.

  “You okay?” Zedek said, looking concerned.

  Daeholf stepped carefully around the prone Regis and handed Zedek the spear. “Watch him,” he said. He held up his arm, checking the cut before pinching it together with his right hand to stem the bleeding. He flexed his left fist a couple of times. “Hurts, but I’ve had worse,” he said.

  “Nevertheless, you’d better do something about it,” Zedek said, one eye on Regis, the other on the blood still leaking from between Daeholf’s fingers.

  “Knife was fucking sharp,” Daeholf said, stepping over to the bed. He took a discarded shirt and tore a sleeve off quickly, wrapping it around his forearm and tying it as best as he could with one hand. The sleeve started to darken slowly.

  “Let me help,” Zedek said.

  “You’re better watching him,” Daeholf said before finishing the knot with his teeth. “That’ll do,” he grunted, frowning at the wound then turning his attention back to Regis, who was laying still on the floor, eyes on the tip of the spear not far from him.

  “What do we do with him?” Zedek said.

  “That’s a very good question,” Daeholf replied. “We know who you are and why you’re here,” he said to Regis.

  “You know nothing,” Regis said, shifting a little on the floor.

  “Let him sit up,” Daeholf said to Zedek. “You can sit up,” he said to Regis. Regis eyed the spear. Daeholf motioned to Zedek who stepped back a little. Regis sat up carefully, leaning himself against the wall by the door.

  “That’ll do,” Daeholf said.

  Zedek stepped back closer, spear ready. “You set the fire didn’t you?” he said. Regis sat silently.

  “I could ask him to poke you with the spear until you say something,” Daeholf said.

  “Yes,” Regis said somewhat sullenly. “How did you know it was me?”

  “We had a friend who was familiar with the trick,” Zedek said.

  “I didn’t expect you to follow it in quite that fast though,” Daeholf said, fiddling with his impromptu bandage.

  Regis remained silent.

  “I think we can say you were here for me. I assume the fire was to make sure no one else got involved?” Daeholf continued.

  Again Regis remained silent. Without prompting, Zedek poked at him with the spear, stopping just short.

  “Yes,” Regis said, recoiling as much as the wall would allow.

  “So you do have some limits then,” Daeholf concluded.

  “Of course.”

  “I suppose that’s something.”

  “The butcher is innocent. I’m not a monster.”

  “There's a morgue full of dead soldiers that suggests otherwise.”

  “They deserved to die for what they are.”

  “Is that so? Most soldiers are decent, honest and hardworking. Besides which, there’s a lot of them in the world. It’s going to take a long time for you to work your way through all of them.”

  Regis just glared at him.

  “Why me specifically?” Daeholf said.

  “You know why,” Regis said.

  “Because of your sister,” Daeholf said.

  “Yes.”

  “Because you’re not happy, she can’t be happy?”

  Regis reacted angrily, making to get up. Zedek jabbed him in the arm with the spear and he went back down cursing.

  “I’ll handle this,” Daeholf said, stepping to Zedek’s side and taking back the spear. “It would hurt her,” he said to Regis.

  “So?” Regis said.

  “Do you want to hurt her?” Daeholf said carefully.

  “She betrayed me. She’s no better than any of you.”

  “Are you going to hurt her?” Daeholf said intently.

  “What if I am?” Regis said.

  “You’re not giving me any choice here,” Daeholf said.

  “You’re going to kill an unarmed man?” Regis said.

  “It wouldn’t be the first time,” Daeholf said quietly.

  Regis started to stand up.

  “Don’t,” Daeholf said, lowering the spearhead reluctantly.

  Regis just smiled at him, getting to his feet.

  “Stop,” Daeholf said, aiming the tip at Regis’s chest.

  Regis just grinned as he lunged forwards. Daeholf ran him through the chest, hard. The spear emerged from the shocked Regis’s back, continuing through to bury the head in the wall behind him. Regis sagged back, energy gone, kept from falling by the shaft. Blood started welling from his mouth.

  “He had another knife,” Zedek said, pointing to the blade which now dropped from Regis’s limp hand.

  “I hadn’t seen it,” Daeholf said quietly as he watched Regis’s head droop slightly.

  There was a commotion downstairs. Zedek grabbed Daeholf’s sword from the bed.

  Elena came crashing up the stairs and into the room, taking in the scene with a shocked glance.

  “What have you done?” she said, horrified, looking at her brother pinned, dying to the wall. She looked at Daeholf. “What have…” She paused, noticing the bloody bandage that was now leaking. “You’re bleeding.”

  “He had a knife,” Daeholf said, indic
ating the one still stuck through the breastplate on the floor.

  “Two,” Zedek said, pointing at the other one. Daeholf silenced him with a look.

  “You’ve done this to him,” Elena said. “Why?”

  “He came for me,” Daeholf said.

  Elena turned to Regis. “Why?” she said. Regis looked at her but said nothing. She stepped closer.

  “Be careful. He had two knives. He might have a third,” Zedek said.

  “He won’t hurt me,” Elena said.

  “Your brother’s gone. He’s not the man you knew,” Daeholf said.

  “Why, Regis. Why?” Elena asked.

  “I hate you,” Regis said.

  “After everything I’ve done for you?” Elena asked, tears in her eyes.

  “Why him?” Regis said.

  “He makes me happy,” Elena said quietly. “That’s not something you understand anymore,” she added. Her words hit Regis like a blow. He opened his mouth but no words came out. Elena bowed her head, tears in her eyes.

  Trimas came crashing up the stairs at that moment and bowled into the room, sword drawn. He saw Regis pinned to the wall. “Fucking hell,” he said.

  Erik followed in behind him. “Is it safe?” he asked.

  “For now,” Trimas said.

  Elena stepped backwards, sitting heavily on the bed, tears flowing down her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry,” Regis whispered, bloody foam on his lips.

  Erik looked at Daeholf’s arm. “I guess you need my help again then,” he said. He stepped over to him to examine the wound. “What about him?” he asked quietly as he lifted the bandage, indicating Regis with a slight nod. Daeholf frowned and shook his head subtly, making sure Elena didn’t see.

  Elena looked up. “Can you help him?” she said to Erik, pointing to Regis.

  “He’s too far gone,” Trimas said firmly. Erik shook his head after a moment.

  “I had no choice. I’m sorry,” Daeholf said, stepping in front of her before putting a hand on her shoulder. She brushed it off quickly, standing back up. She moved around Daeholf to her brother’s side. He was trying weakly to say something. Elena bent in to listen. Regis then slumped, not moving. Elena’s shoulders sagged.

  “What did he say?” Daeholf said.