Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1)

by A. J. STRICKLER

  K’xarr and Ivan had taken the Asconans and driven deep into the enemy’s lines when they spotted Cain. K’xarr tapped the knight on the arm and they moved towards the Prince.

  The people of Turill were giving the disorganized soldiers a terrible time. Many of the Bandaran soldiers tried to flee, only to be dragged down and killed by the mob. K’xarr had no time to enjoy it, he wanted Cain. The Prince tried to push his way through the chaos that had now enveloped the streets of Turill. K’xarr and Sir Ivan were right behind him. The Camiran was not about to let Cain escape, he wanted to end this tonight.

  All three men struggled with the crowd, but it was the Prince that broke into the clear first. “He’s headed toward the palace, K’xarr,” Ivan said as he and the general waded out of the sea of combatants. Once in the open, the man from the Harsh Coast put his head down and ran on. He was gaining on his quarry when the Prince’s sword scabbard swung between his legs and tripped him. Cain rolled to his feet as K’xarr and Sir Ivan ran up. “Time for you to die, Cain,” K’xarr said catching his breath.

  ***

  Endra had lost sight of Rufio and the company of men she was with. Instead of fighting the enemy, she was pushing through the crowd trying to get to the gatehouse.

  She quickly realized pushing and shoving her way through the thousands of people in the streets was hopeless. She saw an alley that seemed deserted. Endra cut down the dark back street, trying to find a quicker way to Kian.

  She had not gotten far when the smell of death filled the air. A woman in a veil stood before her. It was as if an icy hand gripped her spine and fear choked her to silence. Endra could feel the hate and scorn that seeped from the woman. She was evil.

  “Your lover might be immune to my charms, but you’re not, are you, my dear girl?” The woman stretched out her hand and Endra’s body lifted into the air. She couldn’t breathe, her sword slid from her hand and she grasped at her throat. The world blurred and began to grow black.

  She heard the veiled woman scream and felt herself fall to the ground. Endra blinked her eyes, trying to clear her vision. She saw a shadowy figure holding the veiled woman off the ground by her neck. The shadow was a giant of a man, all she could really tell was he was dressed in dark armor.

  He slammed the veiled woman into the wall on one side of the alley, then into the wall on the other side. The evil woman hung limp in his hand. The warrior gazed at the veiled woman a moment, then tossed her down to the far end of the narrow street like a stray cat. The woman awkwardly got to her feet and disappeared. The man turned towards her. His face was covered by a dark helmet. She thought she heard him speak her name before she lost consciousness.

  She came to and saw that the veiled woman and the warrior were both gone. Endra blinked her eyes and slowly got to her feet. The sounds of battle still echoed in the night. Kian, she had to get to him.

  Endra drew her sword and headed south again. Had she just seen two Gods fighting? The one in the dark armor reminded her of the man who had taken her and destroyed her village all those years ago, but it wasn’t him. She would have known if it was. It was Kian the woman had spoken of. He had angered her somehow. “What enemies have you made now, my love?” She looked to the sky and said a silent prayer to the heavens, then she ran towards the gatehouse.

  “Rufio, look.” Cromwell pointed. Greyson Kyle stood beside a man lying on the ground. The turncoat was fighting off some of the people from the city bent on killing the wounded man.

  Rufio didn’t hesitate a moment, he charge the man without a word.

  “Damn it, Rufio, wait,” Cromwell said as he loped after the Dragitan.

  Rufio attacked with fury. Greyson quickly realized who he was fighting and smiled.

  The Bandaran was good. Rufio quickly knew he was out classed. Greyson turned aside his every attack. “You’re no match for me in a fair fight Dragitan,” the Bandaran captain said.

  Rufio jumped back as Cromwell’s great ax came around and split Greyson Kyle’s head in half. “Then we will cheat you, traitorous bastard.”

  Cromwell clapped Rufio on the shoulder. “Dead is dead, it does not matter who deals it. Right?”

  “I most definitely agree, my friend. As long as Vandarus is avenged, I have no protest.”

  Cromwell looked at the man crawling on the ground. “I know you,” the Toran said as he grabbed the man by the collar of his breast plate and hauled him to his feet. “Look Rufio, it’s that old duke.”

  ***

  Cain dusted himself off and stepped forward as K’xarr looked on. “It seems you have caught me, no matter.” The Prince looked closer. “You are my little sister’s general, are you not?”

  K’xarr spit on the ground at Cain’s feet, but said nothing. “Come then, General, let’s see what you’re made of without your demonic swordsman.”

  Both men took a battle stance.

  “Prince Cain, it is over. You have lost, surrender and stand in the shadow of your sister’s judgment. I will see you come to no harm until then,” Sir Ivan called out.

  “Shut up, you Asconan dog, why don’t you go back to Eldon Cross so you can nurse at his teats.”

  Sir Ivan’s look turned grim. “If General K’xarr does not kill you, then I will, swine.”

  K’xarr and the Prince circled each other once, then both men attacked. Sparks flew from their swords as the battle went back and forth. The Prince was a fine swordsman, but he did not grow up on the Harsh Coast where every day was a struggle to live. And every fight was to the death.

  The Prince thrust at K’xarr abdomen, the wily general side stepped and kicked Cain’s sword from his hand. Then he thrust his own sword with all his might into the Prince’s guts.

  K’xarr worked the blade back and forth until he felt its point hit the back of Cain’s spine. The Prince slid down to his knees, clutching at the general, trying to stay on his feet. K’xarr let go of his sword and Cain fell to the ground.

  “I should be King, not her, it was never meant to be her,” the dying Prince muttered.

  K’xarr slowly pulled the helmet from the Prince’s head, blood bubbled from the young man’s lips. He looked up at the general with madness in his eyes. “Tell my father I was a good King, tell him I wanted to make him proud.”

  K’xarr looked down at the Prince without expression. “Tell him yourself.” K’xarr pulled his sword from the Prince’s body and rammed it down through Cain’s face.

  “That wasn’t very knightly, General,” Sir Ivan said.

  K’xarr looked at the young knight with satisfaction. “Good thing I’m not a knight then.”

  ***

  Kian was fighting on reflex now. His strength was gone, he was on his knees. He knew he was finished but found a last bit of strength to swing his sword weakly at the next man. A strong hand caught his wrist, holding his sword arm still. He looked up into K’xarr’s face. “It’s over now; take your rest, Brother.”

  Kian nodded, his head wobbling. He fell over on his side among the dead.

  “Find someone to take care of him and get someone to look at Rhys as well,” K’xarr ordered.

  Sir Ivan gestured for his battle surgeon to take charge of the two men.

  K’xarr looked around the gatehouse. He had never seen so many men killed in such a small area. He wondered how many had met their fate at the hands of his sword brother. Only the Gods knew.

  Raygan walked out of her tiny fortress, arms wrapped around herself. She seemed shaken, but unharmed. Raygan looked out at the city, fires still raged and smoke filled the sky. The sun was just beginning to rise as K’xarr greeted the young woman. “Your brother is dead and his army defeated. We have won. The crown is yours, Majesty.”

  The Queen slowly shook her head and looked out over the dead bodies that lay all around her. “My crown was not won. We have paid for it, K’xarr.”

  “Aye, Majesty, the fates have been paid in full.”

  Chapter 33

  The citizens who had fought Cain’
s men the night before now fought the fires that ravaged their beloved city. By late in the afternoon the people had won their fight against the fire, but their tasks were not yet finished. Thousands of dead bodies littered the streets of Turill. Sir Ivan had a company of Asconans help the exhausted citizens as they began to remove the grisly remains. Many families mourned loved ones that had fallen during the night’s bloody conflict. Very few people in Turill hadn’t lost someone they loved. The city’s grief would linger a long time for the sons and daughters it had lost.

  The Asconan knights who fell in battle were loaded into wagons and taken from town. They were ceremoniously placed in a large pit and burned. The pit was then filled in by their brother knights and a marker with the symbol of the horse and lance was set to honor their dead.

  Sir Ivan hated not being able to return the fallen knights to their families in Ascona, but there were just too many. It was a grim day in Turill and one not many would soon forget.

  Late in the day, the Queen was escorted to the palace by Ansellus and a group of guardsmen. She had asked for K’xarr, but he and the remaining Asconans were busy bringing order to the streets of Turill.

  K’xarr and the knights were rounding up the remains of Cain’s army. Many simply surrendered the night before. After their Prince’s death, most didn’t have the stomach continue the civil war. Still there were a few pockets of stubborn soldiers loyal to Cain that had to be dealt with. The Queen had no doubt that K’xarr and the knights would bring a swift end to the last of her brother’s supporters.

  Raygan’s lip quivered as she approached the palace. Smoke still hung in the sky over the huge building. Half of the palace had been destroyed by fire and her magnificent garden was nothing but ash. She steeled herself as she walked on past the charred trees and blackened grounds. It was Cain’s final torment. She told herself, as she passed her ravaged sanctuary, she would never have to endure his animosity and disdain ever again. Cain was dead, and his hate had died with him.

  Ansellus touched her on the shoulder, he could see the loss of the garden she and her father had designed had cut the young girl deep. Raygan would have to understand now that she was Queen, the aesthetic look of the palace and its grounds had to come second to the politics of Bandara. “Your Majesty, Lord Justice Milara will be waiting for you in the council chamber.”

  “I assumed as much. Let us go find out what the Lord Justice wants.”

  “You must go unaccompanied, Highness.”

  “You’re not coming with me?”

  “Just inside, Highness, the Lord Justice said he wished to speak with you alone, and I fear it is not to congratulate you on you victory.”

  It was easy to see Raygan was afraid, she didn’t want to face the powerful priest alone, but she ruled now and there were things that only she could handle.

  “I am sure you’re right, I don’t believe the Lord Justice was counting on Cain’s defeat and whatever he has to say to me won’t be pleasant.” The Queen smoothed out her dress and straightened her silk cloak. “I don’t like to be questioned, Ansellus. I never have.”

  “Majesty, you are Queen here and your word is law. You reign in Bandara, not Milara.”

  Raygan smiled at the older man. “Thank you, Ansellus, I haven’t quite got use to that fact yet.”

  ”Do you have any orders for me, Highness?”

  “Call the remaining nobles back to the city. I want to hold court, but not until K’xarr and the others can attend, and I wish to have my son and all of Endra’s children brought back to Turill within the week.”

  Ansellus put his hands behind his back. “Yes, Highness, it will take time to clean up the palace and make arrangements. We will start with the throne room, it has the least damage, then the servants can work their way to the areas with more severe issues.”

  “That will be fine, Ansellus.”

  “Bishop Lyfair is speaking with Lord Justice Milara now. When he is finished, I will inform him of your plans. I’m sure he will need time to prepare as well.”

  The Queen took Ansellus’s arm as they entered the palace. “The Bishop isn’t being reprimanded by Lord Milara because of me, is he? I will never hear the end of it if I have gotten him into trouble with the Church.”

  “Trust me, Highness, Lyfair will be sure to take care of his own reputation, even if it means laying the blame at someone else’s feet. Your Bishop can be very slippery, Majesty.”

  “You shouldn’t be that way, Ansellus. I have never really been fond of the Bishop either, but he did stay with me through all of this.”

  “As you wish, Highness. I just have a hard time believing Lyfair is loyal to anyone but himself.”

  The Queen stopped and looked up at the older man. “I didn’t say we should trust him.”

  “You learning very fast, Highness.”

  ***

  “Is that all you know, Bishop?”

  Bishop Lyfair inclined his head toward the Lord Justice. “Yes, it is all I know.” Milara was hard to read, Lyfair couldn’t tell if the Eye of God believed him or not.

  “So, it was Duke Blackthorn and Prince Cain who murdered King Aaron?”

  “Yes, when Selmac failed to bring about the King’s death, Cain had Duke Blackthorn murder the old man.”

  Milara rubbed his eyes. “And the others on this list, are they the only other conspirators?”

  “Yes, Lord Justice, at least they are the ones I know participated in the conspiracy.” The Bishop had named all the men truly involved in the plot, substituting Cain for himself. No one could dispute his story now. Only Blackthorn remained alive and his word was worthless now.

  He had also told Milara of the witches and their sorcery. The Bishop had down played the Queen’s part, blaming that on K’xarr and the others. He told the Lord Justice that the young Queen had been pressured by the mercenaries, and it was K’xarr and his people that had influenced her to use the witch’s magic in the war against Abberdon and her bid for the throne.

  Milara stroked his well-trimmed beard. “I don’t have the resources to handle the situation after my brave knights fell at the hands of that monster. The Church will send men to apprehend this K’xarr. I can assure you that he and his companions will be dealt with as soon as possible.”

  “What about the half-breed?” Lyfair asked.

  Milara smiled. “I have an idea that will put the monster right into my hands. Then I will destroy it once and for all.”

  The Bishop left the council room. Milara felt Lyfair was most likely lying, but it mattered little. “Zachariah, come here.”

  The Hand of God slid from the shadows of the room. He hated to send the assassin away, but he needed to make sure the Holy Father got the message he had scribbled down.

  Zachariah walked across the council room floor. “You called?”

  Milara handed him the message. “Take this to Tyro and make sure you put it into the Holy Father’s hand yourself. Understand?”

  The killer nodded. “You will have few allies here after I’m gone.”

  Milara looked out one of the slender windows of the council room. The sun would be down soon he thought.

  “Zachariah, you forget I have the greatest of allies, and he is always with me.”

  Zachariah’s eyebrows rose. “Oh yes, God, how could I forget.”

  ***

  Endra sat watching Kian sleep. She hadn’t even cleaned the blood from her face or armor. Kian too was still covered in the gore of his victims.

  K’xarr had him brought to the palace and the swordsman had collapsed into the bed. He was exhausted from the fight and his body still struggle with the poison.

  He had saved the Queen and the city, but at what price to himself? Endra had begun to understand that the man she had fallen in love with would always be the lynchpin of any conflict he was involved in—whether it be protecting a lone traveler and her children or winning back a Kingdom. He would be fate’s plaything. He was touched by the Gods and what was done could not be u
ndone. She would just have to get used to the idea. He was never going to be … just a man.

  What concerned her most was the future. The war was over, Raygan would be Queen, but what about all the rest of them? Would they stay here in Bandara? What about her children? The life she would lead with Kian was no place for little ones. Kian had angered the Gods somehow, his path would not be an easy one to follow. She had decided not to tell him about her experience in the alley. He already had enough worries, she would deal with it alone.

  The woman from Sorrack was too tired to think about it now. As long as she and Kian were together, everything would work itself out. Endra yawned and stretch her arms. She curled up beside the slumbering swordsman and drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  The Queen sat down at the end of the large table in the council chamber. She felt small with the Lord Justice staring down at her like a child who had been disobedient.

  “So Princess Raygan, it seems that you are the sole heir to the Throne of Bandara, now that your brother is dead.”

  Raygan wanted to correct his addressing her as Princess. She was actually the Queen, but she held her tongue.

  “Ah wait, I have forgotten your son. How is Prince Corwin?”

  Raygan didn’t like Milara bringing up of her son. “He is well, Eminence.”

  “After speaking with Bishop Lyfair, I’m prepared to offer you a deal, in spite of all the crimes you have committed against God and the Church. I will advise the Holy Father not to move to depose you, if you order the arrest of the half-breed. After he is secured, you will turn him over to me and I will see to his execution. The throne will be yours, and you and your son will have nothing to worry about. Bandara will fall under the protection of the Church once again, and you can rest assured the Holy Father will help you rebuild in any way he can.”

  Raygan covered her mouth. “I can’t do that, Eminence, Kian has saved my life more than once, not to mention the life of my son. If not for him, I would not be sitting before you now.”

  Milara looked at the Queen sternly. “That matters not, he is an abomination before the Eyes of God, your God, and the God of your father, my dear. On top of being a Half Elf, which is an affront to God in itself, he is a creature of dark magic, a thing of the Beast, he must be destroyed.”