The Beast

by A R Davis

  And then the shouting erupted. Most were cries of panic; others were calls for justice.

  “It really was a demon,” Captain Jonasson breathed.

  Valerie loosened her fists. She wanted to run to Damien and shield him from the world. She also wanted to hate him like everyone else around her. She wanted to join the people in their shouts of outrage. All she could do was stand with them and feel too large and too small all at once.

  “At dawn, I will fight the demon,” Lord Aubrey shouted above the roar of the crowd. “And I will mount his head in the square for you. I will do it, always, for you.”

  The crowd cheered and shouted Lord Aubrey’s name. “Long live Lord Aubrey!” they said. Lord Aubrey extended his arms as though he meant to gather them in an embrace.

  “Why are you crying, Miss Valerie?” Captain Jonasson asked. Valerie was surprised she could hear him over the cacophony.

  “Because it’s over,” she said.

  Chapter 30

  After Young Aubrey sent the demon to the dungeon, and after the crowd had faded away with excited chatter about tomorrow’s event, Young Aubrey retreated to his office. The noise of his people filled his ears and slowly morphed into the report of a gunshot. He tried to pour himself a drink, but his hands were trembling so badly that he ended up spilling some wine across his desk. It dripped over the edge and stained his trousers, and he let it.

  Everything I did, I did for you. To keep you safe.

  He needed to focus on how he was going to kill the demon. It had to be heroic and awe-inspiring, and it had to be in a way that would let him shed the skin of this persona and become something better. Maybe he would even become what his father wanted him to be.

  Why didn’t his father tell him how wearying it all was? Young Aubrey felt as though he could sleep for days.

  He was startled by the knock at the door. “Come in,” he said.

  Captain Jonasson entered. He had his helmet tucked under his arm, so Young Aubrey could fully see the grave expression etched on the captain’s face.

  “Is there nothing I can say for you to stop this, my Lord?” Captain Jonasson asked.

  Young Aubrey leaned back in his chair. He gestured to the seat across from him. “Why don’t you sit down? Have a drink.”

  “My Lord –”

  “Ah, ah, Jonasson. We are celebrating.” He quickly passed the bottle to the captain; he did not trust that he could pour it himself.

  Captain Jonasson noted the mess on his desk. “I would rather not, my Lord.”

  Young Aubrey rubbed the good side of his chin, assessing the captain. “Well, you could make yourself useful and pour me a drink. I think a toast is in order.”

  Captain Jonasson sighed and did as he was told. Young Aubrey fought to gain control of his hand—the hand that pulled the trigger—and raised the cup eye-level.

  “A toast to – well, I was going to say our victory, but since you were not there…to my victory.” He took a slow, unsatisfying sip. “You should have been with me.”

  “I am here, now.”

  Young Aubrey shook his head. “Where were you?”

  “With Miss Valerie. She wanted to see Leola, and I was happy to escort her.”

  Young Aubrey swiftly set his cup down on the table. “Were you just as happy when you discovered the truth?”

  “I did what I believed was the right thing, my Lord. It was not right to lock her away.”

  “You are blinded by the fact that she’s a woman. She was protecting that thing.” Young Aubrey closed his mouth and then took a deep breath. “It matters not. The demon has been caught. Tomorrow, it will die by my hand. What really concerns me is your betrayal, Captain.”

  Jonasson looked flabbergasted. “I would never–”

  “Oh, no, of course not! You would never. You and Yendel both. Is it because you deem yourself too good for such a thing? You swore to me that you would obey my every command, that you would follow me anywhere. That was part of your guardsman’s oath! And then you go behind my back and disobey me. You could have ruined everything I have worked so hard for. Does that mean nothing to you?”

  “My Lord –”

  “Did you even believe me? Did you ever?”

  “I believed in your cause –”

  “That is not what I am asking, Captain.”

  The worst thing Captain Jonasson could do was remain silent. Young Aubrey knew the captain knew this, too, and yet silent he remained.

  Young Aubrey spoke as slowly and calmly as he could. “I want you to leave your helmet on my desk, and leave your armor and weapons in the barracks. I am dismissing you from my service, Captain.”

  Captain Jonasson grew pale. “M-my Lord, you can’t –” “I already have.”

  “Please, my Lord. I-I’m sorry if I hurt you. And I am sorry that I was not there. You know my loyalty lies with you.”

  Young Aubrey looked away from him.

  “I have been with your family for twenty years, sir!”

  “And that is precisely the problem, Jonasson. You’re getting old and you’re set in your ways, and I need someone who will listen to me and not the ghost of my father.”

  “But, sir, I have been with you through everything. I stood by you when you lost your parents, when Yendel betrayed you. Would you really cast me aside for one error?”

  “For a grave error, yes. Now do I have to fetch the guards to escort you out, or are you going to be obedient for once?”

  Captain Jonasson hung his head. The pained look on his face wounded Young Aubrey more than the captain would ever know.

  “You should know that when I ordered the demon to do something, he did it without hesitating,” Young Aubrey said. “I think that speaks volumes, don’t you?”

  Captain Jonasson did not weep or yell. Like everything else about him, his departure was quiet and careful. He placed his helmet on the desk gently. He saluted Young Aubrey before turning his back on him. Once he reached the door, however, he paused and said over his shoulder, “I hope you live a good, happy life, my Lord.” He said it with a sad smile.

  There was only a half-second left for Young Aubrey to change his mind. The words were in his head but not yet in his throat.

  The door closed and Captain Jonasson was gone.

  Young Aubrey knocked the helmet off his desk.

  *

  She didn’t have much to pack, but before the sun had officially set, Valerie was ready to leave. The only thing she had was a small bundle of clothes that she was sure Lord Aubrey would not miss. She would figure it all out later when she was out on the road.

  Once everything was prepared, she made to leave, only to find the two guardsmen at the door.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” one asked, holding his hand out in front of her.

  “Lord Aubrey captured him. He said once he did, I could leave,” Valerie said.

  The guardsmen looked at each other, then back at her. “New orders now. He’s allowing you to stay here one more night, but after he kills the demon, you’ll be sent off to the dungeon.”

  Valerie felt the blood drain from her face. “He promised me –”

  “He makes no promises to criminals like yourself, miss.”

  “And what is my crime?”

  “Concealing the whereabouts of the demon,” Lord Aubrey said as he stepped into view. “And concealing other, vital information. I’m sure you’ve guessed by now what that is.”

  He discovered Dante, Valerie thought. She felt sick. “You said you would let me go,” she said evenly.

  “And you said you swore you didn’t know a thing. Because of you, I had to dismiss Captain Jonasson. So I suppose we can both be disappointed in each other.”

  “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “His loyalty was tested, and he failed. In the end, I did what I had to do. Just as it will be tomorrow once I sever the demon’s head. I would invite you to watch, but I’m afraid it might cause further damage to your mind.”


  “There’s nothing wrong with me!” Valerie seethed. You won’t make me feel guilty. I won’t grant you that power, she thought. I have given up enough.

  Lord Aubrey stepped so close to her that she could smell the oil in his hair and smoke on his skin. “Is that right?” He smiled, and it was so perverse that Valerie had to step back from him. Lord Aubrey grabbed her chin and stroked her left cheek with his thumb. “As much as you may hate me, I am not the one who did this. I hope you remember that when you sleep tonight.” He shoved her back into the room and slammed the door shut.

  *

  The waves beat over his body. The hot sand burned his cheek. He didn’t think he could open his eyes, but he somehow did. And when he woke up, he saw Dante lying across from him. He wasn’t moving.

  Damien tried to call for him but he only managed the “Da” sound. He willed himself to push his body on all fours and crawl very slowly over to him. He tried calling his name again. This time, he managed to say it completely. “Dante.” Wake up; we survived; we made it.

  He laid his hand on Dante’s chest. He could barely feel his maybe-brother’s heartbeat.

  It was very cold in his cell, and there was barely any light. All around him he could hear murmurs and shouting and laughing. In his head, he heard the gunshot. He saw blood and bone and brains splattering across the trees. He saw the green eye staring back at him. And he could smell the burning flesh and fur of his brother when they lit his body on fire.

  “Dante,” Damien said as loud as he could. Please don’t go. Please don’t leave me. I can’t do this by myself. He shook his maybe-brother. “Dante.” We survived. We made it.

  Please don’t go.

  Damien did not know why he never thought he and Dante were brothers. The pain was proof. He felt the loss in every inch of his body. It was as though someone was trying to pull out his organs one by one, until only a husk remained. The pain in his leg was not enough to drown it out. Shuddering sobs scraped his chest raw. There was so much he should have said before. And now he couldn’t remember what that was. The words were gone.

  Dante coughed and sputtered water across himself. “What happened?” he asked groggily.

  Damien helped him sit up. He laughed in relief.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You’re alive,” Damien said. He could have embraced his brother.

  Maybe when I’m dead, I will go where you are, he thought as he wiped the tears from his eyes. It was no small comfort, though, because who knew where, if anywhere, Dante was? He was not in a cage with Damien. Dante hated being trapped.

  “Of course I’m alive. I wouldn’t let some pithy storm get the best of me.”

  “I should have known better.”

  “Are you crying?”

  “No.” Damien shielded himself as he wiped his eyes.

  Dante gingerly punched Damien’s arm. He looked back out at the ocean.

  Damien thought of Lord Aubrey—of that golden smile and the false one he wore when he pulled the trigger. Lord Aubrey was the one who lit the match and watched his brother burn. And now a fire was building inside of Damien, too. It was erasing everything he had left.

  Damien wrapped his hands around Valerie’s little monster and squeezed.

  “Look at how far we’ve come,” Dante mused.

  “I can’t believe we made it.”

  “I always knew we would. You need to start having a bit more faith in me.”

  The sharp bits of wood buried into his palms until they cut him open, but he held on.

  Dante smiled crookedly and said, “It’s going to be a good life, Damien.”

  The little monster broke into pieces.

  Chapter 31

  When the morning light spread across her bedroom, Valerie knew that her time was almost up. As usual, she did not have a plan of escape. Though most of the guards were down at the square, the ones at her door remained. She had spent the night scouring every corner of her room for something to use against them, but it was fruitless. She wondered if Damien was as afraid as she was right now. Was he already dead? Had Lord Aubrey already given the people the head of the demon? And I’m not there, she thought. And I wasn’t there.

  Why am I still thinking about this? It wasn’t going to help her escape.

  The knock at the door sent a spasm in her stomach. Though she supposed if it was the guards coming to take her to the dungeon, they would not be politely knocking. She was still cautious as she opened the door.

  It took Valerie a moment to recognize the former Captain Jonasson. He was wearing plain clothes instead of armor. The wisps of his brown hair were in disarray, and his eyes had dark circles under them. Clearly, he too did not sleep well.

  “Captain –” Valerie began.

  He held up his hand. “I’m not captain anymore, if you haven’t heard.”

  “I have. I’m sorry.”

  “There’s no time for apologies. I’ve come back to help you get out of here. Come with me.”

  Valerie didn’t know what to say, and there was no time to come up with any words other than, “Thank you.” She followed him down the corridor.

  “What happened to the guards?” she asked.

  “I told them that Lord Aubrey assigned me the task of escorting you to the dungeon before I was officially dismissed.”

  “Oh. I’m still sorry, Jonasson.”

  “It was bound to happen,” he said gravely. “It took me long enough to learn that there was only so much I could do to protect him.”

  “I know what you mean,” Valerie replied.

  He led her outside to the stables. Horses neighed and pawed at the ground. The air was thick with the scent of manure and wet hay. Valerie could not believe that her first instinct was to be slightly afraid. How much longer were such things going to control her?

  They stopped in front of a black horse. It was already saddled and loaded with supplies. Valerie gingerly stepped up to it and reached out to touch its face. The horse whickered in response.

  “It’s not everything,” Jonasson said, “but it should be enough to get you wherever you need to go.”

  Valerie turned back to face him. “I don’t think I could ever fully thank you for this.”

  “You can thank me by getting as far away from here as possible and doing what you said you would do.”

  “What’s going to happen to you?”

  “I am not your concern,” Jonasson said firmly. “And neither is anyone else.”

  Valerie understood well the meaning of his words. She walked up to him and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

  Jonasson helped her get up on the horse and guided her out of the stables. Before departing, Valerie said, “Goodbye, Jonasson.”

  “Goodbye, Miss Valerie. And good luck.”

  *

  He was not nervous when the guards came for him and shackled his hands and ankles. He was not afraid when they led him out of the dungeon and into the dawn light. He ignored the shouts and catcalls from the people and remained stoic when they threw their garbage at him. A rotten tomato splattered across his chest. Even that did not inspire fear.

  But the steps…the damned steps leading up to the platform where Lord Aubrey was waiting for him. He had to limp up the stairs, and his legs trembled, though not in pain. As he rose, his heart fell. And when he met the golden smile of Lord Aubrey, when he saw the sword gleaming in the light, he nearly froze on the steps. The guards shoved him forward, and he had no time to think about recollecting his resolve.

  At one point, I would have welcomed death, Damien thought when he was standing in front of Lord Aubrey. Yet, now when I am faced with it, I can’t help but fear what will happen after I’m gone.

  “Remove his manacles,” Lord Aubrey ordered.

  The guards exchanged dubious stares. “My Lord–”

  “Do as I say. Or have you forgotten what happened to the last man who refused to obey me?”

  The guardsmen obeyed as quickly as they could. Da
mien saw one of the guardsmen’s fingers tremble. He wanted to say that they had nothing to fear—that he had no interest or desire in killing them.

  But that would have been a lie.

  The guardsmen hurried off the platform, and then only Damien and Lord Aubrey faced each other. They stared at each other for several tense seconds. The crowd was so quiet; Damien almost forgot they were there.

  Lord Aubrey pointed his sword at him. “I hope you give me everything you have, demon,” he said. “I expect nothing less.”

  Damien let the words wash over him. The fear was still there, but the lust for revenge was slowly overtaking it. “I’ll try not to disappoint you,” he replied.

  “Good.”

  Lord Aubrey raised his sword and made to slash at Damien’s chest. Damien leapt back and landed on his bad leg. He didn’t have time to contemplate the pain; Lord Aubrey came at him again. He swung wildly in a diagonal motion. Damien ducked and wove around the blade with no time to catch his breath. His wounded leg was throbbing, reminding him of the pain, and it was getting harder to firmly plant his foot and harder to leap out of the way. Several times, the blade came close to cutting him. When Lord Aubrey jabbed the sword near Damien’s neck, Damien ducked and charged into Lord Aubrey’s leg in attempt to drag him down. Lord Aubrey slammed the hilt down on Damien’s back, sending him to his knees. Damien quickly rolled away as Lord Aubrey stabbed the platform.

  If only Damien was quick enough to get back on his feet. He was just getting to his knees when Lord Aubrey kicked his stomach. It felt as though all of the air had been pushed out of Damien’s lungs. He lay sprawled on the floor for a second too long. Get up! Get up! he told himself, but his body would not obey. All of the pain he tried to ignore now gripped him. Somewhere far away, he heard the sound of applause.

  He felt the cold steel of the blade against his neck. “I could cut your head off now,” Lord Aubrey said, “but I don’t think you’re quite done being punished yet. Get up. You’re disappointing me…and after you promised you wouldn’t.”