King of the Seditious
Handling Betrayal

“Eternally.” Dimurah hissed up at him in answer to his question.

His gaze roved her agitated face.

“I dearly hope not.” Unable to resist he dropped a quick kiss to her cheek.

She twisted her head away and stalked back behind the bar.

Still angry with me.

Annoyance made his jaw twitch as he watched her. “That’s the way it is to be then?”

She tossed him a quick look. Jerking her head to one side in assent.

“Fine. I have other things to attend to anyway.”

He stomped across Winter Haven, to stand perilously close to where ColdKill leaned against the pillar laughing as he jested with one of the benched tables.

Savage was unmoving until the entire table quieted, and all eyes lighting on him.

At length, ColdKill slowly turned. Tankard in hand. “Ah, you’re still alive! I heard you were ambushed.”

“You heard wrong. An ambush implies you didn’t know it was coming.”

Which I did.

ColdKill flinched before regaining his composure. “It’s good you’d gotten word.”

“I didn’t get word.”

As you’d intended…

After a pregnant pause, ColdKill was forced to ask. “Then how’d you know?”

“I assumed you were a traitorous little prick that would run to Danbury the moment you overheard me announcing my plan.”

“But I-I-”

“You did exactly as I knew you would. Because you are, precisely, what I thought you were. Solid yellow.” He gestured with a finger to the man’s backside. “All the way down your back.”

“Now, see here, Savage Jack!” His affront overcame his previous fear. “I’m no coward.”

Trying to defend your name now?

“Aren’t you?” Savage tilted his head. Face expressionless. His cutting gaze unblinking as he looked down his nose. Jaw ticking.

The quiet in the room grew deafening. And others around started to shift in discomfort.

“No!” ColdKill shook his head, taking a tentative step back.

“Savage Jack!” Dimurah had stopped whatever she’d been pretending to do, to lean over the counter and shout at him.

Thinking to stop me.

Again.

“Ah. Then you’re merely perfidious. A disloyal Dread bait.” Savage enunciated the words through gritted teeth.

“I’m not!” ColdKill defended. Flushing with rage.

When he yanked his sword breaker, a short, spiked hammer, from the loop strung from his belt, Savage was ready.

He ripped it loose at the same time ColdKill lifted it. Using the man’s own momentum to wrench it from ColdKill’s fist. In that same movement, Savage stuck it in the side of ColdKill’s cheek where he knew softer tissue to be.

Sword breakers are meant to catch and twist. Not as much for piercing. Thus, why Savage had aimed for more tender parts.

With three dual blades, it was easy to change its angle, sinking it into the weaker skin above Cold Kill’s collar.

Then while the wiry assassin was stunned from that, Savage stuck the tip into ColdKill’s gut. Forcing it in and up.

To ensure it’d hit something meaningful.

ColdKill mustered enough strength to punch him in the jaw. Clutching his middle and spitting blood over the floor.

Savage’s head whipped back, and he grabbed the other man’s throat with his spare hand. Backing him against the pillar to hold him in place while Savage violently thrusted the pointed tip into his abdomen at different angles.

The man grunted each time. Managing to draw a small dagger and thrust it into Savage’s bare shoulder. Burying it to the hilt. But lost his grip on it, as Savage jerked his arm from ColdKill’s reach to keep him from using the blade again.

ColdKill’s surprising strength in trying to fight him off wasn’t enough to even slow Savage.

He knows it’s over now. I’ve done too much damage already.

“You can’t cross Savage Jack.” Savage growled as he inserted the tip a couple more times. Watching life seep from ColdKill’s eyes. “You knew better.”

The alehouse was silent.

Dimurah was watching in horrified rage.

One of the other barmaids was barely able to keep the tray she held balanced, her hand trembling so badly as she eyed Savage fearfully.

It was easy to feel his animalistic rage throughout the alehouse. Reverberating off the walls and sending anything with instinct, writhing in its own skin to get away.

Still holding ColdKill’s neck at the end of a locked arm, Savage turned to the room. His head whipping so fast that the kill beads in his blonde hair rattled together.

Savage announced. “He betrayed not only me. But all of you.”

He gave Dimurah a pointed glare. “He alerted Danbury to the raid I intended. He was a danger to us all. I won’t tolerate those that are faithless!” He barked.

Her lip twitched in contempt and her blue gaze flared fiercely.

He was attempting to convey to her why it was necessary to dispatch the traitor, but from the look on her face, he could tell she was taking it as a personal threat.

Against her. He groaned inwardly. Wondering why she had such a hard time understanding things which seemed perfectly sensible to him.

From that look, he knew the only thing she was perceiving was that he’d betrayed her yet again. Though I didn’t.

She stared at him. Jaw gaping.

Rounding the counter, she stalked over. Walking with the fierce pace of a woman set on battle.

With me.

A poor choice.

Peak Mountain, Black Mountains, Battling Border

CHAVIAS

There was lust still when Chavias looked at Deiti. But there was also contempt. Overwhelming, ugly contempt…

Deciding not to touch her was easier than he’d have ever thought it would be.

Unable to resist, he envisioned the flawless beauty of his winter woman instead of this redheaded temptress. Imagining the white-haired girl would be far sweeter. Far more sensual.

Far more everything…Than this wretched woman.

He turned his head away, disgusted by Deiti’s licentious behavior.

Filthy wench. He was ashamed to know he’d succumbed to being with her on many an occasion in the past. Uck. What was I thinking?

I wasn’t. A tiny voice weakly reminded him. I was broken from loneliness.

Deiti tossed her dress back into place with a harsh laugh. Turning to jiggle her breasts back behind the hem. “Not today huh?”

She taunted. “You’re a whipped dog, Chavias. So afraid of looking without his permission.”

Radix.

In truth, I’d entirely forgotten about him.

That’s why she thinks I don’t want her. That made him snort with amusement.

She cackled. “Well, I don’t fear him.” She smiled as she sauntered away. Heading for Radix’s chambers.

To await his return.