with it, all families who swear fealty to me will rise. Those who defy me shall be obliterated as though a tempest swept over them. You have a choice, here and now. Join with me and I make all of this disappear. If you continue to rebuke me, I will destroy you, and your family. Your lands will burn and your wife will die a scorned widow. Your adopted son will be hunted down and gutted like an animal in the forest.”
Trenton jerked his shoulder free and spat in Bracken’s face. “May Khefir take you and drag you to Hammenfein.”
Bracken laughed. “It doesn’t have to be this way. I can just as easily pin the blame on the real culprits and allow you to walk away. Your family will be taken under my wing, and protected once the new era begins.”
“You will not succeed,” Trenton swore. “Lepkin and my son will stop you.”
“No, they won’t,” Bracken hissed. “Should Lepkin, or anyone else, come against me, I will have them branded traitors just like you. Every proud head that refuses to bow to me shall be lopped off.” Bracken stood and backed away. “This is your final chance, Lokton, tell me where you stand. Are you willing to forfeit your life and the lives of your family and friends just so your petty ‘honor’ remains intact by stubbornly serving a ghost of a king?”
“House Lokton serves the king,” Trenton said.
“What if I told you that Sir Duval and Mr. Stilwell were the true murderers?” Bracken asked. “Duvall placed the dagger in the magistrate’s back and helped Stilwell escape from your prison.”
“How could you know this?” Trenton spat.
“Because I am the one who hired them,” Bracken smiled. “Ironic how the ‘honor’ you hold so dear means so little to those you have surrounded yourself with.” Bracken turned and went for the door. “No matter, your death will allow me to pull House Cedreau under my wing.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “It might interest you to know that I have Mr. Stilwell’s and Sir Duvall’s bodies with me. I will present them as evidence of your treachery.”
“You hired them, and then you killed them?” Lokton asked.
“Delicious, isn’t it?” Bracken cackled.
“You are a monster,” Trenton said.
Bracken nodded and exited the wagon. “He’s all yours,” he said to someone standing out of view. “Just leave enough of him so I can hold the tribunal,” Bracken instructed.
The bearded guard stepped into the wagon. “I’ll try to keep him alive,” he promised.
Bracken sneered one final time at Trenton and then slammed the wagon shut.
CHAPTER FOUR
“What do you mean?” Dimwater demanded.
Marlin shushed her and put a finger to her lips. “Please, keep your voice down, he is only in the next room, and he is just as confused as we are about the whole thing. ”
“How did this happen?” Lady Dimwater asked as she tossed a book to the table.
“I wish I knew, Marlin replied. “I only know that it is so. I examined him thoroughly.”
“So Lepkin is now inside of Erik’s body and Erik is inside Lepkin’s. That is what you are saying?”
“It would appear so,” Marlin said.
Dimwater placed a hand to her forehead and sighed. “How did this happen?” she repeated.
“I’m not sure,” Marlin replied. He kept his nose buried in the black, leather bound tome, pouring over its contents. “But, I have a theory.”
Lady Dimwater tapped her finger on the table. “You going to share it with me?” she nagged.
Marlin nodded. He pulled back from the thick tome and wiped a hand over his face with a sigh. “The magic Erik uses is extremely unique.” Marlin leaned back and pointed to a book on a shelf. “Can you send that book to me?”
Lady Dimwater waved her hand and the book flew from the shelf to hover in front of Marlin’s face. “Shall I open it for you as well?”
Marlin gave a wry laugh and pushed the book to the table. “How did you do that?” he asked. He could see the confusion and anger
Trenton jerked his shoulder free and spat in Bracken’s face. “May Khefir take you and drag you to Hammenfein.”
Bracken laughed. “It doesn’t have to be this way. I can just as easily pin the blame on the real culprits and allow you to walk away. Your family will be taken under my wing, and protected once the new era begins.”
“You will not succeed,” Trenton swore. “Lepkin and my son will stop you.”
“No, they won’t,” Bracken hissed. “Should Lepkin, or anyone else, come against me, I will have them branded traitors just like you. Every proud head that refuses to bow to me shall be lopped off.” Bracken stood and backed away. “This is your final chance, Lokton, tell me where you stand. Are you willing to forfeit your life and the lives of your family and friends just so your petty ‘honor’ remains intact by stubbornly serving a ghost of a king?”
“House Lokton serves the king,” Trenton said.
“What if I told you that Sir Duval and Mr. Stilwell were the true murderers?” Bracken asked. “Duvall placed the dagger in the magistrate’s back and helped Stilwell escape from your prison.”
“How could you know this?” Trenton spat.
“Because I am the one who hired them,” Bracken smiled. “Ironic how the ‘honor’ you hold so dear means so little to those you have surrounded yourself with.” Bracken turned and went for the door. “No matter, your death will allow me to pull House Cedreau under my wing.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “It might interest you to know that I have Mr. Stilwell’s and Sir Duvall’s bodies with me. I will present them as evidence of your treachery.”
“You hired them, and then you killed them?” Lokton asked.
“Delicious, isn’t it?” Bracken cackled.
“You are a monster,” Trenton said.
Bracken nodded and exited the wagon. “He’s all yours,” he said to someone standing out of view. “Just leave enough of him so I can hold the tribunal,” Bracken instructed.
The bearded guard stepped into the wagon. “I’ll try to keep him alive,” he promised.
Bracken sneered one final time at Trenton and then slammed the wagon shut.
CHAPTER FOUR
“What do you mean?” Dimwater demanded.
Marlin shushed her and put a finger to her lips. “Please, keep your voice down, he is only in the next room, and he is just as confused as we are about the whole thing. ”
“How did this happen?” Lady Dimwater asked as she tossed a book to the table.
“I wish I knew, Marlin replied. “I only know that it is so. I examined him thoroughly.”
“So Lepkin is now inside of Erik’s body and Erik is inside Lepkin’s. That is what you are saying?”
“It would appear so,” Marlin said.
Dimwater placed a hand to her forehead and sighed. “How did this happen?” she repeated.
“I’m not sure,” Marlin replied. He kept his nose buried in the black, leather bound tome, pouring over its contents. “But, I have a theory.”
Lady Dimwater tapped her finger on the table. “You going to share it with me?” she nagged.
Marlin nodded. He pulled back from the thick tome and wiped a hand over his face with a sigh. “The magic Erik uses is extremely unique.” Marlin leaned back and pointed to a book on a shelf. “Can you send that book to me?”
Lady Dimwater waved her hand and the book flew from the shelf to hover in front of Marlin’s face. “Shall I open it for you as well?”
Marlin gave a wry laugh and pushed the book to the table. “How did you do that?” he asked. He could see the confusion and anger
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