Chapter Eleven

He knew I would come for Angelo. He was ready.

A soldier seized my hair and another ripped Angelo away from me. Tears stung as the soldier pulled harder. I reached for my sword, but it was no longer there.

“Let go of me you-“ Angelo’s voice cut off as I heard a fist slap his mouth.

A defiant cry came from my lips as I twisted around and kicked the soldier who held my hair. After two good, swift kicks, he let go. I clasped both fists together and swung my arms, catching him under the chin and sending him sprawling.

A guard scowled as he wrapped his thick arms around me, locking me in place. I bit him and he yelped. “You little witch!” I tasted blood in my mouth. Both my own and the guards as another soldier punched the side of my cheek.

As we were dragged into the Duke’s chambers, I realized that there were only four guards. I struggled, with no avail. I saw Angelo thrown over the shoulder of one soldier, and Nicholas being dragged unwillingly by the remaining two soldiers.

The guard let his arms release me and I fell to my knees. I jumped up again and slapped him across the face. He seemed shocked for a moment and then scowled deeply. He froze as the Duke’s voice echoed in the room. “Dismissed,”

“But sir-“

“Don’t question me.” The dangerous venom in his voice sent the soldiers bowing out of the room. I helped Angelo to his feet. Nicholas was glaring intensely at the spot where the Duke was sitting, the man’s face calm yet sinister.

Our swords were next to his hand.

“I’m surprised Nicholas. I thought the Baroness would have killed you to steal her precious jewel. The jewel that should be in my hands right now.”

“That jewel doesn’t belong to you!” I cried, my anger returning with new energy. “It will never belong to you.”

“Wrong,” he said, almost as if he was speaking to a child. “It always belong-“

“You just want it because your great-great-grandfather did!”

The Duke looked stricken, and his words were forced. “You’ve been filled with the Baroness’s lies! That jewel is mine!”

“I should have never listened to you! I should have never tried to steal for you!” I shouted.

The Duke scowled deeply, and reached out to strike me. Angelo shot forward and began to shower the Duke with his punches and kicks. The Duke started in surprise as one fist made contact with his lip.

The next moment, Angelo was on the ground, moaning. His lip was cut, and his nose was bleeding.

“You b*****d!” I growled. I seized my sword from the table, but it also put me closer to the man.

“Now, it is your turn,” he said.

As he pulled out his sword, I noticed something. He wasn’t balanced. His legs were not spaced correctly and one arm was behind his back. That was a big mistake. Before he had his gold sword fully out of his sheath, I lunged. Knocking the sword from his hand, I pushed his back and he lost his balance and fell into the table. The tip of my sword was at his throat an instant later.

His eyes were wide in surprise, and I could see the fear. The fear of my blade and the fear of me. He sneered. “It seems you have an Angel watching over you. You’re lucky. But not lucky enough. Nicholas! Kill her.”

“No,”

“Do as I say!”

“Or else?” He was so calm, so brave.

The Duke smiled wickedly. “Or else your family in the country is killed in her place.”

Nicholas remained stone still. Then, a slow smile appeared on his face. “No. I don’t have to listen to you anymore Duke.”

“What?” The Duke looked furious-almost insane. “You must do as I say! Or I’ll kill your family and this thief.”

Nicholas reached into his cloak pocket and product a scroll. “You forget what day it is, Duke.”

The Duke scowled. Then, his eyes widened in horror. “No!”

“You signed. It was an agreement. I work for you until the day I turn eighteen. Then, you will leave my family alone and I am free to go.”

He dropped the scroll at his feet. Nicholas picked up a sword and also pointed it at him. “Which means my family is no longer under your shadow and I’m free to do this.”

With one quick swing, Nicholas’s blade tip sliced open the Duke’s skin. On the right shoulder, where Nicholas had a scar that matched. The Duke gasped and jerked. A line of blood appeared on his neck where my sword touched his throat. Blood began to soak his clean white shirt, yet he didn’t seem to notice.

“If you dare try to come after us,” I threatened. “I will personally come for you and kill you.”

The Duke was afraid. And he didn’t move as I took my blade away. He remained stone still as Nicholas helped Angelo to his feet. Angelo was first to disappear through the darkness outside the window, then Nicholas. As I swung my leg over the side, I called out to the Duke:

“That’s a promise, Duke.” I glared my fire at him. “I don’t go back on promises.”

His ice never touched me. It melted at my heat, my flame.

As the darkness swallowed me, I heard him scream his curses at me. He cursed and wished death on me. He didn’t even say it to my face.

What a coward.

That didn’t matter anymore.

The sun rose as we walked down the river. The sun painted the sky and everything on land with red and orange and gold. The river shined not with the silver moon, but with the golden sunlight. I held Angelo close to me and Nicholas’s arm was around my waist. We met the sunlight as it peaked over the hills and the top of the Notre Dame.

 

Reviews

[Kelley]

I would change "He knew. He knew I would come for Angelo." to "He knew. I would come for Angelo."
it just sounds better.

I would also change "I clasped both fist together and swing my arms, catching him under the chin and sending him sprawling" to "I clasped both fist together and swung my arms, catching him under the chin and sending him sprawling"

Now that was a perfect ending!!! I loved the whole story Eliza!!!

Kelley