“The men were all slaughtered, the slaves released, but not by dragons. By human hands. They were in the Outerplains at the time.”
“Riders. The Whore Queen’s new allies.” He sighed, sad for the barbarians. “Foolish women. To trust such a . . .” He shook his head. “Nothing we can do about it now. They’ve lost their souls, which is not our problem.”
“Should we keep looking for Gaius Domitus?”
“No. He’ll be back in the Provinces soon enough to be with his sister. Have our spies keep an eye on him once he’s there.”
“As you wish, my lord. And Lady Ageltrude is looking for you.”
“Yes, of course. My wife is ready to return to our home, I think.”
“I’m sure she is, my lord.”
Together, they left the suns-soaked battlements and headed down to the first floor. As soon as they walked into the main hall, Roland’s oldest boy ran to him.
“Daddy!”
Roland lifted his son in his arms, held him tight. “There’s my boy. Ready to go home?”
“Yes. I’m very bored.”
His son was smart like Roland’s beautiful wife and would one day make a great king. He’d brought his son on this peacekeeping mission because Roland wanted to be the one to teach him not only the ways of their god, but the ways of politics.
“Where’s your mama?”
“Outside. Waiting for you.”
“Then we’d best go to her.”
Still holding his son, Roland walked out the large double doors and onto the stairs, with de Vitis behind him.
Roland’s beautiful wife, Ageltrude, stood waiting with her orphaned nephew and niece. They were the children of Ageltrude’s brother who’d died many years ago. Armed and ready, they protected their aunt without question. Something Roland appreciated.
The early morning suns beamed down on his wife’s regal head. She was everything Roland could ask for in a woman. Intelligent. Beautiful. Royal. Pure.
In their ten years together, she’d given Roland four beautiful sons and a wealth of excellent advice. She was also dedicated to his god and, Roland truly believed, a gift from Chramnesind himself for loyal service.
“Ready, my love?” he asked.
“Of course.” She tightened the fur cape around her shoulders and walked down the stairs, leading the way for the rest of them.
Roland happily followed, watching his wife as she moved. Laughing, she looked over her shoulder at him, and said, “A beautiful sacrifice to our god.”
He had to agree, for the screams of dying heretics were music to the ears of Chramnesind.
Roland glanced around at the field of those who would not submit to Chramnesind. In order to save their wretched souls, each heretic was held or tied down and molten silver poured into their eyes. It was an excruciating death, but it purified them. Brought them closer to Chramnesind. A gift, really.
So the screams and cries of those not already dead . . . ? Nothing but hymns of praise to the one true god.
When they reached their carriage, de Vitis took Roland’s son from his arms and placed him inside. Ageltrude turned to him, smiled in that beautiful way she had.
“Anything I need to know?” she asked quietly.
“They lost the Quintilian King.”
Her beautiful eyes darkened and Roland knew that she was angry. Not with him, but with incompetence. His wife had no patience for incompetence. “That is unfortunate.”
“Do not worry. We’ll get him—and if he does truly know anything, we will cut it out of him.”
She let out a breath, smiled. “I don’t worry when you’re in charge.” She pressed her hand to his cheek and kissed him softly on the lips. “Now . . . let’s go home before that smell of burned flesh invades all my clothes.”
Chapter Thirteen
Gaius slowly woke up. He felt warm and safe and very comfortable. The Southlanders had the best beds. So good, in fact, he let himself luxuriate in that warm, comfortable feeling until he heard snoring. Deep, loud snoring.
Male snoring.
Gaius forced his eyes open and immediately noticed that his arms were around tiny Tatyana Shestakova. But she wasn’t the one snoring. That was Ivan Khoruzhaya behind her.
Even more horrifying, Yelena Khoruzhaya was pressed up against Gaius’s back.
What the hell had happened last night? What the hell was happening right now?
Gaius sat up and barked, “By Iovis’s cock, what is happening here?”
Marina Aleksandrovna, who slept by Gaius’s feet, lifted her head, stared at him a moment, then turned over and seemingly went back to sleep.
So Gaius dropped his head back and unleashed flame, burning the ceiling above and rousing every Rider near him as they reached for and brandished their closest weapons.
That’s when Kachka Shestakova slowly sat up. She was on the far side of the bed, her eyes bleary from drink. She yawned and scratched her head as she gazed at him. “What?”
“Why are all these people in my bed?”