Read Online The Madness of Gods and Kings by Christian Warren Freed - Free Book Online
Authors: Christian Warren Freed
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visceral edge. “You refer to your beloved Prince Aurec. Or perhaps I should say king, for the death of his father--at your father’s hands--has left him the heir to a ruined kingdom.”
“My father wouldn’t have.” Her protest sounded weak even as she said it.
“But he did. Badron relished murdering his way through Rogscroft. He personally took the head from King Stelskor and had the body strung up on the wall. I know. I was there. Your father killed all of those people at my urging.”
The revelation exploded through the corners of her mind. Maleela tried to push aside denial, refusing to believe her father capable of destroying so many lives. That’s when she recalled an earlier conversation with Anienam Keiss where he’d explained the Dae’shan and their foul, manipulative ways. Logic directed her to the answers she desperately wanted.
“You’re one of them,” she said as her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Them?”
She could almost hear his head cock as he toyed with her. “One of the Dae’shan.”
The hiss escaping his lips reminded her of a nest of snakes. “You are remarkably well informed. Perhaps we should have killed you outright rather than attempt to illuminate you.”
“Your words drip poison. I know of your kind,” she retorted. “Murderers and usurpers! You have been a bane on humanity for generations.”
Amar Kit’han snarled within the comforts of his hood. He underestimated her, a mistake he was unaccustomed to making. The leader of the Dae’shan regretted not having her killed long ago when he first arrived in Delranan. She was much stronger than any of her bloodline, save perhaps Bahr. But the Sea Wolf was a grizzled, old man soured on the idea of having anything to do with his kingdom. Badron had been weak, easily manipulated into doing his bidding. Amar Kit’han languished under fresh doubts on whether he’d be able to coerce Maleela enough in time.
“Humanity should never have been allowed to crawl from the muck. The gods played with life, manipulating evolution until you became the plague you are now,” he hissed.
Maleela felt buoyed with an unexpected glimmer of hope. She saw a chance, just a sliver of hope of turning the tides on her captors. “Anienam told us you were once part of the very filth you now despise. You were once human.”
“That was long ago. We abandoned the constraints of mortality and humanity in favor of ascending to a greater world. What could a mere child know of becoming more than yourself? Mind your tongue lest I forget what I need you for.”
Frigid cold blasted through the cell and she was alone again. Maleela grinned, knowing she had just gotten the upper hand against a great evil. It was several moments longer before she tentatively stuck her hands out in search of her food. The Dae’shan was correct. She needed to eat in order to keep her strength. Time was fast approaching when she’d be in need of it.
* * * * *
“She shows remarkable insight, misdirected as it may be,” Kodan Bak said, reluctantly approving of Maleela’s worth. His bone-thin arms were clasped behind his back. The blackness of his robes lightened and darkened with his thoughts. “This one will be dangerous if she is not properly broken.”
Amar Kit’han stared down through the transparent floor watching Maleela hungrily devour her meal. As a special enticement they’d given her meat for the first time. The fact wasn’t lost on her. She devoured it like a starving jungle cat. “We shall see. Time is fleeing us much faster than I admit being prepared for. The hour draws near and she has not yet been shown her true destiny.”
“The girl is not necessary to our success,” Kodan countered logically.
They’d prepared for this hour for centuries, culling humanity in efforts of finding the perfect genetic combination capable of releasing the power of the Olagath Stone and opening the portal between dimensions. Maleela and Badron were the results of all of
“My father wouldn’t have.” Her protest sounded weak even as she said it.
“But he did. Badron relished murdering his way through Rogscroft. He personally took the head from King Stelskor and had the body strung up on the wall. I know. I was there. Your father killed all of those people at my urging.”
The revelation exploded through the corners of her mind. Maleela tried to push aside denial, refusing to believe her father capable of destroying so many lives. That’s when she recalled an earlier conversation with Anienam Keiss where he’d explained the Dae’shan and their foul, manipulative ways. Logic directed her to the answers she desperately wanted.
“You’re one of them,” she said as her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Them?”
She could almost hear his head cock as he toyed with her. “One of the Dae’shan.”
The hiss escaping his lips reminded her of a nest of snakes. “You are remarkably well informed. Perhaps we should have killed you outright rather than attempt to illuminate you.”
“Your words drip poison. I know of your kind,” she retorted. “Murderers and usurpers! You have been a bane on humanity for generations.”
Amar Kit’han snarled within the comforts of his hood. He underestimated her, a mistake he was unaccustomed to making. The leader of the Dae’shan regretted not having her killed long ago when he first arrived in Delranan. She was much stronger than any of her bloodline, save perhaps Bahr. But the Sea Wolf was a grizzled, old man soured on the idea of having anything to do with his kingdom. Badron had been weak, easily manipulated into doing his bidding. Amar Kit’han languished under fresh doubts on whether he’d be able to coerce Maleela enough in time.
“Humanity should never have been allowed to crawl from the muck. The gods played with life, manipulating evolution until you became the plague you are now,” he hissed.
Maleela felt buoyed with an unexpected glimmer of hope. She saw a chance, just a sliver of hope of turning the tides on her captors. “Anienam told us you were once part of the very filth you now despise. You were once human.”
“That was long ago. We abandoned the constraints of mortality and humanity in favor of ascending to a greater world. What could a mere child know of becoming more than yourself? Mind your tongue lest I forget what I need you for.”
Frigid cold blasted through the cell and she was alone again. Maleela grinned, knowing she had just gotten the upper hand against a great evil. It was several moments longer before she tentatively stuck her hands out in search of her food. The Dae’shan was correct. She needed to eat in order to keep her strength. Time was fast approaching when she’d be in need of it.
* * * * *
“She shows remarkable insight, misdirected as it may be,” Kodan Bak said, reluctantly approving of Maleela’s worth. His bone-thin arms were clasped behind his back. The blackness of his robes lightened and darkened with his thoughts. “This one will be dangerous if she is not properly broken.”
Amar Kit’han stared down through the transparent floor watching Maleela hungrily devour her meal. As a special enticement they’d given her meat for the first time. The fact wasn’t lost on her. She devoured it like a starving jungle cat. “We shall see. Time is fleeing us much faster than I admit being prepared for. The hour draws near and she has not yet been shown her true destiny.”
“The girl is not necessary to our success,” Kodan countered logically.
They’d prepared for this hour for centuries, culling humanity in efforts of finding the perfect genetic combination capable of releasing the power of the Olagath Stone and opening the portal between dimensions. Maleela and Badron were the results of all of
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