“I dragged two out of the brothel,” Vasil said, his eyes flickering with red. “Where is the second?”
Earl motioned to a man who had pissed his pants hiding behind another noble in the back of the group. The guild master handed Vasil another axe.
The noble scrambled into a run, and Vasil pursued him.
Vasil swooped in and swung. The axe sliced the man’s neck as if Vasil were cutting wood, and the head bounced. It rolled to a stop. The body flopped, spilling blood onto the dirt.
Faust’s skin felt clammy, and his breathing had quickened. For the good of the people or not, he did not want to witness any more of this. His heart felt like it would burst from his chest.
Earl sighed. “As much as I agree with your instant actions, they were meant to be interrogated first, Vas. My wolves could have hunted them down.”
Vasil scoffed. “Anyone who feels it is their right to fuck an unwilling participant is to be executed on the spot, information or not. You may think it is too merciful, but there is another who deals with these filth. They will never walk Alimphis again.”
Faust touched his forehead. Vasil must have meant Sortiris, the deity in white. Faust had no idea Sortiris carried such power. It meant despite his docile nature, Sortiris had a vicious side. Perhaps Sortiris was far more dangerous than Faust thought.
The wolves growled and Faust jumped, clenching the armrests.
“Are you all right, Lord Arcus?” Roe whispered.
Faust honestly didn’t know, but he nodded anyway. He wanted to get out of here—away from death and the wolves. The healer didn’t seem to believe him with the deep frown Roe gave him.
Vasil motioned to the people in drapes. “The victims deserve swift vengeance, not something drawn out by useless courts. The ruling is the same either way.”
Earl shrugged.
Vasil turned his gaze to the rest of the nobles. The deity’s glare locked them in place like prey. “Those who swindled coin must pay it all back and work the job they forced on others. They will earn the same amount they forced upon the people. It will be your only way to have a chance of surviving into the next life.”
“We will never agree to that,” a noble said, raising his voice.
“Then die.” Vasil laughed.
Faust shuddered.
“This is the price you must pay for controlling others,” Vasil said.
The noble huffed. “I can pay whatever you want.”
Vasil kicked the noble in the face with a satisfying crack, breaking the man’s nose. “You will serve the longest.”
A young woman shuffling toward the deity caught Faust’s attention. She looked determined and afraid all the same. Her eyes weren’t on Vasil, but a noble in the back who refused to meet anyone’s gaze.
Vasil turned to the woman.
She held her drape tight.
“Is there another?” Vasil asked, his voice just above a whisper, kind and inviting.
The woman pointed to the man with his head down, her hand shaking. “He forced me to bed him so my grandfather would be spared hard manual labor.” She took a deep breath, tears spilling over her cheeks. “They killed him anyway.”
Vasil’s eyes darkened. He pulled out his pistol and aimed. The noble didn’t look up, accepting his fate. Vasil fired, lowering his gun once the man had slumped into the dirt. “I cannot return everything you have lost,” Vasil said, “but know this, these vile cesspools called brothels will be purged from Windilum soon. You have my word.”
She mumbled her thanks through her tears and bowed her head.
Vasil frowned and leaned to catch her gaze. “You need not bow to anyone. Is there someone you can rely upon?”
Faust observed another woman walk toward the pair. She must have been her younger sister with the way she put on a brave face.
Vasil took a respectful step back.
“The guild will see to them,” Earl said. He motioned for a female member to help the ladies and waited for them to be out of sight.
Faust frowned. Vasil looked agitated.
“Is there more you wish to say?” Earl prompted and petted the wolf at his side. The wolf rubbed its face against the guild master’s waist.
All eyes were on the deity.
Vasil took a slow breath as if he remembered the correct words to say. “Those who fall to malice and greed are not welcome in Windilum, including those who have slaughtered the people of our kingdom. I will dethrone those green bastards and we will regain what is ours.”
An awed silence settled among the people.
“Helping one another is the way of Windilum,” Vasil continued. “Those with power and coins help those without. Warriors protect those who cannot or wish not to fight. All people are equal no matter the duty.” Vasil addressed the men, gazing into their eyes one at a time in a sweeping glance. “The lack of respect for women in these times is unacceptable. They are our equals.”
Faust leaned back in the wheelkin, suppressing a smile despite his growing nausea. He agreed with this speech wholeheartedly.
Vasil squared his shoulders. “That should be all for the public executions. If there are any more, I will deal with them later. I leave the rest to you, Earl.” The deity paused briefly enough to snap his fingers and the fire stone at his hip sparked crimson. The lingering bodies turned to ash leaving the odor of burning flesh in the air.
The wolves howled again.
Earl clicked his tongue once. The wolves stood around him, and with another click of Earl’s tongue, they circled the nobles, growling and snarling.
Faust covered his mouth, leaning forward, overpowered by the odor in the air. The scent brought back the vision of Vasil surrounded by thousands of decaying bodies. His stomach turned at the faint memory of the putrid smell with the similar smell nearby. If he moved the wrong way, Faust was certain he would lose the medicine he’d taken.
“What do you think you’re doing, Vas?” Roe bristled.
Faust snapped his head up to see Vasil in front of him.
Vasil hoisted the king into his arms.
Faust sucked in a breath, seeing stars. He gripped at Vasil’s shoulders hard, his breathing short and fast. He leaned his head over the deity’s shoulder in a desperate attempt not to hurl on the deity, but the bile passed his lips and he coughed it out. His body shook, forcing black spots into his vision. At least the smell faded away with the sound of yelling and his own coughing.
Seven
Shouts and blurry figures surrounded Faust. Anytime he tried to focus on the vision, nothing was clear. Someone was scolding Vasil. He thought no one would have the nerve to yell at Vasil. He was a powerful deity and an intimidating one at that.
“You need to be more careful, Vasil!” The angry voice shouted. It was deep and carried a similar tone Konrad used with him sometimes.
A crash and angry growl came next.
Blue sparked with a much quieter order.
Linos.
Heat surged through his veins and wind swirled around him in a gentle cradle, silencing Faust’s surroundings. He could stay here forever, but the heat retreated.
Faust reached for it.
The High King cracked his eyes open, his hand a breath away from touching Vasil’s face.
Vasil stared, relief flooding his eyes. The deity moved back and sat heavily in a chair, rubbing his face.