Page 40 of House of the Beast

Chapter

E verything felt cold after that light—Aster’s light—drained away.

The blood loss did not help. I struggled not to shiver on top of the firm leather armchair, trying to make myself comfortable though my chest felt so empty and wanting.

As soon as my uncle had been rushed away to be treated, I had been led to a parlor room where I was now being attended by a Sorrowless Disciple.

The tingle of his magic was foreign, almost nauseating, after I had come so close to my own god’s power.

I tried to ignore it as well as his eerie, unwavering smile as the court’s Inquisitor renewed her line of questioning.

“Why did Lord Maximus choose you, specifically?”

“I don’t know.”

It felt like I had repeated these words almost a dozen times in the last thirty minutes. The Inquisitor was not impressed. She wanted answers and was convinced that I had them.

I did not know how to prove that I didn’t.

If my lack of insight wasn’t good enough for the court, then it certainly wasn’t good enough for Darantha, who had come into the parlor looking ready to strangle me with her bare hands.

Lord Maximus Avera was not dead but so gravely wounded they feared he would not wake up again.

Darantha was beside herself, held together only by the presence of her older brother, Lord Carnus Metia, who sat in the corner watching me with narrowed eyes.

He was here as an official of the court, being the leader of House Metia and thus a member of their highest circle, and also as an adjutant for the Inquisitor: under his eye, no deceit would go unnoticed.

My father and Kaim were present too, having already gone through their much briefer questioning.

“Had you spoken to your uncle before today?” the Inquisitor asked me.

“No,” I answered again. She had tried this question from multiple angles already—perhaps hoping to jog my memory or trying to trick me into revealing something. But how could I reveal information that didn’t exist? “Tonight was my first time meeting him in person.”

“In person? So, you’ve never conversed over writing, or anything else?”

“No,” I repeated, exasperated.

“Then why on earth would Maximus declare you his heir?” snapped Darantha, whose patience had apparently worn thin. “He had no reason to. All his life, he raised Kaim to succeed him. It makes no sense, Inquisitor, and I demand an explanation!”

I let out a breath slowly, trying to stay calm.

Despite the Sorrowless Disciple’s healing touch, my shoulder still felt sore, the new flesh a little raw, and I wanted only to lie down and rest. The evening’s events had left me exhausted.

Everything had happened so quickly I hadn’t had a chance to even wipe my uncle’s blood off my hands.

I was still trying to process his attack.

Not to mention the fact that I apparently was now considered the honorary leader of House Avera, while my uncle lay incapacitated.

Though it was everything I had been working toward, I could feel no satisfaction from this victory.

I had always thought I would earn the title of First Hand forcefully, by wrenching it from my family’s grasp.

Not having it given to me by a madman. The more I tried to convince myself it made no difference, the hollower it felt—and the more frustrated I became at my own uncertainty.

I had simply never imagined succeeding in this way—or having so many people questioning me and treating me like a criminal after.

“What did Lord Maximus say to you, exactly?” the Inquisitor asked yet again.

“He asked me to prove my worth,” I answered. “When I tried to refuse his challenge, he said we were both vessels for something greater, and that I had no choice.”

At least this lent credence to the role of the pious Pilgrim that I was playing. Perhaps if they believed that this had been a battle between two vessels of House Avera, a test of our loyalty to the Dread Beast, then they would let me go.

And then I could ask Aster what was really going on.

“A test of your worth,” said the Inquisitor thoughtfully. “And then he declared you his successor?”

“Maximus clearly did not mean it,” said Darantha quickly.

“He showed up in his bathrobe, for heaven’s sake.

We all knew he was unwell, and he should have been at home, resting.

If he were able, then he would assure us that this was all a mistake, but he cannot because he has been stabbed through the chest . ”

“He attacked me,” I said angrily. “What was I to do, lay down and die?”

“That would have made things easier for all of us.”

“Lady Darantha, I’m afraid that comment is out of line,” said the Inquisitor sternly.

“I agree with Darantha about Maximus’s health,” said my father.

He sat beside the Inquisitor with his legs crossed, looking thoughtful.

I had expected him to come in here raging as much as Darantha, but he had only fixed me with a calm gaze and retreated to his own corner of the parlor.

Perhaps that was also why my victory felt hollow.

I didn’t feel as though I’d triumphed over him at all.

“My brother clearly wasn’t in his right mind.

I don’t think we can trust his word, in which case it is better to do as we had all originally planned, which was to have us all enter the umbral plane, and whoever emerges victorious shall take the title of First Hand. ”

“And what if one of the other Houses is the one to slay the fallen star?” said Darantha.

“We can’t leave that up to chance—especially not with your mongrel also participating.

I propose that we go with his original arrangement, which was to name Kaim as his heir and the next First Hand of the Dread Beast.”

My father sighed. “He never officially named Kaim his heir, you infuriating woman, and you know it. The matter was always going to be settled on this Pilgrimage.”

“Hold on,” I said loudly over the both of them. “So you’ll just disregard that my uncle had already passed the title to me?”

I couldn’t believe it. Indignance flared through me at how easily they snubbed my claim.

Had I not proved myself enough? What exactly would it take to convince my family that I was the one the Beast had chosen?

The fulgent clarity that had led the thrust of my sword still tingled in my metal hand.

In the midst of all this chaos, I knew one thing for certain: for one brief moment, I had hosted a god inside my body, and that meant something far greater than this petty squabble we were having over my uncle’s words.

Kaim stood. He had been silently brooding in the corner, dark as a thundercloud, ever since he entered this room, but now he turned his ire upon me.

“My father was barely aware of your existence before tonight,” he snarled.

None of the meager goodwill he had shown me before the ceremony was left in his expression.

“You aren’t becoming the head of House Avera just because he spoke a few thoughtless words after being grievously injured. I won’t accept it.”

“Exactly,” agreed Darantha passionately. “In fact, I still do not believe that you are free of guilt in this whole scenario. Inquisitor, I propose that Zander’s daughter is excluded from the Pilgrimage entirely.”

“Lady Alma has passed both the trials, and has committed no notable crimes,” said the Inquisitor slowly.

“If we are to believe that this was an episode of Lord Maximus’s madness, then she must be exempt from any fault.

Therefore, she has permission to enter the umbral gate as a Pilgrim of the Four, if she so wishes. ”

“Of course I do,” I assured her angrily. “Seeing as no one wants to take me seriously otherwise.”

“Then we will proceed with the Pilgrimage as originally planned,” declared Lord Carnus. “Maximus will receive the care he needs, and when he recovers, we will have all the time in the world to ask him what he was thinking. Let us retire for the night; the hour is already late.”

That, it seemed, was that. My uncle’s words would be nothing more than the mutterings of a lunatic.

My brief stint as the First Hand of the Dread Beast was over.

But I knew, as my father and Kaim both stood, their dark eyes turned upon me, that one thing had changed: where I might have been a minor obstacle before, they now understood that I was the true enemy to overcome.

I had defeated the greatest swordsman in Kugara in single combat.

Everyone had heard my uncle naming me his heir.

If they still wanted a chance at becoming the leader of House Avera, they would have to take me down first.

Refusing to balk at their dual scrutiny, I followed Lord Carnus to the door.

It opened to reveal Sevelie and Fion both waiting in the carpeted hallway outside. As soon as they saw that we were done, they rushed over, Sevelie a few steps ahead of Fion.

“Kaim!” she called, going to her fiancé’s side. “I’m so sorry about Uncle Maximus. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” said Kaim stiffly, as though he wasn’t quite sure of his answer. “Thank you for your concern.”

Darantha was there immediately. She pulled at Sevelie, leading her away from our little group and farther down the hallway.

“Sevelie, dear,” I heard her say, “why don’t you come stay with us?

I simply don’t trust that girl to be around you after tonight, and who knows what could happen next?

Why, we have a whole day and a half until the Pilgrimage begins, and that’s too much time for a lovely young lady like yourself to spend alone with a criminal.

Kaim could use the comfort of your presence right now. ”