Page 14 of The Laws of Nature (Heirs of the Empire #3)

HAROK

H arok’s body aches from so long a ride and he fears greatly for the injuries Tamello suffered at the hands of the foul and cowardly Exceli. There is much he must consider now. Many decisions he must make.

But the first piece of his mother’s plan is in place and he can only pray it works.

He is in no hurry to return to the Sacred Hall of Susal-ur-Bellan and face the Solwen and all the problems that will be laid at his feet.

Instead he stays where he is and watches.

Harok has never seen a man like this Tobi Darekul. He tips his head as he looks closer. His face is quite sweetly innocent. Harok fancies he can see the boy Tobi Darekul once was in that face. It is rounded in contrast to his slender body and gives him a sweet air of guileless innocence.

Tobi Darekul’s eyes are pale grey, like rain clouds. Harok had needed to peer closely into them to see the silver there when he looked into Tobi’s eyes beside Susal-ur-Bellan.

Silver in the eyes. A sign of fae-blood.

Harok wonders if this is why he colours his hair so half of it is pale.

Perhaps he wishes to enhance his fae looks by colouring his hair so.

Although any who had seen a fae creature would be able to tell from looking at Tobi’s face what he carried inside him.

His big wide eyes and high elegant cheekbones are as strongly fae as any features Harok has ever seen on a human man.

No wonder he finds it so easy to bewitch his audiences.

Dark and light.

Suskara.

Even his clothing is quite strange. Those tight breeches are wanton. It pleases Harok to see them, but they must have been uncomfortable travelling through the forest. And Suskara’s upper body is barely clad at all in that tiny waistcoat.

Harok knows that fine lords of the empire love to dress in silk jackets that are richly embroidered with threads of gold and fine jewels mined from deep in the earth.

Impractical items that display their wealth and status.

But Suskara’s clothes are not meant to display his wealth.

Harok is certain he is not wealthy despite his noble birth.

Suskara’s clothing is meant to display himself. His body. The body he offers to beasts.

Harok shifts on the low stool at the thought. Suskara offers that body to wild beasts. Beast like the one he is wrapped around, cooing over.

Unbidden, the thought comes that perhaps Harok could be one of those beasts himself, snarling and savaging the flesh of his brave little Suskara. He feels soft at the thought .

Harok looks up when he hears a voice calling his name, “Irgo Harok.”

The speaker is Mereli. Harok’s closest advisor, a man many claim is the oldest and wisest in all of Urynwud.

He is wobbling down the aisle between the stalls, leaning on a staff.

Harok stands up and goes to greet him. When he reaches him he places both hands on the old man’s shoulders. “Mereli. It is good to see you.”

Mereli smiles. “And I you, my Irgo. Forgive me not being in the Sacred Hall to greet you.”

“No matter, Mereli.”

“I have been informed there was an attack by the Exceli as you journeyed back to Urynwud.”

Harok nods. “Yes. It is of concern. They had sworn not to come so close again since I slayed Jessal. But we should have known the Exceli are not to be trusted.”

Mereli nods. He glances over at Tobi Darekul. “But you have the Azurian?”

Harok nods.

Mereli’s expression is unreadable. But Harok knows Mereli does not think snatching a young man of Darek blood is wise. And he doubts Mereli will see any sense in allowing Tobi Darekul to bring his strange beast with him. But before Mereli can speak, Harok says, “I have my reasons for it, Mereli.”

“An Irgo need not explain his desires,” Mereli says deferentially. “But if you would come with me. There is a matter outside you must attend to.”

“Very well,” Harok says and follows Mereli out into the courtyard.

Two men and a woman are held on their knees by two of Harok’s Solwen warriors apiece. They are also Solwen, but they do not wear the triple black line on their faces. Instead their features are crossed by a red X .

Exceli.

More Solwen crowd around. Harok pushes his way through.

“The party who came by the ford captured them only a mile outside Urynwud,” says Mereli. “We believe they are part of the force who attacked you.”

Harok looks down at them. “Is this true?”

One of the men spits on the ground.

“You have been charged,” Harok says, “as part of the pact I made with the Exceli two moons ago not to come within ten leagues of Urynwud.”

“We honour no pact until you grant us access to Susal-ur-Bellan,” the man says and spits again, this time on Harok’s boot.

The woman snaps, “Diazuul kept peace in the forests for two hundred years,” speaking fast, her throat moving against a blade held to her neck.

“No,” Harok growls back at her. “Diazuul did not protect us. He enslaved us and killed our sons and daughters.”

“You will kill our sons and daughters,” shouts someone. Not one of the kneeling Exceli. Someone in the crowd of Solwen watching.

Harok spins around, as behind him, one of the Exceli shouts, “You are the true demon of the Amber Forest.”

“Enough,” Harok roars. “Bring me the Solwen who spoke.”

A moment later, a Solwen man is dragged, through the crowd and put on his knees before Harok.

He is rangy and thin and looks to have seen fifty summers.

Harok pulls out a small dagger from his belt and uses it to lift the man’s chin.

The man looks up from his knees. Harok considers him for a moment, lets the fear build, before he speaks the man’s name. “Gil. ”

Gil nods, shakily.

“You are loyal to the demon Diazuul? You believe Diazuul protected the Solwen? The monster who demanded blood sacrifices every year on the long night? Who demanded the death of my father Irgo Lal?”

Gil is shaking. “Yes, Your Majesty. Your father was a great Irgo. He was honoured to be bound to Diazuul. Many more Solwen would accept such an honour.”

Behind Harok, one of the Exceli shouts, “Hail Diazuul, protector of the Solwen.”

Harok isn’t certain, but he is sure he can sense some of the Solwen of Urynwud agreeing, cowards who are not brave enough to publicly declare their support of the Exceli. Cowards who are not as brave as the man Harok has on his knees.

“You do not believe I slayed Diazuul in the pit below Susal-ur-Bellan?”

“No, Your Majesty,” says Gil. “No man can slay a God.”

No man can slay a God.

Harok drops his blade. It clatters on the stone floor. He pulls his sword from his back. He swings it around and touches the blade to Gil’s neck as if lining it up to take the man’s head. “Are you sure?” he growls.

He feels the crowd around him hold its breath. Bracing to see their Irgo take off a man’s head in front of them. He has done so before.

Gil swallows. His face is paling as if he regrets his treachery. “Please, Sire, my Irgo, grant access to Susal-ur-Bellan for those that wish it.”

Plainly, Harok says, “Asking for such a thing is heresy.” He looks at Gil. He is clearly shaking with fear. But he is willing to die here. To die for his faith in Diazuul .

Behind him, Harok hears Mereli say, “Your Majesty, please. Not on the day you anoint your kushir.”

Gil takes a breath.

Harok sighs. Mereli’s counsel is always wise. He lowers the sword. He has no belly for this today. “Not on the day I anoint my kushir.” He resheathes his sword. He looks at Gil as relief floods him, then says, “Lock him up. See what he says on the morrow.”

The guard beside Gil nods. “Yes, Your Majesty. And the Exceli prisoners?”

Harok turns back to look at them. “Behead two of them. Flog the other and turn them out of the gates naked to return and tell the Exceli forces they will retreat to ten leagues from Urynwud or I will slay them all.”

He turns to the gathered Ambolk and barks, “Diazuul is dead and gone. The Exceli will leave us in peace or be destroyed. Any in Urynwud who wish to join their cause may do so. Leave Urynwud and join the heretics. But know that they, and all Exceli, will face my wrath.”

“Irgo,” says one of the guards holding the Exceli, as Harok turns to go, “which one of the heretics do you wish to spare execution?”

Harok turns back and looks at the three kneeling Exceli. “You choose. Or let them.”

He turns away and stamps through the crowds back into the Sacred Hall. As he does so, he sees Lymok, rushing towards him, “Irgo,” Lymok says, “I wish to speak with you.”

“Not now, Lymok,” Harok snaps back. “I have duties for you.”

Lymok gives Harok a small bow, “Yes, Irgo.”

“See to the kushir. He’s with his beast. Take him to his bedchamber. Have him bathed and prepared for the anointing in the zhilvar. And answer any questions he has.”