Page 67 of A Kingdom of Lies

This relationship was only going to work if we made it amicable. I had to try, for the sake of my end goal.

“And yet here I am still, contemplating why I’m even here in the first place.” His jaw feathered, eyes narrowing in on a spot at the front of the room. I kept looking at the chiselled lines of his dirt-covered face, recognising the gleam of grease that clung to his dark hair.

“You told me to come here. Believe me, if there was a reason not to drag you for miles at my side then I’d have preferred it.”

Duncan was as stiff as a spike of steel at my side. “I wasn’t exactly in my right mind after you almost killed me.”

“Almost,” I echoed. “You know, you never did say thank you. It wouldn’t hurt you to try. Or does providing recognition to the very beings you have sworn your life to hunt not happen often?”

“You’ll get over it.” His reply was cold. It was the type of sharp tone that revealed the speaker did not wish to be spoken to.

Shame. I’m not going anywhere.

“Even in the presence of a god you are a rude bastard, Duncan Rackley.”

“Is he going to smite me for my disrespect? Come here, right now, and punish me for my lack of belief?” Duncan didn’t sound as angry as his words suggested, but the tension in his face, his twisting scar, gave the expression of someone in pain. “The answer is no. No, he will not, Robin.”

“I sense I’ve hit a nerve.” I flinched as Duncan leaned forward, gripping the edge of the pew until his knuckles were as pale as bone.

“Severeda nerve more like,” Duncan confirmed.

I felt the urge to place a hand upon his back. The comforting thought caught me off guard. I soon realised he’d hate it and instead I kept them upon my own lap, useless and unwanted.

“You harbour a lot of hate for this place,” I said quietly. “Care to explain what it has done to you to make you feel such a way? Because from what I’ve seen, Nathanial loves you – don’t worry, I’m surprised by that too.”

Duncan’s nose scrunched as he shot me a side-eyed glare. “It’s not this place that I despise, but what it stands for. Praising a god that allows children to be left without parents. Do you not see how unfair that is? What god would see his own creations go without the love of a parent? What made me and the other children left at this doorstep any more undeserving than those who dwelled in the homes throughout this village and others?”

Duncan looked at me then. Truly looked at me. Stubble scratched across his jaw, deep, forest-green eyes shining with sadness all without the need for tears. His eyes flickered across my face as though searching for something hidden, lips parted in the promise of a secret that he did not share.

“If you do not believe in a god, then why join the Hunters?” The question haunted the silence between us. “Call me ignorant, but I see no sense in your choice.”

Duncan leaned back, blinking heavily, as my question settled over him. “The Creator promised peace, Duwar promised revenge. I picked what I felt was most just, as any young boy tormented by his parents’ death would. Sound familiar to you, Robin?”

I reared back, his words punching me in the gut.

Duncan took my moment of surprised silence to continue. It was his turn to strike a nerve. “We share something in common. I admit when you first demanded your audience with the Hand, I couldn’t help but notice how similar we are. I’ve never had the time to see your kind as more than just the means for the type of peace I required. Until you.”

I wanted to tell him that we were different, list the reasons which made him the monster, and not me. But I came up short, with not a single reason to give.

“Silence speaks louder than the guilty proclaiming their innocence.” Duncan’s voice was warm, despite what he was saying.

“I never preached my innocence,” I replied, looking down at my hands, fingers fidgeting on my lap.

“And I get the impression you are far from innocent.” Duncan stood abruptly.

“So I do scare you?” I asked, standing up beside him to block the way out. “Running away from conversation seems to be a speciality of yours.”

“I said intrigue, not fear.” Duncan smiled slowly, large hands finding themselves upon the belt around his hips. “I better go wash myself down,Duwarknows I need it. Then we are going to carry on this conversation later. No one is running this time. Not yet at least.”

Duncan stepped towards me, hands grasping my shoulders as he swivelled me out of the way. His grip was gentle, yet firm, a knowing touch with the confidence of control over another body. His toes touched mine as he shuffled past, looking down his nose at me as I glared up at him.

For a single moment, I couldn’t catch a breath.

Once Duncan had passed me and his touch was no more than a faint whisper across my arms, he spoke. “I always found this place boring. Days long and nights endless. Do me a favour, if you are up to it. Behind the altar, through the wooden door, is a room filled with wine. Nathanial was always a magpie for the stuff and will have bottles, so many he will not notice if any are missing.”

Duncan had a talent, one of distraction. Perhaps that was what set me at ease even after the tense conversation. It was impressive to recognise how Duncan could remove himself from his emotions and mask it. I wished I could do that, instead I was ruled by them, guided to make decisions that risked everything.

Perhaps I should’ve refused, demanded that he sat back down so I could understand him and, in turn, allow him to understand me better. That would have been important if we were meant to use one another to get to Lockinge. But what else was important was a distraction, and it had been far too long since I’d one of those last.

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