Page 186 of Heart of the High King
Conley changed the image, and Drystan closed his eyes at the battered and bloody form that was barely recognizable as a living being lying in a hospital bed. There was no need to look at it; the picture had been burned into his memory months and months ago. When Boian went green, Drystan grabbed the trash can and deftly got it in front of him just as he hurled.
“For nearly six months, Charlton and Sullivan kept Rafe chained to the wall as they beat him. They burned him, sometimes they starved him, or they flayed his skin off. And they got off on it, Boian,” Conley growled near the dragon’s ear. “Sullivan would have a big old hard-on as he inflicted as much pain as he could onto the man he’d called his best friend for centuries. That’s why those fuckers are going to die for what they’ve done. How bad do you want to go jail for people like that?”
When Boian was done vomiting, he wiped the moisture from his eyes. “Could I trouble you for a cloth?”
Alaric handed him a hanky, and Drystan contemplated a man who puked at a picture but had coldly ordered the murders of his brother and his mate. Their children were turned into servants, and though Noirin and Dravyn had grown to love cooking and gardening, their lives had been forever altered by Boian’s gutless actions.
“I hardly know Charlton,” Boian remarked. “I can’t tell you anything. I would like to talk to this Shadow Lord who will represent me. I’m done answering questions.”
“He will arrive within the hour,” Alaric promised.
The five undead men walked out into the hallway, and no one was happy with what little information they’d gained, but when Drystan got a text from Arvandus stating that the twins had been found, he grinned. “We’ve got Nollan and Neil.”
“Good,” Alaric responded. “I’m not content with what we’ve learned from Boian, nor am I willing to go easy on him. I plan on speaking to everyone who has been connected to him in the past. There is plenty to add to his sentence.”
“Finally, someone will get to break in that new prison section we designated for Consilium members.”
Alaric’s grin was feral. “It would be a shame for it to go to waste.”
