Page 29 of Consort's Dragon
“What is your name?”Titus asked.
“Death.”
The ridiculous answer had Avera rolling her eyes.Titus didn’t appreciate it either.He nodded to a man standing by a spoked wheel.The man turned it a few times and the creak of chains made Avera gasp.Those chains were attached to the assassin’s arms.As they grew taut, his limbs were stretched.
The assassin grimaced.“Go ahead and do your worst.I ain’t talking.”
“You will,” Titus promised coldly.“Name.”
“Fuck you.”
The wheel turned some more, and the assassin’s expression twisted in pain.
“Name.”
“Kary,” he gasped.
“See how easy that was.Who sent you, Kary?”
“Dunno.”
Titus didn’t even have to move for the wheel to crank some more.Something popped in Kary’s shoulder and he uttered a sharp scream.
Avera bit her lip lest she show weakness.She’d asked to be here.Complaining would most likely result in her being escorted out as she doubted Titus would temper his questioning methods.
“Who sent you?”
“I don’t know,” gasped Kary.
It took two soldiers on the wheel to crank, the tension enough she heard another audible pop as Kary’s second arm dislocated, drawing a painfilled cry.
Titus appeared unbothered as the man whimpered.“Let’s try again.Who hired you?”
“I dunno who commissioned the job.Guild master just told me my assignment.”
With that claim, Titus turned to look at a burly soldier by the door.No words were exchanged but the man left, and Avera didn’t need verbal confirmation to know he went to fetch the guild master.
Titus tucked his hands behind his back.“Since you know nothing, then I don’t have any more use for you.”
Kary blubbered.“You can’t kill me.I was just doing my job.”
“And now I’m doing mine,” Titus replied with cold finality.“I won’t have assassins thinking they can harm my future empress.”Titus turned away as the wheel resumed cranking.He held Avera by the elbow as he guided her from the room, but not quick enough to avoid hearing the hair-raising screams.
Titus appeared quite serious as he said, “I apologize.”
“For what?”she asked.
“For allowing the Assassins’ Guild a presence on Merisu.If I’d refused, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Why would you allow killers to set up shop in the first place?”
“We’ve always had assassins.Or should I say, those willing to kill for payment.Most times it’s the squabbling lords who employ them.I thought a guild offering everyone the same chance would make some of them think twice.After all, if anyone can hire a killer, then anyone can be a victim.”
“And has that worked?”
He shrugged.“Too soon to really tell.But it doesn’t matter anymore.As of today, I am revoking their permission to operate.They broke the most important rule I set in place.To never harm me or anyone in my entourage.”
“I’m not technically part of your entourage.”
