Page 36 of Stalk the Dark
Damn right he would.
Ordell relaxed back in his seat.
“There will be a ball at the end of this month, also,” Ezekiel said. “A chance for the humans to meet their king.”
Hemlock looked up sharply, but once again, it was Ordell that spoke.
“What makes you think they want to meet you?”
What little warmth had bled into Ezekiel’s expression bled right back out again. “Their wants don’t matter. There will be a ball, and you will all attend.”
The door at the far end of the room opened, and a young man popped his head around it. “Um, my liege, the…um…entertainment is becoming a little…um…agitated.”
Agitated? Oh…oh no. I didn’t like the sound of this.
Ezekiel’s lips thinned. “Thank you, Matthew. We’ll be along momentarily.”
Matthew ducked back out of the room, and Ezekiel drained the contents of his goblet. “Shall we?” He arched a dark brow.
I arched one back. “Do we have a choice?”
He smirked. “Follow me.”
The air around him shimmered, and the next moment, he was by the door.
His mouth lifted in a wicked smile. “Now for a little fun.”
I highly doubted we had the same idea of fun.
My suspicions were confirmeda few minutes later when Ezekiel led us onto a balcony overlooking a stone chamber where a man was shackled to the floor. He looked up as we entered, eyes wild with terror.
He was an older man, maybe midforties, shaking with fright as he stood on the flagstones below, barefoot and shirtless. His shoulders curved in against the chill.
“Please!” the man implored. The chains fixed to his shackles clanked as he raised his hands to beseech Ezekiel. “Please let me go. I didn’t do anything.”
“That is true,” Ezekiel said. “You did not do anything, but your grandfather did, and since he is dead and so is your father, you will pay the price for their sins.”
I stepped closer to him. “What are you talking about?”
“The Laroux family manage the Tepes finances, and the coffers are inexplicably light this century.”
“So his grandfather stole from you, I get that. But this man is innocent.”
“He is guilty by blood, and with blood he will pay.”
“So you’re what? You’re going to hurt him and make us watch? That may be entertainment to you, but it certainly isn’t entertainment to us. It’s sick.”
A dead, flat look came over his face, and I knew I’d gone too far.
“Your feelings do not matter. You will watch, and you will learn what happens to those that take from me. A debt will be paid this day.”
Apertures opened in the wall, and creatures crawled out. Bats. Huge bats, but not like Godor. These were smaller than him. Feral looking with crimson eyes and lips pulled back from too many teeth.
Laroux let out a shrill shriek and frantically pulled at his chains. “Help! Help me!” He looked to me, to Ordell and Hemlock, his tear-stained face filled with horror as the creatures surrounded him. A soft clicking sound filled the air. It was coming from them. They circled Laroux but didn’t attack. They were waiting…waiting on Ezekiel to give the command.
I was supposed to play it cool. Play his game, but there was no doubt in my mind that if I didn’t act fast, the creatures circling the innocent human below would tear him to shreds.
I couldn’t let that happen. “Stop this.” I grasped at Ezekiel’s arm. “Please. Don’t do this.”
