Chapter 15

The capital was exactly the same as when she left it only a few weeks earlier.

True, they had been shuffled out of the city through the sewers but she remembered the market, the bustling crowds and the constant humidity from so many people packed into a tight place.

The crowds had diminished somewhat and she rather suspected that they were scared to leave their home in case of infection in such cramped conditions.

Although, the simple village folk saw it as ‘Gods Will’ rather than the King’s lack of knowledge about hygiene; there were doctors standing in the streets, their long-beaked masks looking down on everyone as they walked past, scouring their skin for any sign of the disease.

But then again, people might be hiding because of the marauding army which was marching into town and the guards simply stood back and let them enter.

Izzie was confused and shocked as the guards averted their gazes and simply let them pass. Keeping slightly further back from Colt, she had her hand on her sword ready to hit out but she soon realised that it wasn't going to be needed.

For there was only one reason why the guards would stand down, and that would be because the king had told them to.

Colt stopped them all in the square; their numbers so large there was still a line of horses and men outside the walls still waiting to enter. The people pressed themselves up against the walls to get out of their way in fear they would retaliate.

Izzie jumped down off her horse, patted his neck, and hurried to Colt’s side. She wasn't about to miss any of this; it might have been a dangerous place for her to be but she had been in worse situations before and she was his Second in Command.

Izzie reached Colt’s side in time to hear him give the order to his army to sack the city.

“KILL THEM ALL!” Colt screamed, turning to face his army, thrusting his sword into the air as a collective roar of bloodlust emerged from their men.

Izzie looked on in horror as the men dispersed and began to run everyone through with their swords, not discriminating between men, women or children.

Izzie’s eyes clamped shut as flashes of burning huts and screaming parents filled her mind; memories flooding to the front of her head of her own childhood.

Gasping, unnerved about what was happening to her, she turned and followed Colt and a group of his trusted men into the castle.

“What are you doing!?” Izzie shouted as Colt as she followed him, the guards having left their posts to defend their king inside.

“What does it look like?” Colt chuckled back at her before he sliced a guard’s throat open as he walked passed, not even looking the man in the eye, “I have an audience with the King!”

Izzie drew her sword; she was with Colt meaning she would be target and no matter how confused she was, she wasn’t about to die here today.

* * *

“It seems Dawn was right,” Dermott whispered as they crouched upon the hilltop, looking over at the kingdom where flames started to rise to the sky and they could see the soldiers chasing the villagers, cutting them down like grass.

“About that,” Drystan murmured, “How do we know she’s telling the truth about everything?”

“We don’t” Iagan shrugged, looking not at all bothered by the fact that she could be tricking them, “But I am dying to get in on this!” he growled, gripping his axe with anger.

“How do you suppose we fight thousands of men and still be alive to get into the castle?” Jarred snapped at Iagan, staring at him as if he was an idiot.

“I need to sink my axe into someone,” Iagan growled back at him.

Drystan shook his head at their bantering and turned back to the kingdom; villagers were running down the hill, fleeing into the forests.

“The sewers!” Drystan remembered, “The way Brandon showed us in and out of the castle!”

Dermott nodded his head, “It might work,”

“Well, you go and deal with Colt,” Iagan got to his feet, the others joining him, “I’m going to go and kill some people,” Iagan grinned manically, swinging his axe.

Drystan nodded his head; someone needed to look out for the villagers.

“I’ll go with him,” Dermott sighed, stepping up, “Someone needs to watch you,”

Iagan stared at him, looking as if he was about to find his first victim, when his mouth spread into a smile and he slapped Dermott on the back, “Aye!” he grinned, “Let’s go and have some fun!”

“See you at the castle?” Drystan wrapped his hand around their forearms, sharing a brief hug before they set off.

“What do you suppose we do with her?” Jarred frowned, looking down the hill at Dawn where they had tied her to a tree.

“We might need her for leverage,” Jarred suggested.

“If anything, it might help us explain things to Izzie. Get her out of the state she’s in,” Drystan swallowed; he didn’t know what Colt had done to Izzie in the short time she had been with him but he hoped he could her back.

“Drystan,” Jarred reached forward, gripping his shoulder and turning him back to face him, “You have to prepare yourself for the possibility that Isadora might be . . .”

“Might be what?” Drystan frowned.

“All I’m saying is be careful. And be ready,” Jarred raised an eyebrow, “Even when she was on our side she was ready to lop our heads off if we asked a wrong question,”

Drystan chuckled at that but he could tell this was no laughing matter; He knew what Jarred was saying.

That Isadora might just kill them before he could get a chance to speak with her.