12 – Snakes and Rats

When I arrived at the scene a few minutes later, I was the perfect image of a drunk noble.

I was stumbling, leaning on Mia off and on. There were a few wine stains on my pale shirt. My breath was full of alcohol – as much as was feasible with just wine anyway.

To round it off, I was holding a half-full bottle in one hand that I occasionally took swigs from.

Obviously, I wasn’t actually drunk. I still didn’t feel the alcohol in the slightest. Aside from Mia, no one knew this though.

The sun was low in the sky, so the manor was shielding the place for me. Still, it was brighter and more exposed than I’d like.

Upon seeing steward William kneeling on the ground with his hands bound behind his back, I rushed forwards, angrily waving my bottle. A few drops of wine spilled out, some landing on the floor and others staining my shirt further.

“You damned rat!” I slurred, “Traitor! I’m surrounded by nothing but traitors these days.”

William stopped his ongoing tirade at Lars. His eyes quickly took in my appearance before he switched targets.

“Young master! You cannot treat me like this! I have served you and the family faithfully for years. Tell this oaf to release me immediately!”

“Faithfully? I ordered that none enter this damned tower and yet you– I should have Lars behead you right here for your treachery! You demon-conspiring traitor, you must’ve been involved in the attack as well!”

Everyone present tensed. I took another swig from my bottle, only about half the wine actually making it to my mouth.

“Young master!” The steward sounded appalled, though more by the fact I’d dared to make such an accusation than the accusation itself. “How dare you even suggest such a thing! I hold an important position in the Steelheart family. Everything I do is for the sake of the family! You don’t possess the authority to lay a hand on me. Release me this instant, or you will pay the price when word of this spreads.”

I glowered at the angry old man.

“For the sake of the family, eh? No doubt you actually mean for the sake of one of my hateful siblings. Which one is it? Or are you selling me out to multiple at once? That’d be just like you, you snake!”

William was getting visibly angrier, red creeping into his face as he strained against the rope binding him. His heartbeat was accelerating.

“You call them siblings, but you are nothing but a dirty-blooded runt! You should be grateful the family even took care of you until now, you cursed–”

I slapped him. While I didn’t use nearly my full strength, it was enough to whip the steward’s face to the side and cause a bright red mark to form. Afterwards, I cradled my hand like I’d hurt myself.

“One more word,” I hissed at him, “and I’ll disembowel you myself, right here!”

It was something Kalin might actually have done, if he was in this situation. The combination of factors at play would have left him completely devoid of reason by now.

William was turning purple with rage, but did actually keep his mouth shut. Apparently he did know this same fact about Kalin’s character.

Visibly doing my best to restrain myself, I addressed Lars.

“Throw this piece of waste in a cell to rot. Since he likes conspiring with demons so much, I’ll just hand him over to the demon hunters when they arrive. They can do with him what they want.”

“At once, Lord Steelheart!” Lars saluted me, fist over his heart.

Even though he was still visibly fuming, I could see the glimmer of derision and condescension in steward William’s eyes. He obviously still thought I was oblivious to his plans to tamper with the demon hunters, but this all but confirmed it.

Before Lars left, I turned to the four guards standing nervously to the side. They’d been trying their very hardest to blend into the background, but I hadn’t forgotten them. The men were disarmed, their weapons piled up in a far corner.

“And you, how dare you disregard my orders not to let anyone inside?! Lars, are these the men you call most trustworthy? If so, then I’m disappointed.”

Lars stepped closer to me and replied with a grimace. “These are not the original guards I posted here when I left earlier. You, explain.” He pointed at one of the men.

“My lord, we were the replacement watch brought by the steward. The previous group was sent away by him. We didn’t suspect anything, since he claimed to be acting under your orders.”

I clicked my tongue, staring at the group. They were a little familiar. How come? Why did Kalin remember some of these particular guards? …oh.

“Lars, these men are to be interred as well. I want them interrogated on their allegiances.”

Though he looked uncomfortable, Lars nonetheless nodded.

My purpose here complete, I turned away. “I’m retiring to my quarters. Don’t disturb me.”

So saying, I all but dragged Mia with me.

I’d only taken a few steps when something I half expected happened. Three of the guards’ heartbeats had been steadily accelerating. With Lars busy wrangling the old man to his feet, they struck.

“For master Melchiadazal!” With a combined shout, all three of the men rushed at me, pulling knives they’d hidden on their person. Lars had obviously not checked thoroughly enough when disarming them.

Luckily for me, Lars was competent in combat.

Before I’d even fully turned around, when the men had covered about half the distance, he fell upon them like a force of nature.

The knight shoulder-checked the first assailant from the side, sending him sprawling in the path of his fellows. I hadn’t seen all of it, but I was pretty sure the guard had actually lifted off the ground for a moment.

The second traitor had his knife-hand bashed by the pommel of Lars’ sword as he unsheathed it, the bones snapping with a sickening crunch. The man dropped to his knees, cradling his mangled appendage in shock. Lars kicked him the sternum in passing, causing him to collapse in a choked cough. I heard bones crack.

Uncaring for the fate of his comrades, the third man was almost past Lars. His eyes were fixed on my ‘shocked’ self, knife raised. Lars’ sword flashed and the guard stumbled, the tendons in his legs cut.

Before he could hit the ground, Lars followed his swing up with a pommel bash to the back of the man’s skull. The traitor lay still. I could hear his heart still beat, but the crack his skull had made put his continued survival into question.

Finally, Lars rounded on the first man, now back on his feet. The guard stood slumped, obviously in pain. His right arm, where Lars had impacted him, hung limp. The left-handed grip on his knife was unsteady, but he still held it in front of himself, as though he could ward off the knight with it.

“Lay down your weapon. Don’t make this worse than it already is.” Lars was looking at the traitor calmly, sword held loosely in one hand at his side. If I hadn’t seen him move just now, I might have thought of Lars as reckless in this moment. As it was, the knight wasn’t threatened in the slightest.

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In response, the traitorous guard only raised his weapon defiantly. Lars sighed, stepping forward. Before he could dispatch his foe though, the fourth guard, who’d been rooted in shock until now, suddenly tackled his former companion from behind.

The traitor was already unsteady on his feet, so he couldn’t put up much resistance against the surprise attack. The two men went down in a tangle of limbs, though the fourth guard ended up on top in the short scuffle. Once he’d pinned the wounded traitor to the ground, the guard turned to Lars and me.

He was white as a sheet, but still managed to stutter out a few words.

“I– I’m not part of whatever this is! I’m not a traitor, please believe me, Lord Steelheart, Sir Lars!”

Lars sighed, sheathing his sword. “It’s not up to me. Lord Steelheart?”

I snapped out of my inaction. Though I’d overplayed my shock, I wasn’t unfazed. Despite half expecting the attack – I recognized those guards from my scarce memories of Kalin’s dealings with Mel – it was a different thing entirely to actually be exposed to violence so closely. From the corner of my eye I could see Mia was pale as well.

It was especially uncomfortable how excited the spilled blood made me.