20 – Considerations

Despite my ‘miraculous’ recovery, the doctor still insisted on checking me over after ensuring the steward wouldn’t be losing any more of his blood. The old man was stable now, though he’d lost significant amounts of that life-giving liquid. About as much, maybe a little more than the traitor with the cracked skull.

I’d feel bad for him if he didn’t admit to trying everything in his power to set me up for his own benefit. Not to mention being totally fine with a ‘purge’ of the manor. In other words, he was more than willing to throw dozens of people under the bus to get what he wanted. And of course the very clear willingness to stab me if given the option.

The doctor distracted me from my focus on the old man by grabbing my wrist. He’d already touched and prodded the former wound on my chest, to see if there was any damage left under the skin. There wasn’t, of course.

Now, he felt my pulse.

“You seem far healthier than last time I checked you.” The man looked at me over the rim of his glasses. “I’m glad. Though if the gods keep healing you like that, I might be out of a job eventually!” He chuckled with a good-natured grin.

“If there ever comes a day when no one becomes sick or gets hurt nearby, then feel free to retire, old man. Though such a day will undoubtedly take more than a few small blessings from the gods, I’m afraid.”

“Ha ha! Looks like my position is secure for at least a few more years. Not that I would object to being made irrelevant. Now, your blood pressure and heart rate are at a normal, healthy level. You’re also back up to a better temperature than last time. Tell me, how do you feel?”

I felt alive. Warm, comfortable, coursing with vitality. I hadn’t drunk from the Steward directly, for fear of accidentally killing him and ruining my plan. Instead, I’d taken blood from one of his wrists, let it run down into my mouth. A little awkward while staring into the man’s eyes, but it worked. The current cuts were made after that. I didn’t want to risk potential demonic influence on the blood.

“I feel fine,” I said. My actual status was a little inappropriate for the situation.

“That’s good to hear. Take good care of him you hear, Mia? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to do my best so this stubborn old fool doesn’t croak it. Not before the demon hunters get here anyway.”

Looking between the doctor, with wispy strands of gray barely clinging to his scalp and the unconscious steward, full head of hair and beard equally gray, I decided not to comment.

With Mia by my side, I left the underground prison.

What few guards remained in or around the barracks were understandably restless, though they still dutifully saluted me when I passed.

Stopping in the doorway outside, I beheld my next challenge. It was late morning to early noon of a sunny day. Unfortunately, the sun wasn’t directly overhead, so the shade cast by the walkway’s roof didn’t align properly with the actual path.

Only a thin strip on the north side of the walkway was actually covered. Notably, the door into the manor wasn’t. After I’d spent over a minute squinting out into the glare, I sighed.

“Well, time to see if that parasol works properly. Please carry it, Mia.”

With a nod, Mia stepped outside and unfurled the parasol. Then, she shaded me as I followed after her.

Most of the path was bearable, since the barracks’ shadow linked up with the thin strip of the walkway roof. As long as I walked on this thin strip, no part of me would be exposed to the light, since the shadow extended further north beyond the path. Still, it was a dreadful experience.

Even with Mia providing a larger patch of shadow around me, it still felt like walking surrounded by lava. My instincts were screaming at me that a wrong step would lead to an agonizing death. Not to mention I could barely see with all the light around.

Somehow, we made it to the door. I didn’t remember most of the trip, due to stumbling around semi-blind. Only that it took far too long for the distance.

Mia opened the door and then spread shade over it so I could actually get inside.

When the door finally closed behind us, I let out the most relieved sigh of my life.

“That was unbelievably uncomfortable and terrifying. I think it’s official, I hate the sun. At least the parasol seems to work, thank you Mia.”

A few minutes later we found ourselves in the kitchen.

“I’m going to claim to have lost my appetite earlier, so just make yourself some late breakfast if you want.”

With a nod, Mia set about making herself some oatmeal porridge while I sat down and relaxed.

After a few minutes of busy silence, she turned to me.

“So, don’t keep me waiting. What did you learn?”

“Important family secrets, don’t you know? Can’t share them with outsiders, I’m afraid.” I grinned at the scowl directed my way. “Just kidding. That old man was working for at least one of my father’s wives.”

“Is that the ‘Lady Annabelle’ he mentioned?”

“Indeed. Annabelle, Duke Steelheart’s second official wife. Also the mother of his first son. Seems the succession struggles are beginning in earnest, if they’re going after someone like me. Or maybe they just used an opportunity to get rid of an eyesore. Who knows.”

“That’s pretty bad either way though, right? I don’t think you can do much against the power of a duchess.”

“Ah, that would normally be the case. But I have it on decently good authority that my father still cares for this exiled son of his. Add that to the fact our dear steward is apparently in league with demons and his allegiance to the second wife is suddenly very inconvenient. Probably worse still is his admission to me that he hired fake demon hunters. That man really is piling up the death sentences.”

“Conspiring against his lord, demon collaboration, impersonating a demon hunter and then the attempt to stab you? And the knife, did he somehow steal that?”

“Oh, right. He apparently got a magic ring just for planting incriminating evidence without leaving traces. And in his infinite wisdom he decided to not only steal but also personally handle the demonic dagger. And before you wonder about it, yes, he was planning to stab me even before I influenced him. Or less of a concrete plan and more of a target of opportunity.”

“That seems incredibly stupid. Even if he’d managed to kill you, what then?”

“Well, the man was of the opinion his dear mistress would save him from the consequences. Not to mention the purge of the manor that would undoubtedly follow.”

Mia’s face paled at the word ‘purge’. Almost under her breath she muttered, “That bastard…”

“Indeed, I won’t be sad when he’s gone. And neither should you, in all honesty. Now, we just need to prepare for our confrontation with his agents. Also, the priest should be coming by around noon again. I’ll have him take a look at that knife and our dear steward. Then I’ll show him the ritual site. In the meantime, those chandeliers still need to be… fastened.” I winked at her.

“I understand.”

“Good. I’ll go change and reclaim the blood I wasted onto this shirt when I got stabbed. Terribly inconvenient, that.”

The author’s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“I’d rather call being able to remove all traces from a piece of fabric very convenient.”

“You know that wasn’t the part I was talking about.”

“Sure sure. Lord Steelheart.” At least Mia was regaining some humor together with the color returning to her face.

We both shared a chuckle at that.

While spooning down her bowl of porridge, Mia waved me off.

“Go, do your scary monster thing of sucking real hard on your shirt till it’s clean. I can handle the chandeliers. You don’t want to be late when the priest gets here.”

Relenting upon being shooed, I beat a hasty retreat to my room.

The blood had already started drying, but some saliva returned it promptly to a drinkable state. Less than a minute later, all that was left was a damp patch of shirt with a hole in it.