Rudiger’s leg ached. It ached all the time, but it was particularly bad at the moment. He desperately wanted to bend his knee, but the splint prevented that. It prevented virtually any movement other than wiggling his toes. The physician had said if he didn’t keep it perfectly still, the bone might not set properly and he’d be left with a permanent limp or worse, not be able to walk at all.

So he sat now with it propped up on the table in front of him, forced to rely on servants to stand up or sit down. He had crutches to help him walk, but it was difficult, and the servants still hovered. Lidda had ordered that at least two be with him at all times. He couldn’t even relieve himself without someone watching.

He wished he’d died that day, and not just broken his leg in two places.

No, not really. He didn’t want to die.

But life wasn’t showing a lot of promise at the moment either.

That moment kept playing itself over and over in his head.

He and Borisin stared at the massive dragon in front of them. Neither of them expected to survive, but if they could just keep Lidda and the dragon distracted long enough for the others to get away, then it would be worth it.

He thought the end had come when the dragon’s claw hit Borisin in the side, knocking the horse onto his side. Rudiger fell as well, but his leg was trapped under Borisin. The pain as his leg snapped twice was unbearable and he lost consciousness.

He awoke sometime later in the Palace—what was left of it, at any rate. He was in the bed in Felitïa’s apartments—the one he and Zandrue had been using. His leg was raised and already in a splint. And in a lot of pain. Two servants—both of whom he didn’t recognise—sat nearby. As soon as he woke, one ran from the room to summon Lidda Plavin, who arrived shortly after.

“Awake at last.” She was dressed in a purple gown as well as an elaborate purple chaperon similar to the ones the Queen had frequently worn.

Rudiger scowled.

“Do you disapprove of something? Purple is the appropriate colour of mourning. I made certain to bring several appropriate articles with me, ostensibly for Garet’s funeral, though I will confess, I might have already known there would be other deaths to mourn.” She smiled maliciously.

“You disgust me.”

“I don’t really care what you think. I’m the victor here. I have the power.”

“Why am I even alive?”

Her smiled dropped into a frown. “I would gladly see you dead, but first…” She clapped her hands. “I need you to tell me how to use this.”

A guard wearing the House Plavin tabard rather than the royal one entered the room with Slay.

Rudiger looked away. “Figure it out yourself.”

“Oh, I’ve tried. Several of my soldiers have tried to activate that shield you used against Ezuna. They all burned to death. I can’t afford to lose any more, so you’re going to tell me how to activate it.”

“Fuck you.”

Lidda laughed. “You’ll tell me or I’ll kill your horse.”

Borisin was alive? He looked at her.

“Don’t look so surprised. I kept you both alive in case I needed you. If Daemonslayer had been easy to use, I would have then killed you both, but alas…”

Rudiger scowled and looked away again. “I’m not telling you anything. Do what you want to us.”

“As you wish. You, go kill his horse.”

Rudiger looked over to see the guard turn and head for the door.

“Oh!” Lidda said, and the guard paused at the door. “Use the sword. We may not be able to activate its powers, but it’s sharpness will be an asset. Make the death slow and painful.”

The guard nodded and started out the door.

“No!” Rudiger called.

Lidda held up her hand and the guard stopped again. “You’ll tell me how to use the sword?”

“I can’t.”

She rolled her eyes and waved at the guard.

“I mean, I can’t tell you because it only works for me or someone from my family.” He had no idea if that was true, but it seemed likely given it had worked automatically for him and not for the soldiers she had sent to their deaths. “But I… I can use it for you. When I’m better that is.” Gods, this was an act of desperation.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Lidda motioned for the guard to stop again. “How do I know you’re not lying to me? How do I know there isn’t just some command word that anyone could say?”

What should he say? Gods, Zandrue was so much better at this sort of thing. “I...uh...I’ll demonstrate for you. Again, once I’m able. You can watch what I do. Your soldiers can, too. Then you can see if they can duplicate it. They’ll die, but hopefully that will be good enough for you.”

Lidda stood there for a moment, scowling. “And if I’m convinced, you’ll serve me? Use it however I ask?”

Rudiger tried not to look disgusted. “Yeah, sure, whatever you want.”

She smirked. “You see, that’s the part I’m much less inclined to believe. I can threaten your horse’s death to keep you inline for a while, but I have no doubt you’ll be looking for constant opportunities to escape.”

“Then keep me under constant observation. Surround me with soldiers who will kill me the moment I step out of line.”

She shook her head. “I still wouldn’t trust you.”

Rudiger shrugged, and gritted against the pain. His shoulders and arms weren’t broken, but they were heavily bruised. “Kill me then, and keep experimenting with Slay. Let more of your soldiers die. I don’t care.”

“I could find someone else from your family. Get them to use it.”

“The ability was passed down from my father, and his father before him. They’re dead. I’m the only one left who can use it, unless I have a kid someday. But I’d have to live for that to happen.”

She stared at him for a moment, then a smile crept onto her lips. “All right. As soon as you can walk, you’ll demonstrate the sword for me. Assuming your use can’t be replicated, you’ll serve me. If you betray me, your horse will die, and then so will you. We’ll also work on making sure you have an heir that I can mould into my service.” She smiled broadly at him. “Rest up, and recover. I’ll make certain you are well looked after.”

That had been two days ago. Since then, he had just sat or lain around in constant pain. He had never left the apartments. Even if he had been able, he doubted he would have been allowed.

He wished he hadn’t added the bit about the power passing through his family. Was she going to attempt to breed him? Gods, what if she expected him to sleep with her? That was a terrifying thought.

“My lord?” One of the handmaids approached him. He didn’t know her name. He hadn’t bothered learning any of their names. They worked for Lidda Plavin. They didn’t deserve names. “His Highness, Prince Malef is here to see you.”

Rudiger’s first instinct was to tell her to tell him to go away, but he doubted Malef would actually go. “Show him in.”

The handmaid curtsied and backed away.

Thankfully, Rudiger was facing away from the door and couldn’t easily turn, so he got the satisfaction of not having to watch Malef approach. The Prince would have to walk around to be seen.

“Rudiger.”

Rudiger didn’t even try to turn his head. “My apologies, your Highness. I’m not very mobile, so I can’t get up and bow appropriately.” Rudiger tried to keep the venom out of his voice, but he was fairly certain he wasn’t very successful.

“It’s fine. I understand.” Malef walked round into Rudiger’s view. He looked a mess. He was wearing a military mourning uniform, but it was dishevelled, wrinkled with several buttons undone. His moustache was untrimmed and the rest of his face had several days worth of stubble. His hair was uncombed and his eyes sunken.

“You look terrible,” Rudiger said, then hastily added, “No offence.”

Malef shrugged. “I know. I’ve had little motivation to keep up my appearance. These have been…” He looked away for a moment and breathed in sharply through his nose. “These have been difficult times.” There was a hint of a tear in his eyes.

For a moment, Rudiger almost felt sorry for him. “Is there something I can do for you, your Highness? I’m pretty immobile so there’s not much I can—”

Malef held up his hands and shook his head. “No, no, Rudiger, I’m not looking for you to do anything for me other than listen, I suppose. I just wanted to talk.”

Rudiger motioned to a chair. “Then talk.”

Malef gave him a small smile and pulled up the chair. He sat there for several moments before saying anything. “I uh…” He rubbed his eyes and face and went quiet again for a few more seconds. “I want to apologise.”

“Apologise? What, for killing so many people? For your father? Your brothers and sisters, not to mention the countless guards and servants? For them?”

“I was not the one who—!” Malef stopped and clutched his fingers on one hand into a fist, then held it over his mouth. “No, that’s...that’s fair. I didn’t want this to happen.”

“You let it happen.”

“I didn’t know. I thought…” Malef rubbed his forehead. “I was in love and I thought she loved me, too. I had no—”

“I tried to warn you.”

Malef covered his mouth and nose again, and sniffled. “Yes. Yes, you did. But I…”

Rudiger sighed. “Let’s be honest here, Malef. You let your dick control you. A...uh...beautiful woman—” he supposed Malef must consider Lidda beautiful—“batted her eyelids at you, let you fuck her, and you were putty in her hands.”

Malef buried his face in his hands. “Yes.” His voice was barely a croak, and he started to sob. “I’m sorry.”

“Really?”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Then do something about it.”

Malef looked up and wiped his tears with his sleeve. “Like what?”

“Oh, come off it, Malef. You didn’t come here just to give a half-assed apology and make a bunch of excuses. You came here for my help, and as it happens, I need your help too.”

“To do what?”

“What I’m pretty certain you came here to ask me to do. I’m not sure yet how we’re going to pull it off without dying too. But you know what? If we’re successful, I don’t care if we die too. Lidda Plavin is going to die and we’re going to kill her. Right?”

Malef stared at him for several moments, sniffling. Then he slowly nodded. “Right.”