Heirs of the Gods

Ch 12: Mighty, reckless, logic-shredding desperation

TW BLOOD AND VIOLENCE

    A quick succession of knocks on her door had Ella tearing her attention from the book in her lap. She'd been re-reading the same page for the last minutes, unable to properly concentrate on anything since Gidden had torn off towards the forest hours ago. Only iron will kept her from pacing or recurring to the age-old bad habit of biting her nails.

She opened the door and Gidden stormed in, his body emanating an electrifying current of power. He paced a couple of times then dropped on the bed, dragging his hands roughly across his face, tugging on his hair. His exposed forearms were speckled with dried, rust toned blood and his hands quivered.

"He's dead."

Ella grimaced. The bird had been right. Still, she'd held hope they might have found the emissary in time...

"They left Lord Senan for dead. He couldn't even manage to say anything, he died before we could even get him to a healer."

Ella's chest tightened at seeing Gidden's distraught state, at his bloodshot eyes and grim face.

"They had just left him there, mangled," Gidden's hands shook in his lap. "We searched everywhere for them, but there was nothing. As if they'd vanished, disappeared into thin air. He was able to see his wife, before passing. So thank you, I would have never forgiven myself if he had been alone his last moments," His eyes shuttered with pain. "This is my fault, I should have gone myself. I should have been there--"

"Stop it," she said, placing a firm hand on his arm, unable to see him so overcome with grief. "It's not your fault. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Nobody expected them to do such a thing, you couldn't have known or prepared for it. Listen to me," she said sternly. "You never willingly sent him into danger, Gidden."

"I don't understand," he sighed. "Why would they do this? It's a breach of the Treaty. It makes no sense." He rubbed his temples.

The Bird's words reverberated in her mind. Torture. One week kept prisoner. They hadn't even accepted the man's letters, simply discarding them and outright attacking an unarmed state official. Truly, not only was it a direct cry for war, it was inhuman. To outright torture a man and leave him half dead, it was gruesome. She didn't think to tell Gidden of this, not in the state he was in.

"They believe fae attacked the manor," she said carefully. Her voice was devoid of accusation but Gidden still tensed and his head whipped around to look at her in astonishment.

"And you think we did?" he said incredulously, furrowing his brows. "That we sent those monsters? You think they were right to kill Lord Senan so ruthlessly?"

"I didn't say that," she said firmly, cutting him off. "It's monstrous and foul, and downright despicable, that's precisely why I told you as soon as I found out, I had hoped you'd be able to save him. I am human, but I am not on their side on this choice and I am not a participant. This is not what I stand for. I advocated for a fair solution by trial and dialogue, that's why I willingly came here, to do my part in avoiding larger conflicts."

Gidden uncoiled at that, nodding and unclenching his fingers.

"I thought fae to be innocent," Ella said quietly. She turned steely eyes to Gidden, willing her voice to come out even. "Why did you tell me you didn't know about those creatures? I know you've been keeping things from me."

Gidden stared at her for a moment, the guilt flashing in his eyes sent ice shards through her. He stood up from the bed, needing to pace around, unable to keep still. "I didn't think you'd understand. It's complicated--"