The Judgement Of Divinity (TMOE #2)

Chapter 10: Go for the neck

Anthony faltered, looking remorseful by Lucius' question.

"That's... No, I didn't mean you can't be around me, I just..." He closed his mouth, searching for words. "I never involve friends with the BBT. Even without context I'm fairly certain you know what kind of people they are."

"Brawny knife man and brainy ice man?" Lucius suggested, and the corner of Anthony's mouth twitched.

"Try sadistic any-weapon man with a disregard for morals and more often than not, mercy," Anthony corrected him. "And bitter, heartless man with self-serving ideas and complete lack of humility."

"Now, is that any way to talk about your father?" Lucius had to ask, even though it was hardly time for jokes.

Anthony didn't humour him, so he pinched his lips together.

"So by saying you have more reasons to go back..." Anthony then said as they entered the gates to his house. "... Did you find something?"

"Oh, we're sharing now?" Lucius' voice turned dry. "So you can go ahead and hide more things?"

"If you wouldn't dig up more things to ask about I wouldn't have to hide so much. The answers you seek are dangerous."

"Ever occur to you that me knowing why I need to stay away could make me stop?"

"It did, but I know better than that."

Lucius exhaled a defeated breath.

"You got me there."

Anthony looked over at him, ending up sighing as well and stopped before reaching the door.

"Alright, fine... Tell me, and I'll try to answer."

It seemed unlikely, and Lucius was probably setting himself up for disappointment, but if anything perhaps Anthony's behaviour could give him some clues.

"What does 'Larkspur' mean?" he therefore asked, trying to read the expression on Anthony's face but he only stared back, awaiting further elaboration. "... It was marked on a piece of land. Both on the map at the town hall and a map I found in Damien's office."

"Oh." Anthony nodded, breathing out in relief. "Larkspur is a flower."

"For the fucking love of Dyris!" Lucius wanted to grab the man's shoulders and shake him. "Of course I know that! But that's not what that means, it's something else!"

"Larkspur flowers grow in that area." Anthony frowned at the yelling. "They're used to make ink, and if you must now they're also toxic, and can be used for such purposes as well."

Lucius bit down hard on his lip. That wasn't it. As believable as it could have been, he could shoot down that explanation immediately.

"Larkspurs don't grow there," he said. "I've been there several times and have never seen a trace of one. Even if there would be a few it could never be such a flourishing spot for a business to keep track of it."

"Why have you been in the middle of the forest several times?" Anthony had the nerve to look amused while avoiding the actual topic, and he opened the door to his house as if done with the conversation. "Didn't take you for a berry picker."

Lucius drew a trembling breath as he hurried after him, finally fed up with it all.

"I buried my friends there." He couldn't stop his voice from breaking and Anthony stopped walking again, slowly turning to look at him with knitted eyebrows.

So Lucius continued.

"After they were executed. After this fucking town—After you and your council and Dyris knows who decided people from The Entrails should die just for existing. They were all dumped into the Siren's maw except for my two friends because I got their bodies out of there."