Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Twenty Four

"Very well." Zayn stood from his chair and took her hand in a firm handshake. Quickly, he opened the door and told a messenger to send for her partner. They both stood in stoic silence until the door finally opened again. The general looked past and found the second surprise of the day.

A familiar man whisked in and took his spot beside Hench, giving Zayn a customary greeting as well. "Greetings, General Rothstead."

"Kayde?"

"I am indeed," Kayde offered Zayn a smile. "It has been too long. It is good to see you again, though I wish we were here on something other than serious business." Kayde handed his father's note to the general, who broke the Remordan wax-seal and read over the letter.

Zayn muttered parts of the letter aloud, only fully pronouncing a few barely audible words. "Greetings to you..." some incomprehensible words, "Baron Riasion..." More mumbles. "Multiple crimes of the fifth degree..." Now, Zayn looked up, raising a brow as he spoke more loudly. "Multiple crimes of the fifth degree?"

Hench nodded to Zayn. Kayde did as well, though he truly didn't know the contents of his father's letter or every implication that had been placed on the baron. The report had been sealed the entire time it was in Kayde's possession. Zayn read the last words of the letter and scanned the signature --then read it again once more for good measure before looking up at Hench.

"It says here at the end to refer to you for details of this baron's crimes."

All Hench did was nod. "Yes." She shifted in her spot and glanced over at Kayde for a moment before speaking again. "I have called the guardians to act in consequence to the man named Baron Loran Riasion for committing several crimes of the highest degree --the fifth degree. I have called for a complete assault of his estate as punishment, which would mean our entire order would march to his hold. For this, we need permission from Eldia --from you. This is why we're here." She took a breath and continued. "The first set of crimes he is accused of are large-scale abduction and murder of nearly an entire hamlet. His sigil was found at the massacre and the ones left alive there confirmed his men acted under orders. At this small village, they killed all the men, boys, and elderly and they captured all women and girls from the hamlet by that same family's account.

Zayn nodded, propping his head on his chin. "Continue."

"The second crime he is accused of is one that coincides with the kidnapping. Adding the women from the hamlet, that would give him at the very least over a hundred and fifty women he's enslaved over the years of his life. From there, he is accused of mass human trafficking and forced prostitution of his enslaved. Subsequently, most of his hired militia and guardsmen are therefore accused of rape, and in most cases, violent rape." The words were smoothly spoken, and Hench remained perfectly stoic.

Kayde, however... could hardly believe what he'd just heard her say. He remembered at that moment when Iris had told him about Hench losing her temper while talking about the baron in Master Dyran's office. He also remembered how Hench had came to the guardian sanctuary broken --how she'd never spoken of her past to anyone but his father. Oh dear gods. Had this been her fate?

"Do you have more details?" Zayn asked.

"Yes," she said. "Over the years, he'd capture the women in rooms and raise the children to maturity. The day they hit their flowering, they were prettily groomed and then were thereby forced into sexual slavery usually three nights a week. That was, of course, after he tested out the merchandise first." Hench shuddered. "They would all be brought into an amphitheater of sorts and strapped down five to a table, some facing each other. From there, men would pay the baron for the service and choose which one they fancied. The women were taken advantage of for hours each night, each girl being used hundreds of times a month --thousands of times each year, even. Even those giving birth to children were not spared from this treachery."