Kingdom Come {END OF AN AGE -- BOOK 1}

| Chapter 8: Sick Bastard |

The man holding Max down forced him to his feet, but the ginger was in to much shock to struggle. How could he be housing a sorceress. Last time he checked, the only people he lived with were his mother and sister. Unless someone had been living in their walls for a while, no one lived with them. 

After a moment, he found himself able to move, and he glanced back at Ross, eyes wide. His best friend was staring at him with a surprised expression.

"This has to be some kind of mistake..." Max managed to growl while he struggled against the ropes. He felt them tighten as he pulled and they began to cut off circulation to his hands. He flinched and Ross suddenly snapped into action.

"Hey!" He protested, moving past the guards to Max's side. "You're hurting him." He pushed the guard that held Max's restraints and began to loosen them.

"Homes. Stop this at once." The Generals commanding voice echoed throughout the clearing, and Ross stopped immediately, freezing in place. "Now back away slowly." Ross didn't move, though it was clear he had mixed emotions. General Kips raised an eyebrow. "Homes. I told you to get back, that's an order."

Hesitantly, Ross moved away, looking at Max with a pained and troubled expression. As Ross straightened, Max noticed someone sneaking up behind him.

"Ross-" Max was cut off by a thump as one of the other guards hit Ross over the head with the hilt of their sword. The brunettes eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed onto the dust in front of Max.

He felt hands grab at his bonds, trying to pull him back away from his friend. Max pulled against the restraints again. He heard a cry of surprise as he pulled away from the guard who had been attempting to hold him back. He kneeled down beside Ross, hands still tied behind his back. He felt arms pull him back again and he growled, struggling once more.

The arms pulled him away and he continued fighting. Calmly, General Kips walked up to Ross' unconscious form, and without a hint of hesitation, grabbed the boys curly hair, pulled his head up to expose his neck, and held his knife up to it. Max immediately stopped struggling eyes wide and breathing slightly labored.

"Come with us peacefully Max. We wouldn't want anything to happen to your friend here." He pulled Ross' head back a little further and let the knife start to dig into the exposed flesh of his neck.

Max watched him for a few moments, and Kips watched him until he was sure he wouldn't struggle against them. The ginger glared at the General with anger and hatred burning in his eyes.

"Good." His voice was cold and devoid of any emotion, even as he held a knife up to a 18-year-old's throat. Max let his eyes fall and he watched the ground as the General let go of Ross' hair and his head hit the ground with a thud. Max flinched and almost pulled back towards him, barely stopping himself. It took all of Max's strength not to call the General a sick bastard.

General Kips clearly noticed and he smirked. "Take him back to the city center so he can go on trial with his sister." He turned just as Max felt the hands pull him back towards the cart they had come from. What about Mom?

"What about my mother?" He burst out and everyone stopped. General Kips glanced back, the same smirk on his face, though from this angle it had a more sinister look.

"Don't worry. We'll take good care of her."