Blood Oath (Book 2 of Alfireán age)

Aftermath

The narrow faced man swooshed his golden robe and curled his thin lips into a snarl. "Who is this brat? And how dare he run his mouth off in front of us?"

Alf stepped in front of Drake and looked the man directly in the eye as he calmly said, "He is my personal strategist, and without him, we would all be dead right now. You will show him some respect."

The council member puffed up like a toad. "I don't have to show respect to anyone. Especially not to some snot nosed kid and his mercenary trash."

Alf's eyes narrowed. His muscles bulged and the pompous fool snorted as he said underneath his breath, "Boorish brute." Drake expected Alf to grab the simpleton by the neck and shake some common sense into him. However, Olivia softly laid her hand on Alf's back and shook her head. The young High Lord's face flushed in embarrassment, and with tight shoulders, he faced the man, bowed, and said, "My apologies," then turned and marched away.

"You had better be," the council member scoffed.

Alf had bridled his anger; Drake, on the other hand, had had enough. All of his life he had had to watch his Father suffer this type of insolence from the shadows, but not today!

"Mr. Havanger, clap this man in irons and haul him off to jail. Glandledale can ill afford his ilk running amuck at this current juncture."

Rex's father rose from his chair and clapped his hands, a look of satisfaction stamped squarely on his face. "It's about hootin' tootin' time someone gave me that order. This here loony has been a pain in the city's backside far too long."

The horse-faced noble grasped the lapels of his robe and tugged imperiously. "You wouldn't dare lay a hand on me."

"Ay, I would, Marcus." Mr. Havanger smiled and his bluish grey eyes twinkled. A golden shield sprung to life between his hands as he pulled them apart.

Marcus? Marcus? Where have I heard that name before? Drake's mind scrambled. Then he remembered; it was when Alf had scared Hervey witless. Now he knew what was wrong with those men casually milling around the group. With a flick of his wrist, he formed a sound warp and whispered to Rex.

As Mr. Havanger's reversed shield rocketed out and enfolded over Marcus like a giant blanket, Rex gently handed Zaphaniea to Olivia.

"How dare you even think of touching my personage!" Marcus screamed in outrage.

The arena master leaned against the now circular shield. Keeping his right hand solidly pressed against it, he nonchalantly looked at his fingernails on his left hand. "You can either go peacefully or make my dark-hunter's day."

Soul Knight appeared out of the shadows, his camouflaged skin and armor morphing back into their normal colors and his white teeth gleaming in the morning light.

"Enough of this facade. Kill them," Marcus commanded, bringing up his right hand in an imperious gesture. "Kill them all!"

Five shady men emerged from the crowd and drew swords wreathed in blue flames. Or rather, three of them drew their weapons. Before their blades exited their sheaths, Rex dashed in front of two of the assailants, grabbed them by their foreheads, and slammed the back of their heads into the pavement. They were the lucky ones. Less than half a breath later, the remaining three's arms and legs were skewered with multiple ice spikes by four of Mr. Havanger's men hiding in the shadows.

A sixth man broke free from the crowd and charged Olivia. Grabbing for her hair, in an attempt to take both her and the grand champion hostage, a two-pronged blade appeared from a device attached to his wrist. Drake, however, was ready for him. As the assassin reached out, he produced a hidden dagger and jammed it into the assailant. Letting the man's own forward momentum drive it home, Drake thrust the blade beneath the ribcage and angled it upwards. The man stared down at the child in shock and collapsed to the ground.