When he realized the other servants were all screaming and crying in horror, he rose and drew Sihtaar. Painful memories from the past made his vision bleed into red and Sihtaar started its liturgy of death in his mind. He stormed toward the rest of the servants, intent on destroying them.
A blinding light flared, and massive feathered wings blocked Ashiyn’s vision of the servants he could now hear fleeing. Soryn stood there in front of him, protecting them. “Don’t do this, Ashiyn. Let them go.”
Kill him. He is defying you. Kill them all. You are King of this world now! Sihtaar demanded.
Ashiyn’s hand shook at the effort of forcing the sword back into its sheath.
Once the other servants were gone, Soryn walked over to Ashiyn, taking Ashiyn’s head in his hands. “Come back, Ashiyn. This is not the past. That was just a foolish girl.”
“Why did she do that? I treated her well. I gave her everything.” Ashiyn took several deep breaths, staring into Soryn’s dark eyes. He found peace there, cold and clear. It washed over him, driving away the pain of the past and the sight of Annalysa dead by Rhadamanthus’s hand.
“It’s not your fault,” Soryn muttered. “You’re not a monster. They only see what Rhadamanthus made them see.”
“I want them gone. Get rid of them, or I will,” Ashiyn croaked as he pulled away and stalked back down into the castle to his chambers.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Soryn obediently evacuated the rest of the servants from the castle. The halls felt cold and empty with the Nthir and him to fill them. Once they were all gone, he stopped by the kitchen to dig through the ingredients available. He decided to make a simple but delicious salad and selected a bottle of rich wine. He wandered up to Ashiyn’s chambers. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. “My King? I’ve brought you some dinner.” He waited for several moments without an answer before frowning. Soryn knew Ashiyn tended to push people away when he felt confusing emotions.
When Ashiyn did not respond, he tried the door handle. It was not locked, and the door opened into the dark room. Ashiyn was not in the outer sitting room so Soryn closed the door and walked over to set the dinner on a table. Then he walked to the door to the bedroom, anxious. “Ashiyn?” he called, deciding the more intimate use of his friend’s name might be appropriate.
The bedroom was dark, the curtains drawn to drown out the moonlight. The only thing visible was the eerie glow of Ashiyn’s golden eyes in the pitch-black room. They focused on Soryn and narrowed.
Soryn bowed slightly. “Master, I have done as you asked. All the other servants have been relocated outside the castle. It is just the Nthir and I to serve you now. May I turn on a light? I have brought you dinner.”
“If you must,” Ashiyn grumbled and shifted to sit farther back on the bed.
Soryn mumbled a thank you, lit a magical lantern, and retrieved the dinner. He poured some wine and took the tray with settings for two to the bed, laying it between him and Ashiyn as he sat down. He sat there waiting for Ashiyn to start eating for a while before he finally sighed. “If you aren’t going to eat it, at least give me permission to do so.”
Ashiyn waved a hand listlessly at him, which Soryn took as permission and started to eat. “Would you like to talk about it, my King? I am here now for that as well as other things. I regret not being here for you until now. You must have been very lonely,” Soryn said gently as he picked at his food.
“I am sure you were lonelier. I did not remember you,” Ashiyn said as he picked up his wine glass and drank deeply from it. “You know wine does nothing to me.”
“It still tastes good. It does something to me,” Soryn winked at him, trying to lighten the mood. “Talk to me, Ashiyn. It is just you and me now. Rhadamanthus is gone forever. What will you do now? You are King of the World, but I think you have noticed that our world has fallen to the apocalypse. Darkness covers everything, hordes of monsters rampage through the land.”
“That’s why the world has heroes. I am not one,” Ashiyn snorted as he picked up his salad, the topic apparently getting his mind off his despair.
Soryn hid his disappointment at the comment. He knew Ashiyn had it in him to save this world but saw himself as the villain. “Surely your people will learn to love you more if you help them drive back the monsters. What are you offering to those who serve you right now? A King they never see unless they displease him? You don’t want to be that. You like being seen. You like acknowledgment and worship.”
Ashiyn gave him a cool look. “What do you suggest I do then?”
“This world is desolate and desperate. It would only take a few acts of benevolence on your part for them to come crawling to your feet to worship you. Worship is a far better tool than fear. All people wished for Rhadamanthus was his swift and painful death,” Soryn said slowly, cautious. “The world already fears you, my Lord. You need to make them love you. Then you will truly rule them. Look at me. I would do anything to please you.”
“Why do you love me, Soryn?” Ashiyn finished his salad and put the dishes aside as he sipped at the rest of his wine. “The world thinks me a monster. You were there the day I caused the apocalypse.”
Soryn swallowed
