Gideon paused to look up at Mordred in disgust. Did he really expect him to believe these lies?
“When General Rommil informed me of your condition, I knew we had to get you out of that awful prison cell immediately,” Mordred continued. His voice dripped honey, but Gideon knew his words were nothing but poison.
Mordred stood and descended from his throne. He walked up to Gideon, and the servant girl fell away. Gideon watched mournfully as the food platter went with her. “I had to be sure I could trust you, Gideon. But now I feel we can come to some understanding with one another. You see, I have no desire to kill you. In fact, I believe we could even work together for a common good in the Kingdom of Nod.”
Gideon glared at the warlord. “You and I working together? Never,” he spat. “You might as well kill me and be done with all of this pretense. I’ll never serve you.”
Mordred might have erupted into a rage, but he refrained and simply smiled. “I don’t think you understand what I’m offering, Gideon.”
“I don’t care what you’re offering. You’ve nothing I could possibly want.”
Mordred laughed. “Ah yes, the priest so devoted to his Order of Shaddai. Of course, peace in this kingdom and freedom for yourself would have no bearing on the situation.”
Gideon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You bring peace to Nod? I’m not a fool, Mordred.”
“I think perhaps you are,” Mordred said flatly. “You see, I know your real desires Gideon. I know about your wife and your child.”
He knew-this monster knew about his precious Sarah. Gideon thrust at him against his chains, but the guards had little difficulty restraining him.
“Gideon, please,” Mordred continued. “I’m offering you the chance to go to them and be a family. You and your wife can raise your son together and be happy.”
A son? How does he know if I have a son, or not?
Mordred understood his expression. “Yes, Gideon, you have a son. The child was born while you were away.”
Suddenly Gideon realized Sarah must have been taken. “Where is she!” he demanded.
Mordred paused, then returned to sit upon his throne. He smiled when he looked at Gideon again. “You’re right. She is here and the child. Both of them are perfectly safe…for now.”
“If you harm them I’ll-”
“Please, Gideon, save your pathetic threats. You are in no position.”
Gideon settled down a bit, his confidence drained. “What do you want?”
Mordred drew another drink from the goblet sitting on the broad arm of his throne. “I want to make you an offer. You have great skill as I understand it. I’d like to put those skills to better use.”
Gideon felt sure where this was leading, and he didn’t like it.
“I want you to lead my army after the boy Deliverer. Kill him for me. Then, you and your family can go in peace. Live in Nod with a king’s ransom, or go far away if you like. It really doesn’t matter to me.”
Gideon hardened to stone before Mordred. “I cannot. I will not.”
Mordred hardened against him, as well. He turned to Rommil and nodded. The Wraith General went to a side door and emerged with Sarah in his grasp. When she saw Gideon standing there, she seemed almost not to recognize him.
Gideon lunged against his chains to get to her, but it was no use. His guards held him fast. The two of them cried out for one another. Mordred stood. Sarah carried their infant child in her arms. Mordred took Gideon’s son away as she screamed for after him.
Gideon lunged against his chains harder, but he only stumbled to the floor.
Mordred carried the child back to his throne and stood there. “I can see there is no convincing you, Gideon. I’ve made a reasonable offer, and you have refused…so be it.” He nodded to Rommil again.
The Wraith General removed a large dagger from his belt and, without hesitation, he thrust Sarah threw the back. She had been watching the child in Mordred’s arms and pleading with Gideon to stop them from harming their son. The strike caught her unaware.
She fell to the floor, bleeding before Rommil.
Gideon screamed in agony, as though his very heart had been ripped from his chest. He fell and lay there on the cold stones, tears streaming down his dirt-stained face, watching the life ebb from Sarah’s eyes. At that moment, he felt as though he had been torn into pieces. He gladly would have accepted such a fate if it would have saved her. Now, it was too late.
Gideon laid on the stones for what seemed like an eternity-his strength sapped away. Mordred waited, savoring the moment. Rommil wiped the blood from his dagger and replaced it. No pity or remorse shown on his face.
Slowly, Gideon found strength enough to stand. He glared at Mordred, then at Rommil-he had done the deed. He had put the blade to her.
Mordred sat upon the throne, cooing the child. Gideon watched him, full of hatred for the man. “Gideon, before you say anything else on impulse, I would remind you that your son is depending upon you.”
That statement snapped Gideon out of his malice. The child-his and Sarah’s child-still lived.
Mordred glared at the priest. “My offer still stands, Gideon. Do not refuse me again.”
Gideon watched his son, so helpless-all that remained of his precious wife and the love they had hoped for in life. He couldn’t do it, but he had no choice. He spoke through teeth gritted together so tightly they attempted to bar him from speaking. “I will do as you want for the promise of my child’s safe return to me and our freedom when it is done.” He looked at Rommil, who wore a smirk on his face. “And for him.”
“What do you mean?” Mordred asked, glancing happily toward the general.
“I mean me and him, right here, right now,” Gideon said. “If I win, I lead your army myself to do this. If I lose then I’ll be dead and it’s up to you to get Ethan.”
Mordred grinned viciously at Gideon. The general stood there bemused, sizing up the priest just in case. “I agree,” Mordred said. “This might be fun, eh, Hevas?”
Rommil cracked his knuckles and smiled. “Absolutely.” He stepped down from the throne platform. “Weapons?”
Gideon held up his chains. “Of course, to the death.”
“Release his bonds,” Mordred commanded. The guards complied and removed the shackles from his feet and ankles. Gideon stood ragged and pitiful, but he was a free man again.
Hevas Rommil drew his broadsword from the sheath at his side. The sword was as big as Gideon. “And what will you have, priest?”
Even as Rommil finished his question, Gideon shot within arms length and snatched the long dagger from the general’s belt-the same he’d used to kill Sarah, moments ago. He dodged out again as Rommil tried to strike, swiping wide with his broadsword. Rommil missed. The Wraith General lunged again, swiping horizontally at him, but Gideon spun downward on the ball of one foot. His hand brought the dagger around and trapped it behind Rommil’s right knee. A quick slash severed the tendons. The general fell to the ground as his knee gave under his great weight.
Gideon rolled away across the stones and back to his feet. Despite the lack of food and rest, he felt reinvigorated by vengeance. Rommil growled out his fury, trying to stand in vain. Gideon glanced at Sarah’s lifeless body once more. Time to end it.
He ran at Rommil, who was trying to brace himself on one knee, which still brought him to Gideon’s height. The Wraith General gathered a full swing with his sword and brought it horizontally toward the priest. Gideon leaped off the floor from his right foot, then kicked off Rommil’s sword arm, at the wrist, knocking it away. He used the rest of his momentum to drive the dagger down just above Rommil’s breastbone into his heart.
Hevas Rommil gasped in horror, looking up at Gideon. He suddenly spasmed and fell over. His massive sword clattered against the stone not far from his limp hand.
Gideon breathed deeply, wanting to savor the moment, but there was nothing satisfying about it. He stepped over the hulking body of General Rommil to Sarah. He knelt down, cradling her body, and wept for her.
A nursemaid came in at Mordred’s request. “What is your name, girl?” he asked.
“Elspeth, my Lord.”
“Elspeth, you will take the child into your care and see that he is treated well,” Mordred said as he handed
