Page 222 of The Wishing Game

A couple of bookshelves over, a few books light up.

"That is the selection of books we have on Commander Azerius. If you need further assistance, call my name and I shall be happy to guide you."

"Thank you," I murmur, getting up and heading to the designated shelf.

The wraith disappears. I pull out the books and spread them on the floor, making myself comfortable.

A low hum erupts in my stomach—a certain excitement at learning more about the mysterious figure that is Ze, because honestly, I do not understand him. He can be vile and mean, but he can also be nice and...considerate. I don't even know which one is the real Ze anymore because despite everything I've heard, he's beenmostlynice to me. Last night is a main example. He surprised me with his apology, but even more so with his vow. And if it's true that a vow once spoken cannot be broken, then Thea no longer has to worry about his threat hanging over her head. I shall have to impart that with her later on when we are alone. Maybe it will ease some of her worries.

The first book is titledMilitary History. As I flip through it, I realize it's a history of battles in which Azerius has fought over the past four thousand years. It mostly describes military tactics, something I'm not well versed in, so I put it aside.

It's the second book, though, that catches my attention. It's titledProsecuted Offensesand from what I can tell, it spans a hundred years. There is an index at the end, and my eyes widen when I see how many times the name Azerius has been mentioned in the book—five thousand times.

I quickly flip to the first mention, which details the case of a minor male deity having an affair with a number of s’Aperiotes and getting them all pregnant. The punishment had been death, and Azerius had been the one to dole it out. The details are gruesome as the book goes into depth on everything Ze had done to the male for his offense. He'd been strapped to a pole in the public square for thirty days. Each day, Azerius would be present to make a cut on his body. At first, it was shallow cuts, but with each passing day, they became deeper and deeper until his entire torso was cut open, his organs spilling out. He was left in the blistering sun, his blood draining from his body, until he drew his last breath.

Although the description is incredibly gory in the book, it's how Azerius is described that surprises me. The writer notes that he was so cold, so emotionless, that the people passing by couldn't help but be more shocked by his nonchalant demeanor than the guts hanging out of the male's body.

I gulp down. This is oddly reminiscent, isn't it? I've seen that side of Azerius when he kills. He does it so easily, so efficiently, it's almost as if there's nothing inside of him but the thirst for death.

Flipping some more through the book, I stop at a random page, my entire body freezing as I read the offense. A young female deity had been denounced by her husband for not being pure upon their marriage. After investigations, it was found out that the female had birthed a child in the past that she had abandoned. A s’Aperiote family had found the baby and they had raised him as their own. The female was convicted of several crimes, and because she belonged to an influential noble family, Azerius was the one to dole out the punishment.

I briefly close my eyes, reluctant to read on about what he must have done to her. I have never been able to stomach violence against women, and though this female did break the law, I cannot see how death is a fair punishment. Sure, she abandoned her child, but she was driven to do so by the same stringent laws that sought to sentence her to death. It's a vicious cycle whose only fault lies with the restrictions placed on people.

My breathing grows labored as I force myself to read on. No matter how uncomfortable this is, Ineedto know who the true Azerius is.

Yet there's no avoiding the illustration of Ze aiming his sword at the woman's head, a swirl of energy and smoke surrounding his blade.

Decapitation.

That is the method he used on her. That is the method he would have used on Thea.

Good grief.

He was the executor of every high-profile case, thousands in total over a hundred-year period—a bleep in their existence. I don't even want to think of how many people he's executed in his seven thousand years of life. He probably doesn't have a number either, since all this killing is routine for him.

My eyes are glued to the pages as I skim over the many gruesome ways in which Ze delivered death to those people and I can't help but wonder if he has a conscience. Does he regret this? Do these deaths weigh on his conscience?

How can he sleep at night?

Yet the questions are moot since he already confessed he doesn't feel. He merely receives his orders and follows them—the perfect soldier.

The perfectkiller.

Because that's what he is, isn't it?

A killing machine, and not just a regular one. He's a God Killer—a moniker given to him not only by the author of the book but by the entirety of Aperion.

The sudden noise of a door opening startles me, as well as the voices that grow louder. I close the book and slide to the floor, creeping closer to the balustrade to see who it is—the last thing I want is to be caught researching the God Killer.

An unknown man takes a seat at the table just as Nigel materializes in front of him.

"You are dismissed, Nigel," Maros tells the wraith as he follows behind. Ze is next, closing the door behind him. His hands are behind his back as he scans the room with disinterest.

Maros takes a seat across from the other man while Ze continues to pace around.

"I am sorry to call on you at this hour, Your Majesty, but Commander Azerius stated it was urgent," Maros informs him.

Majesty? So that is the king?

---