Page 116 of Becoming D'Vaire
“Behave yourselves,” Drystan barked as he led them to the next door in the hallway.
“You kept them close,” T’Eirick observed.
“They were the only two scheduled for execution today,” Drystan explained as he swiped his card and allowed them entry. Unlike her grandfather, Latarian’s gaze was filled with indignation. She got to her feet and squared her shoulders.
“Is this supposed to be a shocking surprise? Saura and T’Eirick risen from the grave?” she asked and Saura tried to imagine her lively son tied to this horrid creature for most of his lifetime. Her thoughts did not give Saura any sympathy for the evil woman.
“Not at all, Latarian,” Saura replied. “The Reverent Knights were just kind enough to give us a few minutes to speak with you before your death.”
“I must speak with my grandfather. I demand to speak with Carvallius.”
“His execution has already been carried out,” Drystan informed her.
“You lie,” Latarian screeched.
“Not only is he dead, but he’s going to be pinned to the afterlife by a Cwylld stone. News flash—so are you,” Conley responded.
“Impossible,” she sneered.
Saura turned to T’Eirick. “We really aren’t going to stand here and repeat everything we just spoke with Carvallius about, are we?”
“No way, she’ll figure the truth out for herself when she joins him.”
“Do stop talking about me as if I am not in the room. I do not have to tolerate this. I am Latarian of Mallent, granddaughter of Carvallius. Someday we shall rule over all people, and you will be sorry for the things you’ve said and done. And you will be the ones locked in chains,” Latarian yelled as she shook the ones imprisoning her.
“In some part of my mind, I feel sorry for you. I think your entire life, Carvallius manipulated you and filled your head with his own reality. But you hurt too many people for me to be able to ever forget how evil your own soul is. You took a young, hurting teenage boy and manipulated him. Idris is probably the sweetest man I’ve ever met, and you used him. He still harbors guilt for his actions while you dwell in fantasy,” Saura explained.
“Idris is nothing but a stupid boy given too much power by Fate that his horrid grandfather refused to teach him how to use. He’s the one you should blame for hurting Idris, not me. I gave him purpose and a plan.”
“Wrong, Latarian. You gave him scars. They may not be visible ones, but they are there all the same,” T’Eirick corrected.
Saura took two steps so only inches separated her from Latarian, and none of the men in the room made any move to stop her. “And what of Dra’Kaedan? How do you justify the things you did to him?”
“Get away,” Latarian screamed as she tried to create space between herself and Saura but found a wall at her back.
“We saved his life the first time you nearly killed him. T’Eirick and I pushed him onto the side of life because we feared he wouldn’t wake up before Brogan died of heartsickness. Did you know that?”
“I am not a dolt. Of course, he still breathes, does he not?” Latarian snarled. “Get away from me.”
“And the second time, do you remember? After you kidnapped Renny and Gedeon?” Saura asked.
“That sentinel jumped into my teleportation circle. I did nothing to him,” Latarian yelled. “He was unharmed.”
“Without Idris’s quick thinking, Renny would’ve died. He had the dust of a Cwylld stone buried in his arm,” Saura pointed out.
Latarian’s eyes widened and sweat trickled down one temple. “It was Idris who stabbed him in the first place.”
“At your command. Let’s talk about what else you did with that knife,” Saura countered, taking a step closer to Latarian as her right hand curled around her blade.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Latarian squawked.
“You stuck it in my child’s heart,” Saura said through her teeth as she reared up with the sword in her hand and shoved it into the middle of Latarian’s chest. Her son’s former captor slid down the wall as the life leeched from her body. Saura yanked her weapon free and turned around, ignoring the mess at her feet. Latarian and Carvallius would no longer take anything from her, not even a moment to mourn them.
Striding across the room, she took T’Eirick’s outstretched hand and turned to the Reverent Knights. “Thank you.”
Conley’s golden eyes were misty. “We were murdered ourselves. I would’ve given anything to avenge Drystan’s death. Your entire former race was brought to its knees by that fuck in the other room, and your son spent six centuries dealing with that bitch on the floor. If that weren’t enough, you both helped give us back our dragons. No thanks are necessary.”
Drystan tugged Conley into his arms and held him tight. “I would’ve avenged you too if I could.”
