The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(70)

A faint whimper rose from Dominic and Hemlock shook his head in disapproval. “We talked about this, boy. Do you really want me to cut your sister for your noise?” The sound abruptly faded, though Dominic’s bottom lip still trembled.

The boy turned and gazed hard at his father and Seth wanted to vomit at the expression of betrayal on his son’s face. The child’s words were written so clearly in that look that he didn’t need to hear Dominic’s voice. “Why aren’t you saving Mommy?” Seth had always been a hero in his son’s eyes. Dominic had considered him invincible in every fight and knew he would always protect them, until now. Hemlock’s game had destroyed more than Dashara’s rebellion, and from the smile on the man’s lips, he knew it.

“Violence begets violence, Dominic. Your daddy has been a very violent man. He has killed ten people for every drop of your mother’s blood that is spilling, and I promise there will be a lot of blood spilled. Just think of how many families your daddy destroyed just like this.” Hemlock spoke in a gentle voice, but his attention was focused on Seth as he spoke with just the barest gleam of his eyes visible through the hood of his cloak. “What do you think of that Dominic? It’s OK to talk since I asked you a question. I won’t hurt anyone if you answer.”

“I hate you,” Dominic whimpered, his small voice barely audible over his mother’s screams. Seth swallowed heavily but showed no reaction to the words beyond that. He wasn’t sure if the boy was speaking to him or Hemlock, but it still cut to the bone. No matter how many years passed, he didn’t think Dominic would ever understand why he hadn’t drawn his swords. He might have won against Hemlock, but not Uindraely and Donrey as well. There was simply too much power in the room to gamble. The odds were too far against him, and failure meant losing everything. He would never forgive himself for Dashara’s death, but at least his children would survive. Another scream of agony tore through the room and Uindraely giggled in amusement. Seth let his gaze rise to her and then to Dashara. “I will kill everyone in this room before I rest,” he promised himself silently. He couldn’t kill them now, but he would see them die eventually.

Hours seemed to pass as Donrey slowly peeled the flesh from his daughter and salted the wounds, adding agony to her already unbearable pain. By the time she finally faded to unconsciousness her voice was raw from screaming. Seth stared silently at what remained of her, trying not to picture how her eyes locked on him once the pain had broken her mind. Her screams had turned to pleas for help and then finally curses before she had fallen silent at last. His gaze slowly lowered, tracing a path down the carved chair to the pool of blood beneath her.

“Kill the boy and take the girl back to my house. I’m afraid the boy already has too much of his mother’s taint, but we might be able to salvage the infant,” Donrey ordered as he stood back and surveyed his work.

“According to the rules I set for Seth, if he behaved well his children lived,” Hemlock said quietly as he watched one of the guards take Davihni from Uindraely.

“I don’t give a f*ck about your games. Kill the boy,” Donrey snapped. He was paying more attention to the jeweled dagger he held than he was either of his grandchildren. Carefully, he wiped more of the blood from the blade and glanced up at Hemlock.

Hemlock nodded once and shrugged. “Sorry, kid,” he murmured as he drew his dagger from his belt.

Seth moved with every ounce of speed that had earned him his deadly reputation. His sword was in his hand and swinging at Hemlock’s neck before the Assassin had so much as moved Dominic in his arms. With a curse, Hemlock dropped the boy and drew both of his blades. Seth slid gracefully to his knees and caught his son with one arm before the child could crash to the hardwood floor.

“I’m sorry,” Seth whispered as he kissed his son’s head softly and summoned magic. Within a breath the boy was gone from the room and Seth was on his feet once more, blades flashing as he parried Hemlock’s attacks with ease.

“Where did you send him?” Donrey demanded, but Seth didn’t even spare him a glance. He would die here and he knew it. He could already feel magic pulsing off Uindraely. It wouldn’t be long before Merro’s most formidable mage unleashed her spells on him. Dominic was safe, though, in the care of the only person aside from Dashara that he had ever trusted. Rose would know him on sight; she had helped during his birth. The healer would keep him safe in Sanctuary and be his shield against Avanti. The only thing that mattered now was taking some of these bastards with him when he went. With a snarl, Seth picked up the pace and smiled as Hemlock staggered back under the assault. It was clear by the muffled curses that Hemlock no longer wanted a fair fight.

“I am going to make you my toy, Seth,” Uindraely promised as her magic lashed out, wrapping him in tendrils of darkness. He s truggled against the magic as the spell attempted to immobilize him.

“Where did you send the boy?” Donrey demanded again in a louder voice filled with fury.

Hemlock moved in quickly as one of the tendrils pulled his arm back and Seth felt the bite of a dagger in his side as the Ass assin took advantage of his current situation. Flicking his wrist quickly, Seth managed to bury a dagger in the man’s leg before he could dodge.

“Like a little puppet,” Uindraely chirped behind him as the tendrils wrapped around his wrists and ankles with bone breaking strength.