The Royal Deal

Chapter 222

Chapter 222

Alexcent looked over the priests that were surrounding the concourse, trembling in fear. “I could sense something was not as it should be the first time I came through here. Someone doesn’t belong.” He grabbed a hooded priest, who had kept his head down, and threw him to the concourse.

“I can always smell a villain.” Alexcent pulled back the hood of the priest, revealing Celios trembling in fear. Cameron moved to help the High Priest up, but Alexcent stopped him short with the blade of his sword. “Not so fast. It’s about to get fun.”

“How dare you do this!” Cameron shouted in anger. “How dare you bring violence into this holy house and threaten the Guardian of the Goddess. The Empress will not tolerate this!”

Alexcent laughed. “The Guardian of the Goddess?” He looked down at the trembling man before him. “Celios, do you believe that is what you are?”

“I serve the Goddess! How dare you insult the High Priest!” Celios spat. He couldn’t show any weakness in front of the other priests.

“High Priest you say.” Alexcent considered these words. “And you feel that you have the same power as the Empress herself? Why should we follow you?”

“What are you getting at?” Celios asked.

“You claim you inherited the Goddess’ blood, don’t you? That you are an instrument of good?” Alexcent smiled, then lowered his head to Celios’ ear and whispered so only he could hear it. “You’re too late. I got rid of the evidence you were looking for. Your search team won’t be coming back.”

Celios’ eyes widened. Did he actually kill the Duchess? There was no way he could let her live without shaming himself, but to think he would kill his wife with his own hands.

“There’s only one thing left to take care of,” Alexcent continued whispering.

“What do you mean?” Celios couldn’t help but shout the words out loud.

Alexcent pointed at Celios’ head and said, “This is the end, Celios.”

“No! I’m the High Priest. You don’t have the authority to pass that sort of judgement!”

“High Priest? How pathetic. You are as flawed as any man, even worse in your case particularly. How dare you claim to be on the same level as us.”

“The Empress won’t let you be! The citizens of the Empire will never forgive you!”

“Don’t worry about me, Celios. I would worry about your own soul now.”

“Please don’t kill me! I’m sorry!”

Stupid old man, to ask for his life now.

“I should never have saved you before,” Alexcent said.

“What? When!!”

“Eight years ago, when I came into power, you were the only member of the senate that I kept on. You would not even have been here if it wasn’t for me. You are only alive now, because of me. And that gives me authority to end your life when I choose.” Alexcent raised his sword

“No! Please don’t kill me! I don’t have to be the High Priest! If you let me live…”

Alexcent knew that the mind became more terrified, the closer to death it approached. He wanted Celios to suffer every moment. He wanted the other priests to know who was in power. He stepped on Celios’ shoulders, forcing him to his hands and knees. Then lifted his sword high.

“Sir Skad, you can’t!” Cameron yelled, as the sword waivered in the air above Celios’ neck.

“We’ll see if the Goddess will allow you to become a Guardian,” Alexcent snarled, as the sword plummeted.

“Your Majesty!” Gen shouted, running through the entrance of the temple. He was too late, as Celios’ head rolled across the floor.

The decapitated body sank to the ground, the stump of the neck spouting blood across the temple floor. Gen, looked at the head of the High Priest staring back at him from the ground. Hill, Buer, and Leyrian entered the temple behind him, but there was nothing left to do. The priests of the temple fell to their knees and cried, wailing prayers to the Goddess. Alexcent stood like a statue in the centre of the room, blood slowly dripping off the blade of his sword which he held, in a limp arm, at his side.

Everything had changed. The world had turned on its head. Gen approached Alexcent slowly, knowing what he had to do, and met the killer’s furious eyes

“Alexcent Frostin du Skad, you are under arrest for murdering the High Priest.” Gen said, as he tried to control his voice from shaking. “I am aware that this has no connection with the Skad Family as you acted upon your own will. You will be imprisoned in the cells of the palace, as befits your royal status.”

Alexcent dropped the sword and lifted his hands up high.

“You will be given a trial as also befits your royal status. You have the right to appoint someone to represent you, should you so wish. Do you understand?” Gen waited for an acknowledgement from the duke.

Alexcent nodded slowly, while staring at the floor. He knew what the consequences of his actions would be and was prepared to face them with dignity.

“Escort the prisoner to the dungeons of the palace,” Gen said, motioning for Hill, Buer, and Leyrian to take him away. They stood staring at him in disbelief. “Now!”

Hill and Buer went to Alexcent, taking him by the arms. “Our apologies, My Lord,” they said in shame. Alexcent did not fight them.

As the duke was escorted outside, Gen approached Cameron who still knelt on the floor weeping. “You should not make known what occurred here today until the Empress has spoken with you.”

“What are you talking about?” Cameron asked.

“I’ll just say it’s for the Grand Temple’s best interest,” Gen warned him, then turned and left the temple and the carnage behind him. The soldiers were waiting outside, with Alexcent chained in the back of a wagon. There was no emotion in the man’s face. It was as if all humanity had left his body with the swing of a sword. Gen mounted his horse, and they began the journey back to the palace.

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