Gideon [The Marujan Brothers Series] Book Two (14 page)

Chapter Seventeen

T
he brisk wind gushed against Gideon's face as he shouldered
his way through the hot desert of dried weeds and thirsty cracked
ground. There wasn't a tree in sight. At least not for another
three miles, he deduced. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he blew
out a harsh breath and shrugged, his shirt sticking to his skin
like a wet sheet. And inside his pants was a dense layer of heat
that spread all the way from inside his hard boots, up along his
legs and across his thighs, lodging like a heavy thick discomfort
around his groin. 
Gideon tugged on the front of his leather pants, yanking the fabric
away from his sensitive organ. He desperately needed to find a
village soon. He was badly in need of a bath and certainly a more
sensible change of clothes. The rubbing of the hard leather against
his balls was oddly reminding him of how much he missed making love
to Esyth.
Cursing beneath his breath, he groaned deep within his throat and
glanced next to him where Amelia walked. She was frowning, brushing
occasionally at a lock of hair that always made its way back into
her eyes. As if sensing his gaze, she looked up and shook her
head. 
"The girl is slowing us down," she whispered, eyeing Mia who walked
alongside Malakai a good few feet ahead of them. 
He sighed. "I know."
Her eyes narrowed on him. "Why is she here? It's dangerous. She
could be killed."
"
You
could be
killed."
"I can defend myself leagues better than she can."
"Mia wanted to come. I guess she needed the adventure, you know.
And I kinda know the feeling..."
Amelia looked up at him, watching him for a long while before she
let out a long heavy breath. She did, in fact, know what he meant.
If anyone really understood the nature of true freedom and
adventure, it was Gideon. His life had been built around it; to
never just live but to enjoy life. And she somehow envied him for
that. Nodding, she stuffed her thumbs inside the front pockets of
her jeans. 
"I still have my eyes on the Kankul wretch, though. Any slight
slip, I'll have his head, don't doubt it."
"Doubting you would never be an intention of mine, sister," he
chuckled and rubbed her shoulder affectionately. He then narrowed
his eyes on a thick white puff of smoke rising above the distant
tree tops and smiled. "We'll reach a village soon enough. Then we
can continue on. Don't worry. We'll get there." Gideon's jaws
clenched, determined and fierce. "I have no other choice."
Gideon closed his eyes briefly as memories of his so sweet Esyth
came rushing back to him. He sighed. If he did not love that woman
as much as he thought he did, then he was prepared to be called
stupid for the rest of his life. No simple emotion could ever feel
like what he was currently feeling. He knew that much. Either that
or he was seriously losing his mind, and Gideon knew that he was
probably in one of the sanest phases of his life. 
Smiling now, he could remember that day he had first made love to
her. It was a memory forever burnt in his mind, set and sealed like
concrete. 
They had both been completely sated and breathless from a
love-making so powerful and passionate it had engulfed them both
and set them into a frenzied state of euphoric satisfaction. It was
the first time he'd felt so connected to a woman. It was like Esyth
had stripped him naked straight down to his soul and read in him
all he'd ever wanted and possibly needed, and then offered it all
with no conditions attached. 
She had a lovely soul, the type to give and never expect anything
back in return. Surely someone had to have some sort of selfless
attitude to abandon their own life to the service of her kind. To
watch over Amelia while she was in the mortal form for seven
centuries, protecting and shielding her from Deorci's sight. Gideon
admired that the most about her; her willingness to give her all.
But when she given herself that night at the Hub for Amelia's sake,
he'd been left heartbroken and shattered; desperately trying to
piece it all back together. It had been hard losing the one woman
who'd made him feel like a fool and a prize both at the same
time. 
Why hadn't she just come to him and told him that she'd known about
Amelia's intended sacrifice? They would have been able to figure
out another solution. Just had he had intended on doing for Amelia
at the very last minute. 
He shook his head, and even though he could feel his heart
tightening with dread in his chest, he still could not help but
smile at how courageous his woman had been. He would find her, he
just knew it.
"We'll find her."
Gideon looked down to see Amelia glancing knowingly up at him.
Nodding, he gave her his best reassuring smile and shook off the
melancholy feeling threatening to captivate him. It was no use,
anyway. He'd strive to be his usual optimistic and pleasant self
because that's what he intended to remain when he laid eyes on
Esyth again. 

* * * 
E
scape
from the overbearing noon heat on their heads was a relief the
moment they set foot inside a dusty old inn in a village called
HillTop. The first thing Gideon thought was that it was a very
strange name for a place that situated on nothing but a wide open
plain and lowlands. But then again, as a child growing up, he'd
once had a pet bitch named Mule and her half dozen kittens. Yeah,
he was very young at that time; and apparently too young to
understand the true meaning of the word. 
The inn was located on a fresh piece of vegetated land surrounded
by large oak trees, a welcomed contrast from the crisp dirt they'd
been traveling through for hours. The quaint building was
positioned in such a peculiar way that it almost looked as if it
was built in the dead center of the road, blocking all signs of
whatever else the village had to offer. 
Gideon spotted a large self-contained wooden booth with a large
glass window; the innkeepers desk. Around the dreary room, he could
hear the squeaking wood. It was almost as if the inn was swaying;
resonance taking its course. The annoying squealing of a fan caused
him to look up, the cobweb-ridden contraption barely
rotating.
From what he could see, the place was in an incredulous state of
disrepair; the pungent scent of dead rodents and termites filled
the air, coupled with the smell of stale liquor and long spoilt
food. Gideon winced to keep the little contents of his stomach in
place. 
"Whoever owns this place needs to be hanged," Malakai grunted,
taking a disgusted look around. 
Amelia shot him a disdainful look but nodded. "I don't think
anyone's around, Gideon."
"I know and I'm starting to get a bad feeling in the pit of my gut.
Maybe we should take a look outside and see for sure." 
They were about to turn on their heels when a breathless Mia came
barging through the front door. Gideon frowned. He hadn't even
noticed that she hadn't been standing alongside them. 
"What's wrong with her?" Amelia asked, frowning as she watched the
girl take in quick shallow breaths. She was nothing short from
falling into hyperventilation. Rushing over to Mia, she touched her
arm. "What happened?"
"Saw a dead rat, more than likely," Malakai drawled, a grin
plastered across his face. 
Gideon rolled his eyes. "Put a can in your trap, Baamel," he said.
"Come on, Mia. Out with it already…"
Mia sucked in a gasping breath and shot a glance at Amelia, who was
technically holding her up at the moment. She then swallowed
tightly. "You've got see outside. I mean, out there," she gasped,
pointing in their direction which meant behind the inn. "I've never
seen anything like it. Y-You might want to brace yourselves."
He was out the door before either of them had even fully
interpreted Mia's words, Malakai Baamel to be the first on his
heels. Gideon rounded the corner of the inn, parting his way
through high weeds and bushes and pass a large stone well. He moved
fast, feet carrying him like the wind itself however absent it was
at the moment. Then he tripped on something, almost falling over
when he paused abruptly and looked down. 
The thrushes were thick and high so he really could not see much.
Stooping down to a crouch, he gently parted the bushes, searching
curiously. His hand stilled. His eyes widened and his nostrils
flared at what he saw. 
A woman's hand, raw and nibbled by insects, swarmed by flies and
thousands of maggots. Frowning, he withdrew and stood, momentarily
confused. Well, that was before he felt Malakai's presence directly
behind him, followed by the man's sharp hiss, "What the fuck
happened here?"
"Oh...my...
god
!"
Amelia came up shortly, a red-faced Mia in tow.
All three seemed to have no problem with finding their voices but
Gideon could barely summon his. He was dumbstruck. Mia was right
about one thing. It wasn't anything like that he had ever seen.
Ever. Not even during the Kankul-inflicted holocaust that been over
Maruj all those many years ago. 
The state of the remainder of the village was everything Gideon had
not expected. He could scarcely believe what he was seeing.
Noticing the clean white smoke rising above the fresh tree tops
some few miles back had given him every reason to be optimistic; to
find a place roaring with laughter, kindling fireplaces and warm
food. He most certainly did not foresee a place scattered with
burnt down houses and shops and dead bodies, both women and
children and scores of men. 
Seeing the destruction evolving around his eyes only made his head
spin with more disappointment. Only one building apart from the inn
was left standing, and it was an ancient brick chapel ascending to
some forty-odd feet in height.
Perhaps it was selfish to even feel disappointed at this particular
moment. Not when so many lives had been lost here. Somehow, he
could feel the sorrows of the people who had once lived here. So
dismissing his own personal feelings from the equation, he then
felt a quick surge of anger flooding his veins. And the only stench
he could smell was Kankul. 
Malakai brushed pass him, his nose flaring and teeth baring in a
feral sneer. He then spun around, his jaws clenched tight. Gideon
met his eyes, the raw hatred they felt for each other clearly
evident but also their willingness to put it all aside for a
greater good. For now. 
"Deorci was here," he said. "I can almost taste the motherfucker's
energy."
Gideon nodded. "How long ago do you think?"
Malakai sniffed. "Two, maybe three days."
They all stood in contemplative silence for a few minutes. It was
Amelia who first spoke. "I just find it odd that they didn't
destroy the inn. It's not like it's in any condition to garner
pity." She cut Malakai a nasty look. "Especially from Kankul
soldiers. What say you about the chapel?" 
"Maybe Deorci has found your beloved The First," Malakai drawled,
his tone dripping with sarcasm. 
Amelia's blood was obviously boiling. "Listen, you piece of
shit—"
"I'm going to go check out the chapel, " Gideon interjected,
cutting off a fuming Amelia. He really hadn't the patience to
witness any likely argument his sister-in-law was wishing to start.
He understood her anger but hell, even
he
was trying! 
He needed them both focused because something was gravely wrong
here and he desperately needed to find out what it was. 
He nodded to Malakai who grunted an expletive and then preceded him
towards the chapel. "In the meanwhile, Amelia, I would really
appreciate it if you would try to reign in your anger just a bit,"
he continued, pleading with her. "Hadaen would have agreed."
Amelia pouted, her teeth gritting until she turned wide eyes on her
brother-in-law, fully understanding his reference to her husband.
Suddenly, all color drained from her face and she sputtered, "Y-You
wouldn't dare tell Hadaen I'm here." Her mouth hung loose with
disbelief and uncertainty. "
Would
you?" 
"No," he sighed, shaking his head wearily. "But don't tempt me,
alright?" He then averted his eyes to a green-faced Mia who looked
like she was going to barf at any moment. He just hoped he wasn't
nearby when she did. He had no intention of being vomited on again,
his thoughts returning to that night with Amanda of the Alexanders.
He sighed again. He'd contact Faolan later and see how he was
faring. "And try telling Mia some happy stories, will you? She
looks like she's going to faint."
T
he inside
of the chapel was stuffy and hot. Two dozen rows of dusty mahogany
pews on either sides of a long aisle leading up towards a wide
alter. The ceiling was of domed red and green and yellow stained
glass, gleaming under the refraction of the sun's rays. Gideon
thought it was a pretty decent chapel.
A long spiral staircase started across the room to his right and
ended on a wide flat landing just above his head. Instinct brought
him to the foot of it and he was already climbing when Malakai cast
him a cautioning look.
"You don't know what the devil could be hiding up there, man," he
said to Gideon. 
"Well, it'd be a whole lot better than waiting for it to come down,
wouldn't it?"
Malakai did not answer but trailed a good three to four steps
behind. When they reached the landing, Gideon looked around,
immediately stepping inside a doorless room. There wasn't much to
be seen but overturned bookshelves, and books and papers scattered
all over the floor. A small window overlooked the entire bloodied
yard and the lands beyond. 
It was a terrible sight, really.
He was about to turn and leave when he heard the distinct shuffling
of feet to his right. Remaining cool and composed, though, he chose
not to alert Malakai. Someone was in the room with them and he had
no intention of scaring him or her off. 
"Deorci must have been looking for something," Malakai said,
looking all around the room. "Must have been very
important..."
Turning slowly, Gideon raised a finger to his lips to caution him.
Understanding immediately, Malakai continued chatting about
numerous forms of nonsense while Gideon edged across the room
towards a standing bookshelf. Running his hand along the side of
it, he clenched his jaws determinedly and shoved it over with one
push. The shelf fell with a huge crash, followed by the clatter of
books.
A hoarse throaty shriek erupted just in time as they both landed
eyes on a middle-aged priest, dressed in a long white garb and eyes
bulging with fright. Gideon would have found the man's expression
amusing if it were any other day. The man looked like a stray cat
caught thieving chicken from Cook's pot. 
"Well, look what we have here," Malakai chuckled, gaining much
ground on the terrified religious man. 
The priest looked at both of them frantically, his Adam's apple
throbbing heavily as he gulped. Gideon could already see the sweat
running down the man's face as he plastered himself against the
wall. 
"What happened here?" Gideon questioned. 
The man crossed his heart three times quickly. "Please don't kill
me!"
"Relax, we're not here to hurt you," Gideon said, lowering his
voice to a gentle tone. "But we would just love your cooperation on
a few things. Firstly, are you alone?"
The priest nodded, still looking as if he was going to drop
stone-cold at any moment. 
"Who did this?" Malakai asked, even though he already knew the
answer. 
"I-I don't know. I was in hiding. They came... Hundreds of them,
you see. They did things so...so unreal, you see," the old man
stuttered out, crossing his heart again. "They killed. Everyone
else b-but I hid b-beneath the floors, you see." Then he shook his
head forlornly, tears swelling up in his downcast eyes.
"
All
the dead
bodies, I thought I was dead too..."
"Did you get a good look at any of the men who did this?" Gideon
decided to ask. He had to know for sure. Immediately, the old man
blanched, looking ready to bolt. Gideon smirked. There was no way
that was happening. "It wouldn't do you well to lie,
priest
. It would get you
absolutely no where. Besides, that's no good way to set an
example."
"I don't know. I-I...."
"Did you or did you not get a look at any of the bastards' faces?"
Malakai grounded out, obviously getting as irritated as Gideon
was. 
The priest's pupils shook, his lips quivering. "I-I was sworn into
secrecy."
Malakai and Gideon exchanges glances. "By who?" Malakai asked,
folding his arms over his chest, his expression
annoyed. 
"By me. I-I don't want to die."
Gideon let out a harsh laugh, the amusement never reaching his
eyes. Malakai shrugged and smiled wickedly, his own grin resembling
that of a big shark who had just found a delectable
delight. 
But the laughter was short-lived and before the old man could even
release another breath, Gideon was on him like flies on dead meat.
Grabbing the priest by his thick collars, he shove him up against
the wall and growled fiercely. The old man froze, his bony frame
trembling like a leaf. 
"
Please
..." he
gasped out. “Y-You said you wouldn't k-kill me!"
Gideon barked in the old fool's face. "I'm not someone who normally
resorts to killing defenseless people but
do not
try my patience, old man. All
you have to do is answer my fucking question." The priest whimpered
and sucked in a sobbing breath. "You have a tongue, don't you?
Well, use it before I rip it out and stuff it down your fucking
throat!"
"He said something about a book that held some secret to limitless
power," the priest blurted, no stutter or tremble in his words.
Then he gripped desperately at Gideon's hands, letting out a
wheeze. "Please. I
can't
breathe
!"
Gideon dropped the man abruptly and ran an agitated hand through
his hair. A book that held some secret to limitless power? What the
hell was Deorci up to this time? He turned a frustrated glance on
Malakai, who only shrugged and shook his head. 
Damn it!
The last thing
he needed was any more delay in his plans. Gideon decided they'd
all better tread on safer grounds from now on. 
And on safer grounds, they certainly were not on because a loud
crash came instantly, throwing Gideon from his thoughts and shaking
the entire building, whatever bookshelves had been left standing,
falling in a dusty shattering heap. Bracing himself, Gideon tapped
into his
mana
,
searching for what could be the reason for the sudden crash. The
building shook for another couple minutes before it
stilled. 
Malakai shot towards the door. "I'm gonna go check it out!"
The priest, who had been knocked quite unceremoniously to his rump
by the blast, scurried to his feet, tears spilling down his face
and bawling like a babe. 
"The devil is here, I tell you!" he shrieked, moving wide around
Gideon as he headed for the door. "I don't want to die! You should
s-save yourself before he c-comes for you." The priest's eyes
widened to saucers, his hands shaking. "He's the devil in the
flesh. The blackest eyes I've ever seen and hair whiter than
Heaven's light, you see." Then he shot the door screaming, "I don't
want to die!"
Gideon stood stock still for a while. He could not understand the
energy he was picking up. He could not locate its source either so
he had no idea what he was up against. Something was obviously
wrong and the fact that he had no idea just how wrong it was, had
him on the shorter end of the stick. 
He sprinted from the room instantly, his mana flooding in and
around him, flooding his eyes crimson. He moved with superhuman
speeding, storming down the staircase and down the aisle. Tearing
through the chapel yard, he glanced absently at the priest's
lifeless body leant up against the old well. The old man's garb was
almost torn from his body, his blood soaking through a hole in his
chest. Gideon hissed. The old fool had run straight to his
death. 
The only thing on his mind at the moment, though, was Amelia and
Mia. If anything were to happen to his beloved sister-in-law, he
would have to face Hadaen's wrath. He hissed. Malakai could handle
himself. 
"Amelia!" he called, bolting through the weeds in the direction of
the wood. He had to dig his heels into the ground beneath him to
halt his movement. Shit! The fucking inn was blown to pieces.
Panic sunk in. Gideon was on the edge of losing his mind. "Amelia!
Mia! Where are you?" He spun around, searching the entire area but
he couldn't locate any of them. Blood rushed to his temples,
pounding like a hammer to his skull. Throat now gone dry with the
thirst of impatience and worry, he called again.
"