[Black Jewels Trilogy]: Surrender
“Message for you, Prince.”
The little man bowed and hurriedly backed away as he handed over the letter. Daemon barely glanced at him as he took it and tore it open, eyes scanning over it, the familiar, hateful script. There was no signature. It didn’t need one. He looked out the window, staring at the landscape of the territory he’d killed to claim. He could conquer half of Terreille from here. Smash Dorothea’s rule. Maybe even destroy her.
He looked down at the note again.
Surrender by the new moon. Every day you are gone thereafter, I will take a piece of your brother’s body as payment for your arrogance.
He could hold out. He pictured his brother, his arrogant, Eyrien prick of a brother, and knew that Lucivar would say yes, yes, do it, if you have any chance to destroy her, do it.
They would take his wings, first. He closed his eyes.
He could sacrifice his brother for this. But he already knew he wouldn’t.
He clenched a fist around the note and looked up, knowing his face was cold, eyes glazed. “You may take my reply back,” he crooned, softly, “I surrender. And if she touches one hair on Lucivar Yaslana’s head, I will destroy her.”
The man cringed, shivered. He could feel cold sweeping the room. He didn’t care.
“Get out of my sight. Or I will send my answer back with your body. In pieces.”
The man bowed, swiftly, and ran. Daemon stared blankly after him. “I’m sorry, Prick,” he murmured, “Some things even I can’t do.”
Daemon Sadi stepped out of the house and waited for the dark to come.
The little man bowed and hurriedly backed away as he handed over the letter. Daemon barely glanced at him as he took it and tore it open, eyes scanning over it, the familiar, hateful script. There was no signature. It didn’t need one. He looked out the window, staring at the landscape of the territory he’d killed to claim. He could conquer half of Terreille from here. Smash Dorothea’s rule. Maybe even destroy her.
He looked down at the note again.
Surrender by the new moon. Every day you are gone thereafter, I will take a piece of your brother’s body as payment for your arrogance.
He could hold out. He pictured his brother, his arrogant, Eyrien prick of a brother, and knew that Lucivar would say yes, yes, do it, if you have any chance to destroy her, do it.
They would take his wings, first. He closed his eyes.
He could sacrifice his brother for this. But he already knew he wouldn’t.
He clenched a fist around the note and looked up, knowing his face was cold, eyes glazed. “You may take my reply back,” he crooned, softly, “I surrender. And if she touches one hair on Lucivar Yaslana’s head, I will destroy her.”
The man cringed, shivered. He could feel cold sweeping the room. He didn’t care.
“Get out of my sight. Or I will send my answer back with your body. In pieces.”
The man bowed, swiftly, and ran. Daemon stared blankly after him. “I’m sorry, Prick,” he murmured, “Some things even I can’t do.”
Daemon Sadi stepped out of the house and waited for the dark to come.