Chapter 117

Cassie

I didn't know why Ian was so worried. I made it to the small private infirmary without seeing anyone at all and had no trouble getting inside thanks to the Key Ian had given me. How he had come to have a master key to the palace I didn't know and I didn't want to know. Ian was a man of many secrets. I knew one thing for certain though. I never wanted Ian to be my enemy.

Placing the last of what I needed in the satchel I was carrying , I adjusted the leather straps he had forced me to wear. The worst thing about this whole situation was how I was dressed.

It was not comfortable for me but I could see how it could be functional. I felt like a bad ass.

One last look around I moved as quietly as I could to the closed door and opened it wide.

"Where is everyone?" A voice asked loudly and I froze. Closing the door I peeked out of the tiny gap as two women walked passed. They were young, and clearly maids or something like that. But I didn't recognise either one of them from my time visiting the palace when the old king was still alive. They must have been new.

"There's another execution." The one nearest the door said with a shiver.

"Another one?" Her friend asked shocked. "How many is that now?"

A shrug answered her question. "Since Prince Julian escaped-" the blonde shook herself. "I mean King Julian now. Five. They are questioning anyone who might be loyal to him."

"Don't call him that." The other one hissed, lowering her voice. "If someone hears you then you will be next on Duncan's chopping table."

I narrowed my eyes and watched as both their faces closed down completely.

"He gives me the creeps. He's so-"

"Sadistic?" A small mirthless giggle hit my ears. "What he's been doing to that old housekeeper is just plain disgusting."

My heart slammed into my chest. They couldn't be talking about who I thought they were talking about, could they?

Holding my breath I leant forward so I could hear them clearer. I didn't want to miss anything they were saying. In my situation knowledge was power and I needed as much of it as I could get.

"Yeah my brother was saying to Ma last night that he walked past her cell and he had -" the next words were jumbled. A rush of words that I couldn't understand. "It's horrible but at least tonight she will be finally put out of her misery. I mean it has to be better than what she is going through. She's probably praying to the goddess for death."

They shuffled off , leaving me staring after them. They hadn't mentioned the condemned name or what was being doing to her but I had a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

And this Duncan? I didn't know who he was but I was guessing he was the same person who had tortured and stabbed Julian.

A bully and a coward who tortured people who couldn't fight back or old women.

I felt physically sick that my father was the one who was doing all of this. He had been the one who'd had me attacked and almost raped. He had sworn an oath to the king and betrayed it. He betrayed every single person who had ever loved him. I didn't know why though. Why now?

My mother.

My mum waking up had to have something to do with it. Maybe she knew something about him or he thought she did and her getting better had forced his hand. Really it didn't matter.

My father was a traitor.

Only he wasn't my father , I knew that much. I didn't know who my father was but it wasn't the man who had raised me and made my life hell.

Not that any of the past mattered now. He was doing terrible terrible things and needed to be stopped. And I wanted to be the one who stopped him or at least helped bring him down.

Glancing down at the satchel I frowned. Julian needed the medicine I had in it but we needed information more. We needed answers and to know exactly what we were up against.

I made the decision in a split second and slipped out of the room to hurry after them.

No one bothered me at all as I made my way down to the main hall. Ian had done a good job at making me look like a guard even if I was still wearing my filthy leggings.

The grand double doors were flung open and a crowd had formed.  I settled into the back of the mass of people and tried to blend in. It was pretty easy. No one was talking , everyone had their heads down and their eyes locked onto their feet.

The atmosphere just felt wrong. Like all of the life had been sucked out of it. These people, my people, were so beaten down that they couldn't even lift their eyes. Or maybe they were just too afraid to.

A murmur went up and my head snapped around as two guards dragged a tiny figure into the room. The crowd parted for them. And for a second I had an uninterrupted view of the woman's face. Or what was left of it.

They had skinned her. Her body was nothing but red pulsing flesh and what looked like gossamer that floated around her. It took me a second to realise that it was pieces of her flayed skin.

Bile and vomit rushed up to my throat and I clapped my hand over my mouth. I wasn't even the only one. People looked disgusted.

Disgusted and scared.

I wasn't scared, I was furious.

Like she could hear my thoughts the woman's head turned her head towards me for a second and her eyes widened in shock.

"Bring the accused to me." A loud voice spoke out. I turned my attention back to him. Duncan. It had to be.

"And hold her down." He commanded.

"She can't even stand. I don't think you need to hold her down when you execute an old woman." Someone next to me mumbled.

"An old innocent woman." Someone else added.

I didn't turn to either of them even though I agreed with them. The woman on the platform in front of me was innocent.

I memorised Duncan's face as he stepped forward and shifted. His wolf was bigger than any I had ever seen. A weird blend of brown and white that made him look dirty because the fur looked matted together.

Or maybe it looked matted because -

I let out a startled woosh of breath as the wolf lunged forward , his giant jaws opening wide and closing around the woman's throat without any warning. There was a moment just a moment where the condemned looked at me with wide terrified eyes and then-

Cathy's head left her shoulders with a loud snap.