Book 4 - Chapter 77 - Dismal News (2/2)

Clay spoke calmly as he walked toward the group. “The General walked into a sneak attack. Among the aids and staff of the Polaris family was a deeply entrenched spy – a plant, controlled by the demon organization known as Gehenna. His real identity is Inkshade, the man you know as Mr. Ink. He abused the trust Skye placed in him, luring him out away from the rest of us and then struck. That is how he got away with it.”

He threw a dull black dagger onto the ground among them. It hit the deck with a thud of finality.

“This is the murder weapon, Death and Decay.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to the dagger.

Anger and tears had turned Dawn’s eyes red. Without even a moment’s hesitation, she pulled Terrangelica from its sheath and hacked it toward the two men. Phain, with impressive speed, reacted by drawing his own sword and holding it in front of her to block her path.

“They’re lying! They are definitely lying!” She screamed and hacked at the air. Bursts of energy were flung from its tip and cleaved whatever they came into contact with. “They killed my grandfather! Dogs! Murderers! Sent by Arcturus! This whole thing was planned by the Governor to destroy my family!”

Phain grabbed Dawn with his free hand and shook her. “Stop this nonsense!”

Phain wasn’t going to let things devolve. Although he had his doubts about Skye’s death, there wasn’t any evidence to support Dawn’s claim. From what little remnants they could find at the site of Skye’s death, it pointed to Death and Decay as the culprit.

Mr. Ink had to be what they claimed: Inkshade, an agent of Gehenna. So far, he was the most logical suspect.

As for Clay and Frost, they explained their battered appearance and the events that followed their escape from Fallowmoor. During their return with Inkshade, they encountered the spy’s friends and discovered his plots. They were wounded in trying to flee, leaving Inkshade and his henchmen free to attack Skye. When the General detonated, he was trying to take his assassins with him. Sadly what energy remained wasn’t enough, and his killers were able to flee.

As for the truth? Well, at this point it didn’t matter. Skye Polaris was dead. Nothing could change that.

The Polaris family was no more.

Provoking the Cloude family now wouldn’t serve Dawn in any positive way. For her own sake, Phain blocked her from acting in her grief and anger.

In the instant Skye died, Dawn went from a child pampered by her grandfather to a fallen noble of a broken family. There was no one left to indulge her capricious nature. If she didn’t grow up – immediately – who was left to protect her?

A sea of murderous stares were fixed on Clay and Frost. Cloudhawk, Selene and the others didn’t even blink. They all knew the truth of what happened, at least most of it. But if what they said about Mr. Ink was true and they could verify it, the General’s assassination could easily be wholly pinned on that scapegoat.

The Wastelands Alliance was under the control of Hell’s Army, and Skycloud had come to be dominated by a single family.

Arcturus Cloude’s schemes had been executed flawlessly, with great success. From now on, any power in Skycloud or the wastes would find it nearly impossible to stand in his way. The Master Demonhunter, a man of incredible strength and deadly cunning, had taken his place as an uncrowned king.

Cloudhawk felt an anger inside him unlike any he’d felt before. His relationship with Dawn was complicated, but at least the very least he considered her a dear friend. There was a lot about Cloudhawk’s personality that was lacking, but he was someone who greatly valued loyalty. The Polaris family had been good to him, helped him when he needed it. Dawn was a friend. He couldn’t just watch her go through this, there had to be justice!

But it was already done.

There was nothing he could do.

He couldn’t change what happened.

Such a poisonous feeling of guilt and helplessness. He couldn’t stop his fingers from wrapping around Ardent Wrath. It was the last gift General Skye had given him. It would be the tool of win vengeance for his murder. Cloudhawk would use it to cut apart these foul bastards for what they’ve done.

Four years ago Cloudhawk would have thrown himself at these killers right then and there. It wouldn’t have mattered what the consequences would be, or how dangerous it was. But he’d grown since then, and knew that acting in the moment would solve nothing. It would only make matters worse.

The old drunk’s voice cut through the thick air. “Are we still happy stand here wasting time? Fallowmoor’s troops will be arriving soon, and while we’ve been talking the Dark Atom and Woodland Vale have being regrouping. We’ve learned there is also another wasteland power about to join the fight. We’ve lost our general, and we’re about to get attacked on three fronts from three armies. Are you all confident we can handle that?”

He was right. The situation was worse than terrible.

Cloudhawk had no swallow the bitter anger in his gullet and focus on the matter at hand

Selene answered. “The General is gone. Who is next in the chain of command?”

The officers all looked at one another. Roc chimed in. “The general didn’t have a second in command. Everyone below him was considered of equal rank.”

“The expeditionary forces are separated in ten or so corps. As I understand, the Talons of God – as a special military unit, had greater scope and function than typical corps.” Hearing no immediate objections, Selene continued. “In my authority as Apostle to the Temple, I support the appointment of Warden Cloudhawk as temporary commander of the fleet, to be assisted by myself and the Grand Prior Phain.”

Phain’s brows furrowed at being volunteered. What qualifications did this young, untested man have to command an entire fleet? But Selene’s status in the Temple was even higher than his own, so he had no right to challenge her order. Besides, his own appointment was temporary anyway.

Everyone understood Selene’s intention.

Now that General Skye was dead, the Cloude family would certainly be looking for some way to take control of the expeditionary force for themselves. If they thrust command on Cloudhawk now and he somehow managed to get them out of this in one piece, they would have more room to maneuver in the future.

Clay Cloude’s sharp eyes were fixed on Selene. For just an instant there was a cold, lethal light in their depths. Was this girl openly defying her family and patriarch? Was she declaring war on Master Arcturus?

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.