Chapter 79 Judgmen (2/2)
”Leave now,” Elder Batu said ”If any of you delay in departing, or return early, your punishment will be death”
It only took a fewbehind Arran and Darkfire, Elder Batu, and the crippled young man
”Now, my nephew,” Elder Batu said, her eyes cold, ”you have shamed not only the Society, but also our family And look at you now… useless I could banish you for your actions, but then, a stain like this requires thorough cleaning”
She stretched her hand toward hireat threat, and Arran nearly gasped in shock when he understood as about to happen
”You can't do this!” the young lazed over, his body slu down frorandfather's name,” Elder Batu said She re at her nephew's corpse in disgust
Finally, she turned her attention back to Arran
”You must think me heartless,” she said, her voice cold, without even the faintest trace of ereed with that, though other terms came to mind as well — like 'ue, for fear of losing it
”I'lad you didn't killfor an answer
”War is cohters Weak as you are, your victory over ht be of so Given the wo behavior, he did not want to run even the slightest risk of offending her
”I see you are wearing randfather's sword,” she remarked with a look at his side
I it hilt-first to Elder Batu ”You can have it,” he said quickly ”Had I known it belonged to your family, I wouldn't have taken it”
”I don't want the cursed thing,” she replied ”It was forged by randfather, then passed down fro into the hands ofyou better luck”
Arran hesitated briefly, then sheathed the sword again To him, a sas just a tool, neither lucky nor unlucky And as far as swords went, this was a particularly fine one
”What happens now?” he asked
”Now,” she said, ”you travel north The other Shadowblood fools will undoubtedly figure out what happened, and when they do, this region will no longer be safe for you”
”You're telling us to join a different Valley?!” Darkfire had been quiet before, but now, he spoke in an astonished tone, a tremble of anxiety in his voice ”But what about…”
”I will inform your parents that you are safe,” Elder Batu cut in ”They're the ones who asked me to come here in the first place”
”Then you were the one as sent to help us?” Arran asked, puzzled at the sudden revelation
”I was asked to deliver a fair judght a few drops of shared blood would be enough to sway my decision But between blood and the Society, there can be no choice” Turning to Darkfire, she added, ”You would do well to remember that”
”So what should we do?” Darkfire asked, his brow furrowed in thought
”Travel to one of the border cities near the Sixth Valley,” Elder Batu said ”Then, get recruited With your skills, that shouldn't be too hard a task — although I would suggest hiding your ”
”Should we use different naet rid of the 'Ghostblade' moniker
”Darkfire and Ghostblade?” She raised an eyebrow ”There are hundreds with those naination serves you well, in this case”
Arran let out a sigh It seemed that for now, he was stuck with that ridiculous name
”Unless you have any other questions, I shall leave now,” Elder Batu announced
Arran kept his mouth firmly shut Whatever questions he had could wait until he found so to ask
Elder Batu wasted no ti off
Both Arran and Darkfire stood in silence, until finally, Arran was certain she was gone
”That,” he said in a low voice, ”is a terrifying woman”
”You don't know the half of it,” Darkfire replied