Free Take My Heart...: Dark Ages - Fantasy (Dark Gods & Tainted Souls Book 3) by julius schenk Page B

Opulent . The fine ship that had carried him so long ago from the jail in Cravosi to his long journey onwards, people milled around him in their fine clothes and paid little attention to him. He recognized some of them from his voyage, a certain guard or officer, a certain attractive female passenger he’d noticed. They enjoyed the sunshine of the bright fresh day it had become. He could smell the fresh ocean, feel the cool air and it felt real.
    Then he saw her. She looked younger than when he’d first met her. As she must have been in death. Elizebetha walked up to Seth and hugged him.
    “Hello Sir Seth, it’s been a long time,” she said.
    He felt a pit of sadness crawl up in him and tried to find his eyes but he forced it down, what weakness that would be. He pulled back from her and took her hands, they felt cold and dead. He could see dark red marks around her neck.
    “You’ve been killed then?” he asked simply.
    Taking her hand from his, she slowly rubbed the deep red marks on her neck.
    “It seems I have though I can’t remember much of it. I think I was killed by the king but it all happened so fast. First we lost you and I was so proud of you, you saved us all, but then it all happened anyway. The duchess, the battle and then the king,” she said sadly.
    “So I failed you all, my gesture was all for nothing,” he said.
    “I’m not so sure. I don’t think I’m meant to be here Seth, this is not my journey, it’s yours but something is trying to help us. I think it wants us to do something,” she said.
    “A Druheim’s job is never finished,” he said with a laugh. Then he stopped and looked around the deck. “Have you seen Seraphina?” Knowing before he asked. Elizebetha looked at him sadly. “This isn’t her journey Seth, maybe you’ll find each other again. Now come with me, we have a different old friend to meet.”
    Elizebetha took him by the hand and led him across the polished wooden deck. He walked easily through the people and noticed his arm would just pass through some and not others, were some just illusions? or ghosts of the fallen? clearly not all were dead.
    He looked at the sparring area just before him and almost laughed, it was the place he’d first learn to use the rapier, his fight against that officer fellow whatever his name was.
    “Officer Ramon, my friend here says he can beat you any day or night.” He heard Elizebetha yell in her refined voice.
    Indeed, it was the officer Ramon standing in front of him sparring with his brother as he had been all that time ago. The man looked him over and snorted. “Doubtful my lady but your man should watch his tongue, a man’s honor is all he has,” he said.
    The man was clearly as prickly as he’d always been.
    “What of a woman’s honor? He says you dance around like one and in such pretty clothes,” she said back. That did it. The man’s eyes lit up with rage. Seth remembered that look very well. The fight came back to him. He’d fought the man but not killed him. He’d let him live, if in total shame.
    Seth just sighed and pulling his rapier and dagger from his sides, stepping over the small rope barrier and onto the black painted deck of the sparring pit. Officer Ramon was as ever, a big bull of a man, fine mustache and from memory good with that sword. Still Seth was far better now than he had been.
    The man lunged at Seth hard and fast with a straight blade. Seth jumped back not ready. He countered with a flick of his rapier and thrust forward. They exchanged cuts the man fighting with such energy and anger. Seth was forced to retreat. It had been so long since he’d used these weapons. He cast his mind to the general and let him take over. Every time the man lunged Seth flicked his blade away with ease, he saw the moment coming. Ramon lost control and charged. He knew he had simply sidestepped the man and choked him to sleep instead of doing the easy thing and letting him run onto his blade. Seth saw him