Free The Wounded Guardian by Duncan Lay

true, for we have not suffered the wars and invasions that have plagued every other country. If a lie is repeated often enough, then it becomes a kind of truth. Whether the Sword protects us or not, understand that unless there is someone in the palace holding that Sword soon, things will happen to change this peaceful country. When you leave here with Karia, there are many paths you can take. But there is only one that will not lead to your doom. You and Karia must go to Thest.’
    Martil ignored that. ‘I came here because this country is supposed to be peaceful! What do you think will happen?’
    Nott shrugged his shoulders. ‘I am not skilled in divination. But I do know there is a rising tide of fear and anger in this country, as well as resentment at a woman on the throne. And waiting in the wings is Duke Gello, who would have been King if the Dragon Sword had accepted him. He is known to be ambitious and ruthless. It is not hard to imagine what might happen if the Queen does not win the support of the people. However, we are talking about Thest. You must swear to me that you will both go there. For the sake of you both. Think of it as a second chance, an atonement.’
    Martil snorted. ‘Atonement? Did you hear about Bellic? I was one of the war captains that gave the final order to destroy the town.’
    Nott sighed. ‘Aroaril has shown me your past. Of course, I knew about Bellic already, which is why I know the guilt is not yours alone. That is why they talk of the Butchers of Bellic. There were five of you.’
    Martil felt his throat choke up but refused to let it stop him. There were things that needed to be said. ‘It has to be my guilt. I could have stopped them. We were deadlocked, two for sacking the town, two for starving them out. It was my vote that decided it. I let my anger get the better of me. And now I must live with what I did. A second chance? To give me a little girl to look after? How can that be weighed against the hundreds of dead children we left in Bellic? Someone above must be laughing at this.’
    Nott stood with surprising swiftness and grabbed hold of Martil’s arm. ‘This is the last time I tell you.Do not mock what you cannot understand,’ he warned. His eyes, so blue and so knowing, bored into Martil’s. ‘Karia is not an ordinary girl. The intervention of Aroaril…When I say she is special, I do not mean she can perform counting tricks or amuse others. There is a power within her. Not the power that I get from Aroaril but magic, real magic that can form the world around her. That was why Edil wanted her back. He thought she could be turned into a magician that could bring him the riches he had always desired. So do not tell me she does not have a purpose. And so do you. A man haunted by the death of children has the opportunity to care for one. I see nothing funny in that. And I see Karia as my granddaughter. Would I let her go with someone who would hurt her? You are a better man than you think. One day you might even make a good man. So tell me, do you regret what happened at Bellic?’
    Martil, trapped both by Nott’s gaze and his surprisingly strong grip, could not escape. Everything that he kept bottled up, that had exploded out of him when he killed Edil, overwhelmed him.
    ‘Of course,’ he said thickly. ‘I regret it with every breath.’
    ‘Do you? Do you really? Or do you just regret that it has meant you are no longer a hero?’
    Martil glared up at him. ‘I never cared about being a hero! But I care about not being able to sleep for nightmares about Bellic! I care that my decision saw hundreds of women and children die, destroyed the lives of the men who followed my orders! I care that I must carry the guilt for the rest of my worthless life!’
    Nott stared into his eyes, then nodded grimly. ‘If that is true, you must travel to Thest. Swear it, if you truly wish to repent. Swear!’
    ‘But I already have! I swore to Aroaril!’ Martil protested. ‘Back when