Beyond All Aid
The Temple of Kronos launches deadly retribution for Azgard outcast Helen Andros
(Below is brief excerpt from Stoneslayer Book Three Payback, published today on Amazon and soon to be available at other online bookstores.)
“Bring the nahazi bastard to me,” Malachi said.
Helen’s bowels turned to ice. Although she knew it was pointless, she resisted. She twisted, turned, bucked, and tried to dig her heels into the smooth floor. She threw her weight backward or to the side, whatever she could think of to impede her captors’ forward progress.
While she was fighting them, another altercation broke out at the South Doors. The acting Lord Protector burst into the inner chamber, running down the center aisle, followed by three King’s Guards.
Orlando did not hesitate to plunge straight into the group of priests tussling with Helen. He peeled them off her, wrenching and shoving anyone he could get his hands on to the side, away from her.
The guards dared not treat any of the Brotherhood of Kronos so disrespectfully, and refused to pursue Orlando further. Freed temporarily, Helen backed away from the melee until she was pressed against the paneling that formed the first row of the elevated benches for the lords of the Great Houses.
“Stop!” Malachi roared. “On pain of instant punishment, I demand that you cease your disrespect of the Holy Office of the Brotherhood of Kronos!”
Incensed, Kefren leaped to his feet. His walking stick resounded throughout the chamber when he smashed it against the floor. The crack finally put an end to the scuffle. Several of the priests, the acting Lord Protector’s fist having sent them to the floor, scrambled to their feet.
Rubbing his jaw, Orlando was more than ready to defend Helen again if necessary.
Malachi glared at Orlando, his menacing visage terrifying on behalf of the man she loved. “You interfered before with the offices of the Holy Brotherhood. This is a second offense. If there is a third, you will be summarily executed for heresy. Is that clear?”
Helen moaned. Orlando made no sound or gesture, his posture alone his signal of defiance.
“What is the meaning of this, Ezekiel?” Kefren pointed toward Orlando with the end of his stick. “This officer is acting Lord Protector and was obeying my explicit instructions.”
“Not even an Exalted Lord may interfere with the Rite of Separation.”
Helen went numb. Cries echoed throughout the cavernous room. Some of the panicked audience members headed toward the West Doors.
“Sit and be still, all of you!”
Malachi looked at Kefren. “Be seated, Sire. This will not take long.”
Kefren returned to his chair. Soon Helen was the only person standing apart from Orlando and the priests. She could feel cold sweat on her neck and the palms of her hands. They’re going to kill me, right here, right now.
“Bring the girl to me.”
Helen caught Orlando’s attention and implored him with her eyes not to do anything in her defense. When he started to protest, she shook her head.
“Your Exalted Lord and your Supreme Commander need you, Lord Protector,” she reminded him. “If the Exalted Lord cannot fight this, neither can you. No one can.”
Expecting never to see her beloved again, Helen looked away. The priests, avoiding Orlando, seized her forearms; she no longer resisted them, although she made them pull her weight along the chamber floor.
At least she now knew why she was forced to witness her father’s trial and discipline. It gave the Temple the chance to strike when she was most vulnerable, when her father could do nothing to protect her.
They called it correctly. She was beyond all aid now.
(The tale of the hazards of Helen, as my late wife put it, begins in Stoneslayer Book One Scandal and continues in Stoneslayer Book Two Fallout. Enjoy the dark wild ride.)