Mad Lord Lucian (5 page)

As the curtain of people moved aside, Senda got his first look at Suasor dangling at the end of the rope, arms hanging limply at his sides, swaying slightly. The creaking and groaning sounds drifting across the square set Senda's nerves on edge.

He watched Lucian and Anali walk toward the castle.
He hanged one of his most loyal friends, and he acts as though he were out for an evening stroll
. Anali and Lucian both turned at the same time and locked their eyes on Senda. He refused to look away. The anger at the injustice he had just witnessed fueled this newfound confidence and strength. He was the only one that knew the truth; he
had
to find a way to prove the Mystic was responsible.

The undertaker carefully cut Suasor's body down, heaving and grunting as he maneuvered it into his cart. Senda watched as he picked up the posts and pulled the cart with Suasor's body toward his place of business. When there wasn't a need for coffins or burials, he made and repaired furniture.

Senda wanted to storm into the castle and demand to see for himself the letter Jaenet had sent to Suasor.
Anali enchanted the letter so that Lucian would see what the evil Mystic wanted him to see
. “Senda, Lucian requires your presence right away.”

Senda turned to the scullery maid and nodded curtly. She scurried away, refusing to look at the gallows or the bit of rope that still swayed in the breeze.

As he walked slowly back to the castle, he took note of the people back at their daily tasks as though a man hadn't just been hanged.
Hanged for a crime he didn't commit
. Only Senda knew the truth. As he walked under the raised portcullis, the anger started to wane and fear replaced it.
Will Lucian demand my head next?
Senda did not have a wife or children. He had a brother that lived somewhere on the mainland but they hadn't spoken in many years. Senda was not even sure where his brother lived, or if he was married or had a family.

If I die today, no one will miss me
. That thought saddened Senda more than he expected. His life had been filled with serving his Lord.

His worry grew as he drew closer to Lucian's bedchamber. The guard, someone new this time, snapped to attention, and opened the door. Senda tried to slow his galloping heart. He braced himself for the Mystic to grab him, or to shoot some bit of magic at him and fry him where he stood.

Lucian sat alone in the solar. There was no sign of the Mystic. He raised his eyes to meet Senda's. “I sent Anali away while we chat.” Lucian stood slowly. “I am disappointed in you, Senda. I never thought one of my own people would betray me.”

“I never betrayed you. I admit, I went to Jaenet after overhearing you and Anali talking about Suasor's designs for your throne and about letting me go. The Mystic is filling your head with poisonous lies. The letter Jaenet wrote said nothing about troops. I was there when she wrote it.”

“I saw the letter with my own eyes! Do you think I can be so easily deceived?”

“My Lord, the Mystic has done something to you…”

“Yes! He has made me well and strong again. And he has opened my eyes to the treachery surrounding me.”

“I am grateful to Anali for curing you. But he has poisoned you against your own subjects. Surely you see that?”

“I see the
truth!
Anali warned me that others would deny the truth, but he gave me the power to see.” Lucian turned to Senda, his eyes burning in his gaunt face. “I am afraid that I can't trust you any longer. You have one week to leave the castle.” Lucian turned without another word and walked away.

SIX

SENDA COULDN'T BEAR TO SLEEP in Lucian's bedchamber so he grabbed his few belongings and asked Lucian's new manservant to bring his pallet to the kitchens. Senda did not speak as they made their way down to the first floor of the castle. Word spread quickly. Everyone knew of Senda's shame.
I need a plan
. He wished there was someone he could talk to, someone who could help him.
The last person I talked to ended up dead, as did her husband
. He knew he should depart the island, but he couldn't leave Lucian in the Mystic's grasp.

He needed to find work with one of the other Lords or Ladies on the island so he could still be close and keep an eye on Anali, although what he was going to do about the Mystic was still a mystery.
I have to try to stop him
.

Neli was none too pleased to have the disgraced manservant staying in her kitchens, but Senda knew she didn't have the heart to turn him out. “I will only be here to sleep. During the day I will be out trying to find work.”

Neli grunted and turned back to her kettle. “I hear old Lord Mandor is looking for someone.” She continued with her stirring.

Senda thanked her and decided to go talk to Lord Mandor after lunch. The sooner he could leave the castle, the better. He did not feel safe being under the same roof as the Mystic.

After a quick bite, he made for Lord Mandor's home. It was just down the road from Suasor and Jaenet's manor house. Senda felt a pang of guilt and sadness as he passed the house. Many of the
servants were about their duties, having nothing else to do until relatives of Suasor were notified to take possession of the home.

The Mandor manor looked much like all the others: constructed of the dark granite the island itself was made of, single level, stables, and courtyard. Lord Mandor was known for his love of exotic sculptures, and these pieces were strewn on either side of the entry and inside the house.

Dreban, chief chamberlain of Mandor's household, offered him a position as a butler. Although the buttery wasn't the hardest work, it did require heavy lifting and many hours standing over vats and barrels, brewing ale and beer, knowing what brew to serve with which course, and serving at each meal.

He hired you. Do not grumble
.

Senda returned to Lucian's castle, gathered his things from the kitchen, swallowing the lump in his throat as he said goodbye to Neli and the rest of the staff. However, there were some who seemed almost glad he was leaving. They stared at him with suspicious eyes, whispering together as he bid Neli farewell.

The Mystic's presence is poisoning everyone
.

Senda was even more determined to save his Lord from the clutches of Anali. He was the only one who seemed immune to the lies and suspicion the man spread.
I must do something
.

He hurried back to Mandor's. The thought of running into Lucian or Anali made him acutely uncomfortable. He met a few other servants about their nightly duties. They nodded in greeting, already aware of the new butler in Mandor's employ.

As he lay on his pallet, his mind raced, trying to come up with a plan to stop Anali's corruption.

SEVEN

SENDA MADE SURE TO BE UP before dawn. He did not want to be late for his first day. A few of the other servants were in the kitchens, putting wood on the fires, grinding wheat to make bread, cutting steaks off great haunches of antlered horse, and slicing vegetables.

“Come quickly! Lucian has arrested Lord Byron's entire house-hold!” A stable boy ran into the kitchen, a look of horror on his face.

Senda and the others rushed out to see what was happening. The streets teemed with people, all rushing toward the castle. As he drew closer, he could hear desperate, terrified screams. Lucian's soldiers were hauling dozens of men, women, and even children to the gallows.

This can't be happening!
Senda tried to move forward, but instead of Anali stopping him with magic, the soldiers did the job. They had fanned out in front of the gallows, preventing anyone from getting to within a few feet. Lucian needn't have bothered. The crowd was not moving forward to try to stop the hangings; they were trying to get a better view.

Lucian was notably absent from the gallows. Senda squinted his eyes against the early morning sun just peeking over the castle.
Where is Lucian?

Anali climbed the stairs, basking in the cheers of the crowd. He held up his hands and waited for the noise to die down. “Lucian has put me in charge of rooting out the disloyalty that has festered on this island for too long. His heart is breaking at the thought that his own people have conspired against him. But no more! I shall
use my gift of magic to find those that mean Lucian harm and bring them to justice.”

The crowd went wild, screaming for the blood of the traitors. The people standing on the gallows huddled in groups, trying to shield the children from the taunts and objects being thrown at them. Their eyes tried to meet those they had once called friends and neighbors, pleading with them to listen to reason.

Their pleas fell on deaf ears. The hangman had several soldiers bind the hands of Lord Byron, his wife Laylee, and everyone in his employ. The women screamed and clawed at the soldiers as they grabbed their children. Senda cried out as the men smacked the women with gauntleted fists, shattering cheeks and breaking jaws.

The men strained against their bonds, cords standing out on their necks, using every bit of strength trying to get to the women. The children grew more distressed at the sight of all the blood and cries of agony from their mothers.

The soldiers went about their business, deaf and blind to what was happening around them. After they finished binding everyone's hands, they took the children first and placed five of them over the trapdoors.

Lord Byron was on his knees, begging someone,
anyone
, to help. His wife stood stunned and silent by his side, eyes staring straight ahead. She never blinked, even when the soldiers shoved past her.

The drums rolled. Senda jumped when the trapdoors swung out from under the feet of the five children. Tears fell from his eyes as the crowd cheered, screaming for the others to be hanged.

Senda pushed through the people standing behind him. He stumbled to an open space, his stomach roiling and bile rising in his throat. At the sound of the lever once again sending another five to their deaths, Senda vomited, tears springing to his eyes, his soul aching for those that had been wrongfully killed.

He spat and wiped his mouth, lurching to his feet, trying to quell the nausea that threatened to double him over again. Unable to bear hearing the awful sound of the lever and the trapdoors, he walked back to Mandor's home. Senda made his way to his room and barely made it inside before being overcome by the shakes. He sat down hard on his pallet and sobbed until he thought his very soul would break.

When the tears finally dried, he went back to the buttery. He could not afford to have Mandor or Dreban angry with him. Although he had been Lucian's manservant for many years, he knew what most of the duties of the various servants entailed.

Senda lost himself in moving ale and wine barrels. He shook his head, quite certain the previous butler had been mad.
Why would he stack the wine barrels so precariously? And why does he have ale barrels mixed in with the cider?

Hours later, he heard the kitchen staff returning. He tried to close his ears to their voices, applauding Anali for taking the initiative in rooting out the deception on their island.
How can they believe that madman?

Dreban ordered the staff to prepare Mandor's favorite lunch and to serve it on the large covered patio in the courtyard. Senda asked the head cook what she would be preparing.

“Mandor always asks for roasted duck when he's in a good mood.”

Senda nodded, heading back to the buttery. He retrieved the barrel of a nice white burgundy that would go nicely with the roasted duck. He grabbed several trays and filled them with goblets, not entirely sure how many he would be serving. Two chilled pitchers completed his work.

He followed the kitchen staff to the patio, loaded down with platters of food. Lord Mandor was dining with several other Lords and Ladies. Senda and the others served them their lunch and drink, waiting off to the side while they ate each course, ready for a second serving if anyone indicated they wanted more.

“Terrible business this morning,” Lord Mandor said as he sipped at the leek and mushroom soup.

“I always knew Byron was up to something. The man has shifty eyes.” Lady Elise sniffed delicately.

Senda held his tongue, but he wanted to scream at them.
Am I the only one that knows the truth?

They applauded Anali and his efforts all through lunch. Senda wanted to vomit. These pompous asses were celebrating the deaths of innocent women and children. Every fiber of his being cried out for him to
do
something. But he kept his mouth shut and served the
wine, gritting his teeth when one of them would laugh, recounting how the traitors had danced on the ends of the rope.

After lunch, Senda joined the other kitchen staff for a quick bite of leftovers. Then they were busy cleaning the dishes and the kitchen.

“Good work, everyone. You have earned a few hours of free time,” Dreban announced. The staff cheered their good fortune.

Senda wasn't sure what to do. Without the hustle and bustle, the horrible deeds of Anali came crashing in.
Maybe I will go for a walk
.

As he left Mandor's estate, he saw smoke rising in the distance. He gasped, his heart galloping in his chest. But something was wrong. None of the other folks in the streets seemed the least bit concerned about the fire.

Senda grabbed the nearest bystander. “What is that, and why hasn't anyone sounded the alarm?”

“That
was
Lord Byron's estate. Anali ordered it burned soon after the hangings were done. Along with the bodies of the traitors. Said they didn't deserve to be properly buried.” The man gave Senda a strange look before pulling his arm from the servant's grasp.

Senda nodded absently, unable to take his eyes from the black smoke. He walked toward the fire in a stupor. A few people gathered, watching the man's home burn to the ground. Senda wondered how the fire was being contained to Byron's home. There was a slight breeze, and yet no embers drifted to the neighboring manors and businesses. He spotted Anali and shrank back into the shadows of an alley. The Mystic was obviously using magic to burn the house and was able to control the blaze.