Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) by Jonathan Michael (best ebook for manga txt) 📕

attentively at the foot of the large wood table. Not one of them shudders at the accusation. They’re likely all murderers themselves, including Jay. She keeps her stare focused on the enemy.

“Again!” Harris rolls his eyes. “Why don’t any of you invest in a guard? It would be worth it simply to avoid these annoyances,” Harris proclaims without the slightest bit of anger. Just irritation. “Parliament, this would be the long-lost fugitive Stone McLarin. And his sister, Jaymes McLarin.” The Taoiseach introduces us with an astonishing amount of patience for someone being accused of murder.

“Tigershit! We’re not here for introductions. Let me steal my sister away, and we’ll leave you to your matters.” I tug at her arm, and she slips free, nearly backhanding me in the process before balancing herself.

“Silence,” Harris demands. “There is no need for disrespect. Now, why is it you believe me to be a murderer?”

I twitch, taken aback by his request for me to explain my accusations.

“It wasn’t him,” Jay proclaims.

“Excuse me?”

“He didn’t murder our parents,” she expands, still without taking her focus off the enemy. “I witnessed it.”

“Why? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know.” Her attentive stance diminishes, and she collapses into me. “I didn’t realize what I saw when it happened, and I think it…I think I abandoned the memories, believing them to be fanciful, just like mother. I wouldn’t listen to her. I pushed her away. Over and over. But…I finally realized…she was guiding me down the path I needed to walk. She helped me remember. Carib Reign is the man who murdered our parents. Not Harris.”

“There you have it, Stone. I’m not the murderer you’re looking for.” He tilts his head to me then turns to Jay with a pained expression. “I’m sorry, dear. This won’t change anything. I don’t falter on my word. This will be the end for you.”

I remain silent, not understanding what I’m hearing. Jay absolved him of the accusations, but he wants to end her life? And she wants to end his. Why? What happened?

“End for one of us,” Jay lisps with her serpent tongue. “I won’t stop until I’ve spilled your blood.”

“You don’t want my blood. It has been pumping through a dark heart for far too many seasons. It’s more like molasses than blood at this point.”

“What could possibly cause a man’s heart to be consumed with so much evil?” I interrupt.

“Ah, but you are mistaken. That’s not evil you’re witnessing, Stone. That is too many seasons of caring, believe it or not. My heart is numb to it by now, and I simply do what must be done. Now…” the Taoiseach pauses in thought. “…there isn’t a man in this room that wants to be forced to defend himself, Stone, so I will give you a one-time pardon if you leave right now.”

“I’m not leaving without Jay.” I look to her. She fails to return my gaze, focusing instead on the Taoiseach.

“As expected,” a man of Parliament interjects. “Shogun, detain these two and see that their punishment is worthy of this unnecessary interruption, so it never happens again.” I grab Jay’s arm and plant my feet. “In fact,” he continues, “let’s make it permanent and give the public their rightful justice. A public hanging seems overdue. They are the fugitives we’ve been searching for, are they not? Make the arrangements for this evening.”

“No, Chancellor Cromarte!” the Taoiseach exclaims. “I will deal with Jaymes. And Stone will make his own choice in this matter. We will be sacrificing no one for the public eye. Stone, do you wish to witness your sister’s execution? To keep your heart intact, I would suggest you leave this chamber now.”

“There has to be another way. Why must it be murder?” I suggest.

“Enough!” Jay exclaims as she unsheathes her blades. She maintains fierce eye contact. Her typically unkempt hair is combed as a lady would do it. Her scandalous red attire gives her child’s body womanly curves. She looks like an assassin.

“There is a reason I am the Taoiseach, Jaymes. And it’s not because I was elected in.” Harris slams his fist down on the table, and a dark lightning bolt creeps across the oak table separating us. This is the first time I’ve seen an angered outburst from the man. Jay must have a way of getting under his skin. The line on the table grows darker, dividing the table in two, and splits, leaving crumbles of wood at his feet and two large halves falling toward the members of Parliament. They all retreat from their seats at the table. The Taoiseach trudges forward between the two halves.

Jay makes a quick movement to her cross-sash, and there’s a hasty flash between Harris and Jay. Light from the adorning thunder lanterns reflects off something. Then I see an object protruding from the Taoiseach’s neck. A blade! Jay has another ready in her fingertips. She releases it, and it pierces the Taoiseach once more in the neck. I shudder at the sight of her skills. I had no idea. But neither blade slows the Taoiseach. A mosquito would have caused a greater distraction. How is that possible?

Some of the members of Parliament step forward, but a stout man, the Chancellor, gestures for them not to interfere with a casual raise of his hand. A sly grin passes over his face.

I charge Harris with my hands in the air. Some of the men in the room flinch. Harris does not. “Wait!” I scream. “There’s another way!” Without slowing, he casually places his hand on my shoulder, and I find myself flying across the chamber.

Terrible pain spirals through my shoulder and back, where the blow was heaviest. My head spins. I put a hand to my forehead and feel a bloody wound already mending. Pain is temporary. It passes as I lie slouched against the wall.