Authors: Erin Tate
Rhal Part 5
The Ujal: Rhal
Part Five
The past destroys his present and his future, and pride keeps him away from Cara—until things change, until he realizes pride shouldn’t stand in the way of a life of love. Can Cara ever forgive him for abandoning her? He hopes so.
RHAL is a five-part serial (like a TV show) with a new installment out every Friday. The entire storyline will be available for FREE with Kindle Unlimited, or you can wait to download the full story as a bundle for $2.99.
Rhal hated her, and he had every right to the anger that coated his features. Anger directed at her and her alone. She’d revealed his private pain, the atrocities he’d experienced and inflicted, the emotional pain and physical destruction he’d endured.
If it meant she saved him, she’d do it again. And again. And again.
She had betrayed him, his trust and his heart. He would donate blood to finish her transition, but she didn’t imagine he’d remain at her side. What was love without trust? And she loved him. More than her next breath and heartbeat.
The king called for silence, for guards, for the room to be emptied. And when a high guard reached for her, her mate came alive. He stepped forward, Niax and Thame immediately restraining him, but he fought against their hold.
“Touch her and
die
!” He may hate her, but he was still protective and possessive. That was knowledge she held close.
“Do you see how dangerous he is? He’s an animal,” Otta hissed, her words hardly heard above the cries of the crowd as they were shoved from the room.
Everyone was removed, but after Rhal’s outburst, the guards retreated. Smart.
The doors thumped closed, leaving their small group alone save the players in the game and a handful of high guards. They positioned themselves along the wall and beside the only entry to the room.
“Tave,” the king sneered, earning a glare from the queen. “Tell us what imaginings you have and why you think you can interrupt these proceedings in such a way.”
Tave held his hand out for Cara, and she swallowed hard. She had to speak before the Ujal monarchs, stand before Rhal’s hideous parents, and reveal the things her mate had told her in the darkness while his voice grew hoarse with pain.
And she would lose him. She didn’t doubt it. He was such a proud warrior, but she’d rather lose him and see him live than watch him die because of an asshole guard and some bitch’s machinations.
“Why do you have this
person
here?” She ignored the king’s derision.
Tave held her hand gently and drew her to his side, placing his body between her and Rhal. She would have preferred to touch him, to take comfort in the feel of his scales beneath her palm, but that wasn’t happening. Not yet anyway.
“My name is Cara Marte, mate to
Lord
Rhal fa Adar-Marte.” She ignored Otta’s snort. “I am here to bear witness to the atrocities inflicted upon my mate and demand justice for his pain.”
This time it was Rhal’s
sire
who snorted.
They could all laugh at her as long as she got to watch Rhal walk out.
“Speak so we may move on to the task at hand.” The king gestured at her, his tone bored.
Cara straightened her spine and pressed her shoulders back. She couldn’t show weakness. These were people who held the power over life and death, but some—not all—were drunk with privilege.
“I charge his majesty, King Davir of Ujal, with the crimes of abuse of power, abuse of a child, and pollution of the seas.”
It was the last—apparently—that was the worst.
Cara expected the male to object to the charges. She expected shouts and yells; maybe even a set of cuffs slapped on her wrists. She
didn’t
expect the king to charge her, for his glaring red scales to emerge as he sprinted across the tile. A black blur suddenly stood before her, wide shoulders blocking her view, but the voice was one she knew well.
“I will kill you where you stand,
Davir
. Where. You. Stand.” She thought she’d heard Rhal angry before. She realized she’d been so very wrong.
Silence reigned and then the king released a laugh, one that was probably designed to hide his fear of Rhal, but he failed. Spectacularly.
“Fine, fine. Protect the female. She will be dealt with later. Falsely accusing the monarchy has its own punishments.” The slow thump of the king’s stride signaled his retreat.
Rhal’s broad back consumed her vision, and she couldn’t resist placing her hand against his skin. He stiffened beneath her touch, and she had no doubt he was aware of what was to come, and she whispered to him. “I’m sorry. I love you and will not let you die.”
Then she stepped from his shadow and focused on the gathered royalty. No, she focused on the queen. She was the one who truly held the power. The males would bluster and rage, Otta would screech, but the queen could put an end to it all.
“When
Lord
Rhal fa Adar was three, his mother was killed and Lord Adar was left with a young child and a domain to oversee. It was then that Rhal was sent to King Davir to join the royal household. He was young, and it was decided Rhal would make a good playmate to Prince Tave.”
The king waved his hand. “Quit repeating history. We are not—”
“And Rhal remained in the king’s household until Lord Adar remarried. He returned to his
sire’s
home at the age of five. He remained in his
sire’s
care until he turned six and then returned to the king’s care once again with a clear message. The Lord and Lady Adar did not want their son and the king could do as he wished with Rhal.”
“Liar.” Lord Adar snarled the single word.
“If I would kill a king, what do you think I will do to you,
Lord
Adar?” Rhal’s voice was smooth and deep, and his
sire
paled.
When quiet enveloped them once again, she continued. “So the king did as he wished and that was to train Rhal as a soldier. He no longer played with Tave—”
“Respect,” Davir bellowed and Cara continued.
“And he no longer attended lessons as a lord’s son should. Instead, he fought day in and day out. He learned how to kill quickly. Efficiently. At first, he didn’t realize that’s what he was doing. He was a child. He was playing with swords and enjoying great battles even if he ended up bloody and bruised by the end of the day.”
Cara swallowed past the lump in her throat. “At seven, Rhal saw a young boy stealing from the king’s kitchen, and when he was caught, Rhal confessed to the theft. But the king knew Rhal was lying to protect the boy. So the punishment for the young boy was death. Rhal’s punishment was to kill the boy he’d tried to save. To honor Rhal’s achievement, he was sent to his
sire’s
home. And there…”
“Cara…” She ignored Rhal’s low warning and instead focused on the paleness of the queen’s face.
“Otta fa Adar—”
“
Lady
—”
“You are not a lady,” Cara spat. “You never were. You took in a child you were supposed to love, and perverted him. Abused him. Tormented him. For years.” Cara took a step toward the female. “You boast of taking Rhal’s virginity, but tell everyone his age!
Tell them!
” Her shout rivaled Rhal’s, and her words echoed off the walls, not allowing them to answer. “You both pushed him back and forth between your homes.” She pointed at the king. “You turned him into your assassin at ten and executioner at eleven. My queen, while your son complained about his bedtime, Rhal was slitting the Minister of the South’s throat. And when he wasn’t killing for the king, his own
dam-by-mating
forced him to share her bed.”
She let her gaze envelope the room, meeting the gazes of the others—the guards—and finally returned to the king. “You accuse him of being a monster. Of being uncontrollable. Of having no soul. You accuse him of attempting to end another’s life,” she sneered. “He is what you made him. I,” she pointed at herself, “am the only good thing he has ever had out of your perverted, fucked up society. The. Only. Thing. So when that’s threatened, you better fucking well believe he will kill anyone who comes near me.” She pointed at the king. “And you need to remember that. You need to remember you had him taught how to sneak into any stronghold, creep into any room, and silently end a life. Leave him be, and you won’t be next.”
Davir glared at her. “Is that a threat? You cannot—”
“Rhal doesn’t make threats. He speaks promises.”
“And you can speak on his behalf,” Davir sneered.
“Like your queen, I’m the heart of our mating. Ujals’ mating names are proof of your beliefs. He is Rhal fa Adar-Marte. He is
mine.
Not the other way around. So when I tell you that the male who holds my heart will do anything I desire, I am telling you he will do whatever he can to make me happy.” She let all her loathing shine through. “And after everything you’ve put me through, seeing you dead would make me
very
happy.”
The king rose to his feet. “Guards! Secure—”
“Remain as you are!” The queen’s voice rang high and hard above Davir’s and the female rose to her full height. A sneer decorated her lips, but it wasn’t at Rhal. It was at the king. The king and then Rhal’s parents. “Seize them. Now.”
“Remove the queen!”
But not a single one moved to follow the king’s order. No, they did as their queen commanded. They took hold of Lord and Lady Adar as well as the king and dragged them off the dais, leaving the queen alone save Sudal. Sudal looked so lost and disgusted.
“This,” the queen hissed, “is
my
throne. You are here at
my
convenience. You rule in
my
stead, and you make me
sick
,” she spat.
Because the females were the heart of their existence, names were passed through the female line, as were titles unless there was no choice but to name a male. The paleness of Davir’s features must’ve meant he finally remembered that fact as well.
“I want the three of them confined in the brig and prepared for transport to Ujal. I will take statements here and then the final judgment will be witnessed by all.” The queen focused on their small group, on Rhal. “I find you not guilty of the crimes pressed against you. You are as he made you and I agree that any threat to your mate deserves a worthy response. If the male is ignorant enough to not realize who he addressed, it is his own fault. I require financial reparations to assist with Kaag’s care, but those will come from the crown’s funds. We have taken enough from you, Rhal. We will take no more.”
The king ranted. “You can’t… Stop this! You must not—”
“Silence him.” The queen’s voice was firm and unbending, and the guard holding the king obliged with a single strike to the head. Her attention flicked to Niax and Thame. “Release him immediately. A formal statement will be made clearing him of all charges.” The queen slowly descended the steps, her focus on Cara, and a tendril of fear unwound itself. She didn’t think she’d done anything wrong, but she
had
snuck into Rhal’s cell last night and…
The queen cupped her cheeks, her near-white eyes boring into Cara’s. “You are all that is good in Ujal and we are lucky to have a female such as you. Rina is my daughter-by-mating and you, dear Cara, are my heart-daughter.” The queen pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “May the seas bless you and comfort you. May the sun bathe you in purity and may the stars always lead you to your heart.” She released Cara and spoke to Tave. “My son, I have need of you. Of you and Rina.”
Things happened quickly then. Fast and quiet as the queen left with Tave and Rina. A few guards dragged Rhal’s parents and the king away which left them with a handful of high guards and Sudal.
The moment Niax removed Rhal’s bindings, her mate rubbed his wrists, gaze trained on the hint of red nearly consumed by his midnight scales. Cara remained silent, watching and waiting for his response. And she got nothing. He did not tear his gaze from his arms; his attention completely focused on the soft rub of his fingers over skin.
Cara took a step forward. “Rhal?” Part of her hoped and prayed he wouldn’t push her away now, that they could work past her betrayal, but one look at those black eyes—no hint of red or gold present—dashed those prayers. “I…”
Rhal’s words were rough and hoarse when he spoke. “I will give blood to Faim and Sece. Niax and Thame will guard you. But I… I cannot look at you.”
She thought his lies had hurt—thought she’d never recover from such an emotional blow. But she’d been wrong.
This… this destroyed her.
Because Rhal simply walked away. And she had no doubt it was for forever.
Rhal no longer lived. He merely existed. He forced his body to breathe, his muscles to move, his heart to keep beating. Even if it did not have a reason. He’d left that reason in the throne room with Tave, Rina, and the queen. He did not wish to think of the others who surrounded them at that time. If he did, the shame would overrun him once more, and that was not an emotion he could tolerate. Over the last eight days, he’d managed to push his feelings aside, bury them deeply once more until his soul was frozen and hidden from one and all. He was that male again, the one who would kill for king and Ujal.