Page 43 of The Demons of Wychwood

“Havelock, you brat! Enough of these games. You’re going to rue the day you thought you could best me!”

“Not Havelock. Am Deeemon.” I said into the urn. Now, that stopped the General in his tracks and I’d wished I could see his face.

“W…w…what are you talking about?” The General’s voice trembled with fear for the first time and that made me smile.

“Deeemon. You have tried to subdue me for years, Edwaaard.”

“No, no, this cannot be.” Through the balustrades I could see that Napier was now proceeding up the stairs with more caution using his hands to feel each tread before he stepped up.

“I’m going to kill you Havelock, and then I’ll kill your hag of a mother. I’ll take Georgia to be my wife and this estate will be ours,” Napier growled.

My gawd, this cove was a dumb as they come, telling all and sundry of his nefarious plans. Well, I was in control of this little escapade, not him, and as far as I was concerned Napier was a rapist, and fraudster. He would find his justice tonight.

I stood up then and strode across the landing to the head of the staircase.

”I don’t think so, Napier.”

“Who the devil are you?” he called, “Where is Havelock?”

“We’ve never met, you and I, but I know you, oh yes I know you, Edward Napier. You forced yourself on my sister, Elowen Lazarus. She was a maid here, you raped her, and then you tried to dispose of her like she was shit on your boot. You’re a boil on the arse of this world, and everyone will be better off without you in it. I’d say it’s about time that you got your reckoning.”

Napier roared ‘Never,” and rushed forward up the stairs. He tried to grab me, but I swerved from his grip and in a swift action, I bent down, collected the heavy bronze eagle statue and swung it. The eagle flew and the General kindly stepped up into its path. The heavy statue struck the General. His arms flew out like he was Jesus himself on the cross, and then they flailed and windmilled. His eyes bugged for a second before, without even a cry of pain he fell backward and tumbled down the stairs.

I waited then as the house settled. I knew the silence of death. I’d sat with comrades for their final moments and so I was well acquainted with the swish of the reapers blade. I nodded with satisfaction. This scoundrel wouldn’t hurt another soul. Now, I’d say I had the time to cover my tracks and put the house to rights. I returned the Eagle statue to its place, then the urn. I collected the books from the staircase, and then retrieved the stone eggs, but left the Pot-Pori and smashed planter where they was. When all was back in place only then did I find another candle, light it, and check the state of the twisted pile at the bottom of the main staircase. Napier’s eyes were open, unseeing, and he had a cut on his brow where I’d struck him, but from the odd angle that his head and arms rested, I’d say he broke his neck during the fall. Between you and me, I knew I’d committed murder and could hang for this. But I felt nothing for this useless bag of skin and bones who’d brought terror to so many lives.

I returned to the master’s suite, knocked on the door, and said ‘Honey Cakes’. I heard a scrabbling sound from the room, then the key turned and the door swung open. Kit still looked terrified, and it was with some satisfaction that I nonchalantly told him. “The old bastard’s dead, slipped on the stairs. Serves him right for breaking in, and prowling around in the dark.”

“A…are you sure, is he really dead?”

“Go see for yourself.”

I took Kit’s hand, and holding the candle aloft took him to the staircase and let him look at the body twisted at the bottom of the stairs.

“I can’t believe it, oh god, Felix, I’m free of him. I’m finally free.”

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