Page 36 of Shadow Queen
“That’s why they are getting my lenience.”
“For what?” He called this lenience?
He frowned. “They started a fight between our men.”
Was that all?“Men fight all the time!”
He looked at Norah with a fury she hadn’t yet seen. “They drove dissent within our armies. We lost twelve men—North and Kharavian men. I’ve already warned them, and I’ve promised severe consequences.”
“The lord commander isn’t fit for punishment!” she argued. “Look at him!”
Again, the king glanced at the guards. “Take her inside.”
“Wait!” She reached forward and clutched Mikael’s arm, her mind racing for anything else to stop him. “Mercy! I beg you, mercy!” She looked up at him, pleading. “Husband, please. I’ll do anything for your mercy.”
He grimaced. “This is my mercy.”
The guards took her by the arms, but she wrenched away. “I said don’t touch me! I’m not leaving!”
Mikael nodded to the guards and then looked at her with sadness in his eyes. “Leave her, then.”
“Queen Norah,” came Caspian’s voice behind her, and she turned with a start.
“Caspian! You have to stop this!”
But he shook his head. “Queen Norah. I can’t.”
“You have to! This can’t happen!”
Caspian caught her arms, pulling her still. She looked on in horror as the punisher walked toward Alexander and Soren with the lash in his hand. Their shirts had been pulled off, and their bare backs were exposed.
“Courage,” Mikael called to them.
The punisher struck Alexander first, who grunted at the lash, but held fast. Again he drew the lash across Alexander’s back. Purple welts sprung up across the skin. On the next strike, Alexander cried out, pulling against the rope.
“Stop!” Norah screamed, but Caspian held her tightly. She clasped her hand over her mouth to hold back a sob. That she could be married to a man who could do this—no, not a man—a monster.
Again, the lash hit across Alexander’s back, and he twisted. Lash after lash. Norah didn’t know how many. Alexander’s legs gave way, and he lost consciousness. She sobbed as his body swayed on the post.
The punisher looked at the king, and Mikael gave a nod. Then he turned, delivering a stinging lash to the commander, who flinched but let his body hang against the post. The commander was still, almost lifeless, only tensing when the whip hit. Another lash opened the skin, and blood spilled down his back. Another lash made him cry out, and finally, after a sickening number, unconsciousness came for him too.
Norah wept with fury as the two men hung from the posts. Mikael motioned the finish and for the soldiers to collect them. Caspian released her, and she ran to Alexander. He hung limply by the binding around his wrists.
“Help me!” she cried. Caspian and another Mercian guardsman stepped forward to cut the rope.
“Careful!” She looked back at the commander. “And him.”
Kharavian soldiers stepped in to help, pulling him off the post.
“Take them to my sanctuary,” she said, her voice shaking.
Mikael stood, watching her. She stopped and glared at him, tears streaming down her cheeks and rage seeping from every pore.
“Salara—”
“Don’t speak to me,” she hissed, and she turned and followed the beaten men into the castle.
Serene met them in the room.
