A Sea of Shields (Book #10 in the Sorcerer's Ring) (24 page)

Reece, on the Upper Isles, in Tirus’s castle, walked slowly down the long, red carpeted aisle leading to a massive throne—atop which sat Tirus. Inside, Reece was burning up with emotion, hardly able to believe he was here. The vast chamber was packed with hundreds of Tirus’s loyal subjects, his men in arms lined up on either side of the room, along with hundreds of Upper Islanders, all packed into the hall to witness the moment. To witness Reece’s apology.

Reece walked slowly, feeling hundreds of eyes on him, taking each step deliberately. He looked in the distance and saw Tirus staring down at him triumphantly, clearly relishing the moment. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. With each step Reece took, his spurs jingled, the only sound in a room completely frozen in silence.

Gwendolyn had sent Reece here on this humiliating mission, to bring a truce between the two MacGils, to unite the Upper Isles, to fulfill her greater agenda, whatever that was. He loved and respected his sister more than anything, and he knew that she needed this. She needed this for her whole kingdom, for the Ring, for her loyal subject, Srog, who was injured, and whom Reece could see even now, bound beside Tirus, along with his cousin, Matus. Reece’s apology would free them both. It would bring a truce between the kingdoms. It would help Gwendolyn’s greater plan, would unite the Upper Isles. And it would free the other half of Gwendolyn’s fleet held hostage in the rocks below, and the thousands of sailors aboard, surrounded by Tirus’s men. Reece knew what had to be done, however much his pride told him otherwise.

With every step Reece took, he thought of Selese. He thought of the vengeance he had carried out on Falus. It was satisfying. But it would never bring Selese back to him. It would never change what had happened to her. For Reece, it was just the beginning. He wanted to kill them all, every single Upper Islander in this room. And Tirus, most of all. The very man he was being forced to apologize to.

Reece came closer, ever closer, to Tirus, still seated on his throne. Reece began to mount the ivory steps leading up to it, one at a time, ascending higher and higher, closer to him. He felt everyone watching, all the arrogant and smug Upper Islanders relishing this historic moment, the moment that a true and honest warrior would be forced to kneel and apologize to a traitorous, lying pig.

Reece burned at the thought of how politics forced one to act; to betray one’s morals; to betray one’s sense of right. It forced one to compromise principles, even integrity, for the sake of the greater good. But weren’t principles and integrity in and of themselves the greater good? What did one have without them?

Reece understood Gwen’s decisions. They were the decisions of a wise and tempered ruler. But being a ruler, if that’s what it meant, was something Reece wanted nothing to do with. He would rather be a warrior than a ruler any day. He would rather have limited power and live his life to the highest integrity, than have the greatest power and have to compromise who he was.

Reece finished ascending, taking the final step and standing before Tirus, staring back defiantly as Tirus stared at him.

The tension was so thick in the room, so palpable in the air, Reece could almost feel it.

“You have taken one of my sons from me,” Tirus said, his voice cold, hard. “Murdered him in cold blood.”

“And he had taken my wife from me,” Reece countered, equally somber.

Tirus frowned.

“She was not your wife,” he replied. “Not yet, anyway. And he did not murder her. She killed herself.”

Reece scowled.

“She took her own life because of the false reports your son gave her. It was he who murdered her.”

“He did not wield the blade,” Tirus said.

“He wielded a message,” Reece countered, “which is stronger than a blade.”

Tirus reddened, clearly fed up.

“Your act is deserving of death,” he concluded. “But as an act of mercy to Gwendolyn, I have chosen to allow you to live. All you need do is apologize. Kneel, and apologize for taking my son’s life.”

Reece felt himself burning with every conflicting emotion, everything inside of him screaming out that it was wrong.
All
of this was wrong. It might be good politics, but it went against a knight’s code of honor. Tirus’s son deserved to die. Tirus himself deserved to die, this pig who had betrayed the Ring, who had partnered with Andronicus and had tried to murder them all.

Yet, despite every ounce of his body protesting, Reece slowly, painfully, forced himself to take a knee before Tirus.

Tirus smiled, relishing the moment.

“Very good,” he said. “Now—apologize. And make it good.”

“I apologize…” Reece began, then trailed off, the words catching in his throat.

Tirus glared down, impatient.

“For what?” Tirus demanded.

Reece felt himself overpowered with emotion, with passion, unable to contain it. The whole world became a blur, his mind swirling. He felt as if his entire life had led him to this one moment in time. As if all destiny had converged, right here. The moment in his life where all paths met, the intersection between what was wise and what was
right
.

Reece raised his head, looked up, and stared Tirus right in the eye.

“I apologize…” he continued, “…for not taking your life, too.”

As he spoke the words, Reece reached down, grabbed a dagger from his belt, lunged forward, and, before Tirus or anyone else could react, he plunged it into Tirus’s heart.

Tirus let out an awful shriek as Reece leaned in close, scowling, holding the dagger still. Reece knew he had just signed his death sentence; he knew he was utterly surrounded, and was about to be killed by everyone in that room. He knew he had just set the Ring into a tailspin, a civil war, that countless thousands of men would meet their deaths.

But he no longer cared. He had done what was
right
. His beloved Selese was avenged. Honor was restored. Chivalry was alive. No matter what happened, he would die with honor.

“Greetings,” Reece said, “from Selese.”

COMING SOON

BOOK #11 IN THE SORCERER’S RING

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Books by Morgan Rice

THE SORCERER’S RING
A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1)
A MARCH OF KINGS (Book #2)

A FEAST OF DRAGONS (Book #3)

A CLASH OF HONOR (Book #4)
A VOW OF GLORY (Book #5)
A CHARGE OF VALOR (Book #6)

A RITE OF SWORDS (Book #7)
A GRANT OF ARMS (Book #8)
A SKY OF SPELLS (Book #9)
A SEA OF SHIELDS (Book #10)

THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY
ARENA ONE: SLAVERSUNNERS (Book #1)
ARENA TWO (Book #2)

THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS

TURNED (Book #1)

LOVED (Book #2)
BETRAYED (Book #3)

DESTINED (Book #4)

DESIRED (Book #5)
BETROTHED (Book #6)

VOWED (Book #7)

FOUND (Book #8)

THE VAMPIRE LEGACY

RESURRECTED (Book #1)
CRAVED (Book #2)

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