The Summoner

Chapter 11: Betrayal

The wizard shrugged looking uncomfortable, and Kaylen marveled at his performance. No wonder he had them all fooled.

"Age was bound to catch up with me. I'm sorry it made its presence known at so dangerous a time." Elon dipped a shallow bow to the captain, and Brenden inclined his head in return. Several of the soldiers around the room echoed their forgiveness in subdued tones.

"Bullshit," Kaylen snapped.

Every eye fixed on her, surprise and disapproval evident, but Kaylen ignored them as she leaned against the doorway.

"Now Kaylen," Brenden said but Kaylen cut him off with a sharp gesture.

"I've known you practically since I could walk. I lived with you for years before I joined Tain at the Order. Never once, in all that time, have I surprised – "

"You were in the Order?" Brenden roared, equal parts startled and outraged, as he stiffened to attention.

Kaylen's jaw clenched. She penned Brenden with her stare, annoyed at the interruption, her anger building at Elon and the part she suspected he played in Niall's death.

The captain's face was red and the veins in his neck stood out as he leaned forward as if he could physically shove his outrage at her. From his place beside her, Kylihr leaned forward as well though with none of the bluster and outrage of Brenden. His aura, dark with threat, was leagues more terrifying.

Brenden jerked back and an amused smirk crossed Kylihr's blood-red lips. Kaylen spoke, cutting into the moment before either man could spark the situation further.

"I thought that would be obvious by now, captain," she said coolly, her temper back in check, because she couldn't afford to lose it with Kylihr coiled next to her as ready to strike as any cobra.

Brenden looked away from the demon he'd warily been eyeing and narrowed his gaze at Kaylen.

"You said only your brother was part of the Order," he accused.

"I lied," she said flatly. "Is it any wonder with the reception summoners receive?" She shook her head dismissively. "Anyways, I left before taking my vows; I wasn't about to stay with the people who killed my brother."

Kylihr's head snapped around and he stared at her.

"They were killed by a herd of manticore," he stated but there was a note of question in his voice.

"You don't honestly believe manticore could bring down Tain and Brekk let alone their whole team?" she sneered.

Kylihr raised his chin and stared down at her. "Even the best may be overwhelmed by numbers and ill-luck."

Kaylen's lips twisted as bitterness flooded her mouth. Kylihr couldn't be serious.

"You really don't know the truth?" she asked incredulously. "Brekk was your second. He told me. How could you of all people have so little faith in him?"

Kylihr looked away.

"It was what those who returned told us. Brekk. Althain. Grekkar. Letacia. Breton. They were all gone and there was no one involved left to ask. Then the Knights chained their contracted to the human realm and prevented them from returning to Unbye until after the Betrayal; the few who survived were cast back and no one could cross to learn more."

Pain created the finest of tremors in Kylihr's somber tone. Kaylen closed her eyes and found she had another thing to hate the Order for.

"It wasn't an accident," she said so softly only Kylihr was likely to hear. He shifted to look at her, and she shook her head. "I'll tell you but not now."