Chapter 15
Marcus and Peder walked in, staring at Stephen blubbering on the ground.
Gerold’s eyes widened when he observed Niketas, held between them.
“Let me loose! This is my home,” Niketas demanded, struggling to break the hold the two men had on him.
“We saw this man skulking around the entrance,” Peder cut across the man’s rant.
“Thought he might be up to no good,” finished Marcus.
Seeing Gerold looming over Stephen, blade in hand, Niketas, increased his efforts to free himself.
“You! You traitor!” he yelled. “And to think, we took you in, raised you, and you…”
Gerold stared, now that he knew the truth, he was appalled at his reaction to Niketas. It wasn’t pity, but a deep gnawing bite in his stomach. This man had taken away everything from him. To hear his ranting sickened Gerold.
“You did nothing for me, except to send me out to die. That I did not must eat away at you,” Gerold snarled.
“What nonsense is this? Why do you say such things?” Niketas demanded.
“He knows, Father. I told him,” Stephen said between tears.
“You what?”
“I told him,” Stephen said, “I saw no reason not to, for I had set this trap.”
“What?”
Peder and Marcus watched Stephen rise, bringing the staff up with him. Both men watched as Stephen charged at them, giving Niketas the chance to break free. He grabbed the blade Marcus held, and he and Stephen fled back down the corridor.
Gerold immediately followed with a growl of frustration and fear, as they headed toward where Annika was held.
Footsteps echoed through the halls of the stone building. The clack of blades slapping against skin and walls told Gerold he was gaining on them.
“Douse the light,” Niketas ordered Stephen.
No sooner had the words left the man’s mouth, the world turned dark. Slowing his steps but little, Gerold kept on. Then, a brief light appeared, and he knew they’d entered the chamber with Annika and the monk.
“Will they continue onward or stop?” Gerold asked the empty space in front of him.
Deciding caution the better choice, Gerold slowed, and brandishing the blade in front of him, he pushed the door to find it barred from the other side.
Staring, Gerold heard Peder and Marcus approaching. He waited for them to arrive, to use their combined strength to break through the door. At a howl of pain, and the blade in his hand changed from a bright blue to blood red.
“What in...” Marcus asked, as he ran up to Gerold, jumping back as Gerold turned toward him.
“It knows,” Peder answered Marcus, a certainty and joy in his voice.
“Knows what?” Marcus asked.
“It is Gunvar’s sword,” Gerold answered. Turning to Peder, he asked, “Is it his ghost that inhabits the blade?”
Peder’s eyes glowed with joy at Gerold’s question. “Yes, it is, and it knows his killer is nearby.”
Gerold felt he should be joyful. He knew Stephen and his father deserved to be punished, but he also felt sadness. Despite what they had done to him, they had been the only family he had known.
Another scream and howl of pain echoed through the door. At the sound, the blade vibrated, its color changing to a bright silver. It pulled Gerold forward, striking the door. The sound of cracking wood echoed in the hallway.
Through the crack, Gerold saw the monk kneeling in front of Annika, trying to loosen her binding while fending off Stephen’s blows as best the blind man could. It had been his screams they had heard.
“So, this was your plan?” Niketas asked, attempting to grab the sword in Stephen’s hand.
“She is important to Gerold,” Stephen responded, jumping as the door shattered, and loosening his hold on the sword.
Gerold, Peder, and Marcus charged into the room. Gerold looked to Annika, and seeing her safe, he threw Stephen aside, turning toward Niketas.
Taking advantage of the surprise, Gerold drove the man back, blow after blow ringing against the other’s sword. So furious were the blows, Gerold soon heard Niketas’s blade shatter.
“Go ahead,” Niketas dared him, as he dropped the shattered blade.
Gerold wanted to let Niketas go, but the blade would not let him. The blade moved Gerold toward Niketas, it rose, then fell biting into the man’s neck. As the blade struck, Gerold felt the pain of a knife in his side, but it was soon forgotten as red drained from the blade and into its victim.
“So, I finally…” Gerold heard from the dead man’s lips, then Niketas’s eyes grew wide with fear as the ghost of Gunvar appeared in front of him, a smile of triumph on the ghost’s face. Then Gunvar faded away with Niketas’s last breath.
Swaying, Gerold turned to see Stephen on the ground weeping, the monk praying. The blade in his hand was now a bright silver, with no evidence of the blood it recently drew. Peder and Marcus were staring at the scene. Annika, free from her bonds, was crying.
Annika started to rise at Gerold’s approach, but stopped as he handed the blade to her, saying, “I believe this is yours. I thank you and it for its use, but the cost...” He sighed as he turned and slowly made his way from the room, hand holding the small wound in his side.
Into the silence left by Gerold’s leaving, Peder turned to Annika saying, “Why are you sitting here?”
“What?”
“Go after him. He’s the one, isn’t he?”
Nodding her head, Annika stood and started to go after Gerold, but stopped. “But we are so different.”
Peder took her hands, shaking his head. “Love doesn’t see countries or beliefs. Your mother’s mother was from a foreign country. She was not the slave others believed, she came of her own free will. She loved your grandfather, and he her.”
Annika hesitated, then looking at the blade, she asked, “How?”
Peder smiled, “Your father chose well. Now go. Marcus and I will deal with this.”
Rushing after Gerold, Annika called, “Gerold, wait.”
Stopping, Gerold turned, stood waiting as she rushed forward. She halted as she saw the blood on his side. “You are hurt!”
“It is nothing,” he said, but she started to pull the cloth away. “You always seem to be taking care of my wounds.,” Gerold continued.
Annika grinned, “Then I should stay with you to take care of—” She went into his arms, kissing him with a passion born of love.
Before he felt he could respond, Gerold held Annika back and asked, “Are you sure? I’ve nothing to offer.”
In answer, Annika pulled his head down, saying as her lips closed over his, “You have all I want.”
He smiled, returning kiss for kiss.
The Spectre smiled as it slowly changed into the form of Gerold’s mother. “We’ve given them the greatest gift we could, Gunvar,” she whispered as she faded away.