Fledgling Demigod Ch. 05

"So be it," Galen said. Gripping the dagger he still held in his hand he said to king Jasper, "You're going to die the same way my Matilda did. Only you're not going to burn."

"No," the king weakly protested. "Please," he begged. "I'll do anything."

Rodrick actually looked kind of sad. "Your fate was sealed, my king, when you split that young girl's belly open," he said. "Do what you will, Duke Galen. I can hold this spell for as long as it takes."

"You truly must have been a cold bastard to have even your most trusted allies hate you so much," Galen said and sliced the man's belly wide open. His entire abdominal cavity fell out onto the balcony floor like a rush of water from a dam. Galen watched as the man's face turned gray. It seemed he tried to speak but whether he was unable to because of his disembowelment or lack of strength mattered little. "If you needed a child so badly," Galen whispered. "Why didn't you just allow one of your queens to visit a neighboring noble? Hell, I would have done it for you if you'd just asked."

"Because he was a pompous, childish ass that was too selfish with his own toys," remarked one of the women coldly. "So he thought it his right to steal another's."

Galen nodded and turned. "Let him feel it," he told Rodrick as he briefly put a hand on the wizard's shoulder. The king moaned and groaned in sudden pain as Galen sat on the floor of the balcony next to his beautiful Miranda. He picked her up and cradled her body as he watched the king die slowly. Tears flowed from his eyes and he openly cried as he placed a shaking hand to her belly. He softly cried out in agony as he felt the slight bulge.

Queen Lillian watched with a twinkle in her eyes as the light slowly faded from king Jasper's eyes. When he was gone, he slumped against the wall where he was pinned. "May you rot in whatever hole the gods can place you in," she murmured with quiet vengeance.