Chapter 10: Suffer A Thousandfold

Late at night, the rain had thinned to mist, but flames still flared across the Yare Manor's courtyard. Raindrops plinked into puddles while the fire crackled and snapped. The sounds twisted together, crawling under the skin. The Duffus family thugs gripped torches, hemming in dozens of Yare family members. In the flickering firelight, women clutched their children, faces white with terror, too frightened to make a sound. Several of the men's bodies were crisscrossed with bloody welts. Miles Duffus, head of the Duffus family, watched it all, a cold smile playing at his lips. Earlier, when the Nettle Tiger Legion had met, they'd decided to hold off on moving against Taylor for now. But the Duffus family had kept a card up their sleeve.  With Roland returning with his troops, he'd be sure to hunt down Taylor for revenge. Whoever struck first and eliminated him would claim credit from the Wokey family head, and after that, their standing in Nettle would skyrocket. "Dad, just like you said, the other families are spineless cowards. When it counts, they fold. Tonight, we're the ones who'll get the credit," Keanu Duffus said with a grin. Miles lifted a brow. "Has Mr. Hayden arrived?" Hayden was a reclusive expert in Nettle. Not yet forty, he'd already reached Peak Inner Strength. He alone dominated Niven. Even the Nettle military, back in the day, had steered clear of him. When he sparred with Seth, Seth would have died if Hayden hadn't pulled his strike at the last moment. He was the Duffus family's sharpest blade. "Just spoke with him. He's almost here," Keanu said. Miles nodded curtly and said nothing more. He walked straight to Kayden, who was held captive in the crowd. "Deputy General Yare, I wouldn't be here at this hour if I had a choice," Miles said, his tone mild. "Tell me where Taylor Jauncy is and I'll let you all go." He spat. "You bastard. If Commander Jauncy were here, would you dare?" Smack! Before the words were finished, Keanu's palm cracked across his face. "Old man, you want to play the hero now?" Kayden staggered and went down hard. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He'd served in the army, but he was past seventy; one slap from a young brute could lay him out. "Sir!" "Grandpa!" Ariel cried out and lunged, but a Duffus bodyguard pinned her instantly. "You bastards, let me go!" Other Yare men rushed in and were beaten back with clubs. One went down with his scalp split, blood gushing. "Miles Duffus, you're an animal," Kayden bellowed, his eyes blazing. "An animal? Ha. Fine, call me that. Works for me." Miles rolled his shoulder and laughed, then his face hardened as he drew his pistol and fired. Bang! A Yare man pitched backward, collapsing into a spreading pool. "Ah!" Screams ripped through the courtyard. Some clutched their ears and crouched, shuddering. Miles chuckled as if he'd swatted a fly. "Deputy General Yare, if you stay silent, I'll keep killing. For what's left of the Jauncy family, will you really sacrifice your people? Is it worth it?" Kayden's face twisted in pain, but he still ground his teeth. "You leave my family out of this. If you've got the guts, kill me instead." "Ha! Old fool, you think Nettle is still the era ruled by the Jauncy family?" Miles strode closer. "That's over. Nettle belongs to the Wokey family now." "Hahaha!" Kayden threw back his head and laughed. "That's what you tell yourselves. As long as a single spark of the Jauncy family survives, it'll burn you traitors to ash." "You!" Miles' eyes bulged. He grunted, "Fine. Since you won't talk, I won't be polite. Keanu!" "On it." Keanu's laugh went thin and cold. He stepped up to Kayden and lashed out with a kick. Thud! Kayden flew two meters and hit the ground, spitting a mouthful of bright blood. He doubled over in pain, trembling. "Grandpa!" Ariel sobbed, tears streaming. Kayden raised his head, slow and stubborn, and bared his teeth in a bloody grin. "Little punk, that kick was nothing. Try again." "Still mouthing off?" Keanu drew back a fist. "No, don't hit him anymore. I'll talk. I'll tell you everything," Ariel wailed. "Please, don't hurt my grandpa." "If you dare speak, Ariel," Kayden rasped, glaring at his granddaughter, "you're no granddaughter of mine." He shook his head hard, again and again. "No one in the Yare family is a coward." "Damn you, old bastard," Keanu snapped, patience gone. He seized Kayden's collar and yanked him up, then drove a fist into his gut. Thud! Kayden dropped to his knees and folded, vomiting blood in great clots. Even so, the soldier in him forced his legs to lock again. He straightened by sheer will and smiled once more, red seeping through the gaps in his teeth. "Come on then, pup. Again." Keanu hadn't expected the older man to take so much punishment. "Not afraid to die? Heh. I've got plenty of ways." He pivoted and strode to Ariel. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and wrenched her head back. "What are you doing?" Kayden's eyes widened; for the first time, his iron face cracked. "I'm warning you," he growled, "touch my granddaughter and you answer to me." Keanu shook his head and laughed. "Answer to you? I'm not interested in you. But this sweetheart..." His eyes crawled over her. "She's pretty. I wonder how she looks once she's stripped." "You filthy animal!" Kayden roared. "Keep cursing. The more you spit, the more it turns me on." Keanu snatched at Ariel's collar and tore. Fabric ripped under his hand. A slash of pale skin flashed in the firelight. Around them, guards leered at her, their eyes lewd. "Ah!" Ariel screamed and shook her head, sobbing. "Boys," Keanu called with a smirk, "I think this one's still a virgin. Anyone want first taste?" "Thank you, Mr. Keanu!" "Ha, I'm first!" The brutes shoved forward, jostling.  Ariel bucked and kicked, voice raw. "Get away from me. Don't touch me!" It did no good. Two or three hulks grabbed her wrists and ankles, hoisting her off the ground. Keanu's expression chilled. "Pass her around. Let's see how long before they talk." "Ah!" At the sound of his granddaughter's scream of despair, Kayden felt his heart split. Only one thought cut through the pain: bash his head on the ground and end it. He would not, even in death, betray the Jauncy family. Boom! A blast split the night. The main gate of Yale Manor crashed inward, slamming across the courtyard. Three or four bodyguards were struck and flung away, hitting the ground with blood on their lips. They did not rise. "Who's there?" the Duffus men shouted, snapping to attention. Whoosh! A severed head came hurtling through the air, flying straight at Keanu. Thud! It struck him and knocked him senseless. He stumbled, lost his footing, and fell to the ground. "Holy. A head..." He sprang up, face drained, staring at the thing that had hit him. Recognition slammed through Miles harder than any blow. He knew that face. "Th-that's… that's Roland's head!" "What?" Keanu sucked in a breath. "Dad, what's going on?" The Wokey family ran Nettle, their power propped up by Roland's reputation. Taylor had killed the Wokey father and son; Roland was supposed to return and slaughter him. How could he be dead before he even arrived? "Duffus family," a low voice rumbled from the gate, thick with bloodlust, "tonight you pay in blood." Every eye swung to the entrance. A young man strode in, step by measured step. With each pace, the air in the courtyard seemed to grow colder and heavier, the urge to kill pressing down like a storm. "It's Taylor Jauncy!" "What? I thought he was a cripple," Miles blurted. "Yeah... how is he standing?" Keanu's eyes bulged. He shot a look at his father. "What do we do?" The panic lasted only a heartbeat. Miles shook it off and let a smile cut across his face. "Roland is dead. Nettle is leaderless. We put what's left of the Jauncy line in the ground tonight, and the Duffus family runs Nettle." His eyes gleamed brighter, feverish. He'd planned to be the Wokey family's mutt. Now the summit was within reach. It was a gift from the heavens. Keanu nodded once and faced Taylor. "We were just looking for you. Didn't expect you to walk in on your own." Taylor moved forward. In the firelight, his face looked as if it had been carved from ice. With every step, the temperature seemed to drop. "Touch anyone in the Yare family," he said, his voice like ice, "and you'll suffer a thousandfold."