Killian Read online

  “Come, be quiet, and come give your brother a hug and tell him good night. Tell him you love him. He’s had a bad night.”

  “Will Killian be okay?” Jaden, asked, holding Araminta’s hand.

  David nodded, hoping he wasn’t lying to his children. Never had he been as glad as tonight that Janet was as psi-blind as he; otherwise, she might know of his efforts to help his son. He suspected that his wife would try to enforce the marriage contract, and he knew his son well enough to know Killian would refuse to marry a woman who would try to rape him. Moreover, Janet might just disown him for it. He prayed to Deity he was wrong as he sent the children to their brother. He opened the bottom drawer in the antique changing table his mother had given him when Killian was born. The first time Janet hit him, after his mother’s funeral five years ago, he began secreting money into the false bottom of it, carefully hoarding his pin money, without being obvious. Then Marabel’s husband would deposit it for him, in an account his mother had set up for him before her death, that Janet was unaware of. Tomorrow was when he and Lyle normally had lunch, but he didn’t think Lyle would be making that deposit tomorrow.

  He quickly took the money out and counted it. A few hundred. It wasn’t much, but hopefully it would be enough to keep the boy safe awhile. Sticking the money into his pocket, he quickly fixed everything and went back to his bathroom. Killian was carefully leaning over the side of the tub so the younglings couldn’t see his groin. Araminta was staring at his shoulder. As David watched, she reached out and touched the slice on Killian’s shoulder very lightly. It stopped bleeding. Then she touched it again, and it visibly healed even further. Araminta dropped to her knees, and Killian caught her awkwardly.

  David jumped forward and took Araminta in his arms. Killian stared at him, then at his shoulder, and then back at Araminta.

  “Better now, Kil?” she asked with a tired smile.

  “Yeah, Araminta. I’m better now,” Killian answered, giving her a smile, and touching her gently. As Killian touched her, he got a buzz of her tiredness, and that her shoulder ached now. While David held her, he gently pushed aside the shoulder of her nightgown, enough to see her shoulder. It wasn’t marked, so he wondered if he misinterpreted her feelings.

  Without a word, David took her to bed, praising her and Jaden for helping their older brother feel better.

  A few minutes later, David was back, and Killian finally felt clean. David held up some antibiotic ointment and indicated Killian’s groin and the scratches there. “I’d better do this, okay?”

  Killian nodded, flushing. He tried to focus on something else. “What about Araminta?”

  “Do not tell your mother. I’ll have to think on this. The best thing is for a Tii-su to discover her, but it has to be done carefully. I have to figure out how to make sure Jaden says nothing, as well.” David finished anointing the scratches, and then handed Killian his robe. “I’ll get you some clothes. You’re very cold right now, so I’ll bring you two of everything.”

  Killian gave him a confused look but nodded. What was his father so worried about? He hoped Araminta came to a Tii-su’s attention soon. It was important to train Tii-su from a young age, and she was already four, almost five.

  His father came back with clothes for him, warm leggings to wear under clean jeans, and a T-shirt, as well as a heavier shirt and a sweater. Two pairs of socks and his heavy winter boots. What in all the worlds? Then it hit him. His father was dressing him well, in case his mother threw him out.

  “She wouldn’t.” Killian looked at the sad, resigned look on his father’s face. “Would she?”

  “Deity, I hope not. I hope I’m wrong, that I’m bundling you for nothing. But for your sake, I can’t take that chance. There’s an estate fifty miles from here, south, held by the Jonai. The Jonai have a reputation for taking in people when they need help. If need be, get there. You’ll be safe there.”

  David finished giving Killian exact instructions and made him repeat them. Their two hours would be up in thirty minutes.

  “If that’s what happens, that’s what you do, Killian. There’s money and jewelry in your leggings.”

  Killian had wondered what the flattened lump was.

  “It’ll get you a cab, lodging, food, whatever you need for a few weeks if you’re careful with it. Just don’t let any humans you come in contact with realize that you are underage, even by our standards.”

  Killian listened carefully, his throat swelling with the effort not to cry. He hadn’t broken down when Anan attacked him, or when Janet seemed not to believe him, but his father preparing him to be thrown out was threatening his control. He looked at his father and saw he was having the same difficulty. Killian threw himself into his father’s arms.

  David began to cry. “I’m sorry, Killian. I don’t know what else to do. I have to take care of your siblings, too...”

  Killian cried, too. He understood. His father was torn between the child old enough to fight back, and the ones that weren’t. He made sure he put his dagger in easy reach. Never had he been so glad before tonight that David had quietly taught him a few tricks about using a dagger. They held each other tight, saying their goodbyes, just in case.

  Two hours later, Janet physically dragged her disowned son out of the house, threw him down the front steps, and slammed the door. He began walking south; following the instructions his father had given him. He tried not to think about anything, just put one foot in front of the other, with one goal in mind: the Jonai estate. He had no name. He was nothing. He was just another Nameless male.

  Chapter 2

  When Killian finally arrived at the Jonai estate, after three days walking, and ill from infection of his injuries, he found the Artris himself in residence. Richard Jonai, one of the few male Artris, was surprised when one of the tenants brought an unkempt, injured, exhausted, and scared thirteen-year-old to him. Some of his bruises had been freshly given, because he’d flipped out when one of the farmers who greeted him was a woman. Without thought, she had reached out to support an obviously hurt and tired young man, and he’d lost it. She’d called for her husband and her eldest son to come help her, as she restrained him, trying to keep him from hurting either himself or her. Her menfolk hurried over to help calm him, and she went and got the horse and cart. As soon as they’d calmed him a little, they got him in the cart and brought him up to the manor, her boy sitting in the cart with Killian. The tenant had called ahead on her cell, so Richard and his young granddaughter, Janara, who was training as a Tii-su, were waiting.

  Richard had carefully picked Killian up and taken him inside, followed by the tenant’s son, as well as Janara. Janara reached out and snagged Richard’s wrist and sent him the psionic suggestion to call Georges, a male Tii-su with a talent with children and young adults. He nodded in agreement and left the room to do so. The tenant’s son, William, stayed and sat next to Killian, holding Killian’s hand.

  “It’s okay. Lady Janara won’t hurt you, and Lady Richard won’t either,” the boy told him, rubbing his knuckles.

  Janara nodded. “That’s right, Masenka will take care of you. So will I. What’s your name?”

  Killian’s face burned with shame. “I have no name, my Lady.” He couldn’t look her in the eye.

  Her eyebrow arched. “You were disowned?”

  He managed to nod, closing his eyes. The boy holding his hand gripped tighter when he tried to take his hand back, curling in on himself. The pain in his chest was far worse than the pain in his knee, feet, or more private places. He felt a gentle touch on his knee and then his feet. The pain lessened a little—a feather light touch over his forehead, even a feather light touch near his groin, and it suddenly seemed easier to breathe. He still hurt, but it seemed just a little easier to bear. He opened his eyes to see Janara leaning over William to touch him. She smiled.

  “What was your given name?”

  “Killian, my lady,” he managed, still unable to look her or William in the eye.
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  “Do you wish to keep that given name?”

  He thought about it. He didn’t know. It had been the only name he knew. Should he choose something else? Janara patted the hand William continued to hold.

  “It’s okay, Killian, you don’t have to decide right now. We’ll call you Killian for now. It’s better than ‘Hey you, what’s yer face.’”

  He couldn’t help it. He laughed weakly at the sudden mental vision of going through life, answering to “Hey you, what’s yer face.” William and Janara both smiled gently.

  “We need to clean you up, get that knee elevated,” Janara said briskly. “I’ll go get some warm, soapy water and some clean clothes.”

  William gave her a startled look. “I’ll go get them, my lady,” he said quickly.

  She patted him on the shoulder, shaking her head. “No, you stay here with our new friend, William. I need to see when Georges will arrive. Killian’s knee needs serious attention, but I don’t know enough to say what he needs for it.”

  Killian looked at her, confused. “What do you mean?”

  She gave him a serious look. “You may need surgery to repair your knee, or you just may need to stay off of it for a week or two. I’m in training, and I don’t have enough experience to advise you properly as to what you should do about the injury. Speaking of advising, how old are you?”

  “Thirteen, my lady.”

  “Okay, so we need to find someone to speak on your behalf, as well. Okay.” She came back to the bed, took his free hand gently. “Who disowned you?”

  “Janet Larrestes.”

  “All right. You relax. We’ll take care of you. William, stay with him.”

  Georges later arrived and examined him, deciding the knee would need an X-ray, and the injuries to his groin would need a specialist’s care. Georges then asked Killian’s permission for he and Janara to examine him psionically, which Killian allowed. Something about Georges made him feel safe and warm. They learned of everything that had happened, including the incident with Araminta. They assured him that the matter would be brought before the Magistrate, and that they would see to Araminta as well.

  The next day, the Magistrate arrived and questioned everyone, including young William. Then she called Anan before the Artris Council including Janet. Janet protested the proceeding, stating it was just a hysterical male’s ramblings. Lady Jonai pointed out that the “hysterical boy” was the son she disowned four days previously.

  The trial had proceeded quickly, and based on their own memories, Anan was convicted of attempted rape. She was sentenced to be publicly flogged and to pay reparations to Killian, for three quarters of her inheritance. Janet was castigated for her treatment of her son and her refusal to protect him.

  When Janet returned home that night, she caught David trying to leave with the children. Both Jaden and Araminta witnessed their mother murder their father, and Araminta’s mental screams attracted the attention of every sensitive in the area, including a Sennrojai.

  Lucretia, a Sennrojai, followed the mental signature of the child’s screams to appear in the hall, stopping Janet before she could further harm either of the children. Within seconds of her arrival, Lucretia sequestered Janet in the Jonai estate’s holding cell; the only place in the area designed to hold any accused criminal.

  Lucretia gently gave both Araminta and Jaden the relief of unconsciousness. Quickly assessing the children, as well as looking at their memories of what happened, she learned Janet had flown into a rage that David was leaving, taking Araminta with her. David had told Janet he had a responsibility to protect his children, even from their mother, if need be. He informed her he was leaving, and he would have someone contact her about the divorce he was going to request. Janet had attacked, attempting to get to Araminta, and David had fought back, which led to Janet literally beating him to death. Poor Jaden and Araminta had been frozen with fear, never having seen such behavior from either of their parents.

  After grabbing Janara from her bed to look after the children, giving her quick instructions, Lucretia then took herself to the Jonai manor and began pulling in the entire Council of Artris. When questioned, she explained to Lady Milossa Jarvai, the Head of the Council, what had happened. Lady Jonai’s phones began ringing, both his cell and the phones in the house. Several cars and horse-drawn carts began arriving and people got out, demanding to know what the highest-ranking Artris in the area was doing to find the terrified child they’d heard in their minds. Richard sent them all into the house, telling them to make themselves comfortable.

  It took the Council an hour to get organized, including calming Killian, who was frantic about his siblings. He, too, had heard the cries, but he’d been sleeping, unsure if it was nightmare or reality.

  Lucretia, and Lady K’Arith as Sennrojai, took the Council through Janet’s memories of the incident. Janet had refused to give permission, and the Council, with Kelia K’Arith abstaining, voted unanimously to order the two Sennrojai to do it anyway. Only later would Killian learn the risk that vote entailed. All those who came to the estate, looking for answers and to help the child whose cries disturbed them, were seated outside, having dragged every blanket in the house out for everyone to huddle under, to watch the proceedings. There just wasn’t a room big enough in the house for everyone.

  The Council Head called for any objection to the unanimous vote, and the people were silent. Artris Larrestes had to answer the accusation, whether she wanted to or not. What they found was a pattern of quiet abuse that began after David’s mother’s death, five years previously. Lyle Solentai stepped forward, telling the Council of David’s efforts to plan the escape of himself and his children, of the money he’d slowly and carefully saved and that Lyle had faithfully deposited into an account secretly opened in David’s name.

  Janet defended herself by stating that a woman had the right to kill a husband who displeased her. Milossa replied that that may have been true a thousand years before, but it was no longer acceptable behavior. David hadn’t been trying to harm her, or the children. He, therefore, had done nothing that would excuse Janet’s actions. She had no grounds to kill him.

  The Council deliberated for another hour, this time with Kelia’s participation. The Council convicted Janet of the murder of her husband, and she was sentenced to death. Then Killian was called forward. William, who had been asked to stay with Killian until he felt a little safer and could get around on his own, helped him to stand in front of the Council.

  A chair was brought to Killian, and Milossa indicated he should sit. He swallowed nervously. He’d never seen a Council gathering before. His mother had never taken either her husband or son to the quarterly gatherings on Rimalia.

  “Killian, you are the disowned son of Janet Larrestes, are you not?” Milossa asked formally.

  “I am, my Lady.”

  “This Council knows of the events that led to that unjust punishment. The Larrestes name is proud and honorable, the actions of Janet notwithstanding. The circumstances here are unusual enough for the Council to make a few out-of-the-ordinary decisions. First, have you anything to say on Janet’s behalf?” Milossa asked.

  “No, my Lady. Until a few days ago, I would never have believed that my mother had no sense of true honor.”

  Many of the Council nodded in understanding. Milossa continued. “Second, the Council unanimously offers to restore your name.”

  “You can’t do that! I am Artris of the Larrestes! You cannot override my decree of disownment!” Janet burst out.

  “You, Janet, are no longer Artris. You have shamed your house and Clan, and you sully this body. You are not fit to be Artris, and you are sentenced to death. A sentence to be carried out shortly, but we can do it sooner, if you like,” Milossa responded coldly. She waited for Janet to respond. Then she looked at the crowd that had grown even larger. “Is there anyone here, woman or man, that would plead clemency for Janet?”

  The Council watched carefully, waiting a full ten minu
tes for anyone to speak. No one did. Killian was surprised Anan’s mother said nothing on Janet’s behalf—they were thick as thieves.

  Finally, Milossa nodded. “So be it. Does anyone here, woman or man object to young Killian being restored to his name?”

  Now Anan’s mother Sienna did speak. “A woman has the right to disown a male that dishonors his family, bringing shame to them. That is what that little male did. It is wrong to overrule that decision.”

  Lucretia spoke before Milossa could. “The only ones who brought shame and dishonor to their families in this incident are you, Anan, and Janet. Killian Larrestes acted with honor, both to preserve his virtue and his house’s honor. The female who should have been the first to defend him, instead, attacked him. The woman who should then have defended him, and called out his attacker, tried to sweep the incident under the rug because doing the right thing by a male was too inconvenient for her. It was easier to get rid of the boy who refused to marry one that would rape him, and offer up her younger son instead, despite his youth. The young male acted honorably at every turn.”

  Milossa gave Lucretia a short nod. “Quite true, which is why the Council has taken this unusual step.” She looked around. “Does anyone not involved in that shameful attack have any objections?” Again, the Council waited for ten minutes for anyone to speak. Milossa nodded again. “So be it. Killian Larrestes, you are restored to your name and the responsibilities and privileges of your house and station. As you are still underage, and it will be ten years before your sister Araminta is of age to assume her rightful place as Artris, the Council will appoint a caretaker for you and your siblings.

  “You will attend Council meetings, and Araminta will join you upon her seventh birthday. You will learn to manage your estates, and you will teach both Araminta and Jaden. I understand Araminta has been identified to have a Tii-su’s touch. When she is of age, you will see to it that she is properly trained. Have you any questions?”