Chapter 27: You Are Already Speaking Like a Monster
Daemon looked at his hand.
’So that is why,’ he thought. ’That is why she hated me so much...’
Kristian instinctively took a few steps back.
Daemon saw it. And something broke inside his chest.
Dorian placed his hand on Daemon’s shoulder, a warm, fatherly hand.
"But you are still my nephew," he said. "So listen to your uncle. Give up. Live a peaceful life. If you truly want to protect those you care about..." He paused. "Do it before you lose everything that remains of your humanity."
Daemon raised his head. His eyes were red, but the tears were no longer flowing.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Dorian blinked. "What?"
"Who are you?" Daemon repeated. "Who is Persephone? To be able to dictate my destiny like this?"
Kristian broke his silence. "It was probably revealed by the Oracle," he said in a hesitant voice.
Daemon turned toward him. "The Oracle." He chuckled. "So I should entrust my life to a mystical trinket?" He fixed his gaze on his cousin. "No one has the right to dictate my future... If I am the monster, then I will prove the opposite. I will become their savior. And I will break this fate."
Dorian chuckled.
"You have already proven it well," he said. "By killing an innocent man."
Daemon clenched his fists. "Protecting my enemy means becoming guilty of his misdeeds as well." He looked his uncle straight in the eyes. "That guard was complicit in Luna’s torture."
"..."
"Do not be hypocritical, Patriarch." Daemon approached Dorian. "You are angry with me mostly for opening my chi core. Not for the death of that guard."
"According to the clan charter, you should be punished with one hundred lashes," he said finally.
Daemon held his gaze. "If I must be punished with one hundred lashes for becoming a chi user..." He raised his head. "Then I want five hundred."
"You leave me no choice, Daemon." Dorian sighed. "Apologize to the Summer family. And we will talk about your chi core later."
Daemon shook his head. "One only asks for forgiveness when one has made a mistake." He crossed his arms. "But if I had to massacre the entire Summer family to save someone dear to me..." A cold smile appeared on his lips. "Their remains would be unrecognizable."
Dorian clenched his teeth. "You are already speaking like a monster." He turned toward the door. "Since you refuse to accept your fault, you will be whipped with five hundred lashes in public. As punishment."
"Father!" Kristian cried out.
"Do not intervene, Kristian." Daemon cut him off. He looked at Dorian. "I accept the Patriarch’s punishment."
Dorian nodded. He left without another word.
Kristian remained for a moment, hesitant. He wanted to say something. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again.
"Daemon..."
"Leave me," said Daemon as he turned toward the window.
Kristian lowered his head. He left the room and closed the door behind him.
Daemon remained there, motionless, as tears slowly flowed...
...
Luna woke up slowly on the narrow bed in the infirmary of the Summer Domain. The room was white and the scent of medicinal herbs floated in the air.
She blinked several times. Her body was in pain, covered in bandages, but she was alive. An elderly servant dressed in a gray robe was sitting at her bedside, watching over her awakening.
"Where is my master?" Luna asked in a weak voice.
The servant lowered her eyes. "He is being whipped. For killing a guard of the Summer family."
Luna stood up abruptly. The bandages partially unraveled, pain shot through her shoulder, but she did not stop. She put on her shoes, grabbed a clean shirt from a chair, and ran toward the door.
"Miss, you are not in any condition to..."
Luna did not listen to her. She went out into the hallway, then into the courtyard.
...
The main courtyard of the Summer Domain was packed. All the families of the Sword Clan were represented.
The four families: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, had sent their representatives.
In the center of the courtyard, Daemon stood upright.
He had refused to kneel.
His shoulder-length hair fell in front of his face. His white tunic was already stained with sweat, and his hands were tied in front of him with a rough rope. He was looking straight ahead, his eyes fixed on the patriarch.
Luna stopped at the edge of the crowd. Her heart tightened.
"But what is this idiot doing?" she murmured. "Does he want to end up crippled?"
She prepared to run into the public square to stop him.
A hand grabbed her by the arm.
"Do not make his situation worse," said Kristian.
"But my young master is impulsive," said Luna. "What if he ends up crippled?"
"Then it will be his choice," Kristian released her arm. "He decided to take these blows instead of apologizing to the Summer family."
"But why?"
Kristian looked at Daemon. The sunlight fell on his cousin, illuminating his face.
"To prove to my father that he is no longer the kid he once knew," he said softly.
Dorian advanced to the center of the courtyard. He held a scroll in one hand.
"Daemon Shaytan Dagon!" announced Dorian in a loud voice that echoed throughout the courtyard. "You will be punished with five hundred lashes for killing an innocent man, a guard of the Summer family, in clear violation of our clan’s charter."
Daemon raised his head. His gaze met his uncle’s.
"The Summer family tried to humiliate me by torturing my personal servant," he said in a clear voice. "I have no regrets." He paused. "Nevertheless, I accept the Patriarch’s order."
A murmur ran through the crowd. The servants whispered among themselves. The notables exchanged glances. The representatives of the four families had various expressions: some admiring, others contemptuous, others simply curious.