Lilah by Gemma Liviero Page B

step
forward. ‘Father,’ he said hollowly. ‘That is enough.’
    Istavan turned to his second-born son and
bellowed for him to stay away, his face red with rage. I realised this was no
ordinary man and certainly not one of sound mind. He was enjoying this in some
sadistic way. ‘I will say when it is enough!’
    Istavan hit his son with his fists several more
times then kicked him hard in the back. Emil’s body jerked with the force and
he lay still with eyes closed. With teeth clenched and his temper raging
through his veins, Istavan then stepped towards me. I thought he would hit me
too and his fist was close enough for me to see bone beneath his raw knuckles.
But then his breathing slowed and his arms lowered at his side. He took one
look back at Emil and rubbed and wrung his hands violently as if he wanted to
be free of something vile or, I thought at the time, he was absolving his own
sins. He nodded then with some satisfaction and headed towards the house. This
was familiar territory to him – another casualty of rebellion and no
allowances for his own flesh and blood.
    ‘Take the bitch into the forest and kill her,’
he ordered to his remaining son, casually over his shoulder, in the same tone
he had used to the stable boy to ready his horse.
    Andrew grabbed me and pushed me roughly towards
the stables. With one arm around my waist he hoisted me across the front of his
stallion, and mounting behind me. I was too exhausted to feel loathing even
after what he took from me earlier that evening. We galloped past the limp and
bloodied form of Emil and I craned my neck to watch him disappear from view as
I was taken into the hilly forests at the far side of the property.
    I no longer cared what happened to me. He
lifted me off the horse effortlessly, as if I was a cloth doll, and I waited
for his sword to strike me. I had no-one and nothing.
My parents had no love for me and I was homeless once more. Emil was dying,
possibly already dead, and death was probably my best alternative. I might at
least find peace.
    In the light of the stars we stood on a rocky
outcrop.
    ‘I am sorry about Emil,’ he said suddenly. ‘My
brother was too weak for this world. Perhaps in some way he is better in
another place.’
    I did not respond for any form of repentance or
regret was wasted on me now.
    ‘If you go now and disappear, I will not kill
you,’ he said, his voice slightly shaken. ‘Just don’t come back or I will have
to. Do you understand?’
    I was shocked for a moment that he would set me
free, then slightly disappointed. ‘Please kill me,’ I said. ‘For I have no life
to go to.’
    He thought about this a moment. ‘Alright then,’
he said. ‘I will make it quick.’
    He told me to kneel and I looked up to the
stars. They were particularly bright nestled in their bed of azure. A cuckoo
bird called out into the night and others responded. I closed my eyes and
whispered a prayer to my God, asking for forgiveness and that he may accept me
in heaven.
    I felt the rush of air as Andrew raised his
sword above me. There was a sudden stillness, then I
heard grappling sounds followed by the cracking of bones. Before I could open
my eyes I was suddenly swept to one side: the feeling of being pushed by giant
hands or by another unnatural force, sending me sprawling into the damp earth.
I raised my head to see that another figure had taken Andrew’s place.

 
    Gabriel

 
    I had seen enough. I had watched the
father strike his son to an inch from life. It was time for the girl to leave.
    I had rushed past her and grabbed the man’s
head, breaking it like the stem of a flower. My speed passing Lilah pushed her
sideways, the force of the magic causing the earth to crumble and scatter
around her.
    She stood up bewildered. At my feet was the
human called Andrew, his head twisted so that he now looked out through dead
eyes over his shoulder at the sky. But he should have been looking downward, as
that was undoubtedly where