Creed

Chapter Fifteen

Creed adjusted his sword. It would be logical for his father to assume he was out of practice with his skills fighting with one. He purposely gave that impression. But every time he’d flown to the cliffs, he’d secretly sparred with the defense teacher he’d had as a child. Delbius was his friend.

He’d always known the day may come when his father did something to make certain they battled against each other. He had no plans to lose. Especially now that Angel’s future hung in the balance. His death wasn’t an option. His father would make Angel his breeding vessel.

Kado entered the room alone. None of his brothers had shown for the audience with him. Creed wondered if that was a good or bad sign. They had either decided not to support their father, or he’d made a good call to allow Chaz and Fray to guard his lair to keep Angel safe in case of an attack.

From where he sat, Lord Aveoth appeared a

Creed’s father cleared his throat. “Did you look at my formal request and my grievances?”

“Of course I did,” Aveoth stated. “I can read, and I know my duties as your lord. I’m insulted that you implied my punishment had been too lax. How dare you question it.”

“Creed broke the law. He had no right to take a mate. You dishonored our traditions.”

Aveoth stood and gripped his sword. “Watch it, Kado. That sounds like a challenge to my authority.”

“Not at all. It is an assessment.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

“I do believe your judgment wasn’t just. I swore Creed to service for the first hundred years of his life. I did so with the intention that he’d serve this clan. I see no advantage to him taking a mate, or you allowing it. The law is clear. He is to be lashed one hundred times and encased for ten years. I ask that you follow those laws.”

“Denied.”

Kado looked furious. “Our laws are above reproach.”

“Our laws are what I say they are. You gave Creed to this clan and that means he’s mine. What part of that don’t you understand? What I order him to do or what punishments I hand out to him are none of your business.” Aveoth glared at his father. “I don’t answer to you, nor does Creed.”

“It’s intent. He is to serve the greater good of our people. He hasn’t done that. There are forty years of service remaining. I demand he serves it. That means he can’t have a mate, and he must be appropriately punished for dishonoring my name! I know you didn’t approve of your father killing women, so I believe enslaving her for forty years until his service to you is up would be a fair compromise.”

“You speak of bringing dishonor to your name? You do that well enough on your own. Creed and your other sons are your only saving grace,” Aveoth rumbled.

“You dare insult me?”

“Yes. I do. You come in here implying I made an error. You whine about the fact you think I’ve bent the laws, and yet you suggest the same thing. No mate has ever been enslaved for forty years. Ten years is the maximum time for punishment for this kind of offense.”

“Mine was a fair suggestion. I’m willing to let her enslavement stand at ten years. Read my formal request. Everything I have asked for is reasonable.”

“Bullshit. I can read between the lines. I’m not a fool,” Aveoth ground out. “It’s a veiled insult that you even filed it and are standing before me spouting this nonsense. I won’t even begin to tell you how disgusted I am that you want permission to make Creed’s mate your breeding vessel. What kind of father wishes to rape the mate of his own son and force his seed into her to birth his youngling? Then you want to expand it to forty years.

“What’s next? Should she solely be for your use? You had to know your son would challenge you before he allowed it, yet you believe you can ask me to help you get away with it by encasing him first to save your ass. I did read what you wrote. That part was very clear. You wanted him lashed immediately and encased before he could attack you. Denied,” Aveoth thundered.

“She is the reason my son ca

“You are a twisted bastard,” Aveoth muttered. “Please draw your sword. I dare you.”

“I am not challenging you,” Kado clearly stated.

“Too bad.” Aveoth kept hold of his sword. “I officially deny your request and call this to a close.”

“I demand a council assessment.”

“I disbanded your council. Denied.”

“You must realize our people won’t stand for this! You are being irrational, with all respect.”

Aveoth snorted. “You wouldn’t know respect if it stabbed you in the heart. What did I tell you the last time you stood before me with some stupid bullshit request? This isn’t a democracy. You want that? Go live with humans. They wouldn’t tolerate you for long, either. Return to Europe if you don’t like how I run things. I’m sure you won’t like how the full-blooded clans do things. It’s why you left in the first place. Your other option is to challenge me for leadership. Please do. Make my day.”

Kado fisted his hands at his side. “You stand there issuing threats to me but allow Creed to blatantly disregard our laws?”

“I like him. I don’t like you.” Aveoth took a deep breath. “You want justification? Fine. You gave Creed to me. I decide what he does with his time, not you. His length of service is at my discretion. I went over his accomplishments. Let’s talk about laws not followed, Kado. You sent your son down into our training area at the age of two. The standard is five. You made him sleep there with the scouts on duty rather than allowing him to come home. That is unheard of. Our men leave the cliffs for duty when they are nearing twenty years. You and your council decided to ignore the law when he was fifteen and assigned Creed to serve the north post.” He paused. “For fourteen years in a row. That’s blatant cruelty. He had no ability to complete his full training or to interact with his own kind. He had no chance to learn how to handle the temptations of being around women. There are none in the north. He lost control during the ravage and mated a woman. Whose fault do you think that is? Let me answer for you—yours.”

“He didn’t claim a mate during his first ravage. You’re wrong.”

“Then he got lucky once. The odds weren’t in his favor. That’s how I see it.”

“You’re making excuses for what he did? Outrag—”

Lord Aveoth cut him off with a roar. “Enough! I’m not asking for your opinion. I’m reminding you of the laws you broke. You and your council conveniently forgot to add his assignment to your reports when you sent them to me.” He paused. “For fourteen years straight. It was only brought to my attention when he was late to report in due to a storm. Scouts were sent out to see if he was in trouble. They were angry because he was sixteen days late before you mentioned it to them. They filed a grievance because your council put the life of one of our men at risk.”

“I knew he was fine. He’s my son.”

Aveoth snorted. “Fine? He had to shell against a cliff to protect himself from death when the blizzard hit. He would have had to remain that way until the area thawed if they hadn’t located him. No one flies alone in those conditions. That’s also law. Yet you still ordered him to report to the council in person at a time you knew flying solo wasn’t allowed. They had to light a fire to thaw the thick layers of ice that had formed over him. He was trapped inside his shell.”