A BLOOD Oath

The Man Behind the Door

The old man kept staring at Kael like he had seen a ghost.

Arielle stood quietly beside him still catching her breath from the run through the city. Cold night air filled ,the street behind them.

Kael looked exhausted now. Not weak. Never weak... Tired in a way she hadn’t noticed before.

The older man finally stepped aside without another word.

“Get inside before someone sees you " he said.

Kael nodded once. Walked in.

Arielle hesitated briefly before following.

The door shut quickly behind them.

The building was warmer inside than she expected. It was small and quiet. A single lantern burned near the wall beside a table cluttered with books, loose papers and dried herbs were hanging upside down from wooden beams.

The place smelled faintly of smoke and medicine. Not a safe house for soldiers. Something else.

The old man placed the lantern down harder than necessary before turning toward Kael.

“You disappeared for weeks " he snapped quietly. "Then suddenly the entire city starts whispering your name "

Kael removed his cloak slowly. More blood was sleeping from his side.

The old man swore immediately.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake. Sit down before you bleed across my floor " he said.

Arielle blinked. The man sounded irritated. Not afraid. That was interesting.

Kael sat heavily near the table while the older man disappeared into another room muttering under his breath.

Arielle stayed standing. She was trying to understand a little of this.

Finally she looked toward Kael.

“You trust him " she said.

Kael leaned back slightly against the chair. " As much as I trust anyone " he replied.

“That sounds unhealthy " Arielle said.

“It usually is " Kael said.

Arielle almost smiled despite the situation. Almost.

The old man returned carrying cloth, water and what smelled like alcohol.

He stopped directly in front of Kael.

“You look terrible " he said.

“I’ve looked worse " Kael replied.

“Yes " the man said dryly. ". You were equally annoying then as you are now."

Arielle crossed her arms.

“Are the two of you always like this?" she asked.

The old man finally looked at her properly. His eyes were sharp. He was older, but observant. Very observant.

“So you’re the girl " he said slowly.

Arielle stiffened slightly at the wording.

“I have a name " she said.

“I’m sure you do " he replied.

Kael sighed quietly. "Eamon " he said.

“What?" the old man shot back. "The entire kingdom is searching for both of you. Forgive me for being curious."

Arielle frowned slightly. The entire kingdom? Things were getting faster than she thought.

Eamon set the supplies down before pulling a chair towards Kael.

“Take the shirt off " he said.

Arielle immediately looked away. Not because she was embarrassed. Mostly because she didn’t want Kael noticing she’d looked all.

Fabric shifted behind her as Eamon started cleaning the wound.

Kael didn’t react much though Arielle noticed the tightening in his breathing.

“You should’ve gotten this stitched earlier " Eamon muttered.

“I was busy " Kael said.

“Nearly dying?"

“Among other things, yes" Kael replied.

Eamon poured alcohol directly onto the cut.

Kael’s hand tightened against the chair arm

A pulse of pain flickered through Arielle’s ribs.

She sucked in a breath before she could stop herself.

The room went quiet.

Eamon slowly looked between them.

Then his expression changed completely.

“Oh no " he said.

Arielle frowned. "What?" she asked.

Eamon stared at Kael.

“You didn’t " he said.

Kael said nothing.

That silence was answer enough.

The old man leaned back in disbelief.

“You absolute i***t " he said.

Arielle’s patience snapped immediately.

“Can someone please explain what’s happening with both of you speaking in half sentences?" she asked.

Eamon pointed directly at Kael.

“He performed a blood oath " he said.

“I know that part " Arielle said.

“With no preparation " Eamon added.

Arielle looked between them.

“…Is that bad?" she asked.

Both men looked at her.

“Yes " they said together.

Eamon rubbed a hand over his face.

“I knew you were reckless " he muttered toward Kael ". This is a completely different level of stupidity."

“It was necessary " Kael said.

“That excuse is getting old " Eamon replied.

Arielle looked sharply toward Kael.

That was interesting.

Eamon spoke to him in a way nobody else did.

Not like a commander.

Not like someone feared.

Just…, a man making decisions.

It humanized him in a way she wasn’t prepared for.

She hated that.

Eamon finished wrapping the wound before standing again.

“You " he said, pointing at Arielle now "sit down before you fall over."

“I’m fine " she said.

“You look exhausted " Eamon replied.

“That doesn’t mean I’ll faint " she said.

“It means you’re human " Eamon said.

Arielle opened her mouth to argue but stopped.

Because honestly? She was exhausted.

Her entire body felt heavy now that the adrenaline was fading.

Reluctantly she sat.

Eamon disappeared briefly again before returning with another cup of water.

This time he handed it to her carefully.

“You’re safer here tonight " he said. "For the moment."

“For the moment?" Arielle repeated.

Eamon sighed.

“The palace will search everywhere by morning " he said.

Kael finally spoke again. "Then we leave before sunrise " he said.

“No " Eamon said immediately.

Kael looked up.

“You can barely stand " he said.

“I’m standing " Kael replied.

“ Technically " Eamon said.

Arielle looked between them quietly.

There was history here.

Years of it.

“You trained him " she realized suddenly.

Eamon glanced at her.

“Once " he said.

Kael said nothing.

Arielle frowned slightly. "You were a soldier too?" she asked.

Eamon laughed softly.

“Long before either of you were born " he said.

“He trained the guards " Kael said quietly.

That surprised her.

“You?"

Eamon snorted. "Try not to sound so shocked " he said.

Arielle ignored that.

“If you worked for the crown…"

Her sentence faded.

Eamon understood anyway.

His expression darkened slightly.

“I stopped believing in kings a long time ago " he said.

Silence settled over the room after that.

Heavy silence.

The kind filled with things nobody wanted to say

Arielle noticed that she was studying Kael again.

The kingdom feared him.

The court obeyed him.

Assassins hunted him.

Somehow he ended up hiding in a quiet house with an old soldier who clearly thought he was an i***t.

None of it matched the monster she’d imagined all these years.

That realization unsettled her more than anything

“You keep looking at me like you’re trying to solve something " Kael said suddenly.

Arielle blinked.

She hadn’t realized he noticed.

“I’m trying to understand why you saved me " she said.

Kael held her gaze calmly.

“I told you already " he said.

“To keep me alive " she replied.

“Yes " Kael said.

“That still feels incomplete " Arielle said.

A small silence followed.

Then Eamon spoke before Kael could.

“That’s because it is " he said.

Kael’s eyes shifted sharply toward him.

Eamon ignored it completely.

“You deserve the truth " the old man said toward Arielle.

“Eamon " Kael warned quietly.

“No " Eamon said. "She deserves better than secrets."

Arielle’s attention sharpened instantly.

Better than secrets.

Finally.

Kael stood abruptly despite the injury.

“That’s enough " he said.

“No it isn’t " Eamon said.

The tension in the room changed immediately.

Arielle could feel it.

Not through the oath.

Something deeper between the two men.

Old frustration.

Old guilt.

“You cannot keep protecting her halfway " Eamon continued. "That’s what caused this mess in the place."

Arielle frowned sharply.

“What does that mean?" she asked.

Neither man answered immediately.

Her pulse quickened.

“What mess?" she asked.

Kael looked genuinely angry now.

“Eamon " he said.

The older man stared back at him.

“She deserves to know her father was never—"

A loud crash suddenly exploded outside.

All three of them froze instantly.

There was another crash. Then shouting.

Not nearby. But directly outside the building.

Kael reached for his sword immediately.

Eamon cursed under his breath.

Arielle stood up quickly her heart was already pounding.

“How did they find us?" she asked.

“No idea " Eamon muttered.

Kael’s face had gone dangerously still again.

Like he already suspected the answer.

Another heavy impact slammed against the door.

Wood cracked.

Then a voice shouted from outside,

“Open in the name of the Crown!"

The room fell silent.

Arielle looked toward Kael.

Kael looked toward the door.

Then, toward the hallway.

Calculating.

Planning.

The front door shook violently again.

This time, something splintered.