Page 18 of Unmasked

I looked over. “What hall was he on?”

The Reeve glanced up. “Breeding hall.”

“How many times has he been written up?”

“This was his first, Sire.”

I lifted my gaze to take in the guards who watched on.

“There are four tiers of discipline. First time offenders fall under the Correction tier.” I looked down at Purden. “Reassign him to a different hall. Apparently, the breeding hall has too much temptation.”

Purden glanced up, only to quickly lower his head. I tilted mine, narrowing my eyes.

“If you can’t follow the rules and you get written up again, you move to tier two. If that happens, you will be demoted in rank and face physical punishment. You’ve been warned. Get back in line.”

“Yes, Sire.”

“Who else?”

The Reeve read down the list, pausing as he flashed the tablet to me to show me four names of guards who’d been written up together. I read the synopsis of the report, lifting my brow in half surprise, half anger.

“Just these. That’s it for this quarter.”

“Call them up.”

He nodded.

“Turner, Valdez, Keller, and Lindley.”

The men stepped out of their lines, walking forward to kneel before us.

“Number of offenses?”

The Reeve’s voice deepened.

“Turner, three. Valdez, two. Keller, five. Lindley, three.”

“Repeat offenders.” I nodded. “That’s an issue. Let me get this straight.” I clasped my hands at my back. “During the passing of morning meals, the four of you decided that you would ignore The Order’s daily routine to make your own schedule. You decided… raping two slaves, and killing one of them on accident, was more important than following orders.”

I paused.

“You acted without instruction. You all abandoned your assigned duties. You disrupted order during a rotation. And you destroyed what was not yours.”

Two of the men looked up nervously but stayed quiet.

“You didn’t just kill one of my slaves. You all created a problem for The Order. You forced your superiors to put in more work. You created negative attention. You disrespected me. This is what happens when you forget who you serve.”

My attention lifted to take in the men who watched on. I let them squirm as I put my focus where they didn’t want it—on them.

Slowly, I lowered my gaze. “You’ve proven you are not fit to stand within the guard. Not because of what you did.” I paused. “Because you lacked the discipline to do it correctly. Five offenses in one quarter? Unacceptable. You will not stand before her. You will not be seen by her. You will not exist in her Order.”

Keller was shifting, itching to run, and I didn’t miss it.

“You like the mob mentality? I’m going to give it to you.” My head lifted. “Guard… strip them of their uniforms. They do not deserve to wear them. Tier four. Death. Put them in a cell until we’re ready for them.”

The men went to fly up, and I caught Keller before he could lunge past me. I had my knife in my hand and embedding it in his chest before he could pull back to break free of my hold. A gasp left his mouth, and wide eyes lifted to mine. I let all the evil I harbored shine through my glare as I let his body collapse to the floor.

Rows of guards surged forward, tearing at the uniforms of the other three men as they fought and twisted in their hold. Screams filled the room and movement to the far side had me turning. A savage hunger left a glint in Penelope’s eyes as she turned them to me in approval. I addressed The Reeve, but I couldn’t take my gaze from hers.