The Four Kingdoms

by Maryam Durrani

  Xavier.

  I gripped the edge of the tub. Moments later I was on my knees, resting my forehead against the cold edge. He’d died.

  I tried to push away at the memories. Every time I remembered his name, I found it difficult to breathe. It hurt more than I could handle.

  So I left. I needed time to lose the heavy weight on my chest, and here I was in Crea, miles and miles away from Astodia. Far from that castle, far from the boy I had risked my life for—Lance.

  I squeezed my eyes shut.

  I stood in front of a short boy. He had a sword in his hand; the same specialty as me. I waited till the horn was blown, and then waited a while more. The boy charged at me. I ducked, kicking my leg under his as I did so. He stumbled. My elbow caught him right between his shoulder blades, pushing him to the ground.

  But he was fast. He jumped to his feet, running at me. I waited until he was close enough, then blocked the swipe of his sword, turning to land a punch on his face. I caught his cheekbone, but not before he landed a blow across my lip. I staggered back, feeling warm blood drip down my chin. Spitting out the metallic taste in my mouth, I found his blue eyes. He grinned as if he knew I was getting tired. But what he didn’t know was that I wasn’t even fighting back.

  I charged, slamming the blade of my sword against his. Using his sudden confusion as an opening, I threw my shoulder against his chest, pummeling him to the ground. His sword clattered away and audience erupted into cheers as I landed a blow against his jaw.

  “That’s what you get for the lip,” I smirked. His eyes were wide in surprise.

  “The champion is Aella!” I got to my feet as the man who

  blew the horn grabbed my hand, holding it up. The crowds went wild. I saw hands moving and bags of coins exchanged.

  “Miss,” Horn Blower leaned in, “you should try out for the Ring Battles this year.”

  “What?” I asked. Wasn’t I already in the Ring Battles?

  “It happens once a year where everyone eligible signs up to fight to the top. The winner gets a grand reward. In the previous year,” the man said with an eager tone in his voice, “the princess even came, escorted by her guards. She chose the winner as one of the royal guards. Do you know what an honor that is?”

  Yes, I knew it all too well—the honors of being a guard, a head guard, the king’s personal adviser, and an assassin. Was there even an honor left for me now?

  “I will think about it,” I gave him a nod as he handed me my small winnings.

  “The prize is grand,” he repeated. “I’m sure you’ll be the one who takes it home.”

  I waited outside for Jax. I hated being inside the Rings if I wasn’t fighting. It was hot and there were too many sweaty bodies everywhere with no room to breathe.

  The door opened, Jax appearing from behind it. His cold blue eyes fell on my face. A grin broke out across his lips as he shook his blond hair—a habit I guessed he had since he was very young.

  “Your lip looks terrible,” he noticed, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket. He tossed it to me, pointing at his chin. “You’ve got a little something there.”

  I wiped at the lower half of my face. “Is Isabel still inside?” I glanced at the cloth, noticing streaks of blood coloring it.

  “Yes. I was going to stay to watch,” he admitted. “They

  put her against a really tough opponent. She barely made it past his sword.”

  “She’s fast with her knives. I’m sure she’ll be alright.”

  “I hope so.” Jax looked worried. “I don’t want her to do these things, but she’s just so stubborn.”

  “Isabel is strong,” I told him. “You don’t need to worry about her.” I had to distract him. “Did you get easy opponents today?”

  He ran a hand through his light blond hair again. It looked almost white in the sun, like his sister’s.

  “Five out of five,” he broke out into a smile.

  “Impressive,” I nodded, raising my eyebrows. He’d done better than I expected.

  “I’m just trying to become as good as you. I don’t even think you’ve ever lost a battle since you got here.”

  “It’s all about how you use your weight,” I advised. He grinned, leaning against the wall. A group of fighters walked past us. Jax pulled up his hood and I reached up to make sure my mask was in place. Fights weren’t exclusive to the Rings—revenge was taken for losses outside. We had to hide ourselves to make sure there were no sneak attacks later on.

  “There’s blood on your hands,” Jax gestured towards them. There was always blood on my hands.

  When Isabel returned from the Rings, she’d won four out of five of her battles. There was a gash above her right temple, and a few scratches down her arms. Jax was furious.

  “This is why I didn’t want you to fight!” I returned the handkerchief which he balled up and pressed to his sister’s forehead, who swatted at his hands.

  “I don’t need your help,” she scowled, pushing him away.

  “Shut up for a moment and let me do what I need to do.”

  “I don’t need you to be on my back every second.”

  He glowered. “Well, you’re out of luck. As long as I’m

  around I will do my best to help you.”

  “Aella,” Isabel pushed past her brother and stood next to me. “Are you going to try out for the Ring Battles?”

  “I’m not sure, but I’ve given it some thought,” I admitted.

  I hadn’t wanted to be in the spotlight, but there was some strange invisible pull attracting me towards the Battles.

  “I want to do it,” Isabel smirked, putting a hand on her hip. Jax set his jaw, visibly distressed by his sister’s recklessness.

  Isabel was strong. She could handle herself, but Jax didn’t see it that way. Fortunately for her she was also very strong-willed and didn’t let him stop her from doing what she wanted. I silently applauded her for her determination.

  “I need to go to Sleeping Drakon’s,” Isabel said to her brother. Sleeping Drakon was a tavern located near the Rings, where fighters tended to hang out after they battled. “Let’s go, Aella. Now.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Jax butted in stubbornly.

  “Oh, no you aren’t,” she stomped her foot.

  “Oh yes, I am.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  And this time he won, following us all the way to small tavern kept in the shadows of alleyways, behind the bustling streets.

  I didn’t order anything. I leaned back on my seat, closing my eyes and taking in the loud shouting and laughing of drunken people.

  “What are you thinking about?” Jax asked.

  “The Ring Battles,” I mumbled under my breath. “They couldn’t pick a better name, could they?”

  Jax snorted. I opened my eyes, looking around for Isabel.

  “She’s talking to Sir Green Eyes,” Jax jutted his chin out towards his sister, who, to my surprise, was smiling at Aiden, the Lance look-alike. “He looks too happy with her,” Jax wrinkled his nose in disgust. “I need to do something.”

  “Leave her alone, Jax. You’re not her father.”

  “Then who’s going to take care of her?”

  I let out a deep sigh, resting my elbows on the creaky table as I leaned towards Jax. “I will say this for the last, time, so you listen closely. Isabel Rose Hart does not need a parent.” I stared into his icy blue eyes. “She needs a brother.”

  Jax blew out air through his lips. “Fine.”

  After a few sips from his drink, he ran a hand through his white blond hair, shaking it as he did.

  “What are you going to do?” he asked, leaning back. I crossed my arms over my chest and held his gaze for a long time, pursing my lips.

  “I fight to keep pieces of my life together,” I confided in him. “I need to hold myself together first. I don’t think fighting for a prize is why I should do this.”

  “But will this be something you will do for the rest of your life?
The next few years, even?”

  “I’m not sure,” I said softly.

  “If this is how you will survive, then you’ll need to join the Battles. You have to become someone, and you have enough talent to support yourself. Maybe the princess will choose you as one of her guards.” The corners of his lips pulled up into a smile. “I’d love to meet her.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  We sat in silence, my chin propped up on the palm of my hand, elbow resting on the wooden table. Jax leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

  My eyes wandered around, looking for Isabel—who was nowhere to be seen. I frowned. Aiden was missing as well.

  Aiden, the look-alike. It seemed as if fate didn’t want me to forget who I’d been. It was sending imposters to force me

  to keep in mind of the ones I’d left behind—

  Imposters.

  I felt my heart beating in my throat. I jumped to my feet, the chair fell backwards as the back of my knees slammed into it

  “Jax,” I reached for him. “Jax, stand up.”

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, confused, his eyes tired.

  “Aiden. He’s an––”

  “Who?”

  “Sir Green Eyes!” I said frantically. “He’s a bounty hunter! He’s here for me.”

  “Why would he be here for y––”

  I grabbed Jax by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to face me, our noses inches apart.

  “Listen to me. Forget what I said earlier. Isabel isn’t safe. Aiden has her.”

  His icy blue eyes widened as he yanked himself from my grip. He started to run, pushing past people and tripping over chairs with me close behind.

  “Where could she be?” he shouted to the sky. We had searched everywhere; every corner of the streets, every dark alleyway. Jax was running his hands through his wild blond hair, a look of panic on his face.

  I was lost for words. “I don’t know.”

  He spun around, his eyes on me. “You told me. You said she’d be fine, that she could take care of herself.”

  “This is not my fault!” I said, frustrated. How could I not have realized? Jax groaned. I knew he didn’t really think it was my fault, but for some reason, I felt like I deserved the blame, because I should’ve seen it coming.

  He’d resembled the one person I had sacrificed everything for. He’d appeared on the street, asking me of all people to dance with him, and then he’d shown up at Sleeping Drakon’s just to have a friendly chat with Isabel?

  As of now, word of the deceased king’s assassin had spread through the kingdom of Astodia. The people knew I had existed once upon a time, and there were people looking for me. It was all about revenge. I was being targeted by the families of those I’d killed. To them, I was a prize.

  I had to leave Crea.

  Jax kicked the base of a wooden post. Suddenly, his eyes widened.

  “What the hell?”

  I waited for him to explain. He reached up, yanking down a poster pinned to the stand.

  “This . . . this looks like you.”

  I could feel the blood draining from my face. There were pins and needles in my hands and feet. I swallowed.

  “Jax, just hand it to me.”

  “Adalia? Who’s Adalia?” His eyes traveled to my eyes, down to my shoes, and then back up.

  “Jax I need the paper. Give it to me.” I took a few steps towards him. “Jax,” I repeated. “Hand it over.”

  “The assassin? They’re looking for a king’s assassin. Astodia’s dead king.” His eyes traveled to my face, searching. Questioning.

  I waited for him to put the pieces together.

  “Is this . . . is this you?” There was no point in lying anymore.

  I nodded, feeling sick. Before I could say a word, I heard a voice behind me. I ripped out my sword with a sharp clang and held it out in front of me.

  “So, what they say about you is true,” Aiden said.

  I waited for him to continue, confused.

  “Reflexes as fast as a new blade cutting through skin.”

  I shook my head in disgust. “What have you done with Isabel?”

  “Oh, was that her name?”

  I felt Jax start towards Aiden, but I held out a hand to stop him. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew what he was about to say. “Is this about. . .” Jax held up the poster with a similar, yet flawed drawing of me.

  “You’ve found it? Thank goodness. I’ve been looking everywhere for that.” Aiden snatched it from Jax’s hand. “You know what?” he said, holding it up, taking a look at my face. “This looks a lot like you. The greatest assassin. I wouldn’t have taken you for a killer, but the picture is very similar to your face,” he smirked, “Adalia.”

  I bit the inside of my lip to keep from stabbing him in the chest. When I finally tasted the metallic tang of blood, I opened my mouth to speak. “What do you want from me?”

  “I want you to come with me. Calmly. You have,” he laughed again, “a massive bounty on your head. If you want the girl, Isabel, back, you’ll have to come with me.”

  I looked into his eyes to give him a warning, a warning without using force first. And then I realized his eyes weren’t green, they were a light brown. His hair wasn’t that specific brown color Lance’s was; it was much darker. He’d changed himself up to play with me.

  People knew the story of Lance. Servants were witnesses, nobles gossiped. I felt a new surge of anger I could barely hold back.

  “Give me back Isabel, or I’ll––” I stopped before I could say something scarring.

  “What? Kill me? Well, you’re a murderer by nature, aren’t you?” Aiden raised his eyebrows. Oh, how I loathed him.

  He was purposely getting me riled up, and yet I kept giving him chances.

  “I am not going anywhere with you. Where is she?” I gritted my teeth.

  “Fine. I didn’t want to do this the hard way, but . . .” He raised his hand, gesturing for someone to come forward. Out of the shadows came two men, one of them holding Isabel’s arms behind her back. I felt my chest tighten in fury. Jax tensed, his arm brushing mine.

  “Get your hands off me,” Isabel sneered, her eyes blazing. “I cannot believe I got myself into this mess.”

  “If you had just listened to me, you wouldn’t have been in this mess!” Jax shouted.

  “You have five seconds. Hand her over or I will kill you. And you’re right,” I said, “it’ll be very easy for me to do so.”

  Aiden narrowed his eyes, keeping me under his careful gaze. And then he looked over my shoulder giving a small nod. I realized what was happening just in time, as the arrow skimmed my shoulder. I pushed Jax to the ground just as another whizzed past my ear. Gripping my sword, I ran at the men holding Isabel back.

  As he reached for his sword, Isabel ripped one of her arms out of his grasp, slamming her elbow into his throat. The man doubled over, clutching at his neck as he gasped for air.

  Jax pulled out his own sword, taking the bowman as his opponent. I took the two men on either side of Isabel.

  It was fast. They were too inexperienced. The masked men were on their knees, bruised and broken as I sheathed my sword, taking a step back. I turned to Aiden.

  “You were saying?”

  Aiden pulled out his own sword, holding it towards me. Jax held the blade of his sword at the archer’s neck. Isabel, being the great fighter she was, had stabbed her opponent fatally in the abdomen, shoulder, and had sliced the place above his elbow open. As she reached to grab his sword, one

  of my opponents threw himself at her, pinning her down.

  Aiden smirked. “They might not be experienced fighters, but I can have you in pieces in mere seconds. Come with me, Assassin. This is your last warning. I will not hurt your friends if you obey me.” One of the masked men tried to sit up, but I slammed my boot against his knee. He screamed in pain, bending over. I held him by his hair and yanked back his head, pulling a knife out of my boot. I held it at his throat.

/>   “This is your last chance,” I warned the green eyed bounty hunter. “Get out of here, and I’ll spare you and your friends.”

  He shook his head. “You will come with me. You don’t have the guts to show them you’re a killer. That’s why you came here, right? To start over?” There was malice in his eyes. “I know you won’t.”

  He pushed me. He made it happen.

  It was over in a flash, as if I hadn’t even moved. I let go of the back of the man’s neck, a gaping wound in the center of his throat.

  Jax looked down at the limp body, disbelief in his eyes. Before Aiden could react over the loss of his man, I’d done the same to the bowman and the man holding Isabel.

  “Ask me if I’d like to go with you again,” I faced Aiden with a sneer. “One more time.”

  He swallowed, sheathing his sword. “I’ll be back. The next time I come, I’ll bring forty men with me.”

  I nodded, flicking flecks of blood off the scarlet knife in my hand. “Bring them all.”

  I watched as he turned on his heel and disappeared in the shadows, leaving the three dead men behind.

  I didn’t bother to glance at either of the twins’ faces. I sheathed my sword, tightening the clasp of my cloak and making sure my hood shadowed my face. Then, I walked home. Alone.

  FIVE

  I slipped off my boots, unclasping my cloak. I let it fall to the floor, jumping onto my bed and stretching out my legs. I would be packing up soon, moving out. Leaving the twins behind. They surely wouldn’t want to stay with me after watching me murder three men. They knew I was an assassin, and that I had lied. My life in Crea was over.

  I turned over on my side. I knew it wouldn’t have lasted. A person could change their name, but their true personality always found a way out. I let out a deep sigh.

  Maybe Astodia would take me in again.

  There was a knock on my door. I groaned. Here it was.

  It was time to pack my things.

  I sat up, swinging my legs over the edge of the old, dusty bed with a halfhearted sigh.

  “Come in,” I called. I needed to get this over with. Isabel entered soundlessly, betraying no emotion.

  “Where’s Jax?” I asked. “I thought he would be the one to tell me to leave.”