Love, Blood & Fury

by Melissa J Kincaid

Wow, he actually listened to her!

  Tikkani was inches from her face as she turned back around. “So how was it?” purred the elf. Emerson’s loud sigh erupted from behind Tikkani, and the room burst into a flurry of voices once more.

  “I was shown around the castle grounds, that is all.” hissed Arii, feeling strangely defensive.

  “And shown around the shadowy lord’s grounds too, huh?” giggled Tikkani.

  “Argh, Gods!”

  “Come on, spill!” she cried, almost sounding like an excited schoolgirl. Arii moved past her friends to her trunk, flicking open the latch and hauling open the lid with perhaps a tad too much force, pulling a few shirts hanging nearby and shoving them in.

  “So good she’s speechless!” exclaimed Tikkani.

  Was Tikkani seriously implying that she had… slept with Elijah? The thought had her cheeks heating despite herself. She knew it did look odd – having been escorted back to the barracks by Elijah just after sundown. Arii was almost glad she was moving to the castle. But part of her would miss Tikkani’s banter, Emerson’s groans of disapproval and Quinn’s raving about some cute serving maid who had eyed him in the kitchens.

  Arii turned to face them, pausing before she said, “I’ve been asked to move to the castle, to train under Master Wolfe.”

  Quinn was the first to speak, Tikkani’s eyes wide and matching her brother’s. “You’re jesting!”

  “No, I’m not, King’s orders,” shrugged Arii as she packed her trunk. She could not help the tiny tinge of sadness in her voice. Quinn approached and placed a hand on her shoulder, a smile on his face.

  “We all knew your talents were being wasted as a recruit, Arii.”

  Tikkani and Emerson’s twin faces nodded over his shoulder in agreement.

  “We are happy for you; your talents are needed elsewhere.”

  Arii swallowed thickly. “Thanks, I’ll no doubt still have days of training with Commander Hawke. I’ll see you all around.”

  Tikkani flew into Arii’s arms, and the Fae for the second time in two days was floored.

  Her arms slowly, awkwardly, lifted to embrace her new friend. She was not used to embraces.

  Tikkani held her out at arm’s length, her smile genuine. “Quinn’s right, we have seen Master Wolfe’s moves, you could learn a lot from him.”

  Huh, or he could learn from her…

  Arii nodded and offered her friends a smile as she moved to lift her trunk. With a last look, she turned to join Elijah in the cooling afternoon air.

  They walked in silence to the castle and that silence was charged.

  Neither spoke though.

  They entered the castle and Elijah took the lead, directing her to a room in the middle wing of the castle. Close enough to the royal quarters to get there as quick as possible should anything happen.

  After a short time, Elijah’s deep voice cut the silence as they paused at a door.

  “This is your room.”

  The hall was lit with torches, the gold shimmering in the light. She hitched her trunk on her hip as he turned the golden doorknob and opened the door, stepping into the room.

  It was warm, flames flickering in the golden hearth on the far side of the room. A large four poster bed with plush white down covers stood close to the fireplace. The window furnishings were a deep vermillion, the room simple yet richly adorned with gold finishes and dark mahogany furniture. A desk sat on the opposite wall to the bed, under a tall window. To the left was another door, she assumed to an adjoining bathing room. Lanterns were set around the room, giving it a warm golden glow.

  This was by far the nicest lodging she had ever had.

  Elijah motioned to the door. “My room is just down the hall, to your right.”

  Arii paced into the room as he spoke.

  His comment from earlier still stung as she placed her trunk at the foot of her bed and turned to face him. Why his words hurt – she had not a clue. But for some reason, they had – and she was not sure she wanted him to get away with speaking that way. She felt the heat rising to her cheeks, the blood in her veins which had begun to sizzle all the way to the castle had finally boiled over.

  “I thought you wouldn’t wish to stoop so low as to tell me exactly where your rooms were located.”

  Elijah’s lips pursed as Arii stormed towards him.

  “Just because the King has ordered us to train together does not mean I trust you,” he retorted darkly.

  Arii’s eyes narrowed as she stopped a foot from him, her hands resting on her hips, head tilting to glare up at him. Really, he was right not to trust her. She knew that. That did not stop her teeth from grinding. Why did he irk her so deeply?

  “If we are to work together, you will just need to learn to trust me, then,” she quipped. Trust meant she would have the chance to be alone with Lorch and maybe then she could finally cut the string of his life. The thought had her pausing, an uncomfortable shiver coursing her spine.

  Strange.

  “Trust is earned, Miss Clearwater. So far you have done nothing to earn my trust.”

  Arii’s brows rose, her expression incredulous. “I saved the King – twice!”

  Elijah’s teeth flashed in a half sneer as he said, “I think you forget that it was I who saved Lorch from the Fury assassin – not you.”

  Touché.

  Anger bubbled in her gut, and her eyes narrowed as she leaned towards the bodyguard, lips twitching. “Well then, this little arrangement is going to be quite uncomfortable, don’t you think?”

  She swore he leaned closer as they stared each other down in a loaded battle of wills. Even as they glared at one another, Arii could not help but feel a snap of heat skitter between them. Her fingertips tingled with a sudden urge to grip his hood and rip it from his head, but she knew that doing that would earn her nothing but trouble. Despite how much she longed to strangle the man – she knew that earning his trust would definitely help her in her mission.

  Wisely, Elijah turned from the room, but before exiting he turned to her. “Be ready at sunrise for your first day of official training. I do not take tardiness lightly, so you’d best be on time.”

  A growl ripped from Arii’s throat as she slammed the door behind him.

  Prick.

  She was going to make his life hell.

  Chapter Eleven

  Lakhesis turned to the room, her white hair fanning about her face as she addressed the small sea of attentive eyes before her. It was mid-afternoon at the School of Fate, and a young Arii found she was beginning to enjoy the gently-spoken sister’s subterfuge classes.

  During the months that had passed since her arrival at the school, she had learned so much that she felt her brain may just leak from her ears, not to mention the aches and pains from hours of intense physical training.

  “To be an assassin you need to be a passing breeze, a hint in the darkness, an afterthought in one’s mind,” the woman said, golden eyes sweeping the room. “Stealth and subterfuge will be one of your most used skills. Some foes may be bigger, stronger than you – and the element of surprise can be the deciding factor in whether your target lives… or dies. Now that rule also applies to you, for not every assignment can be dealt with magic and brute strength alone.”

  Lakhesis’ lips twitched as she motioned towards the window, grey skies filtering the room with dull light.

  “There is only so much you can learn from textbooks about the art of stealth, so today will be a practical lesson.” Slowly she reached a hand into her pocket, drawing out a single strand of glowing string. It cast a dim gold light; the fibres infused with a hint of magic. The class stared, some mouths opening in question as Lakhesis held the string taut between two fingers.

  “As darkness falls tonight, you will be required to enter the town of Co
lkirk and hunt a target specified by the Tapestry. There will only be one, and it will be up to you whether you choose to work together – or alone.”

  Arii snuck a glance toward the silver haired girl seated two chairs down from her, watching as Nem’s hand lifted into the air before she asked, “How are we supposed to know who the target is?”

  Lakhesis’ eyebrows arched as she said, “Had you let me finish, Miss Rion, I would have told you what the Tapestry showed me. I will presume your quick tongue is simply eagerness to get started, hmm?”

  Nem’s head ducked slightly, her hand drifting down. Across the room a girl chuckled, her hair a deep shade of burgundy, her skin light and dusted with freckles. Lakhesis shot the girl a glare which had Devina snapping her lips shut.

  “As you know, the Gods offer images as to who the target could be. What I saw was iron striking stone and a hot forge, sparks drifting over tired brown eyes. Long fingers curling around a woman’s neck, those brown eyes watching the life drain from his victim’s eyes before removing his soiled brown tunic and pants to have his way with the corpse. Your target is of middle age, and he wears a necklace of silver chain links to hide scars along his neck.”

  The students began to murmur as their teacher’s words settled over them. Lakhesis spoke again, her voice rising.

  “Be wary that you do not choose the wrong man, my sisters. Your target is nefarious, cunning, subtle and has been hiding his tracks for many years. The student to take him down – without disturbing the entire town – will be gifted with this.”

  As she spoke, Lakhesis lifted a shining silver dagger before her, causing the class to hush. The weapon was exquisite, the blade etched with intricate patterns that reminded Arii of the unreadable foreign languages in some of the books she had found in the library, the words fascinating to look at. The markings were beautiful, the blade serrated and deadly with a curving cross guard that ended in points that resembled dragon’s teeth, the grip weaved with smelted copper. On the pommel, embedded in the silver tip, was a large gem of amethyst.

  It was absolutely stunning.

  Her classmates thought so too, if the sighs and gasps of awe were any indication. She almost swore Devina lifted a hand into the air as if to touch the blade.

  “Go, prepare well and enter the town under the cover of darkness.”

  As the class prepared to be dismissed, Lakhesis said, “Oh and sisters… no killing of your classmates will be tolerated. May the Gods watch over you all.”

  They moved like shadows through the forest, cloaked and dressed in light leathers that allowed them to move without sound. Lakhesis had taught them how to move without snapping a twig under foot, how to breathe so that no mist gave away their position, and how to steady the thumping beat of their hearts in their ears to a gentle hum.

  No distractions.

  No mercy.

  They would be the deliverers of justice tonight, justice for countless women who had been buried in undiscoverable graves by someone evil.

  All of their training had been easy enough in theory, but tonight was the first real mission for five of them.

  Stars glittered overhead, the moon hanging high, lighting their way like a big luminescent pearl.

  As they entered the sleepy town, they kept to the shadows as they skipped along the outskirts. Arii tilted her head in the direction of her closest sister, seeing a slither of silver from beneath her hood.

  They all paused, listening and breathing in the night air.

  Livestock rustled in their pens, flickering lanterns casting dancing light across the muddy dirt road. Ahead, Arii heard the steady drum of a hammer on stone and saw the orange glow of forge fires.

  The blacksmith.

  Her eyes slid to the murmur of voices within the local tavern – shouts and sounds of merriment flooded to them through the night. Two of her sisters moved in the direction of the blacksmith, and Arii controlled a gentle breath between her teeth.

  The blacksmith was the obvious choice – given Lakhesis’ clues.

  But that would be far too easy.

  If she were a man who liked to pluck women and dash them into the night and murder them – she would not be working while a good deal of the town’s men would be drinking in the tavern.

  No, she would be scouting for her next victim where no-one would suspect.

  Swiftly, Arii moved towards the tavern, following the scent of roasting meat and smoke. Using a nearby pile of chopped wood, she nimbly climbed up the side of the building, alighting on the thatched roof and swiftly making her way along the support beam to the raised section of the structure with an opening, allowing smoke from the cooking fires to escape.

  Inching forward, she peeked – despite the acrid smoke and heat gusting against her face – into the tavern below.

  People filled each chair within the room, the tables covered with food and drink. Voices rose to her ears, an onslaught of sound that had her wanting to back away.

  She could do this.

  She would do this.

  Nose twitching, she ran her eyes over as many of the patrons as possible from her angle. How in Fythnar would she spot a subtle killer within the jumble of people, from above no less?

  Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed each man, touching her tongue to her canines as she willed a pinch of magic forward. Her vision narrowed in, her senses heightening so fast she had to place a hand to the wood to steady herself against the onset of sight, smell and sound.

  She saw a man stand, a flash of silver at his neck, and suddenly could not believe her luck. Adrenaline coursed through her body like a whip, her lips curling into a smile as the man placed his hand upon a serving maid’s lower back, leaning forward to whisper in her ear.

  The man was as Lakhesis had said – middle aged, with brown eyes. From what she could see of his face, she thought he was not an unattractive man – and realised that this surely aided him in passing a woman’s defences, luring them into the dark and sating his devious desires. The thought had acid bubbling in her stomach as the maid giggled, placing a hand in the man’s as he gently led her to the door.

  Insides quivering with anticipation and nerves, Arii agilely slid down the roof, halting at the lip of an overhang and peering over to watch as the man draped his arm around the young woman’s shoulders, their gentle laughter meeting her ears.

  Arii’s fingers touched the cool steel pommel at her hip, tongue dashing across her lips as she made her way off the roof and into the shadows, trailing in the couple’s wake.

  She had to be truly sure before she tried anything.

  How would she do it? She had never killed someone before. Despite all of the textbooks she had read, all of the training and the portrayals of murder by the more established Furies – Arii still felt a settling of unease drift over her bones.

  Pressing her back to the wall of a nearby cottage, her ears twitched to the sound of voices from within the stables nearby.

  Then she heard a muffled scream.

  It was all the motivation she needed, ducking into the stables and gracing the shadows like a flutter of dark smoke.

  Her eyes fell on two forms as they struggled in the hay, the sounds of suppressed groans and ragged grunts spurring her on. Magic tickled her fingertips as she slid her fingers around the grip of her dagger, eyes fixed on the man’s back as she stepped from the shadows.

  Just as Nemesis fell from the timber trusses above and dropped upon her target’s back.

  The man yelled with surprise, his head flying and cracking against his attacker’s face as he reared back. The silver haired Fury flew backwards, clutching her bloody nose with a colourful curse as the man spun, fist flying and teeth bared, smashing his fist into Nem’s jaw. Her head snapped to the side as she dropped to the hay, the man’s first victim swiftly fleeing as he flew upon his attacke
r.

  Arii had a split-second moment where she wondered if she should stand back and let the other Fury fight her own way out of this mess. She watched as Nem’s boots skidded on the dirty floor, her teeth baring and stained with blood as their man wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed.

  For months this girl had made Arii’s time at the school far more uncomfortable than necessary, and for months had they shot each other angry glares and rotten curses across the training ring as they sparred.

  The only thing they seemed to have in common was their growing dislike for Devina.

  Nem had been hasty, had taken on their target with not a thought for the silence and swiftness that they had all been told to mind during training. As Nem struggled under the man’s vice grip, Arii felt a strange fire begin to kindle in her chest.

  No, she did not deserve to die on their first mission. She was a Fury, an assassin chosen by the Gods. She deserved to die with a weapon in her hand and a sardonic smile on her face, bathed in the blood of those she had sent to the depths of hell.

  With flaming resolve, Arii flew forward and clutched the man’s hair, jerking his head back and causing his attention to waver. She speared her blade towards his neck, but before the steel could slice flesh – he brought his elbow up to deflect her arm at the bicep.

  Nem took that moment to slam her knee into the man’s groin, and a strangled cry erupted from his lips as she followed with her boot to his chest, slamming him back in the dirt.

  “He’s mine!” hissed Nem as she flew to her feet, blood casting tracks down her lips and chin.

  The man curled on to his side, groaning in pain as Arii growled under her breath. “Don’t be a godsdamned fool, Nemesis! I was here first!”

  “Nyx’s arse you were!” the girl said as she stepped forward. Arii lifted her dagger, making a barrier between her sister and the man.

  Nem’s eyes slid to her and narrowed, her shoulders curled and quivering with anger. “You always have to be better, like you cannot bear anyone besting you!” The girl snarled.