by Tiya Rayne
“That can’t be.” Bilal says glancing down at the map. “That puts us at a ten days walk to the Northern castle.”
“And I’m telling ye’, it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get to that castle. That barrier isn’t letting ye’ in.”
“What if we found the Dark King’s portals?” Hyland asks.
“Closed up. All of them. He only opens one up if needed and then immediately shuts it back down.”
“Well how do you get in and out?”
Drago cuts his eyes to Avalia and smiles slyly. “Getting in was not a problem. I’m not his enemy. Getting out….” He pauses and rubs his chin with an arrogant smile. “Well, I am Drago.”
Avalia rolls her eyes.
“There has to be another way in.”
No way in hell is the Dark King going to block me from getting to Lilly.
Drago shrugs his shoulders. “I imagine the elf queen can find a way inside. I shall return when I have more to tell. Until then, the human is safe.” With that he places a hand on the hound and he slowly fades away until he is no longer there.
Avalia turns to me, the accusation and hurt written across her pale face. “You made a deal with Drago behind my back?”
“Yes.”
“We are a team, Assassin. You cannot…..”
“I will do whatever the fuck I want to insure that Lilly is SAFE.” My last word is shouted making everyone in the room jump.
After a moment of silence Avalia finally speaks.
“Well then,” She runs a hand down the front of her dress, smoothing out the already immaculate material. “I hope you know what you are doing. That man cannot be trusted.” She thrust a finger to the spot where Drago was just standing.
“Drago will be fine. He is facing his toughest challenger. If anybody can break pass that cold heart it’s her. We should be worrying about getting into the Northern Kingdom.”
“Not that we are even ready to go charging into the Northern Kingdom.”
Ugh! I was sick of being on this fucking cycle.
“We still have fighters trickling in, at least our numbers are improving.” Bilal tries to be optimistic.
“And the trainings are going a lot smoother. They are starting to look more like an army now.” Himrol adds.
“The craftsman elves are still working to place weapons in every ones hands.”
“We are almost there, Assassin.” Avalia steps forward. “As hard as this may be for you, you have to be patient. We will save Lilly, but we will do it right. She is strong, and brave. If anyone can handle the Dark King, it is her.”
By the gods, I hope she is right.
Chapter Eight
I wake up abruptly.
I can’t believe Assassin dismissed me. I know he is the one that ended the walking dream. How could he make love to me so well that my lady parts still aches, then dismiss me? I know he was angry about the neck bruises. Trust me, so was I, but he doesn’t understand. This bruise proves a significant point, Nevy has a soft spot. And now that I know what it is, I can get through to him. If I can just get Nevy to see the errors of his ways, maybe I can get him to call off this entire war. No war means no more bloodshed and no more death. I saw a sad and angry little boy in Nevy’s eyes last night. The death of his mother has played a major role in his life. If I can get him to see how wrong he is about what she would have wanted, I can get him to change. I know what I am suggesting will be risky. Nevy is prone to violence and easy to anger. Even though I see sadness in his eyes, there is still a darkness there. Something that lives inside him. However, if I can pull this off, if I can get him to stop this war, it will be the greatest thing I could ever do for the Locke and my sons.
I slowly sit up from my bed, being cautious of my achy muscles. I smile as I think about why my muscles are aching.
“Did you sleep well?”
I nearly leap out of my skin at the sound of Nevy’s voice. It is that moment that I realize I am naked. What happened to my nightgown? Oh that’s right, it’s on the floor of Assassin’s bedroom. I pull the silky sheets on my bed up to my chest covering myself.
“Jeez, Nevy! You scared the crap out of me.” My southern accent sounding stronger as I turn to face Nevy.
He is sitting in the chair at the foot of my massive bed. His dark clothing rumpled. His face is void of all emotion, but something very prominent is standing at attention. My face heats as I turn my head from Nevy’s pronounced erection.
“Did you,” He stands from the chair. “Sleep,” He walks over towards me. “Well?”
I clutch the sheet closer to my chest as he looms over me on the bed.
My heart is racing in my chest, but Nevy is like a wild animal. You can’t show fear.
I swallow the nerves down and hold my head up as I finally answer. “Yes.”
“Mmhhmm.” He answers. “Get out of the bed, Lilly.”
Once again his tone lacks any indication of how he is feeling.
Although he doesn’t look angry, it doesn’t mean anything. Nevy could go from happy to psychopath in under a second. Even though I was able to talk him down last night from raping me, it doesn’t mean it will work again. Especially since I was one hundred percent nude under these covers.
“Can I have some privacy please?”
For a moment the only thing that moves on Nevy’s body is the twitching in his jaw as he stands completely still.
“You will get out of the bed as you are, or I will climb in it with you. Those are your only options.”
Despite my heart racing, and feeling embarrassment about being naked in front of Nevy, I climb out of the bed. Nevy doesn’t step back when I climb out of the bed. My body is only an inch away from touching his. I can feel the heat coming off of him. I don’t look down when I feel the brush of his erection against my belly button. His eyes never stray from mine. However, the way his one blue and one gray eyes bore into mine, you would think it was my eyes that held my naked body. I know that Nevy’s goal is to make me feel uncomfortable. This was payback for the same way I made him feel last night when I brought up the subject of his mother. This game was his way to remind me that he still had the upper hand. He wanted to warn me off from getting too close. However, I refuse to let him win this mental battle. So I stood in my spot, head held high, toe to toe with Nevy.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a smile breaks across his face. It is slow and cruel. He takes a step back and gestures with one hand towards the bathroom. As brave as I tried to be, I don’t hesitate putting distance between us. I step away from Nevy and head towards the bathroom. Before I can pass him he grabs my forearm in a tight hold. Not exactly bruising, but not gentle.
“That will be your last walking dream with the assassin. If you need to be fucked, Lilly, it will be by my dick.” He releases my arm and I scurry away from him.
The moment I’m behind the bathroom door I twist the lock and lean my back against the door. I hear his heavy footsteps exit my room. I let out a relieved sigh.
“That could have been worse.” I tell myself.
No matter how much I prepare for Nevy, he still shakes me. Yet, I still wasn’t giving up on my plan to save Nevy from himself. I knew that Assassin would probably think my plan was stupid, but I know it will work.
My mama always use to say, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”.
Nevy needed love. I could never give him the love he wants from me, but I could give him the love he needed.
I push away from the door and make my way to the sink. After taking care of my hygiene, I turn to run water in the copper claw foot tub. I stop when I notice something hanging on the hook on the wall where my robe is. The heavy turquoise snake sparkles even in the low light of my bathroom. It’s the necklace the little girl took from me yesterday. She brought it back. Maybe there is hope for the children of the Northern Kingdom.
After breakfast I go to the practice arena in the Northern Kingdom. I’m taking advantage of my ne
w freedom. The practice arena is behind the castle. Only a narrow walkway connects the castle to the training ground. A circular area surrounded on all sides by tall curved walls. It reminds me of those gladiator movies, only difference is there is no place for roaring fans to sit. Just a rectangular shape box at the top of the center wall where two small thrones sit. On the floor of the arena are tons of manmade training structures. Large wooden poles with metal spikes rose out of the ground. Short walls with square windows that soldiers use to hide behind. Tall wooden structures where a few of the archers are practicing. It’s a huge set up. Weapons of all kind are placed in big wooden crates around the arena. Northern soldiers are also here practicing. It’s nothing like the training at the elven kingdom. There are real battles taking place. Smaller men are being put against stronger creatures. Their dead bodies being tossed around like garbage. Piles of them are being dumped through a narrow door on the other side of the wall.
“I really don’t understand half the things you do.” Medina states.
She’s sitting on a large boulder near me, watching while I train myself with a sword.
Just because I wasn’t in the elven kingdom anymore didn’t mean I couldn’t learn to fight.
Just in case my plan to make Nevy call off the war doesn’t work, I will need to know how to fight.
“There is nothing wrong with learning how to defend myself.”
I repeat the steps Augustus taught me. I move my feet forward and lunge.
“You should be out here learning it too.” I cut my eyes to her.
She tosses her hair over her shoulder and glares at me. “I already had someone to defend me, but you killed him, remember?”
“Do you really want to go down memory lane with me right now while I have this sword?” I turn towards her and she rolls her eyes at me. I shake my head at her and go back to my lessons.
“I’m just saying, you have better things to do.” She folds her arms over her chest and holds her head high.
“Hey witch,” One of the ogre’s calls out to Medina. “Come here, I need my cock sucked.” He laughs and the creatures around him laugh with him.
I watch the fear and embarrassment cross Medina’s face.
For all Medina’s talk about being tough, I knew she hated the punishment Nevy gave her.
“I said get over here.” The ogre demands again causing Medina to startle.
“Why don’t you leave her alone and go back to your training.”
He turns to me and narrow his black eyes.
“Don’t worry, Human, you will get your turn too. As soon as the Dark King finishes with you. Then I will enjoy ripping that tiny body apart.” The tall skinny guy standing next to him laughs at his remark. “I said get over here, Witch.” He takes a threatening step towards Medina and I step between them.
“Since you and your friend seem to get along so well,” I point to the shifter beside him. “Why don’t you let him suck it for you?”
Being bullied most of my life made me the queen of comebacks. This big creature is just like those kids back home. Only difference is that this brute could possibly kill me, and judging by the snarl on his face, it is a huge possibility. The ogre throws down his sword and quickly shortens the distance between us. His hulking size dwarfs me.
“What did you just say?” he asks.
“Careful, Tennison, she has favor with the Dark King.” The shifter warns.
The ogre named Tennison ignores his friend’s warning and asks me once again. “What did you just say to me, Human?”
Despite my fears, I lick my lips and repeat. “I said,” he never gave me a chance to finish.
He reaches out and grabs my arm in a bone crushing grip. I quickly turn my body, using the movement to loosen his grip, while bringing the blade down on his hand slicing through his flesh.
“YOU BITCH!” He roars as he lifts his hand to crush me like an ant at a picnic.
I turn away from the impending impact, but nothing happens. When I open my eyes the large ogre is lifted off of his feet with a sword straight through his belly. The ogre’s mouth hangs open on a silent scream. The blade moves, and it slices straight up through the ogre’s belly through his chest and right up between his eyes until the creature is severed in half from the stomach up. Standing behind the ogre with a slimy green blade is my new guard and his massive wolf.
“Does anyone else have a problem with these ladies?” He asks in that funny accent of his.
Creatures and soldiers scatter from around us like raccoons on a porch when the foods gone.
Drago turns back to us and tosses the used blade to the ground.
“Thank you.” I say.
“Do ye’ cause this many problems everywhere you go, Human?”
“Yes.” Medina answers before I can.
I’m not sure at what point in the situation when Medina crawl from on top of that rock to stand behind me.
“Hey!” I place my hands on my hips. “I was trying to help you.”
Medina waves my comment away.
“Of course you were. You and your undying need to save everyone.”
“I’m sorry, did you want to suck his dick?” I throw my hands out to my sides.
Drago growls. “Is that what the bloody bastard was on about?”
Drago’s red eyes cut down to the dead ogre on the ground.
“You know, a thank you would have been nice, Medina.” I say to the indifferent woman standing in front of me.
“Hmmm, it would wouldn’t it.”
Exasperated, I toss my hands up.
“I see yer’ not going to make my job as a protector easy. The least ye’ can do is learn to yield a sword, especially if yer’ going to walk around with bollocks that big.” He snatches the sword I’m practicing with out of my hands.
“Hey!”
“This sword is too heavy for ye’.”
He walks to the other end of the arena where the swords are and starts rummaging through the weapons. After finding what he was looking for, he walks back over with two swords. He hands one to me and holds one out to Medina.
“I don’t need that.” Medina crosses her hands over her chest.
“If yer’ going to be my woman, ye’ need to know how to take care of yer’self.” Drago winks at Medina.
Medina snatches the sword from Drago. “Still never going to happen.”
After several sweaty hours of practicing, Drago finally gives me a break. Medina stayed for a while, but was forced to leave to finish her assigned chores. Training with Drago isn’t like training with anyone else I’ve worked with. He doesn’t hold punches and he has no problem telling you just how horrible he thinks you are.
“Not bad, Human. With the right sword ye’ will be a worthy opponent.”
Drago tosses the swords we used in another pile against the large wall. He rummages through the pile of metal and grabs out a silver short sword. He looks at it from different angles, and then walks back over to me before sitting down on the same boulder Medina used earlier.
I sit down in the dirt trying to catch my breath. I watch him pick up a rock from the ground and run it alongside the blade of the short sword. Phoenix, the beautiful wolf hound, nudges his head in my neck and I scratch behind his ear. Phoenix rolls over on his back exposing his belly to me, I rub his belly and he lets out a doggy sigh. I laugh at the blissful look on his face.
“It’s strange. I’m pretty sure he will follow ye’ anywhere ye’ go. I’ve never known for him to get attached to a person like he does with ye’. Ye’ should be honored. Wolf hounds do not trust easily.”
I look up to find that odd look on his face. I notice it often when he’s looking at me. It’s like he’s not sure he believes what he’s seeing. The way someone might look at a street magician when they do an unbelievable magic trick.
“My Uncle always said that animals are a good judge of character.”
He only grunts his agreement.
I use that opening to segue into
another topic. If I’m going to have the huge sarcastic brute as a body guard I wanted to get to know him. From the short time I’ve known him, it seems everyone I’ve come across is shocked that Drago is actually helping. At first they are surprised to see him, then they seem terrified of him. The same way Nevy looked that first day.
“So,” I say letting the two letter word hang in the air to gauge his reaction.
Drago despises everyone whose name isn’t Medina. He seems to only tolerate me. He reminds me of my cousin Billy when we were kids in that way. When Drago doesn’t chew my head off, or tell me to ‘shut it, Human’—which he does often, I continue on.
“Phoenix seems to like you.”
His hands stop moving against the blade and he looks right at me. That gorgeous long curly hair hanging down in his face. His red eyes fill with laughter.
“Is that ye’ not so subtle way of asking am I a good person?”
I can’t help but smile. “Maybe.”
“There are no good or bad people, Human. Everyone comes into the world the same, only situations change ye’. Who I am, is a product of my situation.”
I mull over his words. I always try to listen to people even if I don’t agree with them.
“I think it’s more about how you respond to those situations that determines what type of person you are.”
Nevy is a prime example of this. He isn’t the only person that ever experienced a rough childhood. Many people have been abused and lost their parents while young and yet they don’t go on worldwide power trips where they kill everyone.
Drago quirks an eyebrow up at me, and again he reminds me of the wrestler/ actor from back home—if only he was bald.
He stops sharpening the sword, lying it flat across his knees as he peers down at me.
