Once

by Alyson Serena Stone

  Dak was just there-his hand stretched out just right below her fingers. His eyes were wide, his arms swinging-he really should know that wasn't going to help his cause at all.

  Her heart raced as she reached out for him. It was going to be so close-so very close. If her time wasn't right, they would both fall to their deaths.

  Her arms went around his waist, slamming them both so hard into the side of the building that it knocked the breath right out of them.

  Down, down, the side of the building they went. Both swearing under their breaths so loudly that even the fools in the slums were bound to hear them. Below them, people were shouting up at them.

  Dak grabbed the rope, but it wasn't enough for Ryanon to regain some kind of control. She dug her nails into him, holding on with everything that she had. If they made it out of this alive, she was going to kill him. Her arms burned as she willed them not to give, not while they were so close.

  The rope sent them flying back toward the building. Ryanon didn't even have time to shift her body to lessen the impact. She slammed into it, jarring every bit of her body. Her breathing was so shallow that it felt as if she was going to pass out.

  At least, they weren't moving anymore. They hung from the rope, both breathing heavily and staring into each other's eyes. The rope was at least holding now.

  "Ryanon," Dak gasped. He looked so relieved. "I didn't think you had it in you." Cheers exploded from below, making it impossible to hear if he said anything else. Ryanon's entire body was shaking as she struggled to keep them both up. She felt like she was going to be sick.

  She clenched her jaw. They still weren't out of this one yet. If they kept going down, people would see them and she was pretty sure that there were castle guards down there. Dak would have a lot of explaining to do and if word of this got back to the guild, she just hated to think how badly that would end. They were just supposed to be having a simple meeting confirming the Trelian mission, not breaking back into Craskbrand's house.

  She looked back up at the top. Could she get them up there before one of those idiots below decided to help? She was actually surprised that none of Dak's men were up here. Maybe they were all too busy dealing with drunks or too tried to care.

  Maybe she could have Dak use the rope and she could go back up the pipe. She was pretty sure that the pipe wouldn't hold Dak's weight, but she was just small enough to be okay.

  "What are doing?" Dak hissed as she started to untangle herself from the rope.

  "Well, since you clearly need a rope to climb a building, I'm going to let you have it and I'm going up the drainpipe," Ryanon spat back.

  She stared up at the building. They would have been up at the top and probably in Craskbrand's house had it not been for Dak's slip up. Plus, she really wanted to get back. She was in the middle of the exciting part of her book and it was pasta night at the guild.

  She clenched her jaw. They could probably get back up there, but it was just going to take some time.

  "Will you hurry up?" Dak hissed. "They're going to be coming up if we don't get moving."

  Ryanon really wanted to hit him, but she just scowled at him. She started sliding her feet into the building's side. Her hands were raw and bleeding; it was going to be days before she could even think about showing her hands to Aliss.

  Dak gave her a look as the clock stuck twelve. This just kept getting better and better. Now, they were hanging from the side of a building during the witching hour.

  "Don't even think about saying anything," Ryanon hissed as they started their upwards ascent.

  It took them a total of twenty more minutes to get to the top of the building. The entire time, Ryanon could feel the eyes of the people below watching them. She prayed that no one below saw their faces.

  Craskbrand's house looked as if no one had been here since his death. A fine layer of dust covered everything and Ryanon was sure the heat had not been on. She could feel the chill creeping in through her clothes.

  She could hear Dak looking through each of the rooms. She supposed that she could help him, but there was just something in her right now that made her want to be lazy. Plus, it was his fault that they were even seen.

  She went as far as to put her feet up on the table as she lazily flipped through what looked like Craskbrand's final round of post. Most of it wasn't very interesting-it seemed he did have a bit of a gambling problem though.

  She winced as she turned to another piece of post. Dak really was getting pretty loud. If he were to keep this up, he was going to draw his own men in.

  She froze over a green envelope. While it did look pretty innocent, there was no denying the smudged seal of King Teodric Morninghelm. Even better, it wasn't opened. Her fingers hovered over the seal. She supposed that she could be evil and open it all on her own. It would serve Dak right for getting them caught.

  This was his father and he did have the right to bring him down.

  Ryanon got to her feet. "Dak, I think I found something." She peered into the closest room, which looked like Dak had turned everything over.

  He roughly shoved the drawer shut that he had been looking through. "What is it?"

  She offered the envelope to him. "It has your father's seal on it."

  Dak took the envelope, studying the seal on it. "Are you sure?"

  Ryanon nodded. "It's a little damaged." She rested a hand on her hip. "Why are you asking me what your father's seal looks like? Aren't you a part of the family?"

  Dak just gave her a dark look as he started to rip open the envelope. "It's a ledger of some kind." His eyes narrowed as he studied the words.

  Ryanon shifted her weight around, growing inpatient. She should have kept the envelope for herself. She would have had it all read by now and they could had been on their merry way. However, there was something about stepping back for once and letting someone else be in control.

  After what felt like a lifetime, Dak handed the letter over to Ryanon. "It just shows you how messed up my father is."

  Ryanon took the letter from him. "I really can't believe how easily we found this."

  "It doesn't tell us how is involved, but it does tell us that my father wants to use Vicar as a pawn. He wants the riches of Trelia for himself."

  "Didn't we already know that? Why else would he hire me to kill the king?" Ryanon scanned the letter, just in case Dak had misunderstood it. It really didn't look like he did.

  "I think he was planning on using Craskbrand's connections in case the plot didn't work."

  "A wedding murder party?" Ryanon felt a frown form on her face. The words may had sounded silly earlier, but she did have to admit that it did sound pretty simple. Craskbrand had all kinds of business connections. It would have been pretty simple for the king to hire some of the Crime Lord's men to carter the event. All they would have to do was slip a little bit of poison into the king of Trelia's cup and he would be dead. Poison was really the perfect way to get away with murder. She shivered at the thought of poison.

  The look on Dak's face told her that he had been thinking the very same thing.

  Ryanon tugged at the sleeve that covered the Ioslullumary. "We just have to make sure the deed is done right the first time around."

  Dak carefully placed the letter inside his breast pocket. "We need to get this to the others. Even though we didn't find everything out, it does confirm that there are more people on the job than we like." He looked at Ryanon. "Maybe we should consider not doing it until we are fully able to get all of the facts."

  She eyed him. "And how would you explain it to the king?"

  "You let me worry about my father and you worry about getting ready for the job."

  There was something about the tone of Dak's voice that told Ryanon not to argue with him.

  The guild stood in front of them, basked in the bright moon light. Dak and Ryanon crept toward it, sticking to the shadows.

  Ryanon mentally winced as they pushed open the door, letting the dimness from inside c
reep on them. For the moment she stepped into the room, there was something telling her that things were not right.

  Azur came out of the main room, his face dark, but there seemed to be a look of sorrow about it. "They want to see you."

  Ryanon instantly moved toward Kieran and Karlen's office, but the shake of Azur's head stopped her. He nodded down the other set of steps-the very same steps that so many other souls had been taken down and never came back.

  She chanced a look over at Dak, but his face said it all too. Kieran and Karlen knew.

  Gulping she looked back at Azur. "Well, we will just see ourselves down then."

  As she turned her back on Azur, she could have sworn he said something, but she just couldn't be sure. One thing she did know for sure: it felt like she was on her funeral march.

  They reached the door and the bottom of the steps. It was closed and she couldn't hear anything coming from inside. Maybe this had all been a mistake...Maybe Azur had not heard his instructions right.

  Dak gave her a small smile as he knocked.

  "Come in," Karlen called, her voice soft, but there was no missing the dangerous tone to it.

  Dak opened the door. Karlen and Kieran were seated behind a large table-one that was big enough to strap a full grown man down on.

  "Have a seat," Karlen said, nodding to the two chairs sitting opposite of them.

  As Ryanon lowered herself into the seat next to Dak, she could not remember the last time she had seen Karlen and Kieran so angry. It would had been a lot better had they been yelling, but the quietness of the whole situation was just killing her. It scared the hell out of her.

  There was no denying the rage in their eyes as the guild's leaders stared down at them. They didn't blink. The worst part of the matter was the eerily calm, which seemed to descend upon the room like a curse.

  "Ah, Azur, Kitt, glad to see you were able to find time to join us on such short notice," Kieran said. Ryanon had not noticed how snake-like his voice sounded until now.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Azur and Kitt moving in the shadows, their faces grim. They had all been called down here at some point in their time at the guild to help carry out punishments.

  Ryanon tried and failed to hide her flinch as Karlen and Kieran stood up. Dak shifted around his chair and sucked in a breath. She didn't dare speak; she didn't dare point fingers at Dak. They were a team and they would go down together.

  "Do you know how many people have reported seeing two people scaling the side of a building tonight?" Karlen asked, her voice soft. "I would have never thought that it could be one of our assassins, but Braddock Alden assured me that it was you two. I argued with him, but he claimed to know the Captain of the Royal Guard's face anywhere." Her eyes shifted between them. "Do you know what would have happened had this been a night where there were sober people on the streets? Do you know would have happened had you two been arrested?"

  Kieran eyed Dak. "Do surely must know what your father would do to you? Anyone with a brain would have clearly been able to see what you two were up to."

  Ryanon felt a cool sweat break out into her body. A really big part of her wanted to yell at Dak and demand he hand over the letter.

  "She's not involved in this-" Dak cut in, but Ryanon flashed him a look. They were going to go down together.

  "Don't lie to us, Dak Morninghelm," Karlen hissed. "We all know how you two work. It may have been your idea, but we both know that she wasn't about to let you take all the glory."

  Dak opened his mouth again, but was silenced by Kieran's look. Even though Dak had all kinds of military training, he would be no match against this many assassins.

  "Azur, Kitt, please," Karlen commanded.

  Azur and Kitt stepped out of the shadows, both heavily armed. Ryanon had not realized how big both men were until now. They were big enough to break her in two.

  Kareln nodded to Ryanon and Dak. "Pin them up."

  Instantly, Dak and Ryanon were pulled out of their chains and pinned to the wall by heavy shackles.

  Ryanon felt the back of her tunic being torn away; every tear felt as if her soul was being ripped away. She looked over at Dak, who just seemed to be staring at the wall in front of him.

  They'd both known pain. They'd both spilled blood for this job and would probably keep doing so. This did not change a thing.

  "I think fifteen lashes will do the trick," Karlen's voice rang throughout the room. "Azur, Kitt, make sure they don't try and do anything funny."

  Ryanon closed her eyes as she readied herself for the pain. She knew what this was going to feel like. She knew the amount of pain she would experience.

  She heard Azur and Kitt move to their positions. She had somehow thought that they would be the ones to carry out this punishment, not Karlen and Kieran.

  "Are we ready?" Karlen asked.

  Ryanon looked back over at Dak, who gave her a long look. There was something in his eyes that told her how very sorry he was for dragging her into this mess.

  "Yes," Ryanon said through gritted teeth, her voice blending with Dak's.

  She braced herself...No matter how bad it got, she would not let herself scream. She was not going to let this get to her.

  Still, nothing fully prepared her for the crack...the pain...the feel of her own blood rushing her back...The screaming of her own skin....Nothing could ever prepare a human for that.

  Another crack...She felt herself arch. The shackles pulled at her movement. She was not going to give in. She had to get control over her body, had to show them that she was stronger than this.

  She could do this....She could and would get through this.

  She looked over at Dak, whose own face was twisted in pain. They were going to get through this...They were going to overcome this and they were going to complete their mission.

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Let It Die

  Amberfall watched as the snow kept on falling. It had been snowing for at least two days and it had been even longer since she had seen Captain Morninghelm. Normally, he was lurking somewhere in castle's shadows, but no one had seen him. The rumour was Queen Ariana had sent him on a mission to one of Xandria's outposts. Everyone seemed to believe this rumour, but it just struck Amberfall as being rather odd.

  The castle's floor crunched beneath her feet. She felt as if she had been here for so long and, yet, nothing had happened. The king wanted her for the Trelian mission, that much was very clear, but everything else remained a mystery.

  "Ah, just the fairy I was looking for."

  Amberfall stopped, trying not to wince. She had not wanted to see him today or any day for that matter. She mentally cursed herself for not feeling the darkness that surrounded him sooner. Now that she was completely aware of his presence, there was no mistaking it.

  Smiling she turned and faced him. "Hello, Your Majesty."

  King Teodric smiled as he came closer to the fairy queen. "Now, how many times have I told you, we don't have to be so formal. We are here as friends."

  Amberfall tried not wince. "It's just hard to escape old habits."

  Teodric's death laugher echoed off the walls. "I always knew we were going to be good friends." He steered her down the hall. "Now, I have a couple of plans I wish for you to see. You must have been wondering all this time why I brought you here and now, I think it is time you found out."

  "Where are you taking me?" Amberfall really hoped she was hiding the shrill in her voice.

  Teodric just smiled."I think you will see that all leaders have their secrets and I'm about ready to show you mine."

  Amberfall felt her eyes darting around as she cursed herself for not bringing some kind of weapon. With Frostfire out learning new training techniques from the castle's guard and Captain Morninghelm out of the picture, there would be no one to help save her.

  The king paused outside an innocent enough looking oak door. "I was hoping you could help me with something. I have heard that back in the day, you were one of the
strongest fairies about. I'm hoping you still have some of that magic." He pushed open the door and bowed for Amberfall to step in.

  Amberfall stepped into the room. Like the rest of the castle, everything in it was very extravagance. Gold actually seemed to be mixed into the walls and it looked as if everything had a touch of sliver in it. She found herself having to stop from shaking her head. It was one thing to very wealthy, but another to have to flaunt it in every matter.

  Teodric lead her over to a desk, which was covered in a map. "I expect you know what this is."

  Amberfall carefully ran a finger over it. "Trelia," she whispered.

  "I thought you would recognize it," Teodric said with a nod. "The problem is no one has been able to break through the wall that surrounds Trelia and none of our technology has been able to get inside." He leaned over the map, his frown deepening. "If anyone wanted to even attempt to break the curse, they would be going in blind and we don't want that."

  Amberfall frowned as she looked at the map. "And what does this have to do with me? Pardon me for being so bold, I'm just really confused about why I'm involved in this matter."

  "You are one of the few people still living who can remember what Trelia looks like."

  Amberfall felt her frown deepen as she traced the outline of the map with her finger. Oh, yes, she could remember very well what Trelia looked like and so could so many other fairies. However, to spill the land's secrets to this Dark King was just simply out of the question. "I'm afraid I'm not going to be as helpful as you think I can be."

  Teodric moved so close to her now that she could feel his hot breath on the side of her face. "I think you find that you can be a lot more helpful than what you let on. I know how your kind works." Though his word came out hot, she could feel the coldness in them. "Fairies are very deceiving creatures, aren't you? I know many of your kind take a great deal of pride in being so."