by Nia Arthurs
I take in the strangeness of her dress.
Like Maveth, she wears a dark robe, but the sleeves aren’t as heavy and there is no belt around her waist.
Did the guys pick up a female assassin on the way here?
“Who are you?”
She lifts her chin and strengthens her stance.
“I am Lelita, daughter of Toqueph the Great. Who are you?”
Murderer.
It’s the first word that pops into my head. The enormity of it has me staggering backward.
“Lelita,” Damien scolds the pretty, but fierce woman in the doorway. “She’s been through a lot. Have some compassion.”
Lelita harrumphs and treks past me to the adjoining room, muttering, “where’s Alistair?”
When she disappears from sight, Damien leads me back to the bed.
“I’m sorry about that. Lelita’s a little much. You look better, though. Not so mortified. So maybe I should thank her.”
His charming grin gets me to smile a little. I guess now that I’m a murderer I can’t judge Damien as harshly.
I scrub my cheeks with the back of my fingers.
“I-I’m glad you both came home okay.”
“Yeah, me too.”
I clutch my hands together, wringing them again and again. The suite next door is so quiet.
I wonder how Alistair will dispose of the body. I wonder if I should turn myself in.
Murder is murder, no matter what the deceased did for a living.
Would a judge believe that Maveth was an assassin sent by an ex-mercenary’s father?
Even stringing the words together sounds a big too implausible. The judge would probably stick me with a sentence so fast my head would spin.
It wouldn’t be an unfair judgment. I deserve it.
At least, from what I hear, prison food isn’t so bad.
I could get Charlie and Courtney to send me Oreos every so often. I would make it work.
Prison is what I deserve. Maybe then I won’t feel so guilty.
“Hey,” Damien clutches my wrist.
I turn to look at him, stunned that he’s still beside me.
While enjoying a mental tour of my future, iron-barred home, I’d been thoroughly distracted.
“What?”
“This is not your fault.”
My gaze sweeps downward. “You don’t know what happened.”
Damien gently lifts my chin. He picks a tendril of limp hair away from my face, his dark brown eyes boring into mine.
“I know you,” he nods.
His words are supposed to fill me with confidence, but all I think of is Maveth with a knife stuck inside his chest.
A knife I put there.
I killed someone tonight. I don’t recognize myself anymore.
Chapter 6
Alistair
I watch Damien put his arms around Kendall and lead her away from the gruesome sight in her suite.
I long to chase after him, to move his hands away from her. But the petty, territorial side of me is not what Kendall needs in this moment.
Damien will take good care of her. Of that I am sure. My duty is deciding what I shall do with Shadow.
Blood soaks into the cloth of my pants as I kneel beside Maveth and slip my finger in front of his nose.
The puffs escaping from his nostrils are so faint they are nearly non-existent.
A satisfying thought crosses my mind. I could let him die. Killing is not taboo to me.
Though I have chosen to turn from the life of a mercenary, one more death on my head would not mess up my sleep anymore than it already has.
Maveth does not deserve to live. His alliance with my father is a sign of open war.
He put Kendall in danger, not only tonight, but in the parking lot of Paparrazi’s. The man has brought me nothing but pain.
Even more than that, he hurt Kendall.
Though I said nothing, I noticed the split in her lip. I should skin this man alive for that alone.
Two things keep me from doing so.
The first is Kendall.
I can see already the guilt that she bears. Maveth’s death will never leave her.
Unlike Damien, Lelita and I, Kendall has not been conditioned to kill. The burden of it will be more than she can handle.
The second is information.
As much as I care about Kendall, Maveth presents a golden opportunity for more information. On our last encounter, I let my guard down and he escaped.
It is no secret that our world would be a better place if Maveth wasn’t in it, but I cannot let him die.
If Maveth chooses death when I’m through, so be it. I only need him alive long enough to point me in the right direction.
Taking him to a hospital is out of the question. I lean down and quickly slide the knife from his chest.
Blood spurts from the wound with even more vengeance. I grab the edge of the hotel sheets on the bed.
I’m about to tear the blanket into strips when Lelita enters.
She glances at the body and then at me.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like,” I yank on the white material to create the first strip. “I’m saving him.”
“You don’t need to. The information you seek is in the letters.”
Lelita must have been spying on our meeting. I should have known. She has always been a rebel.
A moan breaks into our conversation. We both stare at the man on the floor.
Maveth is losing too much blood. It may not be long before he dies.
My medical training only covers the most basic levels. If the wound becomes infected, I won’t be able to help him.
Lelita sighs. “It’s for her, isn’t it?”
I freeze.
My history with Lelita is one that I don’t wish to revisit. Not at this time.
Keeping silent, I return to the work at hand and wrap Maveth’s wound tightly. He does not stir and his face is growing paler by the minute.
It is up to him whether he wants to live or not.
Lelita stoops beside me. “Move aside.”
“Why?”
The suspicion in my tone is audible, even to my own ears.
As a woman and the treasured daughter of Toqueph, Lelita was spared the matches most assassins are forced to undertake.
I am aware that her ability to heal is great. I just don’t see why she would help now. We did not part on the best of terms.
“Because… it matters to you.”
Her words are a promise that I do not want to explore. For the sake of Kendall’s peace of mind, however, I say nothing.
“Go, get me calendula and cinnamon,” she instructs.
“Where do you suggest I find them at this hour?”
“Any twenty-four hour pharmacy will have cinnamon. I know you can figure out the rest.”
I clench my teeth and swallow my pride.
“And send Damien in as well.” Lelita adds when I’m half-way through the door.
I dip my head in acknowledgment and slip into the suite.
I find Damien and Kendall sitting side by side. They are not speaking. My eyes search Kendall’s face.
She seems calmer now. The blood on her dress is beginning to dry so that it seems like she rolled around in mud.
Damien glances at me. We communicate through poignant looks.
Kendall is fine, he says. Is Maveth dead?
I shrug my shoulders in reply.
Disturbing the stillness feels wrong, somehow, but I must deliver Lelita’s message.
“Lelita needs you in the room,” I point to the left.
Damien nods and squeezes Kendall’s arms before moving away from the bed.
He disappears through the door and closes it soundly behind him.
I draw closer to Kendall. She’s cradling her elbow to her chest. I recall the swelling on her shoulder.
“Are you hurt?” I point to the hand she holds.
“I
t’s nothing.”
I narrow my eyes at her blasé response and inspect her arm.
I see no other signs of distress on the limb. The swelling seems exclusively bound to her shoulder.
Carefully, I reach out and press the skin. Kendall winces and scoots away from me.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” I scold.
“What are you and Damien going to do with him?”
Even in her distress, the woman’s mind is still on Maveth.
“Lelita is trained in herbal medicine. She thinks she can save him.”
Kendall’s eyes brighten for the first time since I returned to find her lying down in a pool of blood.
“Really?”
“Yes,” I arch my back and grab the pillowcase from behind us.
With certain movements, I slip the pillow out and tear the sheet to pieces until I achieve a length and width that is satisfactory.
Leaning forward, I gently place her arms in a sling.
“Thank you.”
“Come.” I lure her from the bed and grab my backpack from the floor.
“Where are we going?”
“Lelita’s sent me on a mission to acquire herbs for the patient. Will you come along?”
My motivation is to get Kendall as far away from Maveth as possible.
I see hope stealing back into her eyes. I am happy that the weight of guilt is being lifted off her.
Perhaps it would be safer here in the hotel room, but given the recent scare I want to protect her myself.
“Yes,” Kendall smiles.
“Stay close and listen well.”
“I will.”
“I mean it, Kendall. I know you can be stubborn, but I need you to trust me.”
“I do.”
I want to wrap her in my arms and protect her from the world. It is time to prove that Kendall’s trust in me is not sorely misplaced.
Chapter 7
Kendall
I cannot begin to explain how much relief I feel.
I’m not a murderer! At least not yet.
Maveth could still die. Then I’ll have to endure the whole cycle all over again.
Alistair leads me to the elevator. We exchange glances as we wait for the doors to draw apart.
There’s something about elevators that means a lot to me. I wonder if he feels it too. Or maybe I’m just over-thinking things.
I’ve been through so much tonight. The craziest rollercoaster couldn’t possibly compare to the emotional ride I’ve been on.
I’m just grateful for the reprieve. We’re coasting right now. Hopefully, the ride continues upward instead of plummeting.
“Are you warm enough,” he fusses with the collar of the coat he leant me. The long folds hide the blood stains on my dress.
I could have stepped into my room and grabbed a change of clothes from my suitcase, but I wasn’t too keen on revisiting the scene of the crime.
“I’m fine.” I smile to let him know I’m truly okay.
Alistair’s worried over me since he returned.
Now that there’s a little bit of hope in my corner of the world, I’m curious to know how his match with Lelita’s father turned out.
Though I’m guessing, from the fact that she’s here and not mourning her father’s death, that things worked out.
“Let me know if you’re tired,” Alistair instructs.
Bossy.
The elevator doors open and we step on. I resist the urge to press the button more than once. I wouldn’t be able to handle the nostalgia.
We’re alone in the elevator, so I feel comfortable asking about the mission.
“What happened tonight at the fortress?”
Under the bright lights of the small space, I search Alistair’s face.
As far as I can tell, there are no obvious bruises or blood stains apart from the ones he gained from Maveth.
He raises an eyebrow. “I won.”
“I can see that.”
Even though Alistair likes to act all big and bad, he’s got a dry kind of humor. He means to be funny, but in this case, I want him to be straight with me.
“Seriously,” I turn to him, “what happened?”
He runs through a summary of his discoveries. I gasp when he reveals that the box’s contents were love letters from the chief of a league.
The thought that Alistair’s dad might not be his biological father pops into my mind, but I am afraid to voice it.
I don’t think Alistair’s allowed himself to consider that possibility and I don’t want to be the one to point it out.
The elevator opens up and we step off.
Alistair leads me out of the foyer. Apart from the concierge and the security guard, there’s no one in the small lobby.
My cast is hidden beneath the large coat so we manage to make it out without any inquiries or curious looks.
I’ve given up on Alistair answering my question. He can be just as stubborn when he wants to be and I’m not in the mood to fight.
I just want to enjoy life for a bit. The night breeze is gentle against my face, reminding me of home.
Alistair leads me to the parking lot where I find a small blue car.
“When did you guys get that?”
“Before the mission,” Alistair opens the door for me and helps me in. “It’s no “Lula”, but at least it will start without duct tape.”
“Don’t be a hater.”
He smiles and then slams the car door shut. Alistair rounds the hood, before climbing into the driver’s seat and starting the car.
The assassin waits until we’re on the freeway before speaking.
“The sheets that I found in the metal box? They’re letters,” he clears his throat. “Toqueph confirmed it.”
“How do you know he’s telling the truth?”
“I earned his respect.” Alistair responds as if I’ve asked the stupidest question in the universe.
I guess assassin codes aren’t really my field of expertise.
“Well… what did the letters say?”
“Sappy things about how much they missed each other. I didn’t read them all,” he admits. “When Toqueph finished translating them, Damien and I ran out of there.”
“Why?”
He licks his lips and turns the indicator. “Because I … had a feeling.”
“You had a feeling?”
Alistair’s clearly not interested in expanding on that, so I let it go for now. Something else is pulling my curiosity.
“What’s with that Lelita girl?”
“Huh?”
“Why did she come along? If she really is the daughter of a chief, shouldn’t she be with her dad?”
“Oh,” Alistair nervously taps the top of the steering wheel. “She wanted to provide her assistance.”
“Really,” I wrinkle my nose. “I got the feeling she didn’t like me.”
“I’m sure it was nothing.”
Alistair responds quickly. Too quickly.
I’ve been traumatized, but I haven’t lost my womanly instincts. Something’s going on that Alistair isn’t too keen on sharing.
I picture Lelita in my mind’s eye. She’s gorgeous. The only explanation for Alistair’s reaction is…
“Oh my gosh,” I laugh.
“What?”
Alistair glances at me with a frantic expression. I’m sure he’s wondering if the stress has turned me completely mad.
“You and Lelita had a thing!”
It’s so obvious.
Alistair shakes his head emphatically. “We didn’t.”
“Oh come on,” I grin. “It’s written all over your face. You can’t hide it.”
“Lelita is an old acquaintance that I met through Damien. Nothing more.”
“Then why did you get nervous when I asked questions about her?”
“Kendall, you’re misreading things,” he changes the subject. “Do you mind keeping an eye out for pharmacies? I’m not familiar with this area.
”
I wiggle my finger in his direction. “When did you two get together?”
“Kendall…”
“When!”
“We had a brief understanding. It was nothing serious. But say Lelita and I had been involved, would you… really be okay with it?”
“Why? Is there a reason I should be jealous?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why does talking about it make you uncomfortable?” I straighten my shoulders. “Do you still have feelings for her?”
“There were never any feelings involved. At least not on my part. It was a match pushed by the chiefs.”
Feelings sure were involved on her part. I hope I haven’t walked right into a love triangle.
With all that’s been going on lately, I doubt that I’d be able to handle that kind of pressure.
I like Alistair, but how can I compete with a beautiful woman who understands his ways?
Though Alistair no longer practices the lifestyle of an assassin, the codes of his league are a part of him.
I will never be able to understand him the way Lelita can. What if she’s determined to win him over? How can I compete with that?
Alistair turns the car into the parking lot of a brightly lit pharmacy.
“Come on, we’ll get you some pain killers here.”
“Okay.”
I follow him into the store, steaming all the way.
Lelita is an unwelcome addition to our team. I don’t know her or trust her. It took me forever to trust Damien!
I have a feeling that her presence will bring a whole new set of issues, but if she can help Maveth then it’s a change I’ll bear with a smile.
Chapter 8
Alistair
Kendall’s questions about Lelita caught me off-guard. I didn’t expect her to be so observant.
Earlier this afternoon, I barely managed to dodge her questions about Toqueph’s antagonism.
It was hard enough to avoid her direct inquisition then.
I hope to explain the truth in the future, but not tonight.
After all she’s been through the last thing Kendall needs is details about matters that have already been buried.
I don’t want to lie to her, but I don’t feel ready to unleash the full extent of my connection with Lelita.
The urge to hit my head against a rock wall is overwhelming. In the chaos of getting Kendall, the full ramifications of Lelita’s decision were still unclear.
