Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0rjguQrKY
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPlJ6wo3MM
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1z6cfcm8kN
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnLvOx4GbU
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpMiCjldCw
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqU24xxX9E
charged his enemies.
More63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwr7tm4TPt1
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xWi7IupcI
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxm27bIT48
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjkG1msAqu
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vCxWJQeZV
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy55Xk76uDx
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPqn19yt0j
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHUTLVt8ZV
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWViQRLuh3H
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vRzvVrGO1
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRBDodfL27
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ507dEIs5E5
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MU3Jyve76
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVyqQCgFSE
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplzByz2ZXX
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJnxJLuMHd
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnVNbNBP4t
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpDea3ug8n
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKtTOaqO1N
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEEvdCaOXC
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IxSyKJe4X
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtt5MzYUOF
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡca0zAehlrP
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL8NSz9KAE
asking to be killed.
Vander63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TlQZ0w51p
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiGCJFIwIW
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZpEdyMTX9
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WQMERsvnR
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRMk3uXYoa
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9usVKwfz9
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xicjqSX90
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgzx1lZ0B6
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0NvtKH4N9
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TDd6Y9Oxl
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXXDmuibjs
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sI21WzhKu
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkqhcuKb7X
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdx97AdEfQ2
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSmjigOD9u
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX1VR9lsaL
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsFaAFF0ve
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOen0CylLm
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf9mD81OyD
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshXWOvfmoV
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymKgocg1Hh
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXDk17uWhk
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9WcZJ6ZHN
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBa1HAD7AS
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs4vnJtjyR
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvLofUTViS
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2obce9SpG
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfT1a2MuvO
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfUqi9GIS4
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVnMpCPfBy
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKx686XYnm
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu87PDasQNz
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFTrRUX49J
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvp1ppj0Vq
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40H284bEA9
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvndX5nSzQL
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxdCvgwoJx
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhJ6Fm9PEW
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQbDb7gJNF
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutq2AZVT0u
had died.
The sun was63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2x5JgcLlAO
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGZk6n9t1S
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcv6KAMIkx
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdpx9yPBN3
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeu9PfHwQD
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCEinpWSr3
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaH511D3Lf
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCbQFpsLfD
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7La8RFy1MH
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwoQFkL81C
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANMJJEJgOo
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHqdcTB1FJ
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCgIXhHpYU
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvo9bTN3N1e
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSccQk5LJd8
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFsnyaaQAk
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAJRRUjgZJ
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJFyUFHQvO
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91mFF494OJ
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiyMmF8x78
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JxsbtHNB7
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuosyvZgHOd
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGhIIRy8cn
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSrUI1tCeS
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt72Y2XfCfx
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKt2ZTib4FM
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0YZXKWhk7
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrZbKLJs0L
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYGwJ9BZaa
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxfjqEJjuN
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1RyQxDggM
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55GFjIeJpk
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AJmf8ioCz
“I trusted you.”63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16wDj7YSO4
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“I’ll have to make a visit to63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5poqbSbUFo
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXA6F5ItN2
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKI7V6UDJ3
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstyGdJKiz1
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
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Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Qnh0BjlkG
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RVOAiOotw
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLRd1rgySE
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RN2ZKbSTo
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDglgM5QB5x
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgyd40vU3J
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
