Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqYrfPaydj
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJNsn8IHBO
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcj9Tqprbbj
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqZK8ouDkQ
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWirAx6m0Or
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtObLiZeVjQ
charged his enemies.
More53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk4S7uEr9R
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ82JYDVJ09
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3XhIcrkVZ
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQ71X9TuFE
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT7D9JyLD6
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF82XXhvzOA
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7VwQUhOCx
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DqUFZuhqQ
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcl4efSmkVW
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWL20vo7nK
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGOcId2c6u
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmyQAiTgpL
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0KE4aqybm
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO19tgk1oIs
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDcYEckw5G
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT26Qpznxdt
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdinO0WgoRb
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2DjDoBR0S
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6oeISLgw0
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9bPh4ixfl
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSNGRrUbdT
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRplJd3JLgB
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlkVwHUNbi
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡts41pvWEmu
asking to be killed.
Vander53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19b4edvMrQ
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFhnevuxNA
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOPm3OXcTt
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUi32sKuqI
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWO76epX25N
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjves3Ytl0Y
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGorBBQtzud
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtgfJgX7HG
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq78gOXHm14
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqaXDTwSOZ
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHggvJUsaD8
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkCy6Lkh1S
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCKTdn0g64
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGPoUQf9xS
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fifikoehE
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvChWxNEOE
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo84i8AC9x1
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFBzQ6PnFb
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2BsATUjHX
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFKOmkZkcz
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOD3tFZZ6ii
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpErzeXOLT
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSvWjjAwGc
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5BOwkThwh
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloPWWCwdSR
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhR1WMOpwsO
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmiwiWynon
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vkOa1JLXt
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFT29zlXWGC
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexuIUekhNG
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3UwEu4z9o
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyb7dNFSN2o
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhaA17Nj38
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYO5DFif8A
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBbYBD0M6x
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmlLDisVLn
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjf5Sp88aI
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gjSSCioeh
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjYVcLeJFt
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxpTl66YM5
had died.
The sun was53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO65AGTjx1a
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtBTDk3sfp
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqulCkU0rx
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaclCa9PLDx
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCcSLwAN67
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuGZ1pNmEL
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcc5RrLinqs
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxoOHZZitk
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOI7BkPzXB
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCR02iFoBO
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRWA847JvI
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5GS1ESKLZ
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlN9tJVR66i
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyuyiSbv9Z
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHU6CR0SfJ
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvZPOWP6gm
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71e65iiby0
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVFQzGMtIf
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlvBo72alq
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaOgTQI0Mo
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQikLLVAOYH
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv6xSuZj9b
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfOxHRQELd
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrs8h0LnU5
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV51vwytBrn
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoph7B9Lxj
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0UQsiiLXB
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMgLMw6wS6
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMacHvSJdzm
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOfNcMJjyZ
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbfbSy0zyO
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWnQ5zRQ0M
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7KTeCtR01
“I trusted you.”53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7V48yze8D
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGSDZlbcYz
“I’ll have to make a visit to53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRoGJNEAgs
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35o8Kof05P
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYWi4rroVj
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8dHagB7cV
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9znHqoOjsX
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNIXAXPTaI
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHDNavEhDP
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRUvUNuShB
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXnilHOpua
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAi46hlFKRZ
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7nYXddaTS
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXp8oDbcXF
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOqXmBiFqB
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUZCetIgYA
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UCy8zcO0h
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaN5DknwTJP
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAfqFsbN16
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwIBVTjkhT
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvW5Q4eytSA
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh46k4hFeLv
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP51CPAtMMP
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoK2PKUrXDs
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SWpXWrj7O
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiBKilkD3H
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdm013BMpWX
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauQBEBcfKI
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FhqHPbFFx
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWRkEFl3ok
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7APeakWF2X
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEp76dBeKZG
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQT0fUSVpZ
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDs96uB1A7
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGsIvmEEhG
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCYmG1TBE7
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqf4pK0FTnU
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsMRKgoBxh
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJ19M7yUCw
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3TQt5sFDG
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeg3TGxo790
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKc2UzDZhlG
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSV7ZnVCcvG
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhRH4HvRhC
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQRQRclZDX
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWc0mdp609
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyXlYI2QQF
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8gDICAS5C
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72N6jNcZ0a
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBKIpTeAXx
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJJa0iq0Lz
53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEthA7sUbA
Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOm4329v1Lq
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4r4CNGZVry
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46mL8USV8c
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXPxBVvrIn
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6irEAOYvwR
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCsYAZjMbR
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
