Chapter 8
Bernard grumbled in the corner as78Please respect copyright.PENANAGJjj44uE8Z
he cleaned the vomit from off his shoe. Another servant had been summoned to78Please respect copyright.PENANAqfhU4suVPh
clean up the mess while Vander was given some water to drink. The rancid smell78Please respect copyright.PENANAoMfAt0Ai6C
from the King’s chest hadn’t left his nose and it was making him woozy.
“What happened in here?” Peyton78Please respect copyright.PENANAFLp7OQSjbv
asked. Topal spent some time explaining everything that the two of them had78Please respect copyright.PENANAWEkDu0YY01
discovered while Vander hugged the bucket.
“So, there were two things put78Please respect copyright.PENANAWp1WBgEh3k
together that caused this mess.” Bernard sighed. “Is there anyway to cure him?”
“Doctor.” Vander closed his mouth78Please respect copyright.PENANArNtO2eHASF
to keep the bile from coming out. “I need you to start making the remedy for78Please respect copyright.PENANA4RUWONzaf5
him, please.” He wheezed. “I don’t think I can take much more of the smell.” He78Please respect copyright.PENANAOUo1V7Ncfv
pulled a trash bucket closer to him just in case he needed it.
“I’ve never dealt with his kind of78Please respect copyright.PENANAZHiv0nXRAq
poison before.” Topal shook his head. “I have no idea how to fix it. You78Please respect copyright.PENANA7IpkWVYYOl
figured it out, do you have any notion?” Vander closed his eyes allowing the78Please respect copyright.PENANAyUADhy3cQI
smell to envelope him. Despite being the Deity of Beasts, Unna’s gifts came78Please respect copyright.PENANAPaTPnQV19o
with another perk. It allowed him to work wonders with poisons and their cures,78Please respect copyright.PENANAQtBrJhIe7T
a leftover from how close she is with her aunt, Lyshena.
“We need something to strengthen78Please respect copyright.PENANAm9vq50SGiv
and clear his lungs.” Vander’s voice sounded far away. “Take some wild78Please respect copyright.PENANAvGJ3Rgcpvz
cherries, horehound, and mullein, then boil a pot of boiling sea water. All the78Please respect copyright.PENANAWBX25dzFo5
King to inhale the vapors until he coughs out all the black goo covering his78Please respect copyright.PENANAMFdRCpjGdw
lungs. To wake him up, you will need to soak him in a tub filled with more salt78Please respect copyright.PENANABfloBVOXme
water and lavender extract. He should recover.” Vander slumped forward then78Please respect copyright.PENANAyxnmkMIHAz
jerked to the left filling the bucket with more vomit.
“Are you sure?” Bernard asked.78Please respect copyright.PENANAPWLsRk43rO
“That seems like a very simple remedy for something like this.”
“It’s not simple at all.” Topal78Please respect copyright.PENANAGXGDwmr41x
shook his head. “I never would have thought to sting these together to cure a78Please respect copyright.PENANAa291C2dJLY
poison. I would have looked for a cure all and likely would have flailed around78Please respect copyright.PENANAFESedSqChl
while he died under my care.”
“Are you blessed by Lyshena?”78Please respect copyright.PENANAhaAoSujMsU
Bernard asked. He checked over his shoe before grunting in appreciation. He78Please respect copyright.PENANAEXAIrk2q3D
might have been a stick in the mud, but he knew how to clean up. “That’s the78Please respect copyright.PENANAhQyPbNRiLK
only way this would make sense.”
“You can’t tell anyone about78Please respect copyright.PENANAw4P1qSA26t
this.” Vander said. He shared a knowing glance with Topal. “He doesn’t want78Please respect copyright.PENANA4mBwB67Cq6
special treatment because of who he is blessed by, I hope you will keep the78Please respect copyright.PENANAUn0BAPFvif
secret.”
“If it helps me save Malcolm’s78Please respect copyright.PENANA1e4I3eJMcj
life, I will keep this secret to the grave.” Topal smiled. “And if Bernard78Please respect copyright.PENANAGZsdGj9fyY
doesn’t, I know how to get rid of a body.” Bernard choked on his saliva,78Please respect copyright.PENANAAX7i7MYkrN
coughing until his face turned bright red.
“That’s uncalled for.” He laughed.78Please respect copyright.PENANA2X3W7zO3qS
“I can keep a secret; you don’t have to worry about me.” There was quick knock78Please respect copyright.PENANAfQWUMh3L1u
before Charles opened the door to slip back inside.
“What did you find out?” Vander78Please respect copyright.PENANAhZtir6tqoN
got up from the table to stand by his grandfather.
“No one has seen the taste tester78Please respect copyright.PENANAkXG0YfzhEQ
since the night the King fell ill.” Charles explained. “We should go down to78Please respect copyright.PENANAYrVpxKY7Ol
the servants’ quarters and check up on him.”
“I forgot,” Bernard snapped his78Please respect copyright.PENANARz3yPAeEdc
fingers. “There was a third person with me to visit Malcolm, a new servant.”
“Why didn’t you mention this78Please respect copyright.PENANAlLeYoDilsa
before?” Peyton turned to the man anger rising in his voice.
“I didn’t think he was important.”78Please respect copyright.PENANA0HtgdME6MV
Bernard shot back. “I just remembered I left the tea in his hands while I78Please respect copyright.PENANASBoeZ6slkn
opened the door. I didn’t think there was enough time for him to slip something78Please respect copyright.PENANA17QOYnWog7
into it, but, thinking back on it, he had it long enough to slip something into78Please respect copyright.PENANAU5JJ1ZH4yv
it. How much was needed to poison the King?”
“A small amount, any amount.”78Please respect copyright.PENANAtk8LiuXN8b
Vander said. “As long as it was ingested at the same time as the ocecrest, it78Please respect copyright.PENANAOeOeSu8EM3
would have done the trick.”
“Do you know who it was?” Charles78Please respect copyright.PENANAjO5PDr3Pre
asked. “The name of the servant?”
“The king likes to meet any new78Please respect copyright.PENANAeDTIPpTGFx
worker to get their story as well as their struggle.” Bernard folded his arms78Please respect copyright.PENANAgC5j5hjz3v
over his chest. “I believe his name was Nigel. He should be living in the same area78Please respect copyright.PENANAdpsz48lGZn
as the tester who is named Ulysses. I will help Topal get the items needed to78Please respect copyright.PENANAvRkn5kO3rF
cure the King, you find the people that could be responsible for this.”
“Let’s go, Vander.” Charles went78Please respect copyright.PENANAIJb1FbXoHX
to help Vander up, but he clutched the bucket and emptied the rest of his78Please respect copyright.PENANA1e4pTjLOuR
stomach contents inside.
“Get him out of here.” Bernard78Please respect copyright.PENANA8jg3S4NhTg
looked quite green himself, so Charles pulled Vander outside, making sure to78Please respect copyright.PENANARFs25mzFQk
leave the bucket in the room.
Vander was grateful for the fresh78Please respect copyright.PENANAfkj1lH3fD3
air that being in the hallway brought. He leaned up against the wall breathing78Please respect copyright.PENANAxxQKPZBcyu
its cool crisp air. Charles looked at him sadly. “I never knew how much this78Please respect copyright.PENANAADRwVTdqpq
curse affected you. Seeing you like this just-“
“Don’t worry about it, Gramps.” He78Please respect copyright.PENANADBcyhItDeN
pushed off from the wall then clasped his grandfather’s shoulder. “It has more78Please respect copyright.PENANA78Ng1F3IWA
perks than drawbacks. Let’s get going.”
As he walked, the feeling of78Please respect copyright.PENANA1ZhYJ4UmmG
becoming himself gradually returned. Chanelling the abilities of Unna, no78Please respect copyright.PENANAE9YL3nRxSQ
matter how small, always took it out of him, but this was the first time he78Please respect copyright.PENANAsOQiCAm4UL
felt quite so rough afterwards. He was going to have to do something that would78Please respect copyright.PENANAmaH1sJ2yUW
return the blessing she had given him, but she didn’t accept anything other78Please respect copyright.PENANABDD2Rgg9vJ
than sex or a blood sacrifice. He didn’t want to bring Julianna back into this,78Please respect copyright.PENANA3kp8QqwuAn
so the only other option was to visit the pits, something he avoided as much as78Please respect copyright.PENANABPa8ljwbvp
possible, but if he didn’t he could lose more than just his mind by ignoring78Please respect copyright.PENANAhVhtHvuZ3s
the deities’ needs. It had happened before when he was younger, and it couldn’t78Please respect copyright.PENANANqxczdxpEQ
happen again.
Charles had told78Please respect copyright.PENANA7qeKFE5LvA
him what had been going on since the past month or so within the Kingdom. Many78Please respect copyright.PENANACEvCdwXyef
of the Blades had been dispatched to the Warden’s to bring them here, which was78Please respect copyright.PENANArvjqeLHGuu
the main reason there were more soldiers guarding the keep recently. The soldiers78Please respect copyright.PENANAi6dPQW7NIE
were on high alert and were making everyone uncomfortable, but they were doing78Please respect copyright.PENANAm6JSBnu9Lm
their job, not willing to risk the wrath of the King if anything went wrong.78Please respect copyright.PENANA15lwUQsUBP
Merchants came from all over to offer their services to the crown ranging from78Please respect copyright.PENANAaOkFaTXuP9
food to decorations and, in some instances, jewelry for the eventual Queen. A78Please respect copyright.PENANAqwSjPLa2B6
lot of those were centered within the Grand Ballroom.
They arrived at78Please respect copyright.PENANAN5bcaJw4cI
the Grand Ballroom where many of the servants were stationed for the next few78Please respect copyright.PENANAqwCZ7jJxot
days as they prepared for the prince and his new bride’s arrival. It appears78Please respect copyright.PENANA8HpB6NOqCr
the kingdom was spared to expense for this extravagant part as everyone of78Please respect copyright.PENANAZYF4YVL9eO
importance from all over the Kingdom was visiting, The walls on the left half78Please respect copyright.PENANAAUI0n5yoHy
were being draped in brilliant red and gold banners with Atza’s symbol, the78Please respect copyright.PENANAdzznscM1IA
lioness with a golden crown on her head. The right half was being draped with78Please respect copyright.PENANAt4uShqoReg
cool blue and white banners with Humjir’s symbol, and the Elan family crest, a78Please respect copyright.PENANA0HshMf0x9d
white dove with an olive crown on its head. The symbolic nature of the marriage78Please respect copyright.PENANAGaDMjMXKEC
between two rival countries wasn’t lost on anyone and they were taking great78Please respect copyright.PENANAqQM0IVORQN
care not to offend either deity.
“Where should we78Please respect copyright.PENANAyRXxSMqhQq
start?” Charles looked around the room with a troubled expression on his face. There78Please respect copyright.PENANAOmCqQNCR0W
were too many people to question as they were looking for two people, albeit78Please respect copyright.PENANAiHvVx6SKSq
important, but around here, anyone could disappear if they wished it. Vander78Please respect copyright.PENANAAhWrI5HCkX
spotted the servant who seemed to be in charge, an older gray-haired woman78Please respect copyright.PENANAOtRISNAC78
holding a clipboard, quill, and bottle of ink. There were two other servants78Please respect copyright.PENANA53J2qVUVdA
standing next to her ready to carry out her orders.
“We start with78Please respect copyright.PENANAiRBiN4OtG1
her.” Vander nodded towards his grandfather.
“With Beatrice?”78Please respect copyright.PENANANMgPZw06me
Charles frowned. “She is Bernard’s right hand and his sister. If anyone knew78Please respect copyright.PENANAD2rXiBg7xS
where those two are, it would be here. Let’s go talk to her.” The two of them78Please respect copyright.PENANAgxqV9UMu6t
walked over as she started yelling orders:
“Make sure those78Please respect copyright.PENANANTnrG1vLhq
banners are crease free,” she snapped. “I won’t have this place looking unkept78Please respect copyright.PENANA96F952DHCE
for when the prince and princess arrive.” She turned around to see two female78Please respect copyright.PENANAqP7Y3WfP9l
servants leaning up against the wall whispering to each other. “You two, if you78Please respect copyright.PENANAhIhkBUsnQy
are done for the day you can go home, and I’ll dock your pay!”
“Sorry ma’am.”78Please respect copyright.PENANArfi2VbNYod
They curtsied then went back to folding their napkins.
“As for you two.”78Please respect copyright.PENANADxWM5YMzCG
She didn’t even turn around to greet them. “What can I do for the Blades this78Please respect copyright.PENANAOGSERK86B8
morning? As you can see I am quite busy so make this quick.”
“We are looking78Please respect copyright.PENANACFXMNbroqQ
for two servants and we are wondering if you have seen them around?” She looked78Please respect copyright.PENANADA44vaFopz
up at Vander from under her wire rimmed glasses.
“I’ve seen many78Please respect copyright.PENANAe3NhtWDEYv
servants, be more specific.” She demanded.
“Nigel and78Please respect copyright.PENANAVw0blW3qJo
Ulysses.” She clicked her tongue, but then quickly scribbled a note then handed78Please respect copyright.PENANAah9ESCnuKu
it over to the servant next to her. “Bring this to the baker quickly. I forgot78Please respect copyright.PENANAcuihO5tbpE
she needed our order.”78Please respect copyright.PENANAozmxXnes6N
78Please respect copyright.PENANAuJOMHbsUuT
“Yes78Please respect copyright.PENANAkRXhg4oo3W
ma’am.” The servant bowed then scurried away.
“I haven’t seen78Please respect copyright.PENANAYiGAqitbZq
Ulysses for a couple of weeks, something about being sick.” She explained. “I78Please respect copyright.PENANAmp5uevUdI9
sent for the doctor, but there was nothing he could do for him. As for Nigel,78Please respect copyright.PENANADxdQlgiHH2
he should be in the kitchen helping the cooks. Why?”
“Thank you.”78Please respect copyright.PENANABOVxJPxzVq
Vander and Charles ran towards the door that would lead downstairs and towards78Please respect copyright.PENANAdU1NS2xOot
the kitchen leaving a confused Beatrice standing behind them.
“Blades.” she78Please respect copyright.PENANA480HtyC5yJ
muttered. She looked around to see more of her servants standing around, so she78Please respect copyright.PENANAYtemhEgJDK
walked over towards them.
“Do you think78Please respect copyright.PENANAx1MmHu6OVV
Ulysses is dead?” Charles asked once he knew they were out of ear shot.
“He might not78Please respect copyright.PENANA9uShH2ZizI
have had enough of the poison to render him comatose, but he could still get78Please respect copyright.PENANA7DJobKpw8z
deathly ill from it.” Vander explained. “But let’s find Nigel first since he is78Please respect copyright.PENANAxASavDAzLJ
the one we suspect of the poison.”
“How do you want78Please respect copyright.PENANAnHFx10p0XE
to handle this?”
“You go in and78Please respect copyright.PENANANzGbcWNRuE
talk to him.” Vander said. “He should be a little intimidated of you and if78Please respect copyright.PENANAsiAI4RNz3J
cornered, he will likely try to run. I will be there to keep him from escaping.78Please respect copyright.PENANABnOBGoggET
There is no telling what he might do, so be on your guard.”
“I know how to78Please respect copyright.PENANAG2knUUP7Xc
handle myself.” Charles scoffed. “You just worry about yourself.”
The two of them78Please respect copyright.PENANALevewPSITY
made their way down towards the kitchens which you had to pass through to get78Please respect copyright.PENANAVa8dbDUgd3
to the servants’ quarters. There were other ways of getting there, but this was78Please respect copyright.PENANALVSYuXrTDE
the most direct way from the King’s quarters. Despite the castle being large,78Please respect copyright.PENANAwb3DSB7gWx
based on the sheer number of servants required, it wasn’t feasible to give them78Please respect copyright.PENANANwF04IN6kB
their own room. Often there would be two or sometimes three servants per room78Please respect copyright.PENANAuVZQMxdfI7
segregated based on gender, thought nighttime activities between them wasn’t78Please respect copyright.PENANAGLIV8Nd51G
uncommon.
As they made78Please respect copyright.PENANAtrSHDU8Dfw
their way into the kitchen, the head chef, known because of her oversized hat,78Please respect copyright.PENANAE3HBY3vzS5
was looking down at a piece of parchment with a quill in her hands. The others78Please respect copyright.PENANAEPkb2putRV
were bustling around her trying not to draw attention to themselves as they78Please respect copyright.PENANAY0xU4Wx2r3
worked. It looked as though they were preparing for lunch as several of them78Please respect copyright.PENANAph1SyGBsRC
were chopping up raw pieces of meat on the counter while others were collecting78Please respect copyright.PENANAdvWmTkkXjD
vegetables to go into a stew. The two of them walked straight through, not even78Please respect copyright.PENANAbCU1meYk0N
bothering to greet the chef as they made their way towards the servant’s area.
As soon as the78Please respect copyright.PENANA6vBphlaSzc
saw the first door, Vander knew they had hit a roadblock. The doors weren’t78Please respect copyright.PENANAbid2gda8yT
labeled or named. They had no way of knowing which room belonged to Nigel or78Please respect copyright.PENANAdOgPLi5wxq
Ulysses. Charles stood there frowning; how did they not know the quarters were78Please respect copyright.PENANAuPCJ1tGJlc
like this? It was a major blunder, but perhaps not all was lost. Vander tried78Please respect copyright.PENANA7NwZSzUJ0B
each door to see if it was locked. Servants weren’t allowed to lock their doors78Please respect copyright.PENANAd9Fi6EVJsP
if they were needed, but he figured if one of them needed to hide something,78Please respect copyright.PENANAKZ4s3kkEaS
they wouldn’t leave the door open for all to see. It was a huge gamble, but by78Please respect copyright.PENANAgF0QOyG9XF
the time he got to the last door, it paid off. It was locked and he could smell78Please respect copyright.PENANADKJ3fueSBm
something rip coming from inside.
“Watch the78Please respect copyright.PENANAPSSIbgvHFY
kitchen for me.” Vander whispered to his grandfather. Charles nodded his head78Please respect copyright.PENANA2Rd9FFmINH
then used his frame to block the view. Testing the door one more time just to78Please respect copyright.PENANA2axwSaI4d0
make sure it was locked; Vander shoulder checked the door several times until78Please respect copyright.PENANAIVMHOEqGdi
he heard the latch break. Rubbing his aching shoulder, he kicked the remainder78Please respect copyright.PENANAL0reHGHS9s
open until it was hanging sideways. That’s when the full weight of rotting78Please respect copyright.PENANAu7bNwjVohn
human hit him so hard he puked for the fourth time today. Charles heard him and78Please respect copyright.PENANAeArCuhveY9
came racing over.
“What in the name78Please respect copyright.PENANAJrS0HdLkFb
of Humjir is this?” Lying on one of the beds was a servant, Vander’s guess was78Please respect copyright.PENANA0gLhaSQhD2
Ulysses, who didn’t fare as well ingesting the poison because no one was78Please respect copyright.PENANApwjB6dqGCn
looking for him. His body had swelled up in death and his face was deep purple.78Please respect copyright.PENANA9qZNDMXMJB
He was shirtless showing off a physique that wasn’t normal for the serving78Please respect copyright.PENANAoYKfDFxkcu
class with scars crisscrossing his body. There still appeared to be evidence78Please respect copyright.PENANA9wvC204buO
that someone was still living in this room despite the stench due to the empty78Please respect copyright.PENANAKsvuKOBWgu
plate with food that had molded, and clothing rumpled in the corner. How anyone78Please respect copyright.PENANAowMR7aB9Mc
could live like this was beyond him.
“Vander go get78Please respect copyright.PENANASUU2eLw5vN
someone to seal off this room before you puke over anything else.” Charles78Please respect copyright.PENANA8mCcsUiBHg
ordered. Thankfully for being allowed to leave he did as he was asked. Some of78Please respect copyright.PENANAoI65XBgQep
the servants who were on break were crowding the hallway curious to see what78Please respect copyright.PENANAtOo4NW5f8T
was going on.
“Clear out of the78Please respect copyright.PENANAoyLiYNyDBq
way.” Vander shouted. “Someone grab Blades who are walking around and tell them78Please respect copyright.PENANAbhhURxxnHV
to come here.” When no one moved, he was forced to use his authority. “Now!” He78Please respect copyright.PENANAccIsnRvEbD
screamed. They scattered to do as they were ordered, but one stayed behind. He78Please respect copyright.PENANAs9bGbP6a3z
was a tall man, muscular, with brown hair and green eyes. Upon seeing Vander,78Please respect copyright.PENANAOReYrGMwgB
he froze.
“What are you78Please respect copyright.PENANAf9sNW7NKrW
doing down there?” he asked.
“Are you Nigel?”
“What’s it to78Please respect copyright.PENANA3rHKD7i6tN
you?” he asked.
“As Captain of78Please respect copyright.PENANAAEQDtsAl2t
the Blades I am detaining you as a suspect in the murder of Ulysse’s.” he said.78Please respect copyright.PENANAVSms2gQN7u
“Stay right there.” As a surprise to no one, Nigel bolted back the way he came.78Please respect copyright.PENANAPDPTR3DFtl
Cursing to himself, Vander vaulted over the counter to give chase leaving a very78Please respect copyright.PENANAItaH2GLy9i
irate chef picking up her paper covered in ink.
Nigel was fast.78Please respect copyright.PENANAL6z2F1QA6t
He raced through the halls, ducking into doorways, and changing directions like78Please respect copyright.PENANA6dLiwvz8l2
some intimately familiar with the castle layout. It was one of the times Vander78Please respect copyright.PENANAPpFGVdSDUv
wished he had brought Shea with him despite the risk, but for now he was on his78Please respect copyright.PENANATfCyXiMceD
own. He knew that he was faster, but all of today’s activities were beginning78Please respect copyright.PENANAKtgZ2fcCar
to take its toll on him. He was feeling weak and sluggish, but he didn’t dare78Please respect copyright.PENANAnPvToG1z4G
let Nigel get away, not when he held such vital clues. But no one knew the78Please respect copyright.PENANAyH8xSiSGmB
castle better than he did, so once he recognized where Nigel was going, the78Please respect copyright.PENANAPx2QCO151X
gardens, Vander took a left up a flight of stairs. It leads to a balcony with78Please respect copyright.PENANAY8wcMowL4d
open space which would give him the opportunity he needed. Once he saw that he78Please respect copyright.PENANAtiUhAhSwT9
and Nigel were neck and neck, he willed his body forward, borrowing some energy78Please respect copyright.PENANAxSX5shLY5x
from Unna, then launched himself off the balcony and down towards Nigel.
The two of them78Please respect copyright.PENANAExEio6AUaG
collided and Vander was sent flying into the garden itself landing on a bush.78Please respect copyright.PENANATEoxiZAozQ
If it had been the ground he would have been in trouble, but the worst he’d78Please respect copyright.PENANADJk3jybVmw
have now was a couple of bruises on his back. He got to his feet then placed78Please respect copyright.PENANAKZEuKeL13D
his hand on the hilt of his sword. Nigel was groaning out in pain, slowly78Please respect copyright.PENANA55YmekXu34
trying to get to his, but the hit he had just taken must have taken all the78Please respect copyright.PENANAawUg7nkG6G
fight out of him.
“Alright, I’ll78Please respect copyright.PENANASVK6sJwKeo
come with you.” he gasped. Vander hauled him to his feet.
“Why did you have78Please respect copyright.PENANAFboI0Hr5Jg
to make this more difficult for yourself?” Vander asked.
“Because they78Please respect copyright.PENANAbYZYRXqX5n
will kill me if I talk.” Nigel groaned. Vander shoved him up against the wall.
“Who will?”
“You don’t know78Please respect copyright.PENANAuMMbEDR69m
them.” Nigel grabbed his arm. “They will kill everyone I love, and they are in78Please respect copyright.PENANAhyyQtKeYIX
places of power you could only dream of.” His eyes widened as he stared at78Please respect copyright.PENANAkRzmdJdhvW
someone standing behind them. “No.” Vander turned around, but something whizzed78Please respect copyright.PENANA07jXQXKRjh
right past his face. He felt something wet hit the side of his face. He turned78Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ztux10Wxo
around to see Nigel gurgling blood with two knives embedded in his throat. His78Please respect copyright.PENANAUhH7OJZQJZ
eyes grew wide as he mouthed the words: Run. He slumped to the ground dead.
“That wasn’t78Please respect copyright.PENANAByC1FrxYBH
smart.” Vander turned to face the assassin. They were wearing all black and78Please respect copyright.PENANAKSqG0VwB5O
their faces were covered. They held two more knives in their hands along with a78Please respect copyright.PENANA9YfqVw9xNs
sword strapped to their backs. “Now you’re going to have to answer the78Please respect copyright.PENANAAXsGXdfwz8
questions meant for him.” They tilted their heads but gripped the knives78Please respect copyright.PENANAuRDwTFmpGQ
tightly. He made the first move. He drew78Please respect copyright.PENANAGafqNXL3iv
his sword as he charged them. The assassin just brought their knives up to78Please respect copyright.PENANA9SpArhDoeN
deflect the shot. Their leg shot out hitting Vander in the knuckles causing him78Please respect copyright.PENANAYY5x8wmUsU
to yell out in pain then drop his sword.
He didn’t let78Please respect copyright.PENANAUxEXlQ6jeL
that stop him. He grabbed their wrist to keep one of the knives away from his78Please respect copyright.PENANAxcGwXYuxgi
body. Using his strength, he squeezed the wrist until they were forced to let78Please respect copyright.PENANAkdydufEU0j
the knife go, then he brought his shoulder into their chest and threw them over78Please respect copyright.PENANA9EAdBsPqKb
his back and onto the ground. However, their feet landed squarely protecting78Please respect copyright.PENANAz6t0613JgV
them from hitting the cobblestone. In his surprise, Vander didn’t react quick78Please respect copyright.PENANA7DbAeqK3fp
enough when they flipped over him then wrapped their legs around his neck then78Please respect copyright.PENANAllnEX65CkO
began raining elbows on top of his head. He brought his arms up to deflect78Please respect copyright.PENANAN8A70Skkdk
before deciding to charge into the wall. The assassin didn’t let up even as he78Please respect copyright.PENANAoAt3W3u1oD
jumped off the wall and landed on the ground. He heard the crack of their back78Please respect copyright.PENANA13AliTd947
as they landed, and their legs eased up their assault. Vander coughed and78Please respect copyright.PENANAX0uLYNi2eJ
wheezed as he massaged his throat to breathe.
“Enough of this.”78Please respect copyright.PENANAwZdN0mAR9R
The assassin groaned, but steadily made their way to their feet. They had a78Please respect copyright.PENANAkjbK4PL2j2
soft voice, almost feminine, which confused him. He remembered the voice, but78Please respect copyright.PENANAjnXQuMXWRY
he couldn’t tell from where. They drew the sword from their back and held it in78Please respect copyright.PENANAOKf7oRnGBd
Vander’s face. “I was supposed to leave you, but you’ve pissed me off enough.78Please respect copyright.PENANAE4eKJLcCAX
Die.” They lunged at him, but they left an opening for Vander to roll to the78Please respect copyright.PENANAMnSYuXFOKz
side to grab his sword. He brought it up just in time to deflect the strike the78Please respect copyright.PENANAEyMuj5qzI7
assassin aimed at him. He punched their ribs causing them to stumble sideways.78Please respect copyright.PENANAq6yziB1U7E
He then swept out their legs causing them to again fall on their back.
Two blurs sped78Please respect copyright.PENANAMJDBcccZOv
out from their hand, and he was barely quick enough to dodge. He could smell78Please respect copyright.PENANAr6REAjhR3i
the poison emanating from them and he knew those weren’t something he wanted to78Please respect copyright.PENANAgatTc59B8u
get hit by. They got to their feet, but he could tell that they had been78Please respect copyright.PENANAnlQiBFM29Y
injured.
“Come with me.”78Please respect copyright.PENANAjUwWp30zzD
He said. “I can protect you.”
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“I don’t need78Please respect copyright.PENANAVE3NmHwE2w
your protection, Blade.” They hissed. “Eluvia has taken everything from me and78Please respect copyright.PENANABx6Bd3di4i
soon, we will take everything from you.” The removed a small capsule from their78Please respect copyright.PENANAeSmUQ6Abvr
pocket and smashed it on the ground. Black smoke erupted from inside causing78Please respect copyright.PENANA3VkRNfWF5A
Vander to violently cough and fall to his knees. He tried to run out of the78Please respect copyright.PENANAFLkZCDvsXu
smoke, but his legs were leaden. The last thing he saw before passing out was78Please respect copyright.PENANA4RHU1pYAC3
the assassin jumped into the garden and disappearing from the sight.