Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnudCZCWPaj
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrqoOCOlyG
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XF8zvzAS0
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4V6dTh62ji
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEGDpN15sa
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0qGx8RuD9
charged his enemies.
More29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrODdiEGuf
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YRd9klGXe
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJBvMvDtGj
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrs9eDvfZG
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRjGsVgI7d
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVbclWqFs9
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjjXAKBdiY
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcadbZ7WmuT
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSokDM11TK
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSlYwwWa8r
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27VrXIpdQU
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ivk4ZNAeN
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbFRDIYHc7
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3w8qlEVMK
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0ZgPZtIL1
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRXGGB6TRP
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHatUH4Gsu
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB2D9pVqJv
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2AB1XpRff
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCd9UsXU86y
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhs8i70ih1U
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBruFmEQJqp
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hz6pgqMLD
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1zcUvdIMp
asking to be killed.
Vander29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTrqozN4HC
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYWxMuaHGB
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9CTbRkIGk
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1E0A41rxy
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNvHUtB08A
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHDWFWvtBs
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7Lymqz6Ki
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacPucMgd97
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLY3ZcunjdN
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWrjiKMYFL
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWVUHcESMz
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrVPOKCQsk
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTISmzCW4a
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwqRiQ8ngy
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxiyDOc3BE
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPz4efL2ly
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmUD4FF7d6
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡno3ksWG18j
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqXtzTbxt7
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8X1RjyHoy
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iK8JekAFJ
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjubzDKoSV
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGO5Vx8gBzp
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMg1sqGDHlC
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Kkc6cXcGT
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9j2B7KHtff
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYQed7Ar5x
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHh1QNw3K6C
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kXGFuLIhX
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMZBiirhvd
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3lUT2xhHQ
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZODGoi1Jxy
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgCzLbo8zp
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7O7cZzcGI
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwF1kZ0Fr6x
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAWJhvzYXt
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJM8PvvV8oT
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6IWSSSFkz
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDosBk72PKE
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDr7jrYcYH
had died.
The sun was29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq3jwCONfP
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuHLZ8upK7
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXhw6foFkv
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs260S3kxuy
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ0gxOQGYZ
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHiUvoA7nk
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMI1oOAmHx
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpv3mF3tRDJ
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxneP3jUi9I
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9lyKn4Qns
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2oeCHo6u7
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTbxCdoVS9
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULKQPbjtIC
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAsjqLa6oo
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ph7cKVzYs
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkh7ILrh28d
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykm2CpU6xX
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvZAeG3Q6m
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzUhXfaVxo
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwIIDQFdcY
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlgMtyCj4e
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4Yc0euedk
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqV9LoQBWzZ
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxiAyLfIft
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaYXsJ96t4
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63k5AQeO9H
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuU3SD3ZT2
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbgE2Ti8Oc
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7NCuG9UPD
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWwzvPKZfs
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcz8P4u05L
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0RDmaX96H
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7dqm2KyJD
“I trusted you.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzQB29Iy34
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeGlSB2lQQ
“I’ll have to make a visit to29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KhmIbolDz
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIxGvHK0eq
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazBtr88EcS
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTspfBGsm5
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHOnwseuIw
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcVDI7FgWC
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXxwKL0cMg
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowCrc5kdLl
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2N88pDEDU
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPbT4HBMHq
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfejuTxUZgm
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYw69TITeZ
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9CjBQFcHh
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1IITa4oT3
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvXhBnETux
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ758h8La6VD
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRD2gdfOjNM
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqZfwHR3H1
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7Y3UIBhnP
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYy3GR5lqjm
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNpNnHuQrs
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5EGmVz0up
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdI0G8TuoR
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHbvZ3Q6DE
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0AfTVOIdo
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmByknb0z7s
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyLE1ICA3X
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJB5LEmCic
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM94iWDObMi
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nR91GylYw
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmfqj7o9j1
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWneAmm3a5S
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSy4C6FNKCP
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxhH18ZpwC
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVlNlGnWPM
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSO5TRkUAU
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOLlKqr91F
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBh0U9tbqG
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1RUynzqVv
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWv98VVOkvC
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UBeAIRspW
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtbZrOTZ21
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3J7HVqk0Ku
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2heFf1pOsg
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRx3slVoOfM
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeKmTiDaDo
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlDI9CkiEC
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo2BiNSYau
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqZcEKr5V7
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesVJMkHYh5
Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlDXgbK42B
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwPpoozDB0
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlaXNyOfI0
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJt7fvDVRFj
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8YOBinnwv
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YHNsHdQRh
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
