Autumn pushes open the doors to Summer's private dining room. I pause at the door and look at the guards next to me warily. They return my look with a glare of their own and station themselves at the door.
As uncomfortable as I am at the colour of the bond between us, I don't let it show and instead, step in. Autumn is already sitting at the head of the table and she gestures toward the seat to her left. I remain standing, preferring to have the choice of moving quickly if something were to happen.
"My people are having some...problems with those under their charge."
I can't say that I'm surprised at her forwardness and the trust she is placing in me by telling me of her internal conflicts. After all, one of us needs to trust the other first if anything is to happen.
And I never planned to be that one.
I nod my head to indicate my understanding and she continues. "I would like you to accompany my guards to a few locations where you may be of use to helping my people figure out who they can trust."
I am willing to do that. I just have one question. "What are these...traitors doing, exactly?"
"What do you mean?"
I look into her eyes and see that she knows what I am talking about. I wait for her to answer my question instead of explaining it myself; she should know as well as I that known spies do not warrant getting rid of when she can use them to her advantage.
"Winter's spies are murdering my people."
And there it is. "You know who they are, do you not?" I ask. Her silence astonishes me.
"Not every spy is accounted for," Autumn says. "Those are the ones I must find and stop."
I understand how she feels. Having spies - or rather, assassins - in one's territory is not a comforting thought.
"I assume you want me to agree to find these spies as soon as possible."
"I want you to tell me who they are, but do not take any action against them."
"They may kill more of your people," I say. Was Autumn really going to allow the spies-turned-assassins to continue the mission they were set out to do?
"The killings have stopped for a month. If they were to kill more, they would have continued to do so before now."
I sincerely hope that she does not expect me to follow such cold a trail. Autumn nods and I stiffen. I am sure that I hadn't opened my mouth.
"However, the time frame does not matter. What matters is for you to find out who is disloyal to me."
I wonder if I should explain to her why it will be more complicated than that. "Very well," I say, "I will help you. However, I will tell you now that it will not be an easy task."
Autumn stands and extends her left hand to me. I stare at her for a moment before placing my own into hers.
"You realize that I am not offering you a deal," Autumn says. "What you receive in return will simply be your life and the life of those that survive this war."
"No, you're not offering a deal," I agree. "What you offer is a promise that you will do everything to save us all." Including the recruitment of Summer's last warrior.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGqenWh2tC
