WILD SEDUCTION

●⁠♡ TWO ●⁠♡

- SIX -

Sharpening the end of a stick with my knife, I sat peacefully on a tree, just in front of the moon. It's a full moon and this tree branch is the only spot I know where no one can reach me nor track my whereabouts.

I sighed when the caws of a crow disturbed my peace. My daring little pet. I'd probably regret this but how can I ignore it when it begs for my attention? Most importantly, it comes bearing news. A letter is tied to its talon. I whistled. The only tune I trained it to obey. With a noisy flap of his wings, it flew to me.

I hushed it as it noisily rested on my arm, undoing the rope. "What news is worth disturbing my quiet time?" I asked, thinking out loud while unfolding the letter. My eyes scanned the writing and my brow raised on its own.

Interesting. The old crook has finally made an offer worthy of my time. I stood on the tree branch, facing the forest with a stern expression on my face. The fog thrilled me. The sound of rushing water from the river water falls and was interrupted by passers-by....

I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. Chariots. Six lousy men in chariots think they could make my forest a path and I'd let them live. I chuckled, a grin forming on my face. With my eyes closed, I threw the sharpened wood in the direction of the noise and the chaos that came after pleased me. A few horses stumbled, barely avoiding grazing the ground. That stirred my blood like no other. I live for the thrill of people's mishaps. My grin widened, enjoying the scene till I sensed a strange aura. A magic user is in their midst. This should be entertaining.

I jumped down, forging a perfect landing on the ground from the seventy feet tall tree. The effects of my fall destroyed the land, giving it its own mortal made erosion. I sighed, walking forward. "Encarta mos aspenios." My eyes glinted crystal, reflecting the rays of the moon and my pet departed, disrupting the quiet atmosphere with flaps of its wings and caws as it followed my order. I do not answer to no man, but the Lord of Hascaster seems rather displeased. With a preposition like that, how could I refuse? A playful grin formed on my lips. It's been a while since I've been so excited. Seems like decades ago since I actually enjoyed the blood shed and cries of the weak. Why not obey and do something that ends in my favour? Not like I care, but this would certainly be intriguing.

***

I jumped inside my room through the window, masking my aura while entertaining the thought. During my trip in the forest, my eye caught the reflection of a flower in clear river water. It reminded me of someone, someone I vaguely remember. I plucked it on my way here and stuck it in the pocket of my cloak. Two petals already fell off and that reminded me of something. Everything dies. Everyone dies and people change. Holding onto something for so long is meaningless. She might not even know I exist.

My mind drifted to our first meeting. It's quite murky and every memory barely gives a remarkable image. All I see is a hand leaning on a wide window, my hand, and I was talking to someone, from that moment, my memory cut short. But it's quite nice tormenting her dreams despite not knowing where she is nor who she is. All I needed was something that belonged to her. Lifting the heavy bed spreads that covered my journal up, I snuck out a hair pin from the hidden pocket on the book cover. It belongs to her, I don't remember how I got it but it's nice to own it. I squeezed my hand around the expensive hair pin till I bled then wrapped a white cloth around my palm, sealing both my wound and the pin together. Call me crazy, but I enjoy it and for a weird reason I don't understand, my blood is the only thing that links me to her.

I hate that a woman I vaguely remember has power over my thoughts but at the same time, it's nice to sense every reaction to those nightmares. Whoever she is, she must hate me right now. I smirked. Straightening my sheets, I jumped on my bed, laying comfortably with my back to the wall. My door swung open and someone slid in.

"The most decent thing you could've done would be knock. Out." I said, irritated. Ivar had a smile on his face that I want to wipe off. He masked his presence and moved so quickly I couldn't sense it and that pissed me off. I think what I hate about him is his sneakiness and near par strength with mine. I don't trust him, even though I should.

"Don't you want to hear what I've come to say?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. His perverty way might work on anyone else, but not me.

"State your business." I said uninterestedly. Quite the contrary because I really want to know.

"A certain Lord has ridden all the way to see you. Be honoured." He said, making his way into my room and touching things. I don't appreciate that.

"You've stated your business, leave." I said without getting up. My pride is so high that I don't deem him worthy to stand up.

A medallion was on my desk and he held it, dangling the chain in his palm. "Sensei requested your presence. It's best you go." He said and dropped it. My eyes trailed to the door, monitoring him as he made his way out of my room. He munched on something. I didn't notice him bring any food. "This should be interesting." Ivar grinned, inhaling the white rose. My eyes widened and my body itched to beat it out of his hand but I sat still. Twisting the thorny stem with his teeth, he crushed it. "Keep your head straight, Six. Flowers and pins don't suit you." With that he left, leaving the rose on the floor. I sighed. Just what the hell would I do with him?

I got up from my bed, heading silently to the visitor's room in the front of house. No outsider is allowed to get past that room. If anyone that's not one of us passes that room to the inner circle, it means their time has come. My face was stern as I made my way down the passage, it's one thing to be the strongest assassin here, it's another to be feared but it's something else when you have to answer to one human because he can easily kill you just as much as he made you. That's the person I'm meeting right now. I pushed the wooden door to the side. "Am I making any interruptions?" I asked, leaning on the wall by the door. Despite the darkness and one lit candle on the center table where they sat, I couldn't see their faces but I know where they are.

"Join us." Sensei requested, pointing at his side.

"I'll pass. You have a mission for me?" I asked, rolling my eyes to meet his. I know why I'm here. My crow already delivered the message, but a little pretense would do some good.

He chuckled. Something fell in front of my feet on the wooden floor and I bent to pick it. Loosening the expensive rope tied around the paper rolled to form a cylinder, I straightened it, breaking the seal, and read. My brows creased. It's a written contract. "You're joking." I failed blatantly trying to hide my disbelief.

"We both know if it's written, it can't be forged." He said, sipping his tea. "All you have to do is murder someone, like we always do. Just it'll be harder."

My jaw tightened. "And you want me to believe this is not some trap." I'm going alone. It only makes sense if it is.

"I don't play games with people in my custody, not in cases like these. For better disclosure, I'd rather not say what's written in words. Ears are everywhere." Sensei said calmly, placing his cup on the center table. They're both seated on cushion pillows opposite each other on the floor.

My brows creased and I reread. I'm finally going to get what I've longed for but it comes with a price. My final mission is to assassinate the heir to the throne. Executing the crowned ruler the moment he sits on the throne or before the coronation. Simple and easy. Painless and without attracting attention. There's no description to however he looks or what I should expect but where's the fun if there is?

He's giving one man the job of five. Infiltrating royal grounds comes with having to deal with guards. Lots of sorcerers and everyone will be on guard trying to protect his royal majesty. It's suicide, double the effort but worth my freedom.

"How 'simple' should it be?"

"When it's done, the news will spread."

"And the body?"

"Hanging over the pillar with a sceptre. Let her be seen by sunrise." So he wants it done after the coronation. I exhaled, scanning the room with my eyes. The Lord has been awfully quiet. I won't utter a word if I was in his shoes. He's just as vulnerable. I'm tempted to play a little mind game.

"Done. I accept the mission. My last." Saying it out loud makes it lonely. I've dreamed of this day but with my family dead .... who do I spend time with? I heaved a sigh.

"We're done here. Six, escort the Lord back safely."

I don't want to. I nodded in agreement. A loud squeak creased my ears as the Lord stood, walking in front of me.

Now, why not play with his mind a little? Just a kind little gesture. It's easy for people to pay others to kill when they haven't held a sword nor wielded it before. They don't know the weight one carries knowing the blood of men are on his hands. Neither do they know how it messes with one's mind, yet they expect people to do the dirty work and bear that weight while they dine with wives and concubines. I want him to know what it's like to live normally then suddenly in fear of death.

I cleared my throat and let him pass, staying five feet behind, I watched him enter his carriage and the horsemen climb the horses. I jumped, taking shelter on a tree branch. Monitoring is best from above, one has a clearer view and the advantage of distance. Till arrows are shooting in the air. That's why I always stay higher. Where the best archer's arrow won't reach. I broke a thin branch off the tree, broke it into smaller bits and sharpened the edges to look like darts.

With an eye closed, I aimed for the tyres and the path just close enough to one of the horses' hooves. One. I counted in my mind. Two. I steadied my grip on the dart-like wood, about to let go. Jumping from this tree to another, I carried my weight long enough to run on the tree trunk then pushed myself to the other side, matching their pace. Thre-

My hands let go of my wooden darts when a sharp pain in my chest paralyzed my body. I shrieked, falling down. I managed to make a nice fall, barely protecting my arms and feet. I could feel my heart ripping apart to many pieces over and over and my blood pressure rose. What is this? What's going on?

That's when I felt it. Perceived it in fact. A strange demonic aura I'd never felt before and for the first time, it's threatening.

My skin starts to bulge. What's happening to my body? Why does my blood feel cold with an unusual bulge of my veins on my skin?

What is this pain.... why does it feel so excruciatingly different? It's odd. I've never felt so miserable before.

I struggled to move my feet, pulling myself off the ground. I need back up. I'd barely be able to go home with this crippled pace. Holding myself from succumbing to the effects of whatever is happening to me, I dragged my feet on the ground. My body is crouched and I don't think I'd make it even if I tried. With an inhale, I tried to stop blood circulation but that made my condition worse. I can't use magic. I screamed when a sharp pain stung my hand and I untied the cloth around it. The hair pin was stuck in my flesh and for some reason it hurts more than my body does.

I grunted, falling on the floor when something unusual happened. The blood on my fingers dried and the gem on the pin glinted, Like a venom was being sucked out of my body. I felt relieved yet confused at the same time. I need my strength now, more than ever if I indeed want to be free. Staring at the crystal, I caught a reflection of my eyes.

God! My reflection made my body crawl. Like my soul jumped out of my skin and came back. My eyes are blood red yet I'm not blind. Forcing my other arm to touch my face, my fingers paraded my eyelids. They're soaked. Just then, veins filled the skin beneath my eyes and like it was an illusion, it went back in and my eyes are normal again.

I fell to the ground, finally feeling my lungs. I can breathe! Surprised by the encounter, I tried to understand what just happened. My fingers widened and her hair pin wasn't in my flesh anymore.

Could there be a blood bender in town? Or someone worse than me? For once I felt it. Fear and loss of will. I don't want to think about it but something tells me this is not the end. Something strange is roaming out there. I gulped, trying to fight my thoughts. A devil I might not be able to contend with....

If it's a living thing, how can this devil manipulate my body in strange ways when we've never met?

My throat is sore and I coughed out blood. Another sign that what happened to me was not just in my head. A thin line like a lightning bolt drew from my body to the crystal on the hair pin. Whoever I met years ago, or whatever this thing is, I need to find her and get answers. Why are my thoughts so foggy and why do I feel weak?

I leaned my head forward and saw shoe soles covered with black cloth. My eyelids closed and opened but when I looked again, no one was there. Hearing myself breathe, I let my mind go along with what my body needs. Rest. On the cold, hard, rocky path in the middle of nowhere. At least, that's what everyone thinks when they think of this path which leads to where I call home.