The King's Traitor

Chapter 7 - Black Eyes

    I walked up to the door and leaned forward to push it open just as it swung open from the outside. I stumbled forward with a gasp, and felt a pair of hands catch me before I fell. 

    "I'm so sorry!" I said, steadying myself by putting a hand on the man's muscular chest. He was wearing a black button down with a open black blazer. His theme seemed to be black, as he was also wearing black ripped jeans and black lace up boots. I glanced up to thank him and froze, my whole body going icy. I was looking into a familiar pair of black soulless eyes. The same eyes I had been hoping to never see again. It was Black Eyes.

    "Hello Huntress. Long time no see"  he crooned looking me over with a smirk on his face. All I could do was stare my nails digging into his arms. I felt fear, a terror so deep that I'd never known before. His black eyes were chilling me from the inside out. A man that could kill me right here right now if he wanted. And I wouldn't fight back. I couldn't fight back. I couldn't even physically make myself move! It was like something, some force was keeping me rooted to that exact spot. Staring into the soulless, unfeeling black eyes that scared the absolute s**t out of me.

    "Kira?" I heard a voice murmur. Whatever that voice was it snapped me out of my stupor. It was Keirstan, I realized in that moment. These men could hunt me down and chase me to the ends of the earth, but I sure as hell weren't going to let them touch a hair on my sister's head. So I did the only thing I could think of in that moment. I ripped my arm from his icy hands and elbowed him right in the face. He reeled back swearing as his compadres lunged for him steadying him. I just reached for Keirstan, grabbed her, and yanked her out the door yelling "Run!". 

    As soon as I got outside I immediately dragged Keirstan down a side alley. I'd done some observing on the alleyways and entrances to this place for the last couple of days. It was around midnight, and I still had the perfect route to our escape in my mind. Keirstan was panting, most likely from fear, behind me. I kept one hand on her wrist to ensure we wouldn't be separated. 

    "Call Isaac" I panted to her as we kept running. For once in our lives my little sister didn't question me. She took her phone out and used voice recognition to make it dial Isaac. We kept on running I needed to get her to a safe place. Somewhere where I could lead these men far away from her. 

    I knew that night, that if it weren't for my reflexes I wouldn't have made it as far as I did. Because I sure as hell wasn't expecting Pinkie to lung out of an empty alley hands reaching out for me. Keirstan screamed and I could hear Isaac freaking out, but it that moment, it was just me and Pinkie. Pinkie and I, and Pinkie need to learn that I was the High Huntress and f*****g with me wasn't going to end well. I whirled around and delivered and roundhouse kick to his face causing him to go sprawling. I was impressed I didn't actually think I'd be able to pull that off in my heels. 

    I grabbed the phone from Keirstan's hands and again we took off sprinting. This time to the west side of the city. I knew now that I had no chance of making it to the Diamond Palace and I knew I wouldn't be able to fight and win with Keirstan in the way. I could only hope that maybe I could lose them long enough to find out if Joshua was back in the city. He might be my only chance now, and man was he going to kill me when he figured out what was happening. 

    "Hey Issaaaaccc" I said as cheerfully as possible. He just grunted and I could tell he was very pissed. 

    "Listen to me right now I can't talk, but I need you to come pick up Keirstan somewhere" I said panting as I was really getting tired of running. 

    "What the f**k is going on!" He snarled into the phone. I was really getting tired of men acting all superior at the moment. 

    "I just said don't f*****g question me! You're going to march your happy ass down to LaPera's and pick up you girlfriend!!" I snarled right back, making sure to keep my eyes on the shadowy alleyways, and the people who stared at us with utmost curiosity.

    "Why the hell are you guys at a brothel!?" He said in disgust. I just sighed inwardly.

    "No questions if you care about Keirstan you'll be there in 10 mintues" I said clicking the phone off before he could give me another snarky reply. 

    I slammed my feet to a stop and pulled Keirstan along with me. We had come to a stop in front of a fancy building with gauzy curtains, and the place itself reeked of opium. This was Madame LaPera's Brothel, and an illegal opium den, but we don't talk about that. This place was a Demon hot spot so we let her activities continue for the sake of catching them. Keirstan looked horrified as I drug her right through the front door.

    The smell of opium and bodies assaulted my senses, as did the interior awash in gauzy pink and purple fabrics. Each of the rooms was sectioned off so you couldn't see what was going on inside, but that didn't mean a ton didn't occur out in the open either. I just searched the crowd as Keirstan stood there with an ashy face. Finally I located who I was looking for. 

    Dragging Keirstan along with me I walked up to a women seated on a plush velvet chair. She looked to be in her early thirties with a sable skin tone, chocolate hair, and light brown eyes. She wore a low cut red dress that didn't leave much to the imagination. She was smoking a rolled joint of her opium and a scowl crossed her face when she saw me. This was Valeria LaPera, the Madame of this establishment.  

    "Kira Hathoway" She purred with a heavy southern accent. The accent coming from the Southern regions of Dorlonia. It sounded a bit like a spanish accent. 

    "Madame" I said as neutrally as possible. I crossed my arms over her chest staring her down. I didn't care for her, but I knew she might be the only one who could help me in this situation. 

    "Well, well, well, if it isn't my precious little private investigator" She said. I knew she liked to play games, and when she blew a puff of smoke in Keirstan's face, which caused her to start coughing, I knew I'd have to control my temper. 

    "I need a favor" I managed to grit out. She only started laughing, and I figured it was probably because she was higher than a kite. Then again, she was always higher than a kite. 

    "And just why should I help you?" She crooned. Keirstan stood there awkwardly, and I kept waiting for those Demons to stroll through the door to this fine establishment. 

    "I've cleaned out a many Demons from this establishment. You f*****g owe me" I said getting up close and personal to her for this. She sighed running a hand through her lose and shiny chocolaty hair.

    "What do you want?" She practically growled this. Well hey I wish I could tell her this hatred was mutual. I just slammed a bag of Astefanian gold down on the table letting some of it spill out of the drawstrings. She froze and slowly reached for it. I knew how to bribe her. This was at least how much her brothel made in a year, and this was just a month's salary for me. 

    "Ah ah ah" I said slapping her hand away. She just studied me coldly going back to her joint. 

    "A private room for my sister to wait for her husband," Keirstan stiffened, but in a place like this it was best to say you were married, "and no one shall disturb her." I finished keeping one hand on the gold. 

    "Of course, of course!" She exclaimed gesturing frantically for the bag. I just handed it to Keirstan and watched as Valeria LaPera froze with a hateful glare. 

    "If you hold up your end of the bargain Keirstan will give this to you upon her departure." I said nonchalantly with a smirk on my face. 

    "Swear it!" LaPera snarled obviously fed up with me. 

    "I, Kira Brianne Hathoway, swear that all I have promised tonight is valid as long as you keep yours" I droned finishing with a dramatic eyeroll. 

    LaPera just nodded and said "Follow me, and you wait here Kira I have a bone to pick with you". 

    I couldn't wait long so I draped myself onto the velvet chair that LaPera called her own. I tried to look calm while instead my eyes kept flicking towards the exits, entrances, and windows to this place.

    "In all my time knowing you I have never seen you fear the unknown" I jumped startled as my eyes locked on LaPera standing with some fabric gathered in her hands. 

    "Who said I was fearing the unknown?" I questioned trying to keep my voice from shaking. 

    "I can see it in your eyes." She said with a grimace.

    "You looked around as if someone, or something," She said with a shiver, "is hunting you."

    "You looked at your sister with love, as if it is the last time you will see her." She just went on. 

    "You finger the weaponry hiding in your corset" I froze looking at her with a glare. She just laughed "I know you well by now Ms. Hathoway."

    "A storm is coming," She said looking towards the door with a scowl, "and as I much as I may hate you. I can't let myself die knowing I played a part in a woman who aided me's downfall." I gulped as she threw the bundle in to my lap.

    I let a small smile grace my lips as I took in the black cloak, and boots to replace my heels. I quickly threw them both on, and examined the knives she also gave me. She handed over her phone and I immediately understood what she wanted. It was for if I needed to make a call. I quickly dialed the only number I could think of at the moment. 

    "Hello?" a familiar voice intoned, and I almost cried in relief at the sound.

    "Josh" I whispered my voice hoarse and quiet at the moment. I felt the line go silent for a minute, and I knew he was taking in my tone of voice just then. 

    "What happened?" He asked almost too gently. I just took in a shaky breath.

    "I f****d up Josh" I said not knowing what else to say.     

    "Kira I'm about an hour out from the slums. Just tell me what happened?" I breathed a sigh of relief when he said he was only an hour away. 

    "Ok so I went to that tavern. Ya know?" I then proceeded to tell him all that had happened in the tavern. 

    "Kira get back to the Diamond Palace", he said a confusing tightness to his tone, "I'll call Astefan, and have him put extra guards on the gate." 

    "I don't know what I would do without you" I said softly. This was probably about the closet to intimacy with him I had ever gotten. 

    "Just stay alive Kir. I'm coming" with that sentence the line went dead. I took in a shaky breath to compose myself as I handed the phone back to Valeria. Just then the door to the tavern swung open and, just to my luck, Pinkie and Navy walked in. I had only see a bit of Navy back at the warehouse, but this was obviously him. I watched as Navy's eyes met mine and he nudged Pinkie who looked over to me. I knew at this point I was breathing frantically and my face was probably ashen.     

    "Thank you. For everything." I said to LaPera. I truly meant it as I whirled and ran for the back door. Valeria watching me with a look of shock. I only took off in a dead sprint once I was outside, and home free for the Diamond Palace. 

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    I was panting. My lungs were burning. I had been running for too damn long. I was so so close. I could see the front gates of the Diamond Palace. I hadn't heard a whisper of my pursuers since Navy and Pinkie in the brothel. I kept praying to the gods that I had lost them. Praying to the gods that Joshua had gotten word to Astefan. I prayed that the gods had some luck for me tonight. Luck to spare on the unluckiest night of the year, but of course the gods apparently didn't have any luck to spare. 

    I screamed stumbling to a halt when Pinkie appeared with a gust of wind not even 2 feet in front of me. Several guards from the gates were sprinting towards us, but I doubt they would make it it time. He just studied me with a sadistic grin on his face.

    "End of the line" He crooned as a flash of blue occurred momentarily blinding me. When I opened my eyes Pinkie was flanked on his left by Navy and Jayce, and on his right were Green Bean and Black Eyes. Five Demons, oh gods I didn't stand a chance. I brandished my knives as they spread out in a loose circle each about 10 feet away from me. Any one of them could lunge and finish this in a heartbeat. I couldn't keep track of all five of them at once. Plus I only knew what Navy, and maybe Pinkie, could do. Navy could teleport, and I think that Pinkie could perhaps run super fast. Green Bean, Black Eyes, and Jayce....I had no idea what I was up against. 

    "Well I have to admit you gave us quite the chase Huntress." Black Eyes said nonchalantly, almost studying me as he dragged his gaze from my head to my feet. I swallowed my disgust remembering the warehouse just a few weeks ago. 

    "So," he said gazing at me with a smirk, "we can do this the easy way or the hard way"

    "Do what?" I managed to choke out. He just shook his head slightly. 

    "Don't play dumb with me Sweetheart. I know you remember what I told you in that warehouse." He said looking at me with a foreign gaze. 

    "If I didn't put up a fight I'd be returning with you" I spat out, not daring to shift out of my fighting stance. 

    "Well normally," He said daring to take a step closer, to which I shifted backwards, "I'd consider that good of a chase a fair fight, but today I don't really feel like returning home empty handed".

    I felt my blood ice over and I studied him. Trying to pick out weaknesses, and honestly, I wasn't really finding anything useful. I heard a shout as about 10 Elite Guards came within a hundred yards of us. I breathed a sigh of relief at least now I stood a bit of a chance against these five. I only felt sick once again when Black Eyes took a step towards them. 

    "What a waste" he murmured softly and with a sigh he flicked his right wrist towards them. I watched as they disappeared from view, and where they stood before an impenetrable darkness, a wall of black shadow. I felt sick as something in my head murmured Not right, not right! He dropped his wrist and the shadows dissipated revealing a horrifying sight. 10 dead men, all suffocated, in less than 15 seconds. I felt like throwing up I knew I was dead.     

    "Then get it over with. Just kill me!" I screamed. I was ready, so ready, for this stupid game to be over with. I didn't want to be toyed with and let Black Eyes just turned towards me with angry eyes. 

    "He isn't going to kill you. You should get that through your head" a man said, Jayce, I realized. His voice was calm almost soothing. I kept a grip on my knives, my last grip on reality. I turned studying Jayce maybe making a fatal mistake. I hadn't taken poor lonely Green Bean as a threat, but in reality he was. I flinched as I felt a pair of icy hands on my neck. I suddenly felt very drowsy. I just....needed...a nap. I tried to fight it and stay on my feet, but in the end I slumped to my knees, and everything went black. 

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Black Eye's POV

    I studied the brunette as my brother picked her up. We would all be heading back to the manor soon enough, and I knew his wife Emilya would murder us when she saw the girl, Kira, I think her name was. Emilya was tired of us bringing girls home, and honestly I couldn't blame her. Perhaps she would understand once my twin got a chance to explain it. 

    "You ready?" My best friend, and one of my closest advisor's, Jayce intoned as he walked up to me. I thought in my head that something wasn't complete yet. The shadows beckoned, begging me to take notice of something, and when I did a sadistic grin spread across my face. 

    "Have Laur take them all back and tell him to come pick me up" I said making my way closer to the gates. 

    "What're you going to do?" Jayce said studying me with a confused look. 

    I just chuckled slightly before answering "Send a message". 

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    Jayce and the others had left with the girl earlier. I hadn't got a chance to hear the other's thoughts on her, but in the end it was only my choice that mattered. Plus as of now it was illegal for any of them to touch her. Not that they would betray me like that anyways. When it came to humans they seemed to find pleasure and glory in betraying each other. While Demons, we stuck together until the very end. 

    I walked right up to the gate grinning as I saw exactly what I had been hoping for. I took in a deep breath before addressing the security camera in front of me.  

    "Hello Alexander Astefan. I know you're listening right now. I know you saw what I just did to your precious little High Huntress. Maybe you should think again before sending any more of your so called Elite Soldiers after the members of our monarchy. Contrary to what you might believe you don't stand a chance. You're just a coward who sits on that golden throne and lets lackeys do your dirty work for you. Not that I'm sure you haven't done any dirty work yourself. Someday you'll no longer sit upon that throne, and this is just the beginning. Your Huntress belongs to me now. I wonder how long it will take me to break her? How long it will take me to make her into a traitor? To turn her against the man she calls a King? For her to learn the truth? Fabricate this video all you want, but I have one of the most influential people in Dorlonia in my grasp now. And in my time observing I've learned how much humans love to betray each other." I took a deep breath trying to compose myself for what I was about to do next. Something I had vowed to never do.

    "My name is Lyrion Morei, and I'm done hiding. I have your High Huntress, and I'm coming for you next Alexander Astefan."