Frozen in Time

Count Down to the Kill

I looked up at Andrea. “I’m going to need a small group to complete this contract. Do you have trusted members who could help?”

Andrea lifted a hand to her face, pressing her fingers against her temple as if trying to squeeze an answer from the very air. After a moment, she sighed and replied, “None come to mind immediately, but I’ll look around and see if I can find a few people to assist you.” Her voice was steady but tinged with the weight of responsibility. “It’s not easy these days to find reliable folk, especially for something this big.”

That gave me plenty of time to scout the surrounding areas thoroughly, letting my imagination run wild with all the ways I could end Lord Duncan’s life. Each possibility was a thread I pulled and wove into a tapestry of dark plans. I scribbled furiously into a small leather notebook, its worn pages soon filled with sketches, notes, and diagrams—traps laid in shadowy woods, silent kills in moonlit villages, distractions to scatter the lord’s guards. This notebook was my secret map, a collection of deadly thoughts to share with whoever Andrea would find to join us.

While Andrea gathered and interviewed potential members, I sent Tanner out on a mission to uncover how many days Lord Duncan would spend crossing the village of Crims. Tanner was one of the rare few who could slip unseen through crowds and shadow-step without a sound. It took him three days to gather the necessary intel on the noble’s travel plans—tracking servants, bribing informants, piecing together whispered rumors.

When he finally returned, I was perched in a gnarled tree near the outskirts of the village, lazily eating lunch and enjoying the sway of branches beneath me. “Welcome back. What news do you bring?” I asked without looking down.

Tanner smiled, the kind that promised secrets, as he shadow-stepped onto the branch beside me with the grace of a cat. He grabbed a slice of fruit from my basket and bit into it. “You have ten days until he arrives.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And the path he’s taking?”

Tanner nodded toward the tree branch I sat on. “You’re sitting right on it.”

I laughed aloud, the sound carried on the crisp afternoon breeze. “Well, that makes it easy to find.”

I climbed down, leaving the rest of my lunch for Tanner so I could focus on planning and checking on Andrea. The woods were quiet, but my mind was racing, already calculating vantage points and escape routes.

When I arrived at the Order’s hidden chamber, Andrea was shuffling through piles of parchment with a frown that told me the search was not going well. “How’s the search coming?” I asked.

She looked up, shooting me a glare sharp enough to cut through steel. “I’ll take that as ‘not very well,’ huh?”

“There have been many applicants,” she said with a dry laugh, “but most are—” she rolled her eyes, “—dumb.”

I smiled softly, understanding her frustration. “I’ll leave you to it then.” I gave her a quick, sisterly hug before turning away.

The thoughts swirling in my head sent electric anticipation rippling across my skin. Freedom was within my grasp. Each day I played through every possible scenario in my mind—how to strike, how to cover, how to vanish. Andrea was busy, so I let her be until three days before the strike.

Three Nights Before the Event

I arrived early at the Order to ensure I was there before the others. Andrea had already prepared tea for us as we waited for the members to arrive. Because these recruits weren’t high-ranking, we moved to the bar ten minutes before the meeting time—an informal place where the air buzzed with whispered rumors and clinking mugs.

The first to enter was a small, petite woman with sharp eyes that flickered with cunning. I never would have guessed this little devil could cause such destruction. Andrea flagged her down as she entered and seated her at the table. The woman’s face was disinterested—as if she had better things to do. I kept silent until the others arrived and Andrea began the introductions.

Soon after, Andrea returned dragging an over-muscled man with twin blades strapped to his back and a shirt two sizes too small, stretched tight over a torso that looked like it could cleave stone. She seated him in another empty chair and then took her own seat.

“Now that we’re all here, let’s proceed,” Andrea said brightly. “But first, introductions. You know me, so I leave it to the three of you to say who you are and what you specialize in.”

With a graceful flick of her hand, a fresh pot of tea appeared in the center of the table along with filled cups for each of us. Andrea sipped quietly, waiting for someone to break the silence.

“Well, since I’m the one who asked Andrea to find help for this contract, I’ll go first,” I said, nodding at Andrea who smiled in approval at my initiative—a rare thing for me. “I’m Valerie, but you can call me Val. I specialize in assassinations.”

“I’m Thorn,” said the petite woman, her tone snarky and unapologetic. “I like poisons. And arrows.” She smirked, eyes darting around like she was daring anyone to challenge her.

Girl, you don’t own the world, I thought but kept the it to myself.

“I’m Tank,” said the man, glaring at Thorn like a father does to their misbehaving child. “I specialize in swords. More specifically, twin blades.”

Despite their introductions, both Thorn and Tank made my skin crawl. My gut screamed distrust, but my mind reminded me Andrea hand-picked them. I wouldn’t betray Andrea—not this time. She deserved freedom as much as I did, and nothing would stop me from taking it.

We sipped our tea in tense silence, the steam swirling between us like a fragile truce.

The Night Before the Event

For the past three days, Thorn, Tank, Andrea, and I hashed out our plan—deciding the best place to strike along Lord Duncan’s route. We mapped the winding roads in the village of Crims, marking vantage points, ambush sites, and escape paths with ink and charcoal. We assigned positions and targets, but the lord’s kill was mine. It surprised me how easily they ceded that to me, further fueling my suspicion. But now was no time to dwell on doubts.

That night, I lay in bed, the cool night air drifting across my bare skin as thoughts galloped wildly through my mind. My muscles ached with anticipation and tension alike. I kept picturing the noble’s blood spilling beneath my blade, the vivid red a sharp contrast to the dark velvet of the night. The sweeter that thought became, the more my body responded—my budding rose weeping nectar beneath my fingertips.

The air brushed over my n*****s, sending sparks through me. I traced gentle circles and flicks on my secret cave, exploring the soft velvet petals and finding a hidden treasure within their folds.

A faint shuffle outside my window caught my attention, but I ignored it. Tanner was watching, and that knowledge only heated me further. His eyes might be unseen, but his presence was felt deep inside me. I moved one hand to my breasts, tugging and stroking while the other continued its search for that sweet spot—the spot that set off my greatest pleasure.

Slowly, I rubbed like a pirate digging for buried treasure, faster and faster. Waves of ecstasy crashed through me, forcing shudders of release that left me trembling and breathless.

Finally, spent and sated, I drifted into sleep with a smile, knowing tomorrow would change everything.