CHAPTER 005
1016 Words
Since Leonie had arrived, the Eisenclaw estate had felt different. Not just with regards to tension due to housing an unknown entity—there was also something else, something he couldn't quite identify. Elias knew instincts told him there must be more to Leonie than meets the eye; yet instinct alone wasn't sufficient evidence.
Just when he had begun putting Leonie together, her knight turned on him. A shift in the air, an unease he could sense even before hearing any hint of movement outside the walls.
Elias rose from his seat with an involuntary shudder as the scent of blood drifted in through cracks in his grand windows, initially faint but gradually becoming stronger despite not yet being within the estate's walls. But still close.
Johann entered without knocking, his expression dark. He knew who had come into the Eisenclaw estate tonight—either recklessly or with frightening skill; his instinct told him so. John immediately thought of Leonie.
"Where?" Elias was already moving before Johann could reply, his boots clacking against the marble floor with purpose. Johann confirmed, keeping pace behind Elias: She was still in her quarters, but we don't know how many infiltrators had entered.
"We'll find out." As soon as they reached the main hall, Elias noticed a flicker of shadow darting across the balcony above them. Without hesitation he grabbed for one of the nearby sconces, unscrewed its iron torch from its mount, and unleashed it—hitting its intended target with a deafening c***k, resulting in its release down onto the lower floor with no sound but that of impact alone.
Elias was familiar enough with death to recognize these professionals as trained killers. That meant one thing—whoever had sent them was determined to kill Leonie rather than just capture her, so time wasn't on his side. He couldn't afford any delays.
Elias entered Leonie's room, the only light emanating from outside being cast by moonlight through her window. When he opened it, his first observation was that Leonie was awake—standing and waiting, her golden eyes fixed upon him with something unknowable—neither fear nor relief; just something else altogether.
"Stay back," he instructed her as he scanned the room for threats. Nothing yet indicated they would arrive.
She did not move; "they're here for me."
This much was already understood; what was unclear to him was why. A creak.
Elias was startled awake by the flash of metal in the darkness. Elias instinctively responded and moved before he could think, throwing himself forward at Leonie's throat just as an assassin leapt forward from hiding to strike at Leonie with deadly efficiency. Elias caught their wrist before the blade connected, twisting hard enough that bone snapped under pressure, snapping with such force that bones snapped back. A strangled grunt was heard before an assassin staggered away only to be replaced by another assassin in no time at all.
Elias was quickly surprised. Before he could register the movement, the second attacker's dagger came threateningly close to his ribs. Shifting slightly allowed his wolf strength to take over, and Elias locked onto their throat with one hand before smashing them against the wall so hard it cracked the plaster.
Leonie did not run away. Instead, she stepped into his space, throwing him off guard with her twist of body and sharp elbow to the ribs—enough to knock him back just enough that Leonie escaped safely.
Elias had finally accomplished what he had set out to do; by the time the last body fell, the room reeked with bloody scent. With his hands covered in gore and his chest heaving from exertion, he turned towards Leonie to ask some questions before the dying assassin spoke a shocking remark: "She needs dead..."
Elias crouched beside him, gripping tighter on his collar. "Who?" A weak, bloody smile appeared; Leonie did not move a muscle when Elias spoke her name. Elias tightened his grip further still: "Who sent you?"
Leonie spoke up quietly and calmly. Now you see," she urged him. And so it happened. The assassin was dead before he could reply. [Silence.] Leonie spoke again with firm but clear language: [Now you see.]. Assumedly he did indeed see.
But that changed everything.
At first, more bodies were discovered wandering the corridors; most had been collected by guards; however, several had managed to escape and still lay there, becoming a problem later. But in the present, Leonie stood before him with her eyes wide shut, staring like she already understood what he had in mind for them both. "You knew they were coming." Initially she exhaled. "I suspected."
"Why did you not mention it?" He was annoyed, as though they wouldn't believe me had I mentioned it earlier.
He hated that she was right. Elias ran his hand through his hair before turning around to look properly at her. She seemed calm enough despite having dealt with this kind of attack before. That meant history that someone else wanted erased.
When Elias asked who these people were, she hesitated, not out of fear but calculation.
"Leonie." Something flashed across her face—too fast to name. He took another step closer, lowering his voice. A flash crossed Leonie's face too quickly for identification; before she could answer him, she was gone again. When Leonie denied being her enemy, he tightened his jaw further: "Whoever wants you dead won't stop."
"I do." She gazed back, searching for cracks in that seemingly impenetrable expression—but none existed—just a steady gaze that told him this was only the start. For both of them.
By morning, the estate had changed drastically: still quiet but no longer safe.
Elias stood on his balcony overlooking the grounds, watching as the sun rose over bloodstained stone. Johann joined him, her arms crossed. "They won't stop," Johann stated.
"I know." Johann exhaled and suggested, "You should send her away."
Elias did not respond immediately, as one thing was certain: Johann wouldn't leave Elias alone any longer.
Leonie wasn't ready to leave.
- Writer
