The Courtesan

Chapter 78

Third Person POV

The holy city Rhonda was one of the most secure places in Zerramond, second only to the capital. There were guards everywhere and watchtowers. It almost qualified as a fortified city.

Even with those layers of security, this particular assassin slipped in, quite easily too. Like a blur, she jumped across the roofs, barely making a sound as she landed and took off. Her whole body was covered with the exception of her eyes. They were sharp and focused on her destination.

The Saintess lived in a secure location that was further from the cathedral in Rhonda. Most people assumed she lived in the cathedral and many of her assassination attempts were foiled like that.

She slipped into a nondescript building through the window. Immediately she got in, she was attacked by one of the church’s secret guards. Her scoff went unheard as she dispatched him in less than a second. The church wasn’t supposed to be keeping secret guards unreported to the palace.

Kalvin was right. They are considering treason.

With this thought in mind, her attacks become even more vicious. Her hands moved like blurs, taking out every enemy she encountered. In a few seconds, the corridor was filled with bodies that had died soundlessly and without a stain. Flexing her fingers, she continued on.

Susanne always had the innate wish to defeat Kalvin. He was annoying, funny but ultimately infuriating. She loved him yet she hated him. When he unleashed the full extent of his strength, she felt frightened. She didn’t know but those hurtful words came out of her mouth.

He’s a monster.

He really was, tearing through human beings like they were paper. He was a hair breath away from taking her life too. One look from him froze every cell in her body. However, he stopped, collapsing and losing consciousness.

He couldn’t control it, she knew that much. She also knew he was suffering. He was overwhelmed by the guilt of killing men of his own army. He also suffered when he lost his mind and claimed the lives of countless enemies.

So, she became an assassin so she could help him. When nobody else could stop him, she would be the one to. She trained for several years until she became one with the craft. Still, it wasn’t enough. The second time he set those predatory eyes on her, she was frozen once more.

She trained more and more everyday. Taking out opponents that couldn’t measure up to even his fingers was too easy. She made her way to the depths of the ‘inconspicuous’ house and found a reinforced door.

Keeping her dagger by her side, she aligned all the fingers on her right hand and thrust it at the door. It was straight in like she was cutting through butter. She did it over and over again with one hand until she created a hole for herself. She slipped through it and found herself in a room.

Hiding at the corner of the room was the saintess she sought. Susanne’s stare held a bit of contempt.

“You looked so high and mighty when I saw you. Now, you’re nothing more than a shivering rat. How unsightly.”

“If you kill me, you’ll incur the wrath of Zerus!”

“How convenient then. It so happens that I don’t believe in Zerus.”

Unplugging the dagger at her side, she threw it at the Saintess. The latter screamed and fell to the ground. The dagger hit the wall beside her. Susanne walked up to her and pulled out the tiny silver pin embedded in her head.

“As much as I wish to squash you like the bug you are, I will leave that up to your god. I wish you the most restless sleep, saintess.”

Susanne walked out and slaughtered everyone in her path expressionlessly. She walked out of the house confidently, going up to the cathedral. She killed a few guards here and there before finally returning to her rest point.

The very next day, the church was in turmoil. The corpses that littered the environs of the saintess’s home and the cathedral were killed so perfectly, it was frightening. The Archbishop left in charge of the church at Rhonda was frightened and furious but there was barely anyone to scream at since most of the guards were dead.

“Who could’ve done this… How could this happen?” the saintess trembled. All the upper echelons of the church were gathered in their now compromised secure location. There was the Archbishop, the Saintess and the two senior deacons.

“They have desecrated the house of Zerus! They must pay!” one of the senior deacons, a stout man, yelled with his fist in the air.

“Shut up you. Look at what has happened. Who else can be skilled enough to carry this out except the secret forces of the palace?” the second deacon said in a stern voice. All of them went quiet and thought.

“Has the pope been contacted?” the saintess asked.

“We sent word as soon as we could,” the archbishop replied.

“Then we wait. We have to cover this up properly and request more protection from the main cathedral.”

“Saintess!! Saintess!!”

A man ran into the inner chamber which never would’ve been allowed normally. Everyone had frowns on their face as they waited for him to catch his breath and speak.

“We received word from the main cathedral. The pope was also attacked!”

“What?! How?!” they screamed, jumping to their feet. Fear finally washed over them, seeing how they was no help coming soon.

“It’s the palace. They have come to cull us. They want to kill us all,” the saintess trembling voice struck even more fear into them.

“This is blasphemy. How dare they rebel against Zerus after he had been so merciful to them? No, Zerus will avenge us! Saintess! You’re the pillar of Rhonda. You mustn’t lose heart!”

The Archbishop’s words were moving. He held on to her hand and looked at her with fervent eyes.

“We will pray. We must believe in Zerus to take us through these trying times.”

It took a long while but the church finally got its bearings. However hard it tried, there was no way they could cover up the fact that they were attacked. So, they twisted the story and turned it into a testimony. The worshippers were glad their saintess and pope were safe.

In a small gazebo in the palace, Kalvin sat, drinking tea with Susanne. She looked unbothered but he could tell she was worried.

“What is it Susanne?”

“I already did what you asked. How are you going to make sure we don’t have a rebellion on our hands?”

“I have a plan, don’t worry.”

“Even if you say that, I am still worried. You never liked the church but you never tried to stop them either. What is motivating you to do such things?”

“I’ve always had it in mind but you can say someone pushed me.”

“... Is it the person you’re seeing?”

“Perhaps.”

“There you go again, being a fool for love. Honestly, I wish I could beat senses into you.”

“You are more than free to try.”

They both picked their cups up and drank the rest of their tea. Kalvin refilled for both of them and they stared at the garden while it cooled.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

“You can die for all I care.”

“The love and affection you have for me is really showing.”

“Shut up.”

Kalvin laughed, sipping his tea. Susanne savored moments like this. She only prayed this wouldn’t be the last time they did something like this calmly. She knew that this was only the calm before the storm.