Not All Heroes Are Guiltless

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Aela’ POV

The days lead to weeks, the weeks into months. Ethan seems to always have an idea on a new target to strike, so we keep moving forward. I was right when I said he was a natural born leader, and he’s got enough formal training to be able to be an officer if the Redland Army still existed. The band is becoming notorious, and more people are starting to join and show their support.

Silence became my nickname. Ethan calls me his muscle and never doubts my ability no matter what challenges he gives me. During his planning meetings, I stand next to him, never speaking or indicating my own opinion. Most of the time, the plans are pretty concrete, but I do adjust myself to ensure their success rate.

Last night’s mission, though, he sent me to distract a regiment while they snuck into their camp for supplies. However, Ethan and his men were betrayed, and all were captured. Ethan included.

Someone sold them out from our own band. His second-in-command is overwhelmed by everyone in the command tent, now planning the rescue of their commander and colleagues. No one is investigating who betrayed them and if they could possibly be able to set up a trap when they commit to a rescue mission. I don’t even enter the tent because all they are doing is arguing anyway. Nothing productive, and right now, time is in the essence to catch the betrayer and recover our allies.

The sun was low on the horizon when I reached the Hou Ndour encampment. I snuck into the regiments' makeshift prison and arrived at the location without a contest, but finding a way into the actual prison is more disheartening. I found the kitchen and viewed the girls delivering food to the guards.

I knocked out a girl and put on her uniform. I'm throwing my cloak into its spatial box so I can place it in my pocket. I'm tapping my pocket as I remember my mate and the marvelous gift of the cloak. It’s probably the greatest gift anyone has ever given me or will ever give me. I am truly grateful. The uniform is snug on my hips, and I have to find something to help boost my bosom up.

After a few adjustments with some extra rags in strategic places for a bit of additional service to the onlookers. I grab the tray for the prison guards and make my way towards the prison. It’s almost natural to act sweet and innocent while flirting with the guards as they open doors for me. I stop at a large metal door, and they send me into a large containment courtyard with a cage in the middle. There are guards standing on the wall with a catwalk on the other side of the door.

I put the food down on the table next to the cage for their breaks and strained with a bit of s****l taunting with my movement. I make sure to bend over just enough to give the guards a chance to admire my curves. The guards all start to paw at me and are excited they finally sent the new girl to visit them. I just grin and play along. Two of the four guards from the catwalk have come down to eat. So now, there are eight guards in total on the floor. Other than the two on the catwalk disabling these men, it should be easy.

I glance into the cage, and my eyes meet Ethan’s with lust lingering in them. He mouths princess, and I’m instantly irritable and hurt. He’s never looked at anyone like that even when girls wanted to sleep in his bed after our victories.

“Sweetie, he’s seeing the noose in the morning. Want something to look at? You can look here.” The guard flirts and places his hand on my cheek to turn my head towards him. But I glance back at Ethan and beam my white teeth smile fiendishly. His jaw drops and then seems to be mortified.

I turn back to the guard now holding me intimately, and I reach down for his sword and remove it, and in a fluid motion, I stab him in the gut and step away. The guard standing next to him is shocked and goes to defend his colleague, but I am already slicing his throat as he gurgles to his knees.

The third guard is quick to try to push me away from the table with the food and out to the open. I deflect his blow from him, and he finds his only direction is to be pushed into the fourth guard, who is nearly three times my size. The fourth guard rushes to me after he dodges the smaller man and positions his hands and world in a triangle above his head. He’s more than like to crush me flat, but I jump out of the way as the whistle of an arrow goes just above my nose.

Luckily, the arrow strikes the leg of the large man, and he curses at the archer on the wall for their missed attempt. The two on the wall have called out, and the alarm will be going off at any moment throughout the entire encampment. The rest of the men are now cautious of me and trying to corner me.

I concentrate on my wards around me and then let my wolf use her abilities. She’s able to easily dash behind one of them and slit his throat without them recognizing where I had moved. She follows suit with the rest of the men on the floor. The two on the catwalk are now down because they couldn’t get a good target on me. They are lightweights and slower than me by a fair amount. They fall with a slight thump. I return to the large man and plunge the first guard’s sword into his heart.

I hurry to the cage and can easily break the lock with just a little effort. Gratefully, the men weren’t shackled, and they rushed out to loot the deceased guards. A few of them kick them for good measure.

Several men start to snack on the food, and Ethan urges them to make haste. He turns to me and pulls me by my waist, “Silence?”

My grin is evident through my wide mouth and wide eyes. I nod my head enthusiastically. The men are now all staring at me with their own wide eyes. But Ethan just rolls his eyes at me, “This is a trap. They want all of us.”

“Well, good thing they are all back at camp fighting. If we take the tunnel north, there is a clear path to the forest. We kill the betrayers and move to our next location.” I say, trying to ignore how he’s bringing me closer to his body. The movement is the same as Andy and my mate would do to me. But this was unwanted and unnatural. I shift uncomfortable from Ethan’s embrace.

Ethan turns away from me and lets me go. He calls out his orders, and we proceed through hiding in dark areas when there are guards rushing to call out about the prisoner escape. We took out a few patrollers in our attempt to leave the regiment grounds.

We reach a bridge and the sounds of the calvary are coming closer. I urge Ethan to go ahead with a flirtatious smile. But he refuses to go. He’s so filled with concern that I almost want to laugh at his fear, “Silence, I’ll stay and help.”

“Ethan, save your men. Kill the betrayers. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Now hurry.” I say, trying to count heads on the calvary.

He rushes across the bridge, and I can feel his eyes on me still with worry. His men urge him into the tree line so they can hide and reach back to camp. He’s doing what he needs to do.