The Serpentine's Revenge

Chapter Twenty

I waited outside of my fence enclosure. I wore my mother’s gossamer dress, but add a few fabrics on it, creating the illusion of a train. I threw my hair up into a messy bun, with a few strands falling out. I looked decent enough to go share a meal with Thomas and his family. However beneath my beautiful complexion, I had weapons hidden everywhere. A sharp needle in my hair, a dagger in my corset, stocking, and skirts. I was rearranging my daggers, when Anya and Millard arrived.

I smiled. Anya was wearing a beautiful aquamarine dress which split at the thigh. Millard, was dress in a navy lapel jacket and high boots. “I see you got the message. Nice clothes.” I said.

Millard chuckled. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

Anya elbowed him. “Believe it. We are now the Arawyns.”

Millard scoffed loudly. “The Arawyns? That’s pathetic. We are the Frayards.” I raised my eyebrows. The two began to bicker on the surname of our family.

“Honestly you both are pathetic. We are not using any of our real family names. That means they can track us. We need a fake name.”

“What’s a good fake family name?”

I thought. I can’t use any of the ones I’ve used before, that’s so expectable. “Brooke.”

They both raised their eyebrows skeptically. “Brooke?” Asked Millard. I looked at him, as if to say Could you think of something better? He merely shrugged and agreed.

I raised the door knocker and let it fall onto the metal behind it. A maid opened the door.

“Can I help you?” She looked up and down at our fancy attire. “The ball is not to be held until next month.”

I smiled. “No, no. We were invited to dine with the Ryker family.” I said. She nodded and let us in. I was greeted by the familiar smell and sight.

“Azuria!” I turned and I saw Lord Ryker with his arms wide open. “So happy to see you again.”

I curtsied and Anya and Millard followed suit. “Good evening, sir. Let me introduce my siblings. This is my sister, Anya, and my brother Millard.”

“So good to meet you, sir.” Said Anya, a bit timidly than she normally would. “I would like to meet your son and daughter, I hear that they are quite the catch.”

Lord Ryker let out a low chuckle. “Of course.” He gestured behind him. “This is my son, Thomas, heir to the Ryker Estates; and my daughter, Elizabeth, but we call her Ellia.”

Thomas stepped forward and took Anya’s hand, and kissed her knuckles. “Nice to meet you, Anya.” Anya blushed, and eyed me, and nodded. As if she’s giving me her approval.

Thomas’s father gestured us into the dining room. It was beautifully sunlit, with a large window on the far end of the room. You could clearly see the sun that was falling quickly past the horizon. A glass chandelier hung above the granite table. “We have prepared a large feast in your honour.” Anya practically danced into the dining room and to her seat. Laughing at Anya’s cheerfulness, Millard and I followed in.

True to Lord Ryker’s word, a wonderful variety of food sat before us. Thomas pulled out a chair, and gestured for me to sit. Anya caught my eye, raised her eyebrows and nodded. As if to say He is a catch.

The dinner was splendid. Anya socialized very well, while on the other hand, Millard merely kept his head down. He almost tried to not be noticed. Anya tried to pull Thomas into talking about me, but he didn’t even notice the constant attempts. As the meal continued, more and more food came out onto the table, while I didn’t eat very much. I tried to, but I couldn’t stop thinking that something was wrong. I brushed away the thought, and attempted but failed, to enjoy the meal.

When it was all over, I stood up. “Thank you, Lord and Lady Ryker, as well as Thomas and Ellia for the wonderful meal. But I think it’s time for us to go.”

Suddenly, the window crashed open. Shards of glass rained down on us. A figure dressed in black landed onto the table. It looked like a woman. I heard Lady Ryker and Ellia scream.

“Go, Go, GO! Get out of here!” I yelled at them. Millard and Anya ran after the two Ryker ladies. The figure turned to Thomas. Completely disregarding Lord Ryker and myself. I looked to Thomas’ father expecting fear and terror in his eyes. I only saw approval. He wanted this. My eyes widened with fear. She was here to kill him. In her hand, held a silver hammer. This wasn’t an attack. It was an assassination. I’ve committed enough of them to know what it looks like.

She launched herself at Thomas, her arm winded backwards, ready to be released. Even for an assassin, she was slow. Her hammer was poised over Thomas’ head. She released her arm. The hammer smashed into the wall behind Thomas. He dodged right in time. But his head was just reeling back when she released her arm again. Thomas’ eyes widened as he noticed the oncoming blow.

“You are quite slow for an assassin.” My hand caught her wrist before the hammer reached his head. She gasped.

I turned to Lord Ryker. “Take your son out of here. He needs to be somewhere safe.” He opened his mouth to object, but closed it again. He grabbed Thomas and left the room.

I looked back at the girl. I ripped off her mask. She looked quite experienced, but not good enough. “Number one skill needed for an assassination: speed. Like this.” Before I could do anything, she grabbed my hand and twisted it around, banging me onto the table.

“Or like this?” She dropped her hammer, and took a shard of glass from the broken window. She brought the sharp edge down, and sliced open my skin. From my hairline, through my eyebrow, barely missing my eye. The blood trickled down the side of my face. I thrusted my fist upwards, and it connected to her throat. She groaned in pain, and I pushed her down onto the table. “Exactly. But rule number two: Never boast until you know for certain that you are victorious. You’re i***t for not knowing.” I grabbed her hammer, and slammed it into her head. I felt the skull crack beneath me, and the blood flowed freely from her ear and onto my hand. I backed up from the woman’s limp body, and my back hit the other wall.

I saw the rivers of blood stain my skin. Blood. My hand began to shake. Oh no, not now. They stood around me. Again, in the darkness of the room. I felt their staring eyes, and the room seem to close in on us. I saw my parents, but there was no smile on their faces. It was disappointment. You are the reason we are dead. Allura stood next to them. You are the reason Azuria and the Empires will suffer. They will all suffer because of you. Millard stood beside her. You gave me false hope. You gave everyone false hope. There is no hero in you. They raised their arms, knives in hand. You will be your own undoing.

“Azuria? Azuria!” I gasped as I snapped out of my trance. I took in shaky breaths. I looked around. Where am I? What happened? My breaths came in quicker, my heart pounded in my chest. I scrambled, trying to get to my feet, but my legs refused to work. “Calm down.” My eyes focused on the handsome face in front of me.

Thomas Ryker was squatted in front of me, cradling my face in his hands. “You’re okay. You’re okay.” He repeated over and over again. “You saved my life.” I managed a weak smile and nod. My unsteady breathing began to return to normal. Thomas smiled. He wrapped one arm beneath my knees, and the other around my waist. He hoisted me up, and carried me out of the dining room. My hands haven’t stopped shaking.

Anya rushed up to me, as Thomas set me down on my feet. I stumbled a bit, and continued to lean on Thomas’ strength. “My dear, dear sister. You’re injured! We must get to you to a healer.” Her eyes flicked between Thomas and myself. “Thomas, can you carry her?”

He nodded anxiously. I bounced against his chest as he carried me, through the forest and to Anya’s infirmary. He smelled of rain and fresh laundry. His arms strained underneath my weight, but he did not let go. Until we reached the infirmary.

Thomas set me down gently on the bed, and Anya got to work. She dabbed at the slice above my eyebrow, careful not to hurt me. It sent tingles of pain through my system. Thomas knelt by the bedside, brushing his thumb over the back of my hand.

“I didn’t know you were a healer, Anya.”

She shrugged. “I’m—uh— just an apprentice. My mentor is away for business, and she placed me in charge.” I chuckled to myself. I see my dishonesty was rubbing off on her. She took a needle and thread, and stitched me up. While she was doing so, I felt the warmth of her magik. She couldn’t very much show her magik to Thomas, stitching me up was a good cover. “All done.” She nodded at her good work.

“Thank you, Anya.”

She flashed a smile. “I’ll leave you two.” When she left, Thomas spoke.

“You saved me. Thank you so much.” I laughed. Everything he said was extremely cliché.

I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.” I looked away. Why did I save him? His father wanted him dead; why didn’t I just let the woman kill him? He brushed his fingers across my healing stitches.

“It is a big deal. Why though? You barely know me.”

I smiled. “I don’t know. I really don’t know. But if you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”

He nodded. “I can’t ask for a better guardian angel. I have an assassin watching over me.”

“You shouldn’t stay in your father’s household anymore. He wants you dead. Now more than ever. If he was willing to hire more than one assassin, he’s desperate.”

“I can’t leave my saviour.” He said jokingly.

I scoffed. “I am not your saviour. I’m far from a saviour. You know who I am. I’m The Assassin. I’ve done horrible things, without even thinking. I killed that woman.”

His face turned serious. I’ve never noticed his eyes were so beautifully brown. Like honey and copper. The golden flecks in his eyes, like a glass bottle of whiskey in sunlight. His face was littered in small freckles, some standing out more than others. “If you’re not a saviour, who are you?”

Who am I? Who I am in the world? “I don’t know yet.” He chuckled. I didn’t even smile.

When he noticed, he tipped my chin, to force my eyes to meet his. “Then, I’ll tell you. I see a broken young woman. Terribly cracked, as if it can never be repaired.”

I knocked my head from his grip, and tilted my head to the side. “Wow, thanks. Was that supposed to make me feel better?”

He laughed. “No. I wasn’t finished. It’s true that you are a broken young woman, but everyone is broken. Only some is more cracked than others. You are one of those.” I raised my eyebrows, expecting him to continue. “So, yes, you are broken. Even though you seem and feel broken beyond repair, you aren’t. You have so many beautiful qualities that are mending the cracks. You are brave, selfless, cunning, smart, and you would do anything for the ones you love.”

I shook my head. “I don’t love anyone.”

“What about your siblings? Millard? Anya?”

I shrugged. “Sure, I guess I care for them, but loving them? Love makes you too vulnerable. Without love, no one can hurt you.”

“True. But without love, you lose any meaning of why you are fighting. I fight everyday to stay with my father, despite the fact that he wants to kill me, to stay with Ellia. I love her, and she is my sister. That’s why I stay.”

I turned to face him. I never knew that about Thomas. He loved his family, even when it wasn’t the best. His dark upswept hair framed his face beautifully. I reached up, and ran my fingers through the strands.

I delighted in the hair slipping between my hand. “At least you have her. I don’t have anyone.” He opened his mouth to object, but I continued. “Yes, I have Millard and Anya. But when I see them with friends, I realized I have no one.” My voice broke.

I felt the tears well up at my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away. “Well, now you have me.” He said. My stomach somersaulted.

I straightened my back. “Thank you for bringing me here. But it’s time for us to part ways.” I stood up, and curtsied in what was left of my mother’s dress. It once beautiful dress was now in shreds, the bodice was covered with food and mud. “Good day, Thomas.”

When I left, I shook my head violently. Focus. Focus. Get what you need. Achieve what you want. I said to myself. I wasted too much time saving Thomas’ ass from his father. I need to finish was I wanted. I needed only one thing to do so.