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“No, please, after you. I get anxious if I don't know what’s in front of me,” I responded in a meek voice I was unfamiliar with. “Sometimes the dark can scare me.” All lies, but with him in front of me it would be easier to attack him from behind.
He chuckled. “Of course, anything to help you feel. . .” He paused. “Comfortable.”
I was anything but comfortable with this man, but I followed him up the many wooden steps of the spiral staircase. I took the final steps onto the second floor, finding myself in an L-shaped hallway that was somehow even more dimly lit than the floor below. The hallway directly in front of us was decently narrow, with six doors on each side. The hallway to my right led to what I assumed to be more rooms on the opposite end of the upper floor.
The floorboards creaked under our feet as I let the man lead me down the first hall, his sweaty hand gripping my wrist. He checked the knobs on the doors, looking for one that was unlocked. As his fingers wrapped around the knob of the fifth door on the left side of the hall, I heard a click and then a small sigh of relief from the man as he twisted it and opened the door to reveal an empty room.
He led me inside, placing his hand on the small of my back as he ushered me through the door. His mistake was turning away from me to lock the door, and I struck.
I placed my hands on either side of his temples, allowing my Golden blood to hum through my fingertips. The sensation felt similar to when I leave my legs propped up on a pillow, and they tingle from the loss of blood. My craft stole the oxygen flowing to his brain to render him unconscious, but not dead. Though I was the king's personal assassin, I never allowed for unnecessary deaths, even if this man was a disgusting creep. There was no way to know for sure if he was a part of the Red Bones, so I couldn’t justify his death.
His body went limp in my arms, and I silently thanked Miles for forcing me to train my upper body as I dragged him away from the door and to the large bed in the middle of the rather small bedroom. I lifted him up and over the bed, positioning him on his side, facing away from the door, praying that if anyone walked in they would think that he was just sleeping. I took a quick glance around the room, preparing myself for the possible meeting space the Red Bones were in. There were white bare walls and a window that could definitely come in handy if needed. A deep emerald green settee was placed at the foot of the bed and a fireplace sat in the corner, holding maybe a dozen books on its mantle. There was no closet or desk, and the rest of the room was bare, making me gather that people didn’t use this room for long periods of time.
I opened the door and peeked into the hall, making sure that there weren’t any new clients being brought upstairs. The halls were empty, so I exited the room and quietly closed the door behind me. I went room to room, pressing my ear against each door and straining to hear voices or words that could resemble the Red Bones. What I mostly heard were sounds that I wish I could forget but were now unfortunately scarred in my brain.
The first hall was clear of any meetings, from what I could tell. Feeling a little disappointed, I strode down the second hall to start checking those rooms. Once again, I pressed my ear to the first door, until suddenly I heard a laugh coming from the last door at the end of the hall. I walked down the hall as if the floor was made of eggshells. I internalized a scream as the damn floorboard creaked beneath me, each step threatening to blow my cover. The second my ear touched the door I knew this was the meeting place for the Red Bones.
“The prince will definitely be well protected,” a man with a deep voice said.
Laughter filled the room, and from what I could differentiate of the multiple tones, it sounded like there were at least five men in the room. I didn’t understand what they were referring to with Miles, so I chose to listen before I made myself known.
“My patience with the Skull King is growing thin. I’m sick of King Pater and everyone that has a drop of Artis blood,” a man with a raspier voice claimed. “I think we should attack now, before they learn of our numbers.”
One, who the hell is the “Skull King” and two, the Red Bones numbers have been shrinking, right? What could the kingdom even prepare for?
“Cheers to that!” said a boy who sounded younger, possibly around my age. Yips of agreements and clinks of glasses filled the room.
The younger one continued, “As much as I agree with you, Richard, we must be patient. The Skull King has a plan and knows what he’s doing. Plus, we won’t get far if the assassin finds us first.” The sound of a chair scraping followed his words. “You know the plan, and it doesn’t leave this room.”
Grunts of agreement followed by more sliding chairs made my heart skip. I knew this would be my last chance to have them all in the same place.
I opened the door, closing it with lightning speed, and I turned around to face the men in the room. I needed to be quick, I couldn’t let my prey escape. If I didn’t do this now, the mission would fail. And I was no failure.
The room was not a bedroom like the one I just left that creep passed out in. This room was still somewhat small, with a blazing fireplace in the corner. A chestnut coffee table sat in the middle of the room supporting glasses of beer, and it was surrounded by a crimson settee and three soft velvet chairs. I silently thanked the stars that there was still a window in case this didn’t go as planned.
I was correct in that there were five of them. Two of them looked like they could be father and son with bright blond, almost white hair and very similar features. The son looked like he was in his twenties, and he must have been the one to dismiss the group. The other three men looked like the typical people in this parlor—middle aged, burly, and desperate. All five of them had short swords strapped to their belts.
“So, you don’t want your plan to leave this room, do you?” I said, a smile growing underneath my hood. “You know what I don’t plan to leave this room?” I lifted my eyes to each of them. “You.”
“Is that so?” the young man replied, his eyes glimmering with interest. “And why is that?” He looked me up and down just as the other men did.
Men. I shook my head. Always underestimating me.
But if that was the part they wanted me to play, I’d play along. Why not? I liked having a little fun.
“Because when I’m done with you,” I said, smirking, “you won’t be able to.”
The men whistled and the father clapped his son on the back. The white-haired son was stupid enough to take a step closer.
“You seem confident in your abilities.” He gave me a knowing grin. “Why don’t you show us what's under the cloak? Perhaps we won’t leave, and we’ll stay for the show.”
I actually laughed a little. They’d find out soon enough what lay under the cloak. I pointed to the son and gestured for him to come closer.
“Well, I can’t show you from so far away,” I pouted. “How about you come closer, and I’ll give you a little taste.” The five of them laughed, and one of the men actually shoved the blond son towards me. He strode over until he was standing mere inches from my face.
“You know,” he leaned in and whispered in my ear, quiet enough for only us to hear, “if you want, we can go somewhere more private. Away from the eyes of this group.” He put his hand around my waist and pulled me close until our chests were touching.
I raised my left arm, cupping my hand behind his neck. I lowered his head and whispered, “This is just fine. I want them to watch.” I brushed my lip against his ear. “To hear the sounds you’ll make when I’m done with you.”
