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I head to the wash rooms where I turn on the faucet, my gaze looking mindlessly at the bathtub as it fills up. The steam hits my nostrils, my head becoming enveloped with the hot vapor of the warm water. I climb in, sliding my body into the tub as I breathe a sigh of relaxation.
My muscles are sore from the training as of late. I’ve been pushing myself for the past few weeks in the hopes of graduating. I know my body needs to be in tip-top peak condition for my first job.
Now that I know who my first target is, I feel like my hard work is paying off. I’m so eager that part of me wishes I was on the boat right now. My fingers itch for blood, as do my daggers and the magic in my body.
Still, I know I must not become too reckless. I know others may already think of me that way, but no one knows my mind better than me.
I draw a deep breath and let it out, slipping further into the water. My silver floats on the surface as I close my eyes. I go into a state of meditation, delving deep into the mindset required of an assassin.
This needs to go successfully. No one is going to get in the way of putting an end to my target, Denve Thuvrol.
I imagine him looking like an uglier version of his brother. The thought of Ocuri still manages to cause a shift in my attitude even after all this time.
I wonder if this mission will bring me the peace I need to fully move on.
I become aware of the hatred flowing through my veins, mentally taking note to use that powerful energy as fuel for my goal. After a few minutes, I rinse off and climb out. It is time to get ready for my little business trip.
I close my bedroom door behind me and throw off my bath robe. Meeting my gaze in the mirror, I look at the tattoos on my thighs and arms. The inked flowers represent who I am.
“Denve Thuvrol will die looking into the eyes of the Black Petal.”
From underneath my bed, I pull out a small bag for travel. I then move to my closet and remove my set of light armor, inspecting it.
It’s a black cloak with padded armor beneath the fabric, invisible to the untrained eye. Red patches are stitched into the arms and shoulders, steel gauntlets woven underneath sleeves. At the top is a hood to conceal my face from prying eyes.
The gear is designed to keep me safe should I find myself in danger and will allow me to move like a true assassin. It appears as normal, everyday clothing to a normal citizen of Protheka, allowing me to travel through the streets if needs be.
I slip into the outfit, strapping it tight before fastening a utility belt around my waist. I take a glance in the mirror, my reflection staring back at a killer. I remove a weapons stash from a cabinet and place it on my bed.
Everything needs to be perfect. I better check to make sure these are all primed and ready to go.
I open it up, feeling like a kid who has received a new box of toys. Inside the stash is all of my weapons. I first remove one of my throwing knives, inspecting its tip and edge by smoothly running my fingers on it. A drop of blood falls from my hand.
Good, my knives are sharp like my mind.
I throw it up in the air and catch it by its handle, the hilt designed to fittingly accommodate my hands only. I do it again, thinking of where I need to be in terms of my mental state for this assignment.
The mind itself is a weapon, just as important as any knife, spell, or sword. Perhaps it is the most salient tool of all.
I pack my entire stock of throwing knives, arranging them neatly into my travel bag. Focusing my attention back to my stash, I remove a small vial of poison. To anyone else, it looks like medicinal fluid.
The truth is that the rich green fluid flowing around inside the container is a fast acting paralytic, designed to halt the body’s functioning when inserted at a particular point in a target’s neck.
The body freezes while the mind remains active, feeling all of the pain as the blood rushes to the top of the victim’s head, where it then flows out of the eyes, ears, and mouth. Only a drop is needed to do the trick. I’ve been itching for a chance to use it on a deserving contract.
There comes a knock at my door as I pack the vial. I turn to see Callista enter my room, a concerned look worn within the flicker of her eyes. Her forehead creases with lines of worry as she comes closer.
“Salina, did you take the Thuvrol contract?”
“Yes,” I answer without looking at her. I’m too focused on my dagger, holding it in my hand while its leather sheath rests on the bed.
“Salina…”
“What?” I snap, spinning around to face her. “You already knew I would take it so don’t go getting upset.”
“It’s just that I’m not so sure this is a good idea for you.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” I ask, packing my dagger.
