Cloak of Darkness (The Destroyer-Blessed Saga Book 1)

by Sara E. Tonissen

  “Don’t lie to me,” she bit out. She rose from her perch on the stairs, ready to end their conversation there.

  Dranac, it seemed, did not feel the same way.

  He leapt up from the stairs, blocking Red from heading up to a long-awaited bath. She tried to step around him, but he continued to get in her way, only adding to her annoyance. “I would never lie to you,” Dranac Gnorw defended, trying to meet Red’s eyes.

  “Then why didn’t you go looking in the Forbidden Wastes?” Red demanded. “You wasted plenty of time in the Golden Tavern. How did you not even manage to catch up to me?”

  Dranac Gnorw dropped his head, Red’s words ringing in his ears. “I had no idea that you had survived the river,” he continued, still trying to defend his actions. “If I had known—”

  “If you had known,” Red seethed, shoving her face forward until she was almost nose-to-nose with Dranac. “If you had known, you would have done the same exact thing. You would have counted your losses, drank your sorrows, and returned to the manor.”

  Dranac gaped at Red in shock, his mouth hanging open as her accusation echoed through the empty hall. He easily let her push past him, no longer denying her the chance to clean up and get some much-needed rest. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his back turned to Red as she started up the stairs.

  Red turned around, watching the embarrassed blush creep up Dranac’s neck. “I’m not,” she retorted. He whipped his head around, once again staring at her in stupid shock. “Because I would have done the same thing. I would have left you behind.”

  Dranac almost reached out for her, but his reach fell short as Red continued up the stairs. He stood there in dumbfounded silence.

  Red shook her head as she rounded a corner. When she was out of Dranac Gnorw’s sight, she leaned against the wall, fingers raking through her tangled, greasy hair.

  Red let out a sigh, her breath catching in her throat as she realized that things were already different. She realized that her time away had changed her. And she had barely made it two hours into rejoining her old life before it had started to unravel without her really knowing why.

  ~~~

  Red leaned against her bedroom door, her head hitting against the wood as it shut under her weight. She sucked in a breath, relishing in the smell of old books and the scent of soap used to wash the piles of clothes strewn about the ground. Red unclasped her cloak, throwing the bundle onto her bed to join a pile of forgotten tunics.

  Her soles scraped against the wood floor, leaving Red to plop onto the ground in a heap of dirt and sweat. She slid her pack off her shoulders, tossing it into a stack of discarded mission reports before leaning back against the door.

  Red slowly unknotted her boots, flakes of mud and dirt falling onto the floor as she pushed them off her feet. She unbuttoned her tunic, pulling it over her head before tossing it in the rubbish bin next to the door. She did the same with her pants, until she was sitting in nothing but her shirt and undergarments.

  She closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep against the door. But Red’s drooping eyelids caught the sight of the top of her bag coming loose from its clasp. It fell open, its stuffed contents drifting out in a sluggish avalanche of potion ingredients and glass vials.

  Estra Ayrith’s two remaining letters were swept to the front of the pile. Their manila-colored envelopes and emerald green seals taunted Red. She let out a huff, her exhaustion subsiding as her annoyance returned.

  “Am I supposed to read you now?” Red asked the letters. She was relieved that the letters did not make a reply, her lack of sleep driving her crazy. She considered what she might do with those letters now that she was back at the Rogue Manor.

  The first consideration was to burn them, but the hesitation from before she entered the manor was still seated in the back of her mind. Red knew that the letters held nothing but blabber that Estra wanted to hold her down with, but she could not part with the sealed envelopes just yet.

  Before she considered any other possibilities, Red pushed herself up, snatching the letters off the ground. She reached for her dresser, sliding out the bottom drawer. She overturned the contents.

  Several pairs of clean pants fell into a heap on the floor. Red ignored them, reaching into the bottom right corner of the dresser. She felt around for the small latch that would open up to the hidden compartment she had created in her first few weeks as a Kingdom Rogue.

  When she found the small opening, Red slid the thin wood panel back. Papers of every size cascaded from the compartment as Red held the drawer sideways to empty its hidden contents. She placed the two letters at the bottom, stacking her old notes and letters on top until they were hidden from sight.

  She checked that the panel was once again secured at the bottom of the drawer before sliding it back into its place in the dresser. She carefully folded the pants and placed them back in their spots, grabbing a pair to change into after she cleaned herself up.

  Red stumbled around her room, determined to clean at least most of the grime off of her before falling into her bed. She drew herself a bath in the communal bathing room down the hall. The thought of what lay within the letters teased her mind as she shucked off the rest of her filthy clothes.

  Red slowly lowered herself into the bathtub, sighing with relief as the dirt on her legs already started to wash away. She was careful of her arm, resting it on the bathtub’s edge so the already brown water would not infect it. Red leaned her head against the edge of the tub, set on enjoying the feeling of being clean again.

  Weeks of dirt caked onto her hair and skin drifted into the water as Red left to soak herself within the much-missed comfort. She was relieved that her racing thoughts calmed once her aching body relaxed inside the steaming water, but the feeling did not last as she realized that she could only wash away the dirt from her trip. Her memories would, unfortunately, not be cast away so easily.

  Chapter 11

  Dranac Gnorw stood before a pair of newly joined trainees. The two needed serious coaching on their fighting stances, but they were not completely hopeless. Distant grunts and the clash of weapons echoed around the trio; the harsh harmony of fighting softened as it traveled through the training room.

  Originally intended as a ballroom, the room took up a large area of the manor, but dancing was one of the last activities the room saw. Racks of weapons and shields lined the walls, and there was always a plethora of blades strewn about the room.

  The walls still held the intricate carvings from when the room had been built, making every weapon look more dangerous against the elegant cream and gold background. Butlers were stationed at every corner, ready to patch anyone up or hand them dry towels before they even stepped outside of their fighting ring.

  The large space was perfect for fitting dozens of groups of students who wanted to refine their fighting skills. Sometimes Dranac would just sit in there for hours, watching people bustle around the hall, following their daily routines.

  It was the perfect place to hone the body. To focus the wandering mind. The perfect place to just blend in.

  Blending in was the easiest task a Kingdom Rogue could accomplish. It was the first skill that every trainee learned. And it was the first skill that Red had ignored to remember.

  Silence fell over the training room as Red strutted in, her cloak a beacon that no one could ignore. She unclasped her cloak, placing it into the waiting arms of the butler at the door. Even from a distance, Dranac caught the smile of thanks that Red flashed at the pot-bellied man before she sauntered through the middle of the hall.

  Many of the training rings stopped mid-fight to watch Red make her way through the room. Dranac took in all the looks of awe, noting the boys that showed a little too much interest as Red passed their rings. The rest of the training rings only rolled their eyes, disgusted by the unfair attention, before throwing another punch at their waiting partner.

  Dranac Gnorw tried to catch Red’s eye, but it seemed that she was going to take he
r sweet time making her way back to their usual ring, which was still occupied by the trainees Dranac was supposed to be instructing.

  He tried to turn his attention back to the pair of trainees, but it seemed that their attention was also caught on Red. The two whispered together, no doubt recalling the most impressive rumors that surrounded Red. A flash of brown hair kept Dranac from crushing the trainees’ spirits by telling them that most of those rumors were dramatized.

  Red gave a polite, but stiff, nod before turning her attention toward the pair in the ring. “You need to keep your breathing under control,” she stated coolly, demonstrating by breathing along with the trainees. “If your lungs give out, the rest of your body will follow.”

  The trainees nodded vigorously, following Red’s example as she took a few deep breaths with them. They smiled at each other, ready to tell everyone about how the Red Riding Hood had helped them during training.

  Dranac tried to follow along with the advice that Red shared, but he was too busy watching the other assassin. She looked much better after a good night's rest and a bath, but the bags under her eyes would not fade easily. Dranac sighed when he did not find any more severe injuries, some of his guilt washing away as he realized that Red was alright.

  Red gave Dranac Gnorw a hard shove, pulling him from his thoughts. “Did you hear anything I just said?”

  “What? Oh, I… uhh.”

  “Thought so,” Red affirmed, raising her eyebrows with a small chuckle as she turned back to the pair still waiting to restart their training. “I wanted to make sure your form was correct, but it looks good to me. And Dranac over here doesn’t seem to notice anything wrong with it.”

  The two nodded their agreement, sending amused looks toward Dranac before they continued their workout. Kicks made their mark. Punches met their target. And Dranac decided that he could no longer focus on the training.

  Red drew him from his thoughts again when she nudged him, asking, “What are those street lords doing here?” She pointed toward the three finely dressed men who prowled through the room, hungrily taking in the fighting. “I thought they were only here for a few meetings.”

  “They’ve been visiting for quite some time now, actually,” Dranac Gnorw replied, turning his head to watch the men instead of Red’s disapproving frown.

  “I know that it takes a while to negotiate, especially with tricky bastards. But what are they doing here?” She pointed around the length of the training room to emphasize her point.

  “Oh, they’re looking for apprentices. More followers, I guess. And what better place to come than the training area?

  “They usually take the more stubborn, bull-headed trainees, so we don’t generally lose any good ones. But there is the occasional bargain with Arthur to take a more skilled fighter or someone with a brain larger than a peanut.”

  Red gave another disapproving frown, a small growl escaping from her lips. “You knew that all of this was happening while I was gone?”

  “Of course I knew, who do you think thought of the idea to bring the street lords here in the first place?”

  “Bringing in the street lords and prostitutes was your idea?” Red asked incredulously.

  Dranac was surprised by the shock that lined her venomous words. “You make it sound like I couldn’t come up with it,” he replied defensively.

  “I’m just surprised that you thought up something so stupid just to get some pretend loyalty. We have always kept the street lords on a tight leash for a reason, and now they're waltzing around like they own the place. They get free range on the trainees and weapons now, but what are they going to want in exchange for their loyalty later on?”

  Dranac Gnorw was taken aback by Red’s harshness. “They are still under a tight leash that Arthur has no plans on giving up. They just have a little extra length to wander. No harm in keeping them content with the information they can provide us.”

  “Please,” Red shot back, rolling her eyes, “I can get twice the information with much more credibility than any prostitute or scummy street lord.”

  “Yeah, well, the information Arthur needs can’t be bought through violence,” Dranac countered, trying to form his words carefully to keep from upsetting Red even more. “Besides, there’s only one of you, and you’ve been a busy girl.”

  Red was about to make a sarcastic retort, but her words were cut off. The butler from the door tapped lightly on her shoulder, giving her a small apologetic smile when she turned around.

  The chubby man panted, his cheeks tinged pink as if he had run across the room to find them. His dark hairline gleamed, a small trail of sweat dripping down his right temple. His curly moustache twitched slightly as his smile faded, and he beckoned for Red and Dranac Gnorw to follow him.

  Dranac shrugged at Red as she looked at him with eyebrows raised in question before giving her a little push to follow the already moving butler.

  “I am sorry for the intrusion, Miss Red, but Arthur left a message for the both of you,” the butler stated as he ushered the two assassins toward the door.

  When they made it to the large doors of the training room, the man stopped and moved to the side. Behind his large body, he revealed with a wave of his hands a boy holding out a note addressed to Red and Dranac. The butler motioned for them to take it, not wanting to handle the note himself.

  Red delicately plucked the letter from the boy’s hand. The boy slowly inched toward the door but did not take his eyes off Red until she gave him a confirmation nod that he could leave before sprinting out the door.

  The butler shook his head at the lack of grace in the leap out the door, but he turned back to Red. His bright eyes looked at the note expectantly, but he handed Red her cloak and stepped back into his waiting post with the obedient silence of a well-trained servant.

  “Thank you, Harry,” Red stated before slipping out of the door, not bothering to wait for Dranac to follow.

  Dranac Gnorw stood there for a few moments, watching the butler as he gave a small bow at the waist despite the fact that Red had already left. He awkwardly grabbed his own cloak from the rack, slipping it on before moving toward the door.

  Dranac’s hand rested on the door knob as he turned back toward the butler and muttered, “Thank you, uhh… Harry.”

  Dranac tried to ignore the disapproving look from the man. But he could not miss the change of light in the butler’s eyes as he slipped out of the room, heavily closing the door behind him. Dranac rushed to catch up with Red, but he easily caught up to her short strides.

  “How did you know his name?” Dranac questioned, leaning down to whisper in Red’s ear as they passed a group of older students doing their morning chores.

  “I asked,” she replied shortly. She flicked the note over her shoulder, leaving Dranac to fumble around to catch it. “Arthur wants to see us, by the way.”

  With her final words, Red picked up her pace, leaving Dranac Gnorw behind in utter confusion from her change of mood while he watched her strut away.

  ~~~

  A cool breeze of night air wove its invisible tendrils around Red’s braid, loosening the strands. The darkness around her was as stunning as the stars sparkling within it, but she knew the peace of the night would not last.

  Red readjusted her crouch, carefully shifting her aching feet to balance her weight. She moved slowly, careful not to send herself over the edge of the roof facing the mansion that held her next target.

  Arthur Welin had sent Red and Dranac on an easy night kill in a small city in southern Perancis. Rumors of a rising opioid trade had made their way to the ears of a rather stubborn street lord who personally took this new trade as a rival to his own. Arthur mentioned that his allegiance would only be bought through the death of the new leader.

  Red sighed, wishing she was back in her bed, reading one of the many books she had missed while away, instead of wasting her time on a trainee’s task. She had no interest in the business of the street lords, despite the small skip
in her heartbeat when Arthur Welin had put her right back into another mission after being out of the picture for so long.

  Dranac Gnorw shifted his own crouch once Red stopped her silent rustling to loosen his own stiff muscles. He stretched a leg toward her, balancing his weight across the wide gap between them. His muscles strained at the slow movements to keep himself from slipping off the smooth shingles and gutters.

  Dranac’s chin stopped to rest on Red’s shoulder. His warm breath tickled her ear as he moved his other leg forward. His body curved around Red’s, fitting around her in a close semicircle.

  His following whisper was practically silent. No real sound pierced the night as Dranac’s words shyly passed the impossibly short distance from his lips to Red’s waiting ear. “Are you still mad at me?”

  Red almost fell from the roof.

  A gasp escaped her as she tried not to yell out while Dranac grabbed at her flailing arms. He wrapped his hands around her midsection to steady her. The muscles in his arms holding firm around her waist. His legs were evenly balanced as he helped Red regain hers against the creaking of the gutter straining under her troubled footing.

  When she recomposed her balance, Red turned her mouth toward Dranac’s waiting ear. “What made you think I was mad at you?”

  “You’ve been more impatient and stiffer than usual,” Dranac Gnorw casually whispered back, smiling despite the fact that they both could have plummeted to their deaths. “I thought I had done something wrong.”

  Red wanted to tell Dranac that he had done something wrong. The moment he had the idea to give the street lords and prostitutes access to the manor, he had done something wrong. But Red looked at the sideways grin on his moon-lit face and knew picking a fight would only push their already delicate friendship off that very roof.

  “I’m not mad at you,” Red confirmed as she watched Dranac’s grin almost fade into the night. A sigh of relief released the tension in his shoulders, his body curling slightly closer to Red’s. “I was just shocked by all the changes while I was gone. It was a lot to take in.”