“Okay, okay. My name is Dave.” Most likely a fake name. He was attractive in an ordinary way, if that makes sense. No chiseled features like the aris, but more refined than most coms I met too. His brown wavy hair was cute, but it was his eyes that struck me, a gorgeous sky blue.
“Yeah, and?”
“And I just thought you seemed like an interesting person. Fishing with your, uh, friend there, meeting up with witches, and the way you look…it’s not like anyone else around here.”
I laughed. “You’re seriously going with that? You’ve got a crush on me?”
He looked down at the ground, blushing. “No, I-I wouldn’t say a crush, it’s just I—”
“You know what? On second thought, I don’t really care what your deal is. Stop following me, or I will hurt you.”
He looked like a kid whose balloon I popped. I would’ve felt bad if he weren’t a creeper stalking me.
“I think we got off on the wrong foot, I want to apologize—” He went to shake my hand and I had to jump back to avoid touching him.
“By the Wise One! I don’t know you, and I’m… well I’m bad news,” I said, as I walked off. “Just stay the hell away from me!”
The whole exchange with him was flat out strange. I didn’t believe this Dave character for a single minute, but what was really odd was that I didn’t feel like I was in danger with him. Though he may be a liar, I got the feeling that he wasn’t a killer like me.
***
I made good time to the new client’s address, which turned out to be an underground lair of sorts. This guy seemed to be a warlock or sorcerer, by the look of the place—potions on shelves, odd ingredients in jars and a huge, worn book on a pedestal. Magic was fairly commonplace in Excelsia, whether it was dark or light. By the general disarray and dismal smell (plus the fact that he was trying to hire me), I had to go with dark magic.
“I’ve heard what you can do, so forgive me if I forgo the normal pleasantries.” The man was tall, with sharp features and an attitude to match. While the witch was tolerable even in her sour mood, this guy was setting off all my alarms. I didn’t want to spend an extra second with him.
“I need you to dispose of Princess Erika of Naribia.”
Princess Erika was known and loved throughout the land, not only for her intelligence and compassion, but for her active role in governing her kingdom. Her castle was heavily guarded, and she rarely left it. A hit on her would entail breaking into the castle, for certain.
I shook my head. “She’s too public. If I’m caught, I’m as good as dead.”
He smirked. “And how exactly is that different from any other assignment? A female assassin would be hanged regardless of who she kills, a com or an ari.”
He had a point. Women in Excelsia were destined to a life of frivolity as an ari, or labor as a com. Never were we allowed to be fighters, and killers…that wasn’t even heard of here.
“The castle is locked down. I don’t think I could get past security to even get in.” Was that entirely true? Probably not. I could take the guards out with a bow and arrow if I had to, or time it on a shift change. But my initial impression of the man stayed with me. I didn’t trust him.
“I’m surprised. Walinda told me you were the best,” he said, he eyes looking down on me. “How disappointing, we haven’t even discussed payment.”
I sighed. If the money was good, it would be stupid to pass up the opportunity. I had no idea when the next job would come along, and I had to eat. Extra money would mean an easy winter for Artemus and me.
“What are you thinking?”
The corners of his lips upturned into the creepiest grin I’d ever seen. “Everyone has a price.”
And my price was going up by the second. This guy was definitely paying a creepy upcharge.
“How does 200 crowns sound?”
It sounded unbelievable, was my first thought. But then I reasoned, this princess is a high-profile case. More work would be involved in the job, so it’s logical to expect more pay. But ten times my normal amount? That should’ve set off my bullshit detector. Instead I daydreamed about how I could live off that money for a year, maybe even two years.
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
That creepy grin returned. “Wonderful, so delighted you’ve come around.”
We discussed the finer points of the deal, the gist of which was that I had a week to get it done, and I would be paid upon notice of her death. That didn’t leave much time for me to get there as Naribia was several days journey, so he offered me use of his horse for travel.
I made it out of that dank hole of a home as soon as I possibly could and took a deep breath of fresh air on the outside. His horse was a beautiful brown mare, equipped with a saddle and everything. After grabbing a meal and some provisions for the trip from my home, I set out for Naribia that afternoon.
Along the way, I kept getting the feeling I was being watched. Artemus flew above, so I knew if there was any real trouble, he would alert me. But I still couldn’t shake the feeling. I had to consider it might just be good old-fashioned paranoia. That wizard had given off a bad vibe, and after a childhood filled with persecution, being a little paranoid got me out of a lot of bad situations.
By the time dusk approached, I was more than ready to rest—riding horseback made you sore when you haven’t done it in a while. I found a quiet forest with a river nearby for my campsite. Eager to relax, I tied my hair into a ponytail to get the necessary setup done. Artemus helped me collect wood for a fire while I found a good spot to pitch my tent. Once the tent was up, I used my bow to hunt some dinner for us. Artemus was ravenous, eating most of the rabbit I caught and cooked up. I guessed flying all that way wore him out.
I couldn’t truly relax until I washed the dirt and sweat and horse smell off my body. The river was the kind of quiet and dark in which bad things happen. I kept vigilant as I undressed and entered the ridiculously cold water. Right as I got settled in and my teeth stopped chattering, I heard a horse approaching.
Chapter Three
Igulped. My horse was tied up with double knots, so I knew it couldn’t be her. And I couldn’t be in a more vulnerable position, standing in a river with my tits in the breeze. There wasn’t even a good rock to hide behind.
The person on the horse dismounted and approached. I let out a sigh of relief at seeing Dave. Was it strange that he was following me? Yes. Did he want to kill me? I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t think so. Still better than an unknown threat.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, turning around. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your bath.”
“But you did mean to intrude?”
“I was worried about you, after I saw you leave Gerod’s. I’ve crossed paths with him before. He’s the worst, you really shouldn’t be involved with him.”
“What I do is my business,” I said, as I finished washing my hair. “You might want to try minding yours.”
“I really didn’t mean to intrude but I have absolutely no intention of leaving you alone. Anything you’re doing for Gerod is bound to dangerous. You’re stuck with me.”
I was too relieved he wasn’t some stranger trying to kill me to get properly mad at him. And it was adorable the way he snuck glances over his shoulder at me bathing. But thoughts like that would only serve to get me frustrated again. I wasn’t willing to risk his life, no matter how horny I was.
I finished up and toweled off. The cold breeze served to uncomfortably harden my nipples, which didn’t go unnoticed by Dave. His cheeks were flushed red by the time I got dressed.
I shoved my dirty clothes into his hands. “Come on, you can camp with me.”
I know what you’re thinking. That I’m insane and shouldn’t trust the creepy stalker. But even gawking at my nudity, he still seemed harmless to me.
“Have you eaten dinner… uh, what should I call you?” His bashful disposition was charming somehow. I know I should’ve been more suspicious, but it had been ages since anyone eve
n wanted to talk to me.
“My name is Mara. And yes, we’ve already eaten.”
He kept his distance but walked his horse in line with me on the trail. “I have some cake, if you and your bird would like some.”
“If I said no, Artemus would never forgive me.” We shared an awkward laugh, followed by an equally awkward silence. At the campsite, he helped me rekindle the fire and we sat down together. Artemus ate most of the cake as well, purring like a fiend the whole time.
Staring at the flames didn’t relax me the way it usually did; I had too many questions. Unexpected attention from a stranger, seemingly benevolent, wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence for me. “So, are you going to tell me the real reason you’re here?”
“It’s nothing untoward, I really do find you interesting. I want to learn more about you.”
I found that hard to believe but flattering if it were true. After years of isolation, a little (human) companionship was nice.
“Not much to tell.” I wasn’t trying to be mysterious, but how much could I reveal without being arrested?
“I doubt that. I bet you’ve got some incredible stories.”
True, but nothing I could share. And the ones I could share were too depressing. I stood and shook my hair out a few steps from the fire. It fell in tousled waves around my face, obstructing some of my view. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. What was I doing with this guy? His very life was in danger just being in my proximity. When I opened my eyes again, his hand was nearly touching my hair.
I jumped back. “Please don’t touch me.”
“I’m sorry, I was just trying to push your hair back from your face. Looked like it was in your eyes.”
Now I felt like the jerk. “This was a bad idea. Maybe you should leave.”
“What are you afraid of, Mara?” He broke eye contact and gazed at the fire. “Did someone mistreat you?”
“No, you don’t understand, and I can’t possibly explain. Look, I told you before, I’m bad news.” He continued to stare at the flames, but his expression changed to one of confusion, like he didn’t know what to say.
“I’ll leave your camp if you wish. But I won’t be far.”
“You can stay here, just not in my tent. Trust me, it’s for your own safety.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
I left him next to the fire and collapsed inside in my tent. It was only a matter of minutes before I passed out.
My dreams were of a different land, perhaps a different time. There were metal vehicles people used for transportation instead of horses, and all the roads were paved. A blonde woman in ponytails with an accent, an ocean, and an unpleasant cat—all these strange images swirled around in my head. Sometimes there was an event, but more often than not, the only thing I remembered was simply being in this strange place with these strange people.
I awoke to Dave’s hands on my shoulders, shaking me.
“Are you okay? I heard you shouting.”
I scrambled away from him. “I told you not to touch me!” Was that small skin contact enough to set my powers in motion? He seemed okay, but everyone did at first.
“Well if I’m going to die, I might as well go out with a bang,” he mumbled, and then kissed me. His mouth was so perfectly hot and wet. His kisses moved downward to my breasts, lingering there long enough to get me completely aroused. Then he moved lower still, plunging his tongue inside me.
I sat up in my tent, breathing heavily. I peeked out of the slit and saw Dave sleeping peacefully by the fire. Thank goodness it was a dream. He’s safe.
I got out of my tent and looked at the sky. Daybreak was close, by the position of the moon. If I left now, maybe I could get some distance from Dave, keep him safe.
I tiptoed around and managed not to wake him as I left. Or at least, I thought I didn’t. A few hours later, he caught up to me.
“Hi there.” The smile he wore was a bit gloating in nature.
“You again.”
“Can’t get rid of me that easily.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.” I made a clucking noise to the horse and gently pressed my heels against her. She sprinted ahead, leaving Dave behind.
Of course, she couldn’t sprint forever. When we slowed, Dave was once again at my side.
“What do you know about Gerod?” he asked.
“Not much,” I admitted. Tired of him asking me questions, I thought a redirection was in order. “What do you know?”
“He’s a powerful warlock. Responsible for the wheat famine.”
How can a warlock be responsible for a famine? “Really?”
“It was his spell that caused the plants to wither and die. He was trying to overthrow the King.”
So many people died from that famine. I knew there was a reason I felt uneasy with that guy.
“That’s horrible,” was all I could think to say.
“Did he hire you?” Dave asked.
“Remember that part about minding your business?” I was tolerating him because he was someone to talk with, who might possibly answer back. But he was testing my limits.
“I’m just trying to say that whatever he promised you, I doubt he’ll actually pay it. He’s double-crossed people before. They usually end up dead.”
“I can take care of myself, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“I realize that. But unless you can counter evil spells, you may be in for a surprise when you go to collect your payment.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Though he was a pain and a busybody, prying into my life from out of nowhere, I had a feeling his heart was in the right place. And the more I considered this job, the more unsure I felt about it.
“You’re welcome. So where are we traveling to?”
I smiled. “Guess you’ll have to see when we get there.”
“You are just full of secrets, aren’t you?” The flirtatious grin on his face worried me. Was I leading him on? That was not my intention at all.
“I’ve…I’ve got a headache,” I said. “Can we just ride in silence for a while?”
“As you wish.”
The silence was welcomed, but it only gave me time to wonder about Gerod and this hit on the princess. In my line of work, I’d learned that a conscience was a bad thing. I can’t say with all certainty that everyone I killed had it coming, but most of them were willing to betray their loved ones at the mere sight of me. And it’s not like I was this gorgeous princess—I was just an ordinary com.
The whole thing was such a depressing reflection of humanity that giving in to temptation was so effortless and their lives so meaningless. Had someone actually attempted to fight me, I might have had a problem using my power. But my experience had been simply a long string of disappointments.
We arrived at a town on the outskirts of Naribia at nightfall. Dave offered to get a room at the local tavern, and as much as I wanted to refuse, a bath with hot water was too good to pass up. I bought us dinner at the tavern, which consisted of surprisingly delicious chicken and vegetables.
The bath was every bit as wonderful as I imagined it would be. I relaxed, I mean really relaxed in it, and I realized that I trusted Dave. I knew he wasn’t telling me the entire truth, and I thought it might be a good time that night to try to pry more information out of him. The Wise One knows, he’s been doing it to me the whole damn trip.
I waited until after he bathed to grill him. Figured if the bath relaxed him half as much as it did me, then I had a pretty good shot. Oh, and the ale I got from the tavern certainly wouldn’t hurt.
I motioned for him to join me at the small table in the corner, where I had placed the beverages.
He peered into the mug. “What’s the occasion?”
“No occasion. Just a friendly drink.”
“Then we toast to friendship,” he said, lifting his mug.
“To friendship,” I repeated. We clanked mugs and both took a few gulps. It was a pretty decent ale, not the best I’d had but not
the worst either. I wiped the foam off my lips and stared at him curiously.
He did appear more relaxed and certainly smelled nicer. He smiled awkwardly, clearly not knowing how he was supposed to react with the attention on him.
“So, what is it you do, Dave? I mean, besides following unusual maidens.”
He let out an uncomfortable laugh. “I work with the Council.”
Talk about uncomfortable. I lowered my mug, trying to mask my surprise and uneasiness at that revelation. The Council was a bunch of old crotchety men who basically decided the fate of any criminal. But their reach went beyond that, and I’d heard too many horror stories from vils and even fellow coms about how harsh and unjust their punishments could be.
Dreams of Darkness: An Anthology of Dark Fairytales Page 12