“Would you stop checking and rechecking your bag and just go already?” Oberon asked his superior, from where he sat in the grand hall; a plump velvet chair beneath him and a glass of rum in his hands. He had never seen Vinn so nervous before. He wriggled his nose around, his blonde moustache along with the movement.“Ari will be halfway across the world at this rate.”
Vinn slung his leather satchel across his shoulders and fixed up the strap as it twisted across his chest. Even then he was fumbling around with it.
Oberon sighed and placed his half empty glass down onto a table next to him. He did not stand, however. “I understand you’re angry, Vinn. You feel betrayed and therefore nervous to see Ariadna again. But just a word of advice if I may offer one up – don’t make your anger evident when you find her. It was only a matter of time before Ariadna broke; she’s young and in need of letting off some steam.”
Kai and another assassin by the name of Darion had been called to accompany Vinn on his mission. Whilst he had not liked the idea of hunting down one of his closest friends, Kai knew better than to start an argument with his superior about honour. After all, as much as he loved Ari dearly, she had broken multiple codes of which the Anari followed. It was what kept them in order. But that did not stop the odd rogue assassin or thief on occasion.
“I don’t like this. I don’t like it at all.” Kai whispered to Oberon as he stood tightening the straps on his leather fighting gear. He double checked his daggers were secure once done, just to make sure they would not slip out at any point on the journey. Kai had polished all of his weapons until they sparkled. He enjoyed seeing how quickly he could get them dirty them again. However, the thought of the blades catching any of Ariadna’s blood made him sick.
Oberon had approached his side in silence, seeing as he had nothing else to say to Vinn without starting an argument with him. He leaned against one of the pillars lining the hall and stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his navy breeches. “You and I both. Vinn’s left the institute in my hands, how much do you reckon I could do to change it whilst he’s gone?” he replied with a whisper.
Kai snorted at that, only because laughing would draw unwanted attention to them both. Vinn was already on edge and everyone knew it. He dropped his hands to his sides and shrugged.
“I should be coming with you all.” Oberon said.
“No. I need someone to look after the institute whilst I’m gone, someone who knows what they’re doing when it comes to my work.” Vinn replied from behind him.
Oberon straightened himself, shaking his head as he did. It was not often that he broke the rules of the institute which he loved and respected so much but, he had had enough. “I’m going with you.” he announced and spoke again before Vinn even had the chance to rebuke him. “I will not stay here whilst you hunt down an assassin who has served you loyally for years. Ariadna may have broken a few rules here and there but, with good reason. You’ve been keeping her on a chain, Vinn – chained to you. You’ll need me on this mission, should your anger get the best of you and you end up bringing home a corpse instead of a healthy assassin.” At that he turned for his chambers, practically begging the others to wait for him whilst he changed. Just like every other thief or assassin within the institute, Oberon already had a bag packed for occasions like this; when there was no time to waste. He kept his word and returned only minutes later.
Vinn had been waiting for him with the others, hands on his hips and tapping his foot impatiently. It seemed Ariadna was not the only one in need of some serious disciplining. Had the institute really grown this bold on his watch? He would have to tend to such a matter once he returned – with a healthy assassin and not a corpse, as Oberon had suggested would happen. “This is the first and last time you disobey me, Oberon.” he warned him.
The assassin stared at Vinn in silence whilst he fixed up his own fighting gear and slung his satchel across his shoulders. He looked splendid in the black leather suit, with padded shoulders; light but, strong, and daggers of his own tucked away in various places – his thighs and calves, on the belt of his suit. He even kept small throwing daggers, no longer than his index finger, inside his breast pockets. They were small enough to not feel uncomfortable wearing them but, still deadly enough to kill if thrown with great precision into certain parts of the body. The thigh was Oberon’s favourite place to target, just missing the groin. What people forgot was that there was a very important main vein there, which if punctured would leave the victim bleeding out slowly with no chance of survival. It gave Oberon enough time to question them before leaving the wound to do the rest of his job and silence them once he was done, with no further wounds required.
“Who is coming with us?” he asked. Oberon had boldly chosen to ignore Vinn’s blatant threat.
“Oberon, I’m not leaving this institute without a leader,” Vinn began.
“Vinn Maurith, there are another eighty highly trained thieves and assassins within this institute. The building will not collapse nor be seized by anyone whilst we are both gone. Do you really trust your men so little?” Oberon snapped. He was treading on a fine line here but, really, he thought Vinn was just being ridiculous now.
The leader of the Anari had nothing to say in response to that. It was not like him to fall into silence, yet it was not like Oberon to bite back at him so openly either. With the younger members of the institute, yes but, not his superior. Never his superior.
Around them both, the hall had fallen silent to witness the sudden tension between their leader and highly esteemed brother-in-arms. Men sat sipping wine in silence or chewing on bread, working hard not to break the tender silence within the hall. No one even dared to cough for fear of offending Vinn.
“Kai and Darion,” Vinn replied. “I’ve already sent a group out earlier, to scout out Ariadna’s tracks. If I’m correct to assume, she’ll be in Forta. We’ll rendezvous with Mhyka, Norhano, Bass and Ivann there. Let’s hope this mission won’t be in vain.”
Oberon shook his head, scoffing in obvious discontent.
Vinn raised his arms to his sides. “What? What now?” he was getting very annoyed but, to lose his temper in front of his men – especially with a man like Oberon – it would look like he couldn’t handle the situation.
“Why won’t you just admit it?” Oberon asked him.
Vinn frowned at him. “Admit what?”
“That the real reason you’re so bent on finding Ariadna and bringing her home is because you love her. No matter how much you try to argue it’s about protecting the honour of this institute – any other member gone rogue, you would have just sent their comrades on a hunt to kill them.” Oberon said. He did not say it harshly, rather he found himself pitying Vinn; pitying him for the fact that he seemed so desperate not to fall in love with Ariadna, in case it reminded him that he too was human. If there was one thing Vinn hated, it was any reminders of his capability to feel emotions, just like anyone else.
Ariadna had somehow broken through Vinn’s hard exterior and made him feel pleasure different to the kind he felt when taking a life or sending men out to kill in his stead.
For a good part of his life, all Vinn had known was how to kill and during these years he had willed himself to be emotionless and therefore cruel; whether that was his intention or not. It was about time he showed a more compassionate side and learned to love. But whether he deserved someone like Ariadna; that was debatable.
Vinn opened his mouth to speak.
“Don’t disrespect Ariadna in any way.” Oberon whispered.
“I’ll hear no more of this. We’re leaving, now.” Vinn replied. It was all he could think of saying. Just like that, he ordered his men to follow him and he left the institute in silence, feeling rather embarrassed about having been caught out in front of his men.
39 –
Ariadna
Everything swayed around them as Ariadna pressed Troian against the wall of the second room they had rented. She felt his hands sque
eze her from behind as she kissed him hard. They were both drunk but, sober enough to just about know what they were doing. After five rounds of drinks, they had both forgotten about Artus and Preeya entirely.
Troian lifted Ariadna into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her towards their bed. They continued to press sloppy, alcohol fuelled kisses against each other’s lips. Nothing particularly important was on either of their minds.
“You have to be wearing a leather suit of all things, don’t you?” Troian asked as he fumbled with the laces at the front of the assassin’s fighting leathers.
“The sooner you stop complaining about it, the sooner you’ll get it off.” Ariadna breathed. She earned a laugh from her companion. All the while, she stood unlacing Troian’s breeches with clumsy fingers.
Troian managed to get the laces undone, and he went to open the front of Ariadna’s suit.
But the assassin beat him to it. She tugged at his breeches, opening them first, and she pulled him towards the bed. Ariadna removed Troian’s jacket and tunic with no problem and when his breeches finally dropped to the floor, she pushed him down onto the bed. Ariadna watched him for a moment.
“Why so quiet all of a sudden? Are you in awe?” Troian teased. His head was spinning from all that alcohol. He pushed his dark hair away from his eyes and propped himself up onto his elbows.
“You haven’t seen anything yet.” Ariadna purred. She slipped her suit off in one go, with such efficiency; after all she had done this before.
Troian felt an ache develop in between his legs. He watched as Ariadna crawled onto the bed slowly, over his body like a predator meeting prey.
“Don’t be shy,” it was Ariadna’s turn to tease now. “I don’t bite unless you want me to.”
Troian sat up to meet her. He ran his hands up her stomach and took hold of Ariadna’s breasts, as he kissed her again.
The assassin shuddered at the feel of his thumb running over her nipple. She held him by the back of his neck and started them off; moving against him from where she sat.
Troian waited until Ariadna had extended her neck back far enough; he kissed her throat, greedy for her taste. With one of his hands, he ran it down her back, to her buttocks, and in between. He felt Ariadna jolt at his touch.
It all brought back memories of the times Ariadna had found herself in Vinn’s bed. To her own horror, she felt her eyes prick with tears – not because it upset her but, because it made her angry. If she had enjoyed most of the occasions then why did she feel so disgusted with herself at the reminder of them?
You’re a whore, Ariadna Vikander. That was what Sister Gana had yelled at her, back at the Convent in Aphur when she had been discovered breaking her oath of celibacy. You’re a filthy whore and a mistake of the gods. You will pay for your sins with your life.
Those words, spat out by the sister who had kept her at the convent, rang through Ariadna’s mind over and over again. A horrible song, unwilling to leave her alone. The more she thought about it, the more Ariadna worked to ride Troian harder. If she was to be labelled a filthy whore, then she decided she would do a damn good job of acting like one.
Troian broke her haunting memories off with a loud moan. He was enjoying this and for that reason, Ariadna was pleased.
Fuck you, Sister Gana. Fuck your convent and everything it stands for, she wanted to scream out so badly. Ariadna pressed Troian back against the navy silk covers of the bed and with one slow movement, she ran her tongue against his stomach, up to his chest.
Troian’s fingers tangled into Ariadna’s hair as she found her way further down him again, until she found what she was looking for.
Fuck you, Sister Gana – and fuck you too, Vinn. Ariadna repeated those few words over and over again as she continued to taste Troian. I am my own woman and I do as I please.
Troian broke her off as he pulled her into his arms. Flipping her onto her hands and knees, he found his place behind Ariadna and took her like that.
The Convent of Aphur could go to hell where their gods belonged. And the Anari could go with them too, for all Ariadna cared. She wanted to think of nothing else as she and Troian used each other to their heart’s content, with no one around to judge them. She was not going to return to the institute, not yet. She had personal business to attend to. It had nothing to do with her sister or the damned priestesses of Aphur. No. The cold-hearted assassin had been broken and not in a bad way.
Preeya. She needed her; she needed Ariadna to help her. Even though there was no money attached, no heightening of her reputation guaranteed, Ariadna did not care. Preeya needed her help, to get her sisters back, and Troian and Artus were being hunted.
The cold-hearted assassin had a new contract to complete: Find this Kanra Mortier and bury a blade in him like she had done with his pet. It was not often Ariadna allowed herself to open up to anyone but, her companions had won her respect and admiration. If anything, Preeya was the sister Ariadna never had but wished she did. And she did not allow those truly loyal to her to suffer in silence.
Damn the Sisters. Damn Vinn. Damn the entire Anari.
40 –
Preeya
It was likely late at night now but, Artus and Preeya did not find a reason to get out of bed, even if it was to ask what time it was. Judging by the darkness seeping in through the crack of the thick velvet curtains covering their window, it must have been near midnight.
Preeya lay with her leg slung over Artus’ hips, her slim arm resting across his bare chest. She noticed him smile, so she tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “Ari was right.” she began with a small laugh.
Artus pulled her a little closer to him and allowed his hand to trail down between her thighs, stroking her there.
“About what?” he asked quietly.
“The gods aren’t worth being celibate for.” Preeya replied. She managed to pull a light laugh out of Artus. Burying her face deeper into the crook of his neck, Preeya let out a small breath, making Artus shudder.
“Since you’ve already broken all the rules established by your convent, do you want another drink?” Artus said.
Preeya smiled. “Yes, please.” she replied. Preeya pressed a kiss against Artus’ neck and giggled, before allowing him to get out of bed and pour them both a glass of rum from their bedside table. She stretched herself out onto her stomach, swaying her legs in the air behind her gently, whilst she propped her chin up onto her folded arms beneath her. All the while, she watched Artus with a tender gaze.
“I suggest you stop doing that.” the mercenary said to her, having spied her from the corner of his eye.
“Doing what?” Preeya asked him.
“Arching your back in like that. Or else we might end up on that bed again, sooner than later.” Artus laughed. He approached the young woman and waited until she had sat herself up before handing her a glass of rum. They both leaned against the frame of the bed as they drank.
“I suppose it’s a little too late to be trying to get to know each other better?” Artus asked after some time. He pushed some blonde hair aside and looked at the young woman.
Preeya laughed at that. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. But are we just going to sit here asking each for meagre facts about ourselves? Or have we earned the right to go deeper?” she replied.
Artus linked his fingers through Preeya’s and brought her hand up to his mouth, kissing her knuckles one by one. “That depends on what you want to know about me.”
Preeya took another sip of her rum, just to allow herself the time to think. “Do you feel like you’ve missed out on anything in life?” she asked him finally. “I mean, do you feel like there are still things you haven’t done that you’re just desperate to?”
Artus took a swig of his own rum and sucked up any of the alcohol clinging to his teeth.
“Not anything that comes to mind. I’ve been lucky enough to travel far and wide, some places far nicer than others. It’s was only ever my profession
which constantly brought me back to the reality of what I really did – I kill people for money, Preeya, and I admit that most of the time I enjoy it.” he paused; unable to look at his companion, for fear of what she was thinking.
Preeya said nothing. She did not frown at him in disapproval or pull away as Artus slung an arm around her and brought her closer to him once more.
“I know what you must be thinking. Cruel man! Murderer! I can’t deny being either of those things.” Artus continued.
“And yet you and Troian left your brothers-in-arms when asked to bring a group of innocent girls for sacrifice.” Preeya reminded him. She placed her glass of rum down onto a table on her side of the bed and slipped into Artus’ lap. Running a hand up to his cheek, she held him there and had him look at her when he felt too ashamed to. “I don’t think you’re a cruel man, Artus. I can’t pass any judgement onto you, it’s not my place to. Whatever had prompted you to become a mercenary, your gambling debts, it’s your business and your business alone.” she replied.
Artus wrapped his hands around Preeya’s waist and willed himself to keep his eyes on hers. “I’ll show you everything you’ve missed out on, Preeya. I’ll show you that the world is a far better place than your convent had made it out to be; if we choose to make it so.” he wrapped some of Preeya’s hair around his finger as he spoke. “We can rent a little wagon and go the beach, have dinner and drink more rum on the sand. Swim naked in the sea. Just pretend none of this business with Kanra had ever happened.”
Preeya’s expression grew soft, and she drew away from him at the reminder. “Would you ever trade me in? If this Kanra person offered you more money than you could have ever dreamed of, would you hand me over to him?”
The Anari Page 18