“I know Acreage magic is still here. The missing guard is most likely your land’s magic. Is the creature you saw tonight magic?”
“Yes,"
He let out a heavy sigh and nodded. The doors opened and with the doctor was James.
“Did you pull your stitches already?” James said mindlessly. His eyes rested on Serena and he frowned.
“Doctor, this looks like it’ll need stitches.” The Captain said, ignoring James.
The doctor walked to Serena and the wound on her arm. He pulled the Captain’s hands away and nodded.
“I can give you something for the pain if you like,”
“It’s fine. Just make sure the stitches are tight and small please.”
The doctor nodded and opened his bag, beginning to work. The Captain stood and James walked to him. He began whispering.
“What is she doing here?”
“I want you to check her room. Tell me what you find. Quickly,”
“No,” Serena said. “I locked it in there. It’s dangerous.”
“I can handle myself, Serena,” James said, tapping the sword on his hip before leaving.
“Wait, Wesley. It’s not safe.”
He smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Trust me. He’ll be fine,” She stared at him. How? It was a magical monster. What would James do against that?
The doctor pulled the stitches tight on the first gash and she turned, looking away from him.
“How?” she asked. “What haven’t you told me?”
“Serena-”
“No! Something attacked me and you want to act like James can handle what I cannot?”
“How do you think Templaria took over Acreage?” he asked. “Do you really believe it was just our military prowess?”
She glared at him, waiting for him to continue.
“We’ve developed tools over the years that negate magic. James is well versed. He’s fine,”
Tools that negate magic? She didn’t know how that possibility existed or what it meant for her. How would simple tools stop magic unless magicked themselves? Templarians were not supposed to have magic. They worshiped no Gods. Then how did they have tools for dealing with magic? What were these tools? What would it feel like on the other side of them? The doctor finished up as they sat in silence. He turned to her neck, cleaning the scratches.
“You should rest,” he said gently, offering her a tonic. She looked at it for a moment but relented, taking the vile liquid. Finished, the doctor took the vial and stood.
The Captain made payment, and the doctor left, leaving the two of them alone. The silence dragged on, growing uncomfortable. The Captain broke it first.
“It’s the wee hours of the morning. I can set you up at Helen’s. She has a spare bedroom. You can get some rest.”
“What if it’s still inside the castle? What if it tries to find me? I should find somewhere far from other people-”
“Not happening. I don’t know what that thing was, but you’re not spending the night alone. Someone needs to keep an eye on you.”
“Wesley,”
He ignored her words and opened the doors to his bedroom. He then walked to the double-sided fireplace and started a fire.
“You can get a few more hours of rest here. Once it’s light out, I can bring you to Helen’s.”
Serena got up, walking closer to Wesley. He pulled the curtains on the windows closed tight and folded down the edge of the blankets for her.
“I…” Serena stumbled on her thoughts, not sure what to say.
“It’s only a few hours. I’ll be awake managing this, but I won’t leave. I’ll keep an eye on you and if the creature shows up, well I’m sure between the two of us we can handle it.”
He offered a small smile to her and gestured to the bed. She looked at the red satin sheets, her body weary.
“Go on,”
Serena walked to the bed and got in between the sheets. Wesley moved to the doorway and closed one of the doors, leaving the other open.
“Wesley!”
He turned, looking back in at her.
“Thank you,”
He nodded and resumed his business as the tonic pulled Serena back to sleep.
◆◆◆
Chapter Thirteen
Serena’s consciousness drifted in and out.
“There’s nothing there!” It sounded like James.
“She didn’t hurt herself.” Wesley. James scoffed.
“What of the guards?”
“Torn to pieces. I have some of the guards helping to clean it up. It’s a mess. Her room is upside down.”
“Well, she didn’t do all that.”
The talking seemed to grow softer and more incoherent. The pull of sleep drew her back in.
Scratching woke her. She turned to the sound, noticing a shadow behind the curtains of the room. The fireplace still roared, casting shadows on the walls. She slid from the blankets, grabbing a letter opener on the table as she crept closer. The scratching grew louder as she crouched on the other side of the curtains. With a steady breath, she pulled back the curtains to see a Winged One sitting on the outside windowsill. It grinned at her, showing its tiny sharp teeth.
“What do you want?”
It chittered at her much like a cat. Then it flew off into the morning light, looking more like a bat than a magical creature. The sighting unnerved her. She moved towards the parlor to find the book, curious if it could answer more questions.
As she walked, she noticed the shadow of a figure. She knew it wasn’t Wesley. He didn’t seem to be in the room at all. She flipped the letter opener in hand and crept towards the figure. He walked into the Captain’s office and opened his decanter. He poured something into it. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
Closer inspection of the man showed he was a guard. His blue uniform stood out in the sunlight from the window. He put the lid on the decanter and moved towards the door. Serena crept behind him and pounced. She placed the letter opener to his neck and yanked him back.
“What did you put in the Captain’s decanter?”
The man struggled, but she pushed the letter opener closer. He froze.
“Who are you?”
“At the moment, I’m the person who will slit your throat if you lie to me!”
The man noticed the bandages on her arm and dug his fingers into them. She held back the yell as she dropped the letter opener. She grabbed the dagger from his back and kicked him away from her.
He looked her over in her nightgown and laughed.
“I didn’t know the Captain had an exotic little miss he called on.” She glared at him. “Put that down before you hurt yourself.”
She clicked her tongue, annoyance seeping in. Blood dripped from the bandages on her arm, but she ignored it focused on the man. She rose the blade threateningly at him.
“I was just putting a tonic in for the Captain.”
“Then drink it,”
He chuckled.
“No.”
She swiped the blade at him and he dodged, putting his back against the wall. “Last warning,”
She attacked again, and so did he. He moved to catch her blade, but she dropped it. Her other hand moved under and caught it before driving it into his side. He groaned, his eyes wide. She pulled the blade out and grabbed his arm, throwing him back towards the Captain’s office.
“Drink it,”
The man stumbled, his hand moving to his side where blood poured out. He looked back at her.
“You’re the little assassin.” She stepped closer and motioned towards the decanter. “I won’t drink that. You already know what’s in it.” He stood taller and pulled his sword.
“You’re the one who poisoned the tea.”
“I poison a lot of things. Orders are orders after all. No hard feelings.”
Sparrow looked at him, uncertain of his identity. He wasn’t a guard.
“Who are you?”
&
nbsp; He shrugged.
“Doesn’t really matter. Only one of us gets out of this alive. Failure isn’t an option.”
Those words strummed through her as she stared at him. Words Adrian spoke. He wasn’t an assassin. At least not one she recognized, and he let her stab him too easily.
Before she could think more, he charged. His blade swiped at her chest. She ducked, thrusting her dagger upwards. He stumbled back, eyes wide. He twisted, thrusting his blade at her again. She turned away, her reflection in his blade warning how close he was to landing a strike. She dove in close, rendering his sword useless. Without hesitation, she drove the dagger into his chest. He stared at her as she fell with him to the ground.
“Who gives you orders?”
He grinned at her, blood pooling in his mouth. He spat it out at her as the door opened.
“Serena!”
She looked at Wesley, who held a tray full of breakfast.
“What-”
“He poisoned your decanter.” Wesley put the tray down and checked his decanter.
She moved the blade, tossing it aside as she began searching his pockets. She found a crumpled page, pulling it out. On it was the Captain’s name, but the signature drew her attention more.
“Who is the Shadow Heir?”
The fake guard laughed, but Wesley grew stiff.
“Don’t worry. He knows who you are,” he gargled out. Her heart dropped, but she stood turning to Wesley.
“Who is the Shadow Heir?”
“No one,”
“You know…”
“I don’t. It was rumored before this. Look, you need to go to Helen’s. I’ll deal with this. We have a few days to get everything organized and leave for war.”
The door opened and Daryl walked in. He stared at the scene.
“Daryl, take her to Helen’s. Talk of this to no one. We have enough problems.”
“I want to help.”
“Get Raft and Daryl ready for war. I’ll handle the rest.” He noticed the blood on her arm. “Make sure her stitches are fixed.”
Daryl pulled her out, wrapping a cloak around her. Serena stole another look at the Captain as he ran his fingers through his hair, stress evident in the lines on his face.
Over the next few days, they turned their attention towards the impending march to war. Time blurred as panic settled over the castle. An endless list of things to do worried everyone, including Serena. She prepared every moment of the day from training Vilkrim into a proper warhorse to teaching Raft to think when engaged in battle. When she wasn’t training in the yards, she researched anything to do with magic or the creatures. Despite trying to focus on these two tasks, she often found herself listening for rumors of the Shadow Heir. No one talked about him, and even Mary knew nothing about it. It worried her, but she focused on her goals.
Helen became a source of calm in the week's chaos. She’d appear without warning, carrying a picnic basket of small sandwiches and plenty of her special tea. Within moments of finding Serena, Helen’s small tea party enticed her to step back for a few hours. When outside training, impromptu tea parties were held under a tree. When in the library, a large table of books quickly became a lavish scene of delicate foods and steeping tea. Serena began to look forward to Helen’s visits, expecting her to break up the pattern of her days. For a few hours, Helen made sure she didn’t think about the battles to come or the many questions she still possessed no answers to. Instead, she could live in the present and enjoy the company of a friend. Solace she desperately sought since her life transformed.
Despite the changes, she eagerly rid herself of frilly dresses. She couldn’t dress in anything she liked, but the comfort of the guard's uniform’s mobility was enough for now. Her weapons decorated her body, reminding her of the trust she earned. Most importantly, the Captain trusted her. The thought filled her with warmth. She knew better, but she allowed the feeling to linger, knowing soon she’d have to stamp it out.
It was nearly time to leave. Even so, she squeezed in a few more training sessions. She stood outside in the blazing sun, enjoying the warmth on her skin. A gentle breeze blew around her as a smile graced her lips. Her excitement matched the quick palpitations of her heart.
She reminded herself to settle and released an even breath as she waited. She paired up with Daryl and Raft for this session. Ike watched, almost amused. He had been constantly drilling Raft about the same things Serena mentioned for months. It appeared he required two teachers constantly berating him to improve.
Serena focused on the fight. The feeling of successfully stopping two assailants always invigorated her. She knew if she managed to beat them both today, then it was a symbol that she was finally ready. Her body was finally carefully tuned to the actions of an assassin again, and it gave her a sense of completeness.
Dirt shifted as she heard a slight shuffle of feet on her right. A heavier foot ground on a few stones to her left. She knew without a doubt who was who. To her left was Raft. His footsteps were still heavier than she hoped. That left Daryl on the right. She did not hear them unsheathe their blades, so she assumed they were already drawn. Smart. It appeared they learned something from her. Her anticipation grew as her muscles tensed. She closed her eyes as she listened to their steps. She judged their distance by the sound of their strides getting closer, counting in her head the seconds before they would attack.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
She felt a slight shift in the air as a wooden sword swung at her. She ducked under Daryl’s blade as it slashed where she had been. The moments of safety from Daryl allowed her to twist around and handle Raft. She hooked her ankle on Raft’s leg and pulled. He stumbled forwards towards Daryl, blocking him from attacking her again. She slid closer to Raft, moving under his wooden sword with a grin on her face. She hooked his arm into her armpit. He glared at her, swinging his other hand with a wooden dagger. She nearly laughed. She knew well he learned that move from her. Dodging the dagger, she grew aware of Daryl thrusting towards her. She spun again, her cloak flowing outwards hiding her form as she kicked up dirt at Daryl. He blocked most of it with his hand.
“Same tricks don’t work Serena,” Daryl growled quickly recovering.
She used the moments of safety from Daryl to twist Raft’s arm behind his back. He let go of his sword with a yelp as she positioned Raft between her and Daryl. She smirked.
“That’s why I have new tricks.”
She grinned, holding Raft between them. Raft tried moving, but a pull on his arm threatened to pop his shoulder and he stopped. She caught him looking at Daryl and knew Raft had a plan. Raft’s legs collapsed, and he fell to the ground. Serena couldn’t hold his weight up and stumbled forwards. He used his left hand, which still held the wooden dagger and stabbed at her. She jumped back, a smile on her face. She respected how far he had come in training. He picked up his sword, standing side by side with Daryl.
Together they charged. They thrust from either side, making it easy for her to dodge their blows as the proximity of their blades made it harder for them to change up their attack. She dodged under and kicked Ike’s knee. He fell forwards as she twisted, turning to Raft as her left hand pulled the wooden dagger on her waist. She poked Daryl in the throat's side with it, causing him to yell and curse at her.
“Serena!”
She ignored him, facing off against Raft alone now that Daryl was out. However, Raft moved while she was concentrating on Daryl. She felt the tip of the wooden sword against her back.
“Drop it,”
She slowly bent down dropping her wooden weapons as she slid two of her throwing knives on her waist to her palms. She rose her hands as if conceding. He walked closer, reaching for her shoulder with his left. The moment he touched her she spun, knocking her left dagger down hard near the tip of his blade. The force drove the tip down while also embedding her blade. She ignored it as her other arm extended and h
er second dagger sat against the front of his throat. Raft let out a heavy breath, his eyes wide with shock. Daryl spoke up.
“We said no real blades!”
Serena shrugged as she slid the blade in her right back to her waist. She then turned to the wooden sword, taking it from Raft to pry her blade free.
“You should know I don’t play fair,”
Daryl rubbed his neck where she had poked him.
“That was better,” Ike said. “Much better, but you both could’ve made it more difficult for her four moves ago.”
“She’s the Royal Assassin. I’m just glad I managed to stay in the fight for so long. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of that before.” Raft beamed with excitement and pride.
“You did get him ready for battle quick. I wonder who worked harder, him or Vilkrim.” Daryl said.
“Vilkrim,” Serena smirked.
“Hey! That’s not true. I worked from morning ‘til dusk. Tell them, Ike.”
Ike smiled and began laughing. He ruffled Raft’s hair.
“Karla will be thrilled to hear you improved so much before your first battle.”
“You’d make a great Commander. You’d beat the men into shape in no time.” Daryl said.
“What in the underworld am I supposed to do leading a bunch of soldiers? I fight like an assassin, not a soldier. I’m not standing in line like dead meat waiting for an attack. I attack first and I attack the moment they stop looking.” She grinned.
She took a deep, satisfying breath. Finally, she felt like herself. Her muscles regained most of their strength. They felt more tuned to her actions, and it all came easy now. Instinctual. Daryl was a great soldier, and Raft was much more formidable. Their skills were strong and together posed a challenge, especially since they had taken to heart her suggestions. They were prepared and there was only one day left before they’d march.
“You could if you wanted to,” Daryl returned. “I’m sure you could do anything you wanted.” He grinned. She sighed at that, knowing her life was more complicated than simple wants. “Are you heading back to the library?”
“Yes,” she said, moving to tie her sword back on. Ike collected their wooden weapons.
The Death Sparrow's Shadow: The Assassin of Acreage Book One Page 15