Silent Night

by Emma Couette

“Touché,” I reply. I stand up and walk over to her. “Listen, Natalie, is it? I don’t want conflict and trust me, neither do you. So, if you stay out of my way, I’ll stay out of yours. Deal?”

  “I make no promises,” she says.

  I shrug. “Then I can’t promise your safety. Cross me, Natalie, and you’ll regret it for the rest of your brief life.”

  “Touch me and you’ll be sent back to the hellhole you came from faster than you can blink an eye.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Neither my father nor Jenson will be so trusting if you harm a hair on my head or harm anyone in this base for that matter. You weren’t stupid enough to think this freedom was a kindness, were you?” She nods to the sword and something in me shrinks back. “Leaving you unsupervised, unlocking your door, rearming you… It’s all a test. I, for one, am itching to see you slip up. Then I can go back to my peace and quiet and you… Well, who knows what’ll happen to you.”

  My skin crawls as I realize the truth in her words. Her father didn’t just send her to watch me. He’s hoping I’ll try something and prove him right. I wonder if she recognizes that she’s bait.

  Well, I’m not going to bite today.

  “Ajax is going to be back soon,” I lie. “You should go. You wouldn’t want him to start asking questions.” Yet, something tells me that’s exactly what she wants. Something tells me that behind that pretty face is a lethal player who might have a chance at winning the game.

  “Oh, and that’s another thing,” she replies. “You can stay away from Ajax.”

  Oh, Guild. Here she goes.

  “I don’t think I can. He’s obligated to escort me and if you really are testing me, I should keep him in my sights as much as possible.”

  Her eyes flare as she realizes her folly, but she doesn’t waver. “I’m sure you of all people know how to bend the rules, know just how far you can push. I don’t want you corrupting him. I don’t want you putting him in constant danger simply by being near each other. I don’t want you becoming friends. He’s mine.”

  I want to tell her that you don’t always get what you want, but I hold my tongue. Instead I say, “I don’t give a damn about your stupid crush, Roseanne. You can have him for all I care, but I doubt he would want a girl like you.”

  She scowls at me. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You know what I meant,” I tell her. “I haven’t known him for long, but Ajax has taste and you are as bland as they come, princess.”

  Her face goes red. “Just stay away from him.”

  “Like I said, I don't want him. Knock yourself out or better yet, let me do it for you.”

  “Careful, that sounds awfully like a threat.”

  “And what exactly have you been doing since you walked in the door?” I counter.

  “Whatever, Assassin,” she replies. “I’d say it was a pleasure talking to you, but it wasn’t, so I’ll be going.”

  She saunters out of the room, leaving me thoroughly confused and concerned.

  Assassins below. As if things aren’t already bad enough.

  …

  At one o'clock, I meet Ajax outside the door to the council room, the same room where Jenson and the others discussed my fate when I first arrived. Ajax and I are there to give our report on what we found today. It’s the first step of many to gain their trust and I’m as nervous as a Guild Ward holding his first knife.

  Quit shaking, I tell myself, everything will be fine.

  But what if they don’t believe me? What if I say the wrong thing? What if Ajax gets punished for giving back my weapon? What if...

  I trail off. Too many things could go wrong.

  “How long is this going to take?” I ask Ajax.

  “Not too long,” he replies. “What, are you nervous?”

  “Certainly not,” I snap.

  “Hey, it’s nothing to be afraid of. Jenson doesn’t bite.”

  “I know that but... What if this doesn’t help them to trust me?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. There is no way this report can hurt your case. Let me do most of the talking and you should be fine.”

  I don’t like the idea of putting my fate in the hands of someone else, but I mutter an affirmative.

  “Okay,” Ajax says, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Take a deep breath and relax. You’ve got this.”

  I nod.

  He opens the door and we walk into the room.

  Jenson sits in the same spot he did the first time we met, two guards standing behind his chair. He asks us to sit across from each other at the opposite end of the table.

  “I see you returned in one piece,” Jenson begins. “There was no trouble then, I assume?”

  Not from outside sources.

  “We met no resistance,” Ajax replies. Jenson laughs slightly and Ajax smiles at his own joke.

  I roll my eyes.

  “There was nobody in the tunnel or guarding its entrance and exit,” Ajax goes on.

  Jenson sits up straighter. “So you found an exit then?”

  “Yes.”

  “Tell me.”

  “It led us to a warehouse in the south end, packed floor to ceiling with stolen food. There is no question now who the train raiders are and how they manage it.”

  “Was there no entrance to the Guild then?” Jenson asks.

  “Sadly no, but Silent assured me it wouldn’t be from the start. She proved to be right, but we decided to check it out anyway. At least the raider mystery can be put to rest and maybe we can prevent it from happening again.”

  “The bastards,” Jenson says, “why would they have a separate building for their food?”

  “Why wouldn’t they?” I retort.

  Ajax shoots me a look and I remember that I’m supposed to stay quiet.

  “What’s that, Assassin?” Jenson asks me.

  I have no choice but to answer the question. “The assassins must’ve known you would discover that warehouse eventually,” I reply, “so they didn’t connect it to the base. Not every assassin knows about it either. I certainly didn’t.”

  “Interesting,” Jenson muses. “It seems the Guild likes to keep secrets from its members, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, yes it does.”

  Jenson leans back in his chair. “Well, the two of you did well today, even if we didn’t find an entrance. Ajax, take her scouting with you if you want and on any missions I assign you; she’s earned that much. Oh, and make sure she’s properly outfitted with weapons next time. That lone sword wouldn’t have been enough if you ran into a gang of assassins.”

  My eyes gleam with excitement.

  “Yes, sir,” Ajax replies, “anything else?”

  “I want you to take her to the Barn tomorrow.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “We need his approval before we can take this much further.”

  “I suppose. Well, we’ll see to it.”

  “Good, now run along. I have other business to attend to.”

  “Certainly,” Ajax says and we leave the room.

  I let out a huge sigh of relief. “Well, that was fun.”

  “I think it went well,” Ajax replies. “You must have gained some trust or he would never recommend re-arming you.”

  “I guess,” I reply, “what are we going to do now?”

  “I propose another trip to the armoury and then we can do some scouting in town. What do you say?”

  “I think it’s a great idea.”

  “Then it’s settled. Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Later that night, around six o’clock, Ajax and I stroll into the cafeteria. We spent the afternoon traipsing around town, wreaking havoc with a group of new assassins and reacquainting ourselves with Haven City. I haven’t had that much fun in months. The encounter in the tunnel has been forgotten and we are laughing as we make it to the front of the food line.

  “The look on that kid’s face though,” I gasp out, half leaning on him
to stay balanced through my laughter.

  “Priceless,” Ajax replies.

  “Guild, that was fun.”

  “Yeah, but are you sure they won’t go running back to your master to tell him they saw you?”

  I straighten. “No, I frightened them good. They won’t say anything unless he asks them personally, and he has no reason to think I would show myself to a bunch of Guild Wards.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I do.”

  “Then let’s get eating.”

  We pile food onto our plates and join Bast and Blake at our table.

  “Where have you two been?” Blake asks as we sit down.

  “Oh, here and there,” Ajax replies.

  “I had my first mission today,” I say, beaming.

  “Congratulations,” Bast exclaims. “I knew you’d do it. Someone with your talent couldn’t stay in the dark for long.”

  “Right you are. It was wonderful to be in the field again, and Jenson says I can accompany Ajax whenever now.”

  “Sweet.”

  “You’re telling me.”

  “What was it like?”

  I tell Bast the tale of our adventures and Ajax offers his thoughts every once in a while. He’s taking the spotlight again when I notice Blake grow quiet. Well, quieter than usual.

  I reach across the table to poke her in the arm. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  She doesn’t say anything, just pulls at the end of her braid as she stares at something across the room.

  I follow her gaze. There, standing at a table in the far corner, is none other than Ms. Natalie Sophia Roseanne.

  Isn’t that just wonderful.

  Ajax and Bast notice something off with Blake too and stop their conversation. It takes them a few minutes to see who Blake and I are watching.

  “Son of a...” Bast mutters. “What is she doing here?”

  I cross my arms nonchalantly and reply in my best imitation of her insufferable voice. “Daddy has reassigned our dear friend Natalie to a room in my hall.”

  Blake laughs a little and so does Bast.

  “Are you serious?” Ajax says. Clearly, he was listening more to what I said than how I said it.

  “Deadly,” I reply, “in fact, the little princess had the nerve to come to my room after lunch today just to tell me about it.” I neglect to mention her threats. There’s no need to get anyone else involved.

  “You’re kidding,” Bast says.

  “Not in the least,” I reply. “She also warned me to stay away from her man.”

  Ajax raises an eyebrow. “What man?”

  “You.”

  He groans and lays his head on the table. “I swear to God... I don’t know why she can’t give that up. I’ve been turning her down since I was twelve.”

  I snort. “I knew she was barking up the wrong tree.”

  “None of that explains what she’s doing in the cafeteria,” Blake points out.

  “What, doesn’t she eat here usually?” I ask.

  “No,” Ajax replies. “She never eats here. She and her father have dinner alone somewhere. It’s the same with Jenson. It’s odd to see her mingling with everyone.”

  “Well, if it’s abnormal behaviour, I think I know the reason.”

  “What?” the three of them ask.

  “Daddy dearest wants someone to keep an eye on me.”

  “That’s undermining Jenson’s authority,” Ajax argues, “not to mention insinuating I’m not good enough at my job.” He scowls into his soup.

  “Who is this father of hers anyway?” I ask. “What gives him the authority to mess with us or question Jenson?”

  The three of them share a look.

  “What?” I ask.

  Ajax sighs. “This father of hers is Nicholas Ross, Jenson’s Second.”

  Well damn.

  The last name tugs at me, as if I know it from somewhere. I wonder why it’s different than Natalie’s, but I can think on that later.

  “Jenson’s Second, eh?” I reply. “Why am I not surprised? Guess I’m stuck with that thorn in my side then, aren’t I?”

  They nod.

  “Wonderful.” I take a breath. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Nicholas can do what he wants, but if he hasn’t changed Jenson’s mind yet, I doubt he will. As for Natalie, she’s nothing but a moot point, but she’s definitely cruising for a bruising.”

  “I’d pay good money to see that fight,” Bast says.

  “All I can say is that she better watch her back because one day, she’ll turn around and I’ll be waiting.”

  Blake shakes her head. “Spoken like a true assassin,” she mutters, “but I hope you do.”

  I smile at her for once. “I’d be more than happy to oblige.” I finger one of the knives in my belt. Ajax and I never bothered to change before coming to dinner. I just took off my cloak.

  Bast notices my gesture and then eyes the weapons lining my body. “Jeez, Night,” he says, “you think you’ve got enough steel? How can you carry it all?”

  I shrug. “I could probably use a bit more, but I don’t find it heavy. I’ve been trained so the weight doesn’t bother me.”

  “How many are on you?”

  “I have the two swords, at least ten knives, two guns, three packs of ammo, and various daggers.”

  Bast whistles. “I only ever carry a sword and bow, be it cross or long.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve learned to never underestimate an enemy and to have whatever weapon necessary to end them on my person. You can’t run home in the middle of a fight to grab a knife if you need one.”

  “I guess that’s true,” he replies. “Do you know how to use them all?”

  I narrow my eyes. “Why in the Guild would I carry a weapon I couldn’t use?”

  He holds up his hands. “I was just asking.”

  I lean back in my seat. “You know, I could probably teach you guys a thing or two, if you wanted. I’ve noticed you stick to the same couple of weapons. You should broaden your horizons.”

  Bast and Blake share a look with Ajax.

  He shrugs. “It couldn’t hurt. You’ve definitely shown your skills and proven your trust. Besides, I could use a break from teaching.”

  “I suppose it could be fun,” Blake allows.

  “Of course it will, Blakey,” Bast exclaims. “We’ll be getting exclusive assassin-level training.”

  He’s only half right. I don’t think they could handle real assassin-level training. If anything, it would break Bast’s spirit.

  “We can get started as soon as you’re done eating,” I tell him.

  Ajax smiles. “That could be a while.”

  “Hey!” Bast protests.

  “It’s the truth, man,” Ajax argues. “You’re slower than molasses.”

  …

  An hour later, the four of us are still gathered in our usual training room. I’ve spent the better part of that time coaching the three in various forms of rare combat. Ajax is adept at most concepts I throw at him, which doesn’t surprise me. Blake and Bast need a little more instruction, so by the end of the hour, Ajax is teaching alongside me. We go through knife throwing, sharp shooting, and I even made them do a couple laps before we got started. We end with hand to hand combat.

  It’s getting late, but Bast refuses to take a break until he can get a clear shot at me. I admire his resolve, but we might be going all night. Ajax and Blake are sitting on a bench against the wall, sipping water from plastic cups as they watch Bast and I spar.

  “You have to keep moving,” I tell him, bouncing around on my feet. “As soon as you’re still, you’re just asking to get hit.”

  He stops again as he takes aim at my head.

  I reach through the hole in his defenses and tap his face with my fist as my other arm blocks his strike.

  “See, you have to learn punch while moving.”

  He sighs and drops his hands. “Ugh, it’s too much to remember.”

  I stop too and try to appear sympa
thetic. He would be disgraced at the Guild for giving up, would already be on the ground licking his wounds.

  “It takes practice,” I tell him. “I didn’t get good at it overnight.” The constant beatings had been an effective motivator to improve though, until I was strong enough to beat the shit out of my mentor instead.

  “Yeah,” he mutters, “I guess but…” And then he’s swinging his left fist at me.

  I duck and catch his right wrist with my hand as I straighten.

  “Nice try,” I tell him. “You’re catching on to what I’m saying, but I saw that one coming.”

  “No fair,” he groans.

  “Oh, don’t be a sore loser, Sebastian,” Blake chides him.

  Bast whirls on her. “Don’t call me that!”

  Blake gives Ajax a knowing look. “You’re whining now, Seb.”

  Bast gives her a dark scowl I never thought I’d see him wear.

  “Shut up,” he snaps and I hear Ajax stifle a laugh. It turns into a coughing fit as he tries to choke it back.

  I smile.

  “What are you all happy about?” Bast asks me.

  “Oh, come on, Bastian,” I say, “chill out, man.”

  Ajax roars with laughter and Blake joins him this time. “Oh, man,” Ajax chokes out. “That was priceless. You are definitely a part of this team.”

  Bast gives the three of us looks of utter contempt. “Idiots, the lot of you,” he mutters.

  “I think we should call it a night, Bast,” I tell him.

  “Fine, but I won’t go so easy on you next time.”

  The two of us take a seat on the bench beside Ajax and Blake, and we all sit there in silence for a moment, Bast and I catching our breath.

  Then Blake leans forward to look over at me. “So, Night, I noticed something missing from your weapon arsenal.”

  Did she now?

  I do a mental check of my weapons. The only thing missing is a bow and…

  Oh, please don’t say it.

  “You don’t have an axe,” she goes on and my heart drops. “I assume because they add a fair amount of weight, but I was wondering if you’ve used one before?”

  “Of course I know how to use one,” I retort, trying to keep my emotions in check.

  “Would you be up for a duel? My preferred weapon is the battle axe, but these two are abysmal sparring partners. I haven’t had a good fight with it in months.”