Chapter Sixteen #2
He suddenly drops back down to the floor and then with barely any recovery hops back up agilely to his feet. His shifter cat like reflexes coming in handy. He straightens out his rumpled suit and frowns into the empty air of the surrounding shop.
“I was merely joking my dear Nyx there was no need to have one of your consorts ensure my compliance. Have I ever failed you.” He says.
“Who are you talking to?” Maverick asks curiously, his eyes alight with the need for knowledge.
Him and Harry are going to get on so well.
“Nyx, of course. Here take the blasted thing.” Monty says clicking his fingers and making an aged fairly large envelope appear in his hand he hands to Sage. “Well come on. I’m on my best behaviour.” He grins, I’m sure he intends it to be reassuring but in reality its quite alarming.
Sage
I step cautiously forward. He seems nice enough yet at the same time he’s not. I can’t get a read on him at all and I’m certain that, that’s the reason why he does it.
It must be lonely always being on guard and never really showing anyone who he really is. I hope there has been someone in his life that he has shown the real him to. For his sake.
Nyx trusted him enough to give him this envelope for me and I know she would never put me in danger. Unless the Fates prevented her from doing otherwise of course.
I reach out my hand and grasp the corner of the yellowed by age envelope. He keeps a hold of it temporarily and I have to tug to get him to let it go. I raise my eyebrow at him and he shrugs smirking.
His gaze turns as serious as I’ve seen it so far and I’d like to think that I get a flash of what he is real like.
“It was truly an honour to meet you dear Sage. You are more special than you could even begin to fathom. As futile as it may be, I do hope that we meet again.” He smiles softly before his smile turns into a smirk again. “Maybe you could get to know the real me.”
I guess he has some sort of telepathy too. something about his words don’t sit right with me as I pull back my hand. I frown as I feel the weight of the envelope it’s a lot lighter than it looked when Nyx handed it to him. I glance back up and his eyes fill with mirth.
“There’s something miss . . .” I start.
My words choke off in horror as he splutters, blood bubbling out of the corners of his mouth and staining his beautiful purple velvet waistcoat.
I stare in utter shock at the black hilt of a dagger with one single teal gemstone that’s protruding from the bottom of his neck.
I move forward with the intentions of trying to help him in some way.
The guys immediately dropping into defensive positions raising their weapons that they’ve only just dropped after suspecting Monty of being the threat.
I get barely a step closer when magic starts to glow around the knife.
“Get down!” Levi orders harshly as he suddenly tackles me to the floor the blast of magic just missing me as it expands outwards at head height in a massive radius that covers the entire shop.
I close my eyes against the brightness of the blast, small harmless particles of it falling onto us almost like glitter, I’ve never seen it do that before.
As soon as it touches me I get the feeling that the wielder is entirely unwilling, the sadness, anger, fear and pain I feel from the magic in that single second is devastating and my heart calls out to them.
The moment passes in a second though and as the magic dissipates completely so does the feeling leaving me to wonder if I felt it at all.
No, that was definitely real there is no possible way that I could have dreamt the severity and darkness of those feelings, movement in the very corner of the shop catches my eye but when I turn to look there’s nothing but shadows.
A loud crash has me abandoning the corner and turning back to face the counter where I last saw Monty. Levi holds me tightly, his breathing harsh and doesn’t let me get up when I move to do so.
“Sound off!” He demands.
I look at him confused but it appears I’m the only one.
“Kai.” He groans.
“Jax.”
“Hunter. Fuck me that’s going to bruise.”
“Maverick.”
“Kysen.”
“Good, Sage is good I’ve got her. Everyone get up slowly, get ready to duck again we need to get out of here before whoever threw that damn knife decides to take a crack at us too.” He orders, his voice hushed.
“It took his head clean off, I’ve never seen anything like it.” Kysen mutters as he slowly starts to stand.
Levi finally lets me go and I crouch down.
“Are you ok?” He asks worriedly.
“I’m good.” I reply. “Oh my god.” I gasp as I catch sight of Monty’s head which somehow landed on the countertop when his headless corpse dropped behind.
“I know Beautiful. don’t look.” Kai says turning me towards the door.
“There’s nothing we can do now.” Levi says bluntly, “I’m sorry Darling but we need to go now.”
I nod sucking in a deep breath and pushing it away to deal with later.
“Good. Hunter do you smell anything?”
“No but I didn’t in the first place so a lot of fucking help I am.”
“Alright, slowly and everyone stay fucking alert.” He orders.
We all ever so slowly make our way through the shop and towards the doors. The feeling of the knife throwers magic resonates through me again and I highly doubt that they’d attack us. I’m not entirely sure though and I would rather be safe than sorry so I don’t risk it.
As soon as we’re out of the shop we stick to the shadows as we swiftly make our way through the village.
Levi leads us but he refuses to let go of my hand, I think it scared him more than he’s willing to admit right now.
Its not until we pass back through the cobbled square that was lined with shops earlier but now that night has fallen is deathly quiet, that I realise he must be leading us back to the pub where we left the horses.
I try to pause as I think I hear footsteps behind us.
Of course the guys are having none of it and propel me forwards.
I glance over my shoulder and into the alley that we’ve just left.
Once again I can see nothing but shadows.
I shake off the feeling as just being unsettled from witnessing Monty’s gruesome murder.
I know that we saw the Director beheaded but its different this time.
It probably makes me a bad person but I have to admit that it’s down to the fact that the Director was betraying her people.
She sent countless students to their deaths thanks to leaving them only partially trained and helped the Order capture god knows how many Centre’s and their Bonded.
She certainly helped to abduct Rebecca and her Bonded.
The short of it is I have no sympathy for her.
Jax raises his eyebrow in question and I shake my head, “I thought I heard something, I’m just jumpy.” I reply quietly.
“Understandable.” He mutters as he reaches out and takes my hand, “We’re nearly there.”
We finally see the pub and I sigh in relief, nothings come after us but I will feel a lot better once we’re inside and safely surrounded by four walls.
Not that, that helped poor Monty.
“Do you think it’s safe to get a room?” Kysen asks quietly as we slow our pace everyone keeping a close eye on the surrounding area.
“It’ll be safer than camping in the woods at least.” Levi replies.