23
I walk at a steady pace along the gravel path now, having cleared the rest of the homes in this town. I look forwards and see Hidale soldiers being tied up by Erador’s. The mess of soldiers dressed in maroon are shunted forwards to form a line in front of the stone well in the middle of the town.
Hidale's men are forced to their knees as they hold their heads low.
I turn visible and hold my blade down, tip facing the ground. Walking around to the front of the remaining soldiers.
I wait there, twirling the sword in my hand, for Xander who I see walking towards me. Cole is by his side and another Hidale soldier in front of them. Making five in total on their knees in front of us.
“Ready to be taken back for interrogation, your highness.” One of the soldiers in grey says from behind me.
Xander nods. “Everyone clear out and help Mannuel tend to the injured, we’ll finish up here.”
I start to walk off but Xander says my name and stops me in my tracks. “Not you, you're here with us.”
It’s a quiet command, no room for arguing in his voice and I don’t intend to.
I turn back around and stand at Xander’s left, Cole on his right. All staring down at Hidale’s soldiers, some parts of their uniforms a shade of darker red than usual.
I turn my face to look at Xander, there is nothing but ice cold fury dripping in his blue eyes.
“Hidale sent you, yes.” It’s not quite a question but it’s obvious Xander wants an answer, testing whether they’ll play along.
When no soldiers answer, Xander inclines his head slightly to Cole, a silent command. Cole brings his sword up and slashes it across the neck of the soldier closest to him. Sending him sputtering to the ground.
My shoulders tense at the sudden display of violence, but my face remains a mask of cool indifference.
“Answer my questions or the assassin will be next to slit your throat.” The King commands, power dripping from him.
Surprise settles in my stomach but I don’t show it on my face, knowing the importance of maintaining a united front.
One of the soldiers starts stuttering, ready to give up the information. Much too soon for soldiers but I suppose that’s what happens when you remove volunteers and start conscripting.
I almost feel bad.
“Yes… yes we were s… sent from Hidale.”
“How did he know where the hybrids were?” The King demands, the tone of his voice not one I would like directed towards me.
No one answers, and Xander nods his head towards me.
My training at the Agency prevents me from hesitating as I lunge forward, slicing my sword across the throat of the soldier in front of me.
Sobs start erupting from one of the remaining three, my eyes glaze over as I make the effort to tune him out. Showing the mask of the assassin only.
“Let’s try that again.” Xander says. “How did he know where the hybrids were?”
I watch as the soldier closest to Cole stares up at him, a pure hatred filling his eyes. Hate for who Cole is or what he did to his friend, I don’t know.
The soldier's hands are bunched behind his back, much like the rest but I see smoke rising from behind him. This must be our fire wielder.
I turn towards Cole, ready to warn him but he notices as well and slices his throat not a second later.
Xander doesn’t even balk, nor does he seem surprised. He just presses on like nothing had happened.
“I’m sure you are both aware of my powers.” Xander states, another question that’s not a question.
The soldier closest to me nods.
“Then you’ll know at any moment, I can riffle through your mind and find the answers myself.”
Another nod.
Xander crouches down, getting on their level.
“However, I’d much prefer if you just told me, you’re bleeding and I don’t feel like getting blood on my hands.” He says, looking the soldier closest to him up and down.
“Plus if I read your mind, I’ll surely have to kill you. You will not be of any use to me after that.”
The soldier in front of Xander gulps, his throat bobbing.
“There’s a… a list.” It’s the soldier closest to me that answers.
“What list?” Xander asks, growing impatient.
“A list of… of all hybrids known… where they live… and… and what they are.”
“Excellent.” Xander says, though his tone implies the opposite.
“The list is in Hidale’s castle?” Xander questions.
A small nod comes from the soldier in front of him. But the one closest to me speaks. “We don’t… know where… it… it is.” He says, his voice a mess of nerves.
Xander says nothing in response as he rises. He turns around, back towards the soldiers and looks at Cole. “You know what to do.”
Cole lunges forward and finishes the rest off, I shudder and turn away.
I’ve never liked communicating with my victims before the kill. When Erix picked up on that at the Agency, he made me do it more and more. But as I grew up and started doing missions on my own, I avoided that as much as possible.
The memory of it makes me want to throw up.
Xander notices and looks across to me, eyes softening as they meet mine.
“They had to die. They knew you were with us.”
I nod my reply and walk off.
Leaving Cole and Xander to deal with the bodies.