1 Chapter 1 (1/2)

I walked threw the halls of the guild with a straight back and an air of confidence. I could sense all of the other assassins looking down on me. I was the first and only girl assassin, so I had to work the hardest. I headed straight towards Wilker Wes's study, or in other names, Master. He was the one who controlled all of the assassins and who handed out jobs.

As I turned down the last hall Garret Segal walked out of his office. He saw me coming and smirked. ”Is Master's favorite toy back so soon.” He was the nicest one to me, but he could still be pretty mean. ”No, his best assassin is returning. It seems is favorite toy is leaving right now.” Garret scowled. ”You might as well leave, everyone knows you don't belong. Even you know you don't belong.” ”I belong here just as much as any of you.” I replied.

I went to walk pass him, but he purposely bummed into my shoulder with his. I immediately grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. Then I dead kneed him causing him to fall to his knees. ”Unless you are willing to be taken down by me, I would steer clear of my way.” I pushed him to the ground and walked towards Wilker's door. By the time Garret got up, I was to far down the hall for him to come after me. Wilker was standing at the door and he was smiling. When I got to the door I turned and blew a mocking kiss at Garret. Then I walked all the way in.

Wilker went to his desk, and I fell to one knee in front of it. I was staring at the rug. I could tell he was staring at me, right between my shoulder blades, right where my twin swords crossed. ”Master.” I said by way of greeting. He answered by asking, ”How is Ril doing. I heard you paid him a visit.” I smiled to myself. I was still staring at the carpet because he hadn't said I could stand yet. ”He took a dive to the very bottom of the ocean yesterday. Rumor has it he never surfaced.”

Wilker gave a small chuckle. ”Good job. I knew you could do it.” I heard his footsteps moving towards me. Then I felt his hands on mine pulling me up. When I was standing all the way up, he asked, ”Not a scratch on you is there?” My smile dropped. ”None that you can see.” He dropped my hands. ”What happen?” I looked at him with pure, unrelenting, embarrassment. ”When I was going for the killing strike and they pulled a hidden dagger out, and sliced open my cheek.” ”But like a great assassin you healed it?” He asked. ”Yes,” I replied, ”Valries powers really help.” Everyone in our town, with the exception for a few humans where Valries. You could tell by the pointed canines and un-earthly beauty.

Wilker smiled and said. ”Good girl. Your payment is in that box.” He said pointing towards a box on a table on the far side of the room. I walked over there and pulled the lid off. It was the perfect gift. It was two new twin swords. My old ones had been chipped and practically ruined in my last assassination. I pulled out my two old ones and set them on the table. He came up behind me and said, ”Your old ones look like they have been through several wars.” I sheathed the new ones on my back and turned to him. ”Thanks.” He smiled and motioned to the chairs in front of his desk.

Once I was seated and he was seated he asked, ”Are you ready for your next job?” I gave a wicked smile. ”Of course.” He settled back and said, ”You know The Barrel.” My breath caught in my chest. ”Yes.” I said in a small voice. ”Ahh, you always assume the worst.” He said quickly. ”You are not going to be following your mommy's footsteps in this job.” He knew better than anyone that I hated my moms job. Before she died so many years ago, she was a whore. I always hated her for it. I swore I would never turn to that no matter how poor I was.

Wilker used it as a threat or punishment when needed. There where very few times it was used though. I let out a long breath. ”What am I going to do then?” I asked. ”You are going to fight Farren Varro during his first fight. Tonight is his first ever fight, and you are going to be his first opponent.” I stood up and so did he. ”Yes sir. What time?” ”Eight thirty.” He said. ”Perfect.” I replied. As I walked to the doors, I rolled my shoulders. He must have known how restless I was because he said, ”Everyone else is sparring in the training room.” I smiled at him and said, ”Thank you Master.”

I walked the training room and pushed myself to the front of the circle. Garret was in the middle fighting a no-name newbie. Of course he won, and when he asked for next competitor, I stepped up. He laughed and said, ”You really want to lose?” ”No, I want an easy fight.” I snapped back. He took a step back, ”Fine, but we are only doing two dagger fights.” I smiled, ”Perfect.” I walked to the far table and started taking off my weapons. I pulled my twin swords out. Then I pulled off the two strapped at my thighs. Next I pulled the ones out of my boots, and finally I took the one's at my wrists off.

I picked the ones that lived at my wrists to use. The only ones that I didn't take off where the ones that where in the breast pockets. There handles where made to look like armor. Only a very skilled eye could see them. Garret happen to be one of these trained eyes. But no smart assassin would take every blade off and only have the ones in there hands on them. Garret gave them a pointed look but didn't say anything about them.

When the fight started, I jumped right at him. This always caught people of guard, because someone my size would never do that move. I nearly got his arm, but he just barley scooted out of the way. We went at each others throats, constantly keeping the other on guard. But he eventually slipped and I got my dagger at his throat. I dead kneed him. ”Throw your daggers to the side.” I ordered. He threw one to each side and raised his hands in surrender. I backed up and he jumped towards his dagger's. He scooped them up and the stood up.

There was a slow clapping. I looked up at the balcony, and Wilker was standing there. We all fell to one knee in unison. He immediately said, ”Everyone up. Jaycie Lancer and Zachery Rinston. You two are up.” Zachery was probably the one assassin I couldn't stand. ”Full weapons.” Wilker commanded, so I put them all back on, but only used my daggers. We both went to the sparring circle and started fighting. I let him have the first move. He tried to ram me, but I swirled to the left and tripped him. He stumbled but not enough to give me an advantage. After a few more moves I had him on his knees and had a dagger at his throat.

”Daggers to the side.” I ordered. ”Never.” He answered. I pushed hard enough to almost break the skin. ”Now.” I said with a commanding tone. ”I will never.” He said. Wilker's voice boomed. ”Jaycie. Stand down.” I scowled. ”Not until he admits defeat.” I growled. I heard footsteps and the I felt a hand slap me across the face. I fell back. I taste the coppery tang of blood in my mouth. I heard Wilker yelling. ”Zachery, if this where a fight in the streets, you would be dead. When someone has a knife at your throat, you do as they say. Do I make myself clear?” He asked. ”Yes master.” He said. Wilker walked up to me and grabbed me by my shoulder and pulled me into the hall. He grabbed my arms pushing them into painful V's and shoved me against the wall.

With my training, I easily kept in any signs of discomfort. I could tell all the other assassins where watching from the windows and he knew it to. I was an example. ”When I tell you to stand down, you stand down. Are we clear?” He asked. ”Yes Master.” I mumbled. He pushed my arms higher up and I winced in pain. ”What was that?” He asked. ”I said yes Master.” I yelled. He pulled me away from the wall and threw me to the floor. I didn't dare stand up.

”If I can't trust I have your one hundred percent cooperation, I will have someone else fight. If I can't trust you, you might as well stay there on the floor like a filthy animal.” ”Yes sir.” I said. After pausing for a few moments he said, ”Get out of here. I will see you at The Barrel. The whole clan will be there. Don't be late.” He turned his back to me and walked into the training room.I walked out of the building and walked into the heart of the city.

I let my feet carry me. For hours I walked around undisturbed, but right as the sun was going down, I heard a footstep behind me. I immediately drew my dagger and spun around. It was resting on Garret's chest. I walked forward, forcing him to walk back. After a good ten feet, I backed off. I bared my teeth. ”What do you want. You going to mock me?” He smiled, ”I hadn't planned on it, but I can.” I growled. ”Go away.” I said with a deathly calm voice. ”If I don't?” He questioned.

I started walking forward with my finger pointed out. ”Right now I am over my head with anger. Unless you want some blade on blade action right now, I wouldn't bother me. You know I have a fight tonight, so don't pretend that you just came to see what I was doing, you came to down grade my confidence. But you say one word about my fight, I will gut you.” By know my finger was buried in his chest. His smile widened. ”Well, if you are angry, I might as well add to that.” He captured my face with his hands. He pushed a kiss onto my lips.

I heard my dagger clatter to the ground. At first I tried to push away, but then I relaxed and stopped struggling. I felt a small amount of power. He was healing my split lip. He pulled back, ”Maybe that will make you more angry, maybe less angry. We will see.” Then he was gone.

I was frozen in shock. Garret Segal had just kissed me. I hated him, and now I loathed him. He was the nicest to me, but he still started fights with me and got me into trouble. I sheathed my fallen dagger and ran to my apartment room. I had moved away from the guild long ago. My apartment was at the top of a hotel. It was one of the most expensive in all of Kalver. Only Wilker knew where it was.

I stayed in my room sharpening blades all day even though I wasn't even aloud to bring them. The fights at The Barrel are only fists. No weapons. So I would only have the ones in my breast pockets. After all my blades where sharpened, I got a something to eat. By the time I got to The Barrel, it was eight twenty-five. I walked up to Wilker and the first thing he did was grab the front of my armor pulling me towards him. ”What are you playing at girl? You only have five minutes to size up your opponent.” I pushed away from him, which is something no one ever did.

”If you send me away for the day, I will be here on time. But I will be here when I want to. I have plenty of time.” I turned and looked towards the far side of the fighting pits, stood Farren Varro. He was talking loudly with his friends, he was trying to intimidate everyone. I looked him over and decided he had no weapons only him. He didn't even have a hidden dagger on him.

When the time to fight came, he jumped into the fighting pit. His dad, Mr. Varro, stood at the edge of the pit. ”So, who is going to go against my son for his first fight.” No one stepped up, so I stantuerd up to him. ”I will go up against him.” Mr. Varro laughed. ”I think you are in the wrong part of the tavern. Try that side.” He pointed to the cat walk where whores walked down and waited to get bought for the night. He didn't know how much those words stung, but I turned the hurt into fighting power. Especially when I heard everyone laughing. ”No, I am meaning to be here, I need a good fight. So I will warm up with an easy competitor.”