4 Chapter 4 (2/2)

”Jaycie, where does it hurt?” Wilker asks. ”Lower back.” I manage. ”Something is wrong.” Wilker puts one hand on my hip, and lifts it slightly, enough to fit his other hand under me. I feel the soothing feel of healing power run through me. When he pulls away, I can sit up, but my back barks in pain. He helps me stand. I remember my mission and turn to where Farren lies. He is dead. His father is staring down at him, trying to revive him.

When that fails, he looks at our table. ”Someone test his cup, someone else get the bartender.” Two people move into action, but I stare down at Farren. I let my tears fall, so it looks like they are falling for him. I add a stutter into my words. ”Wh...wh...what happened to hi...him?” Mr. Varro stands. ”Are you okay darlin'?” He doesn't even suspect me. ”I am fine. What ha...ha...happened to him?” ”I am pretty sure our bartender has poisoned him. You have nothing to worry about.”

Wilker wraps an arm around me. ”Mr. Varro, I am taking her back. I saw her fight, and she is to good for this crap.” Mr. Varro scowled. ”No. She is mine.” He grabs my arm and pulls me toward him. My spine barks in pain. I let out a squeal. Wilker slaps away Mr. Varro's arm. ”No. She is mine. With that, he lifted me out of the pit and jumped out himself. He leads me back to the back room and I grab me stuff. As we walk out, he puts his hand on my lower back as if he was leading me, but he is actually using his healing power.

When we get to the front gate of the guild, he takes my bags and turned to me. ”Jaycie, I had no idea he would push you into the pit, or that he would fall into it himself. Are you truly okay?” ”I am fine, can I just have a few minutes.” He smiles and walks away. I walk into the garden and to the bench. I sit down and put my own hand on my back. It only takes a few minutes, but my back is good as new.

I was always told that I had a stronger healing power than most. After I calm down, I walk into the guild. Of course, Zachery is standing there. ”So, you really are just a whore.” I clench a fist. ”Zachery, I am not in the mood. Leave me alone.” I try and walk past him, but he grabs me, turns me toward him, and pushes a kiss onto my lips. I shriek and shove him away. ”Stay away, or I swear I will leave you six feet in the ground.” I stalk off to Wilker's office.

I throw myself into one of his chairs. ”If you get on to me for being disrespectful by just sitting, I will put you six feet under as well.” He laughs. ”Since you have just been put through hell, I won't make you regret that.” I give him a weak smile. ”Are you okay?” He asks again. ”Honestly, I am this close to blowing up on you for making me do that mission, I want to kill Zachery for kissing me just now, and I want to go to sleep.”

Wilker stares at me. ”Do you want to stay in your old room for tonight.” I feel weak for asking but I say, ”Could I?” ”Just because you moved out, doesn't mean that room isn't yours. You always place here.” I smiled. I kept a change of clothes and a set of daggers in there. I get up to leave, but he says, ”Please don't kill Zachery. He is a pretty good assassin. He gets missions done well.” I think. ”Fine, but if he doesn't keep quiet, I can't promise his face won't be black and blue.” ”I am fine with that.” He says.

I walk out of his office, and Zachery is leaning against the staircase. As I walk past him, he asks, ”Is mommy's prodigy going to bed?” I clench both my fists but try to keep walking. ”What, is the whore to mad to talk?” That is, it. I snap. I fly up to him, put one hand on his shoulder, and throw my fist into his right eye. He fly's back. ”Keep that mouth shut, or I will shut it for you.” He stands up and opens his mouth to say something, then shuts it. Instead he turns and walks off. I go up to my room and fall onto my bed.

I close my eyes, and when I open them back up, the sun is streaming through the window. I squint my eyes. The alcohol had a worse affect than I thought. I quickly get changed into my clothes and put my two daggers on. I am about to head to the door, but it opens. Garret is standing there. I quickly object. ”Garret. You can't be in here. Someone could pass and hear you. The wrong message would go around. I-”

He smiles. ”It is ten thirty. Everyone is either gone or in the training room. Which is where we are going.” He steers me out of the room. When we get to the hall he asks, ”Did you punch Zachery?” I smile. ”He deserved it. How did you know?” Garret chuckles. ”He is wearing a black eye like it is a badge of honor. I fume. ”No. That makes it seem like he got into a fight and that is all that happened to him. I walk in through the door right as Wilker does, and don't pay him any attention.

I storm up to Zachery and spin him around by his shoulder. His eye is really bad. I immediately yell at him. ”You don't get to wear that black eye like you won a fight. I slam my hand over his eye and heal it immediately. He shoves me back, but it is to late. The black eye is gone. ”If you want a badge, go win a fight. Don't let someone punch you then walk around like you won.” Everyone is backing away from me. Zachery does something smart for once and backs off without a word.

I turn to Wilker and smile. ”You may continue with whatever you had to say.” Wilker glares at me. ”Everyone, we are doing sparring practice. Pair off. Zachery moves away from me, but Wilker yells to him. ”Zachery.” He turns. ”Yes sir.” ”You are with Jaycie.” I hear several laughs. ”Oh Zachery.” I call sweetly. Fear immediately enters his eyes, but he shakes it away. I raise one eyebrow. ”Let's get started.”

Everyone starts sparring, and I go hard on Zachery. I use my two daggers. I let him have chances to be on offensive, but mainly keep him on defense. After about thirty munities of sparring, I trip him onto his knee, press a hand on his back, grab one of his arms and twist it behind his back. I grab his dagger and put it to his own neck. ”Give up.” I say out loud. That is when I realize everyone has stopped sparring and are in a circle around us watching.

I decide to give a small lesson. ”You see guys, if you decide to make fun of me, I will get you back. Just because I have long hair and can wear a dress, does not make me weak. You better all take this to heart. Next time I have to teach this particular lesson, I will not leave the person so unscratched.” Considering Zachery has many cuts on him, I can see several assassins look at me different. More respect in their eyes.

I back away from Zachery and heal the few cuts I got. ”Does anyone want to go against me?” I ask. ”I will.” Garret says as he steps forward. I smile. ”Really. You of all people?” I ask. He takes another step forward. He has a playful look in his eyes. I sheathe both of my daggers. ”Let's go.” He says. We both start sparring. Everyone is cheering. I can instantly tell Garret is play with me. We are both using our fists, but he is pulling his punches. We duck and swing. Every time he gets me, I pretend to stumble back, as if he had hit me with full force. He does that same.

When he gets bored, he lets me win. After I we are done, I go to the kitchen and get a plate of food and some water. Garret follows suite. ”Good fight.” He says. ”You could have tried to go hard.” ”I didn't want to hurt you. How is your back anyway?” I roll my eyes. ”I am fine. It doesn't even hurt.” He looks up at me and by the look on his face, I can see he is serious.

”Jaycie, when you went over, my heart stopped. Then I saw him land on you. I could have sworn the whole world stopped moving. When they pulled Farren off you, and I saw the pain in your eyes, I wanted to jump down there. I was scared.” I put a hand on his arm. ”I know. But I am tough. I can handle it. I have been through worse. Please, don't drown me in your pity. I don't want that. I want to know you know I can handle myself. Okay?”

He nodded and I smiled. ”What?” He asked. ”It is funny to watch you worry.” ”Hey, you could have been severely hurt. You are lucky.” ”I know, just cool it.” I say. We finish our meals, and we walk back towards the sparring room. Wilker calls me, and I split from Garret. When I get to his office, he motions to a chair. He walks to his and says, ”I have another mission for you. If you are ready. If not, I can hand it to someone else.”

I feel excitement build inside me. ”What is it?” ”I want you to do another person's first fight.” My heart falls. ”Who?” ”At The Pitts. Valery's son. Lee Grey. This is a business opportunity. Mrs. Grey has said if one of my assassin's can beat her son, she will talk with me about a partnership. Lee is really good, but I think you are better. I won't tell you any moves that you should do, but I will be watching. Do you want it.”

I jump out of the chair, now excited again. ”Yes. And I will win this time. I know it.” Wilker lets a small smile on his face. ”Great. Tomorrow night is the fight. Are you sure you want this?” ”Yes.” I say. ”Good. Make sure and look your best. I want Lee to know he has not only been beaten by my assassin, but by my, and the only, female assassin. You know guys like him hate that.” I smirk, ”Not my fault I am better.”

I walk out of the office, and out of the Guild. I walk around the city, looking into the different store windows. After a while, I enter the market. My stop is at the dagger booth. I look over the new daggers. The one that catches my eye, has wings on the hilt around some sort of skull. The blade is engraved with a patten. There are two of them. A smile forms on the salesman's face. ”Hello Mrs. Laker. How are you today?”

I am one of his best customers. ”Hello. I would like that set.” I point to the set I like. He looks at them. He names the price and I say, ”I will buy them for half that.” He looks shocked. ”Eighty percent at the least.” I smirk. ”How about seventy five percent, or I take my business elsewhere.” ”No. Seventy five percent. That is perfect.” I pay him and he says, ”You know, I shouldn't have ever told you, you were my best customer.” ”You are right, but I will be wearing these tomorrow night, so expect some business the day after.” He smiled, ”I knew I liked you for something.”

I walk away from his booth and to my apartment. I clean my suit and sharpen all my blades. Then I clean my apartment up. After making myself dinner, I fall asleep with a smile on my face. Today wasn't bad at all. It was actually pretty good.