Heart of Dorkness

Scourge Nineteen - Assassin

Scourge Nineteen - Assassin

I shift in my bed, then glare out of the window above me. The suns rising already, the sky is turning from black to a deep blue, with hints of a brighter light along the horizon. In a few minutes it will be bright enough outside to see and all the birds will be waking up.

I really should try to sleep some more, but I cant.

Part of the reason is that Im not that tired anymore. I did get a few good hours of sleep in. The other reason is that Im sharing a bed with Esme. Shes clutching onto my shift, face pressed into my side and mouth half-open so that when she snores, its with all the force she can muster.

Its a recurring complaint post-sleepover that Esmes snores are unbearable. She still denies that she snores at all, of course.

I tilt forwards and look around the room. The doctor let us stay in his clinic overnight. There wasnt anyone else that needed the beds, and if we didnt stay here then wed have to sleep with the boys in the barracks, and Teo said that that would be a bad idea.

To be fair, if any of the Lions tried something, Im pretty sure any one of us could beat them to a pulp, but maybe its best that we just have our own space. Fewer broken noses that way.

Yawning, I try to extricate myself from Esmes grasp, which is easier said than done. I need to pry her hand open, then shove her back down when she moves in for a hug.

Its a good thing that no one can wake Esme up. If I bump her with my elbows and knees while rolling out of the bed, it doesnt matter at all. I think banging pots and pans against her head wouldnt wake her up from a deep sleep.

I wince as my feet touch the ground. Not just because my feet are all bandaged up, but because the floors all stone and its super chilly.

Felix and Bianca are sharing one of the other beds. They both pulled the longer straws last night. Felix basically doesnt make a sound while sleeping, and she doesnt move at all. Though she does wake up at the slightest noise.

Youre up? I whisper.

Her eyes are still closed, and she looks for all the world like shes sleeping, that is, until her lips quirk up at the corner and she nods. She rolls off the bed, then stretches her arms up and up until her back pops. Slept well? she asks.

Yeah, I lie.

Felix grins and gestures at the door. Come on, I bet they start with breakfast early here.

We grab our clothes, and dress in a silent hurry before heading out. I cant exactly go around without my trusty cloak. I have excuses for why my skin is the way it is, and for my eyes, but its always better not to raise suspicions in the first place.

As it turns out, Felix is right. Theres a chef in the barrack kitchens pushing loaves of barley bread into an oven while a large pot of beans simmers next to him.

Felix and I volunteer to help in exchange for an early breakfast and a single sausage link. Meat being as rare as it is, its something of a privilege to be allowed that much. We silently agree to split it in four between us.

Setting up mostly means carrying things to the mess where early risers are already sitting back and waiting for their food, including a few members of our caravan.

Hey Teo, I say as I set a bowlful of beans in front of him, then a loaf of fresh bread next to that.

Youre awake already? Good. Were not going to linger here for long. The stock we came to deliver was unloaded already.

Alright, I say. Ill go wake up the others. When are we leaving?

As soon as the suns fully up, he says. I like waking early. Eating while walking gives me stomach cramps. Im about to head back to the kitchens when Teo reaches out and grabs my sleeve. Theres a group that arrived at the outpost last night.

A group? I ask.

He nods. Followers of Altum. Just a small band of them.

The same ones we crossed? I ask.

No. This is another group. They arrived late last night, from the south. They started to ask questions of the guard. He glances around, as if expecting someone to be listening in. I think it might be best if we move on without interfering with them.

Alright, I say. Im not making any promises.

I move back to the kitchens, and deliver another load of food to a table filled with bleary-eyed guards. I meet Felix on the way back. Im going to wake up Bianca, and maybe toss some water on Esmes face.

Good luck with that, she says.

I chuckle as I move on. I really will need some luck to wake Esme up.

I hear something from the clinic, and I barge in while pushing the door open with my back. Hey guys, wake up, were--

Theres a big man leaning over Bianca, a fearsome scowl on his face and one hand wrapped around her mouth. Shes glaring back up at him, one foot kicking back into his thigh as hard as she can with what little space she has.

I step into the room and close the door with a dreadful click.

The man glances up, and I finally notice the knife in his other hand, one that hes clearly trying to bring down towards Bianca. Shes holding him back with both arms, but hes bigger, stronger than her.

My eyes meet the mans eyes, and he hesitates. Then he screams.

A gout of flame pours out from around Biancas hands, burning into the mans wrists.

Bastard, I growl.

Three black spikes hiss through the air, their trajectory ending somewhere inside his guts with three quick thumps.

The man screams and tries to rise.

Thats his last mistake.

Bianca pushes herself up and clamps a hand over his open mouth. Burn, she orders.

His eyes go wide, and I can see his cheeks and the entire lower half of his skull radiate a warm light. Licks of flame come out of his nose, and I can make out his ribs through his shirt as his insides glow.

Bianca shoves him off, and he thumps to the floor, the smoke pouring out of his mouth making the entire clinic smell like pork roast.

I scan the room, looking for more trouble even as more spikes form in the air around me, poised to dart towards anyone. Are you okay? I ask.

Im, Im fine, Bianca says. I appreciate you asking. It sounds rote, like some easy repetition of something polite to say. Basically, I dont believe her.

Who is he? I ask.

Esme snores, long and low and rumbly.

Bianca and I stare at each other. Her lips twist, and we both start to laugh.

I kneel down next to the body, then, because Im not that dumb, I poke his neck and check for a heartbeat, just in case hes not a body yet. Ive never killed anyone before, Bianca says.

The books will tell you that it makes you feel all weird and stuff, I say. But I never really understood that. I guess you can feel guilty, if you want. But I wouldnt bother. He attacked you, a sleeping girl, with a knife.

I could have restrained him, Bianca says.

With just fire magic? I ask. I pull open his lapel, and tug out a small emblem on a set of beads from his inner pockets. Its got the crossed-A symbol of Altum on it. A member of Altums church? Or just a believer of his?

He wasnt here for us, Bianca says.

I look up to her. How do you figure?

Inigo knew things. Hes here to silence him. We were just in the room too. Bianca rubs at her eyes. My first assassination attempt and its not even aimed at me.

Hey, hey, Im sure the next one will be, I comfort her.

We both start to giggle again.

Am, am I doomed to have a tainted soul now? she asks.

Huh?

You know, to be reborn as a worse monster because Id committed the sin of murder, she says.

Thats all propaganda. The monster you become will be warped based on the virtues and vices you have. Just killing someone isnt a vice. Revelling in killing, and being violent, that would mean something, but this? Yeah, this wont do anything to your soul, dont worry.

Youre not so great at comforting people, if you dont mind me saying so, Bianca says.

Sorry? Ill work on it some more. I point to Inigo. We need to question him. And I want to check on Felix. Can you splash some water on Esmes face, and keep an eye on the door? Im going to get her and come back here, itll only take a few seconds.

And then what?

Then we wake Inigo up and ask him some pointed questions before running off. I dont think I want to be in this outpost for much longer.

***