He jumped to his feet and ran after her. Finally, a challenge—someone who possessed enough wit of their own that could rival his.
She was fast, but not as fast as him. Taryn’s strong legs propelled him forward. He reached a hand out to grab her ivory hair that flew behind her. She veered left, his fingers barely skimming her locks. Taryn growled in frustration, then held his hand out, wind swirling around his arm like an aura. He reached forward, sending the wind to coil around her ankle and up her leg, and pulled downward.
She fell face-first with a thud. He grabbed her ankle, dragging her towards him and flipped her over, not really sure what he even planned to do. He had vowed before this assignment that he wouldn’t bring harm to her. As he flipped her over, pinning her arms and straddling her waist, he realized he was betraying his own morality for his bastard of a Guildmaster.
As he gazed upon the fear in her eyes, her gilded irises glowed brighter. The air around them crackled with static, as if it were charging with energy. A light emanated from her chest so brightly, it showed through her clothing.
“No!” she screamed, squeezing her eyes shut.
The light erupted from her chest, growing until it burst into an explosion that blasted Taryn off of her. He went barrelling through the air.
Streaks of sparkling light crowded his vision as his back slammed into a tree, his head cracking against the hard wood.
He didn’t even have time to feel shock as he faded into dark oblivion.
Chapter 7
‘Never trust a Deyanira.’
– Written entry from Tinyrah Kazimyr’s personal journal
(Post-Division)
Taryn
Taryn woke up to a burning sensation on the skin of his wrists. He knew that feeling all too well, a familiar side effect of coming into contact with dostenyte poison.
He opened his eyes, taking in the dark cellar he woke up in, and the chair he was tied to. It was dimly lit by two wall sconces on the stone walls. The stone around him was partially damp. Taryn knew they must be underground. Perhaps near a body of water.
How did he end up here?
For reasons he couldn’t decipher, his breath hitched at the thought of her. Where was Airess?
The metal door entrapping him slid open, incoming two Luciena guards with a promise of violence on their faces. Airess’ scent hit him like a cloud of smoke as the door opened, assuring him she was close by. What did they do with her? Did they… hurt her?
Taryn stifled the constricting feeling in his throat at that thought and wondered why the hell he cared so much. He swallowed tightly and tried his best to focus on the present moment, and how to get out of here.
Taryn caught a glimpse of a hallway beyond them, metal bars on each side of the hall.
Underground. Near water.
His eyebrows rose as it dawned on him where he possibly was. If his suspicions were correct, he was close to the Guild’s headquarters.
“Imagine oursurprisewhen we find the famous Taryn Seas, notorious assassin of the Mrkynian Guild, lying unconscious in the woods,” said one of the Elven guards. “Even more surprised to find you with the prince’s betrothed. I’ll give it to you, you had us all fooled. Thought we killed you during the raid. Yet, here you are,alive. Tell me, what were you doing with her?”
Taryn kept silent, schooling his features into neutrality despite his beating heart. He was grateful they weren’t Fae and couldn’t hear the sound of it. This wasn’t his first interrogation. He had been in these situations several times, but not to this severity. Most times he had been arrested and interrogated took place during his teenage years—before he had reached mastery in his training with the Guild.
If these guards didn’t have the upper hand right now, Taryn would have smirked at the words thrown at him.Notorious assassin.
It was a title placed upon him after he had taken out five government officials at once during a public event. Taryn had used his lightning, striking all five officials at once in the open courtyard of the Luciena castle. Eryx had ordered the kills and Taryn had delivered, but shortly after his display of power, the monarchy had found the Guild’s original location and raided it.
Taryn would have died in the raid that took place in the dead of night if it weren’t for Raiden and Eryx. Half the Guild perished, but they continued to work towards Eryx’s cause when they moved their base to Lonskeep. Ever since that night, he lay low and was sure not to wield lightning anywhere near the city. Taryn was an asset to the Guild, especially with the Luciens thinking he was dead. Eryx made sure the monarchy was unaware of him still living… that is until he battled the Elve in the alleyway.
The Elven guard before him chuckled and shook his head, cracking his knuckles before sending a fist into Taryn’s face. His head snapped to the side, pain blooming over his cheek. Taryn clenched his bound fists as he tried to fight through the pain. He gritted his teeth, steadied his breath and stayed quiet.
He counted down from twenty to calm himself down, something Raiden had taught him to do. Taryn wasn’t one to break easily, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain.
“Silence doesn’t bode well for you,” the male said, eerily calm, bending down to eye level. “We know exactly who you are,Fae.I’ll give you one last chance. What were you doing with her? Did she conspire with you?”
