“Walk with me. I’m Falcon. Commander Locke will assign you a trainer, and you’ll become an assassin apprentice.”
Maybe it was the blow to the head, but I was confused. “You wantmeto be an assassin?”
“Wewant you. Welcome to the League of Assassins.”
Chapter 3
Commander Locke was going to be one of the four assassins who’d watched me get my ass kicked, I just knew it. Limping alongside Falcon, with a throbbing lip and aching side, I still wasn’t sure what they saw in me. I tried to stand tall, to keep at her pace leaving the sparring square, but I couldn’t help but hunch toward my broken ribs. I carefully ran my palm over my side and felt where the two breaks were.
Morrow stepped away from the assassin leadership with a grin, and I feared he’d just been welcomed as an assassin as well.
“Don’t speak unless spoken to. Always address him as ‘Commander’,” Falcon said, and stepped into line with the other leaders.
The stockiest of the three men took one step forward and held his hands behind his back. “Your name?”
“Aesira Havarsdotter, Commander.”
“Aesira, you fought well for an outsider, but you’re probably wondering why we chose you.” I noticed he didn’t sayfor a woman,and I appreciated that.
“Yes, Commander.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and we can spot a good assassin from a single round of fights, but Viper called you out before you even took the goblet.”
I glanced at him, though he wasn’t looking at me. He watched whatever was going on behind me. So that’s what he’d said. “How?”
“Why, Viper.” Commander Locke turned to him. It wasn’t a question. He seemed to freeze up for a moment, and the silence stretched. “Was it just a lucky guess?”
“The way she moved, Commander. I could tell simply from her walk she’s agile. Also, the way she carries herself and is aware of her surroundings, assessing threats.”
It didn’t seem like much to go on, but what did I know?
The Commander nodded. “And in the fight?”
“She has quick reflexes and moves like a natural born assassin. Fast feet. She saw many of the strikes before they could land and moved. A warrior would rely on hitting harder rather than quickness. A warrior isn’t as dexterous and would have naturally gone for a larger weapon out of the trunk than a knife.” His eyes quickly gave me a once-over.
Wow. All that from seeing me for a few minutes.
“Quite right. We were also impressed that you got back up after a hard knee to the chin. That shows grit. Sparring with Morrow proved your reflexes are what we need. If you want to kill vampires before they ever see you, you have to be quick. You have to become shadow. Not seen or heard.”
“Yes, Commander.” As nervous as I was to be here, I’d rather move amongst the shadows and sneak attack than go head-to-head with a vampire at least. Maybe that’s what they meant by bravery. A warrior might prefer to be in the open and challenge a vampire. I’d prefer a book, but the chance of becoming a scholar was past. I accepted my fate.
Warm blood slid down my chin, and I quickly wiped it with my sleeve. The deep red stain blossomed on the green fabric. I’d ruined our family’s special blouse.
“Since you were the one to find her, Viper, and even offered her advice, I think it’s fitting she will be your apprentice this year.”
His eyes darted to the Commander. “Me?” He sounded downright appalled at the idea. I wanted to sink into the ground.
Commander Locke squared his shoulders to Viper. “Is that aproblem, Viper?”
There was a long pause where the two men stared each other down. I could no longer focus on the pain pulsing in my ribs because the embarrassment overwhelmed me. He wanted to turn me down, I could feel it. I never wanted to be an assassin, but being rejected by one of their leaders was mortifying. My cheeks burned, no doubt bright red. Even if half of Falcon’s face was covered, she had pity eyes. It’s how people used to look at me when they saw the scars on my hand.
Of course Viper wouldn’t want me as his apprentice. I was inexperienced, knew nothing about anything here, and was an outsider. I would need a lot more training than someone like Morrow. No doubt he’d rather have him as an apprentice.
Finally, Viper said, “No problem, Commander,” but his tone proved otherwise.
The Commander simply faced me again. “Once we’re finished with our selections, Viper will show you to your quarters. You may go clean yourself up and speak to your friends until he finds you. Congratulations, Aesira. You will be one of about fifty this year, and from what I’m seeing the only one from Lothleton to join us. We’re particular. And our numbers don’t diminish as quickly as some of the other guilds.”
There had to be over five hundred ducai initiates in this area; they were extremely particular. And by diminish he meant... death... by vampire?
