LAST CHAPTER FOR TODAY!copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IgOAGgSH1
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Crack!Malich’s head knocked back as his majesty’s influencer struck him in the face for what seemed like the hundredth time. Malich laughed and spit blood on the enforcer’s shoes. Crack!copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5YCUyjar1
He was struck again. He didn’t know how successful Kahlem’s men were at the Red Towers and could only hope his people had somehow gotten to safety. He was a fool to challenge his brother’s authority. He’d brought death sentences down on his people with his arrogance.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfAUCdA1Rm
Malich wouldn’t allow himself to think about the fair-skinned beauty that’d plagued his thoughts as of late. He couldn’t bring himself to wonder if they’d harmed her somehow.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2FjocFdRH
A soldier appeared and whispered to the one in charge, Captain Larik. The Captain knelt down in front of him. “We’ve captured the Red Towers, your preceptors, your pupils and your mistress. We do not however, know the whereabouts of the Alumni.” He smiled wickedly. “I’ll tell you what. Give us the location of the alumni and we won’t slit your mistress into pretty little pieces.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdMsQG0aQs
Malich lunged at the Captain, muscles taut, “Go to hell.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1HLVkYwlQ
“Very well then.” copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTSxdhKSvB
The Captain nodded to the enforcer who grabbed hold of the chain attached to the shackles at Malich’s feet. He drug Malich out of his office, down the corridor and into one of the large gathering rooms. All of his disciples were gathered there, shackled, heads forced to the ground. Preceptor Killian and Dax were among them. He wondered how his brother’s had managed to infiltrate his fortresses so easily. They had to have had help.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZOlrF2sPS
“Attention everyone. I am willing to grant mercy to whoever can lead me to the alumni,” the Captain offered. He waited for someone to speak and to Malich’s surprise several of his disciples raised their hands. The Captain smiled. He was about to interrogate them when Malich heard a familiar sound singing through the air. All of the disciples had their throats severed before they could utter a word as a boomerang blade sliced through them all, returning to its owner. copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1UCMPWLmi
Malich’s heart clenched. He’d recognize that form from anywhere and the black cloak drenched in blood. Hazel eyes met his and he shook his head. This gods dammed beautiful fool willingly walked into a herd of wolves.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡCecvMpNwii
“Kill him!” The Captain shouted.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SiXdJCgbs
Malich smiled. They didn’t even know they were fighting a girl, let along one only seventeen cycles. They’d probably shit themselves from embarrassment if they did. Guards approached and he watched, aroused, as she disappeared and reappeared like a ghost slicing through his brothers’ soldiers like a lethal ballerina. She’d learned a lot in the two turns she’d trained with Mekhi. Although she still had that temper. copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85t3IgSE2f
Lastly she approached the Captain and poised to strike, “Stop!” Malich called out to her. The Captain was on his back, hands held up in surrender. Blood dripped from her sword. Arya twitched her fingers and every shackle in the room fell to the floor. He’d told her a thousand times not to use her gifts, but it was clear she’d defied him yet again. And she was growing stronger.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEt9agyXNR
Malich approached, walking up beside her and taking the sword from her hand. “You mustn’t be seen,” he whispered to her. “Go. I’ll come to you.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVJySXivdt
Without speaking, Arya nodded. Speaking would give her away. She met his eyes once more, then backed away and disappeared.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmzrpiIiWK
Pressing the sword to the Captains throat, Malich ordered his disciples to shackle the Captain. Dax took him to the dungeon beneath Malich’s cell for questioning while Malich attempted to reestablish order. copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTp12zhBx4
He ordered the heads of the slain soldiers impaled to the gates of the Red Keep and their bodies burned. Putting Preceptor Killian in charge, Malich joined Dax in the dungeon. He’d already begun working on the Captain.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡsN0cmT9Eom
“Anything?” Malich asked.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mIIO80wqX
“Nothing yet Majii,” Dax replied, turning to him. “Was that who I think it was?”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXRGYTggvN
Malich nodded, “Aye.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYBlaXekCD
“You’ve been holding out.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK0ptOxtlY
“Not intentionally,” Malich assured him. “I must go. Return my home to order and I will return once I’m done checking on the others.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBWiiVcybH
Dax nodded and Malich left the room. He ordered one of the servants to take him to the Red Towers and boarded a passenger carriage.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwGXSRV7bx
All he could think about was the girl who’d saved him. She’d saved them all. His arrogance led to this attack and jeopardized that which he held the most dear. No one could know about her. Not until he learned more about her. It wasn’t safe. What she did tonight put her at risk. His life wasn’t worth the risk. copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSiLhLAPfV
The ride was taking forever. He had to see her…to lay eyes on her and know she’s okay. It had been a turn since he’d taken her virtue. He knew his silence would haunt her, but he needed to solve the conflict in his own head before he could face her again. She was everything he’d ever wanted in a companion, but now that he had her, he had something to lose. He’d burn the world to the ground if anything ever happened to her and that scared him most of all. copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGwJZPEbnQ
Malich wondered if there had been casualties, if she’d been hurt. She didn’t look hurt, but he knew first hand she’d mastered the art of ignoring pain. All of the beatings he’d subjected her to accomplished that. She could disassociate better than any soldier he’d ever seen. If she were hurt he wouldn’t know until she collapsed.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJmzGfrCmC
He kept telling himself he was checking on the others but truthfully it was Arya he wanted, no neededto check on. She once told him she’d give her life for him, and even after his silence she’d come to his rescue.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97usSMdsBt
When they finally neared the Red Towers it took all of his strength not to go running into the towers. The guard detail had been tripled and fresh guards were placed outside. They quickly made way for him to enter and closed the gates behind him. His boots crunching in the gravel on the road leading to the stone stairs in front of the Red Towers, Malich schooled his features into neutrality. For one to know how much she meant to him was a death sentence for her. He didn’t want her to know either. It was safer that way.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpaU89JNk7
“Malich,” Mekhi called to him, relief in his eyes.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdQ0NxfeaC
“Report.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjJlLB8Z4J
“No casualties, thank Anan, but Arya…she’s…”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡtr8DmhN557
“Where is she?” Malich cut him off.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJl4K9C0nM
“My chambers with the other preceptors.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡCf5lBRXJR1
Malich headed to Mekhi’s chambers with him in stow. “She saved us all, you know. She’s not like the others is she?” Mekhi asked, carefully examining the Majii.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡsktBXPTKVY
“She’s just a girl,” Malich shrugged.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9HedsnPsL
Mekhi gripped him by the arm, forcing him to stop and face him. “She wields herself like a fucking God, Malich, and judging by how anxious you are to see her I’d say she fucks like one too.” Malich glared at Mekhi, confirming his suspicions. “We’re partners are we not?”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡB40HqBzokq
“Aye.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNKToIJhtF
“Then you need to start confiding in me. That girljust shredded through an army of a hundred men, disappearing and reappearing like a gods dammed phantom. Thankfully her cloak concealed her identity but anyone who knows her would know she’s the phantom. Whatis she?”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmOYA2qXRS
“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to find out ever since she made her gifts known.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtXJaolKMG
“If anyone ever gets their hands on her…”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡactV6SDQa7
“Your job is to see to it that they won’t,” Malich snapped at him.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrtkp3mQ1e
They entered Mekhi’s chambers and Arya stood staring out a window, still covered in blood, a sword still in her hand. Preceptor’s Nyx, Azure, Treva, Cadmi and Cirrus all stood watch making sure to keep a careful distance.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKHGuS5PCR
“Arya,” Malich called out to her.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡwN4ZIbSl13
Slowly she turned to face him. Her eyes were both murderous and pained. “They were going to kill you…I hadto,” she told him.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxuWSUZfK0
“I know.”copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡttLaaf3f5G
Malich slowly approached her. Her gaze was hollow and her eyes seemed almost vacant. There was so much blood on her. Reaching down, he removed the sword from her hand and handed it to Nyx. She looked down at her hands and began to scrape at her skin with her nails. Worried, Malich placed a hand over hers to stop her.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BtcAbntxp
“Clear the bathhouse. I want everyone in their rooms. No one is to know her identity,” Malich ordered.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0X1WQVV5G
Preceptor Azure nodded and exited the room to do as instructed. When Azure came back Malich took Arya’s hand and she winnowed them both into the bathhouse. A fresh pair of clothes and towels was brought to them.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡWy9IJjXNz2
Arya was unable to move so Malich bathed her, wiping her clean. He took her to her chambers when all of the blood was washed from her person and tucked her into bed as he’d done all these years. He started to leave when she stopped him, “Please…stay,” she asked. He hesitated. She needed her rest and he needed to speak with the others. This was only the first attempt by his family to destroy him, but there would be more and they needed to be ready.copyright protection56ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGDWTe7hIF
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