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8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZAMOz8fPs 維尼
Arya and the other alumni gathered to hear Ihsan’s announcement. She was surprised when Navi took the reigns instead. Her eyes scanned the assassins gathered around her but he was not among them. “Where is Ihsan?” She whispered to Lumi.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1CqkUJoI1 維尼
“I don’t know,” Lumi shrugged, “but if his companion is in charge I would keep my head down if I were you.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxZdUoMZbK 維尼
“Aye.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjsQVjmEAO 維尼
“As you have all noticed, preceptor Rayne has been called away on a charge,” Navi pinned Arya with a glare, “In his absence, I will be taking his place.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMH29mYhQN 維尼
“Pardon me Navi, but what do you mean he’s been called away on a charge? What charge?” Arya asked.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZSOCLUh0I 維尼
Nudging Arya with her elbow Lumi whispered, “This is the exact opposite of keeping your head down.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5csTZsi9qw 維尼
Navi locked eyes on Arya. The amount of tension between the two filled the room in an instant and it grew deathly quiet as Navi approached Arya. “Speak only when spoken to girl,” Navi commanded. 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdIUXwpsZL 維尼
“Or what?” Arya drawled.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHFKaY1VLz 維尼
Navi took a step closer, hand on her stilettos, staring Arya down. She wasn’t afraid. Good, then she wouldn’t hold back if Arya decided to come for her head. The room grew even quieter still as if everyone were holding their breath now. 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJXSLreG4o 維尼
“If you think that ring on your finger spares you from training you are sorely mistaken.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnlDyfj6Ah 維尼
“I presume nothing, I just don’t like you. If you have something to say to me, out with it or sod-off.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡevmT2PYLxR 維尼
Navi took a swing and Arya blocked it, shoving her backwards. “The price of your insolence shall be blood,” Navi growled. She lunged at Arya again and Arya blocked then shoved her back each time she lunged.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmVC6XETTO 維尼
As Arya defended herself against Navi’s charges she felt conflicted. Navi had tears in her eyes and pain strewn across her face. She didn’t want to punish Arya for her insolence; she was punishing her for Ihsan. Arya had never backed down from a fight before, but this was one fight she didn’t want. She knew that kind of pain. For Navi, this was a fight to defend her heart, her love.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡEk2RascdSk 維尼
“Stop.” Arya pleaded.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlRn9rQMj9 維尼
“No! Fight back!” Navi shouted.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5IKlUDWkX 維尼
Arya dropped her weapons and held her hands up in the air. Navi lunged at her with her sword and stopped just short of pricking the skin at her throat. Her sword hand trembled. She wanted to do it. She wanted to end Arya and be done with the threat to her relationship with Ihsan.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AFeRl8Y36 維尼
“You won’t get another chance,” Arya told her.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡubohmJ5LlE 維尼
Clenching her eyes shut, tears falling from her eyes Navi asked, “Why won’t you fight?”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ728SDXVLDt 維尼
“I am not interested in taking your life.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyxdH6C0HL 維尼
“You’re such an arrogant bitch,” Navi half laughed, lowering her sword.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7R75OGRz3E 維尼
“Perhaps, but I am not your enemy Navi.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzkLFIkeWW 維尼
“As long as he loves you, you will always be my enemy.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqHtx8A4Yk 維尼
“I can’t control what he feels,” Arya sighed, “All I can tell you is I don’t feel for him out of spite for you, that love was born before either of us knew you existed. It isn’t fair to you and I get it, but this is the hand we were alldealt.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5muXLu1i2 維尼
“But you have a mate. Why can’t you let him go?”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcdArni3xc 維尼
“Ihsan and I have unfinished business. And to be honest, I don’t know if it will ever be finished, but soon I’ll be married off, cutting off any and all possibilities for Ihsan and I. Let that give you comfort.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP6aLPvbX6 維尼
“If you think marrying the Majii is going to stop him from coming for you, you don’t know him as well as you think. He’s stubborn and strong willed.” 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEhsfj5bAi 維尼
Arya chuckled, “Aye, that he is, but he’s also a just man. He would not capture your heart only to torture it.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡOP0nYVLrGp 維尼
“True,” Navi nodded, “But hasn’t he captured your heart as well? Or did you think the Majii sending him on this charge actually had something to do with the safety of the Red Legion. He sent him out there because of you…because of how the two of you look at each other. He sent him on a suicide mission.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6X50ZVNyD 維尼
That got Arya’s attention. “What do you mean?” 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCv35CLUXk 維尼
“There’s a threat to not just the Redlands, but every place within the planes. People are dyingArya. Spies are sent out but they don’t return. Rumor is either your sister, or someone like your sister is out there murdering people.” 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EUdo3FXt9 維尼
Arya swallowed hard. She clenched her fist to stifle her anger. Of course Malich would send Ihsan to his death. She needed to get to Ihsan before something terrible happened.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Gkhtae2Jb 維尼
“I’m going after him. If it is my sister we are up against then he’ll need all the help he can get,” Arya picked up her sword, sheathing it behind her back. 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJDz9FAWvF 維尼
“He’ll have you beaten for this,” Navi warned, but none of them tried to stop her.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKwZ6iuMBr 維尼
“Probably, but bruises don’t exactly go with my wedding gown so I’m hoping he’ll postpone it until after the wedding,” Arya winked.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡDILathdVsW 維尼
Navi huffed a laugh, “You’re insane.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNritSjCi8 維尼
“So I’ve been told.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡjumYZ00qW9 維尼
Navi surprised Arya by embracing her. She was caught off guard for a moment but quickly snapped out of it and hugged the petite girl back. “Perhaps under different circumstances we could be friends,” Navi suggested.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqSFCnuiFA 維尼
“Perhaps.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4khySMuEu 維尼
“Bring him back in one piece,” Navi inhaled a shuddering breath.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxkOqeYZJZ 維尼
Arya nodded and set off to leave when four figures stepped out to greet her. “If you’re going, then so are we,” Lumi smiled. She, Jax, Rayu and Zahn were all armed to the teeth and ready to go.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡndBoDqxIjz 維尼
Turning to Navi, Arya asked, “Stall for me?” Navi nodded and the five of them quickly set off on foot. 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡbT7c90ByvH 維尼
“Not that I’m not on board with this plan of yours, but where exactly are we headed?” Zahn asked.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYYCy92ewP 維尼
“We’ll start with the last known death. It just so happens to be in the Redlands.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeT2czILty 維尼
“And if we should happen to find this threat, what are the five of us supposed to do?” Jax asked.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0W7GVypgK 維尼
Arya smiled over her shoulder at him, “That’s easy, don’t die. Whatever we do, we need to do it together.” 8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzLIBpeuSN 維尼
They were almost to the door exiting the season’s plane when Dax called out to them. Arya whirled around, sword unsheathed, ready to fight if she had to, but Dax held up his hands in surrender. “I am not here to stop you, I agree with it. I’m only here to provide you with the information you might need to find him.”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47eljQYGlk 維尼
Dax reached inside his waistcoat and handed Arya a document. “If Malich finds out you helped us-”8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxAfvBoUXd 維尼
“Make sure he doesn’t,” was all Dax said in response before turning and heading back to the palace.8964 copyright protection241ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKGeyGkD0M 維尼
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