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Hatred burned in his eyes like wildfire. Even from a distance, I was afraid I’d suffer severe burns just by looking at him. I snuck along the wall. Shade hadn’t spotted me yet but that was no surprise. He was standing at the mouth of a side street, staring at the Silver Cloaks who dumped Eric and William Fahr outside the gate to the Silver Keep. For the assassin to get out here this quickly, Frank and Albert must’ve let him go as soon as they were out of sight.
“If you’re not gone with the next morning tide, you will die,” the guards said to the Fahr brothers before retreating into the keep.
Shade’s hands twitched at his sides. Crap. He was about to do something stupid. I darted through a group of merchants and skidded to a halt in front of the assassin before he exited the alley.
“Get out of my way,” he growled.
“No. I know what you’re thinking and it’s a bad idea.”
“I don’t care what you think.” Shade thrust out his arm and shoved me aside.
Damn assassin and his damn stubbornness. I yanked a hunting knife from its holster and slammed it in place at his throat before he took another step. The wildfire in his eyes mixed with a lightning storm, creating a truly terrifying visage, as he turned to stare at me. I didn’t back down.
“Get that knife out of my face,” the Master Assassin said in a voice as quiet and deadly as poison.
“I will. When you get that dumb idea out of your head.”
He moved like a viper. Twisting into the space between us, he drove the side of his left hand into my wrist and the heel of his right into my chest. The knife clattered to the ground as I lost my grip and staggered backwards. A boot behind my kneecap pulled my leg forwards again and an elbow to my back sent me crashing into the street. While I pushed myself onto my knees, Shade flashed back in front of me. He grabbed a fistful of my shirt and yanked me to my feet. With a knife to my throat, the assassin backed me into the wall.
Anger danced in his eyes. I coughed as Shade shoved me into the rough stones and leaned down over the blade. Yep. Provoking the insanely furious Master Assassin had been a bad move.
“Did that make you feel better?” I asked before he could start threatening me again.
The question seemed to catch him off guard because he drew back a little.
“I know what you were gonna do,” I pressed on. “You were gonna go out there and kill the Fahr brothers right there in the street. That’s a stupid move. What would happen to Edward then? As long as they’re in the city, anything you do will just hurt him. Is that what you want?”
Shade gripped the handle of the knife tighter but didn’t push it further into my throat. That was good at least. But it was my hunting knife and that annoyed me more than anything else.
“William Fahr murdered my mother and forced my brother to banish me,” the black-eyed assassin ground out between gritted teeth.
“And Eric Fahr kidnapped my best friend, turned my own guild against me, and almost killed me multiple times,” I countered. “I hate them too. But we can’t kill them until they’re aboard their ship. Otherwise, your brother will be in trouble.”
A mad grin spread across Shade’s face. “Once they’re aboard. Yes. We’ll do it tonight, when they’re back on their ships.”
I glanced pointedly at the blade to my throat. “We?”
“We.” He removed the knife, twisted it in his palm, and offered it to me hilt first. “William’s mine. Eric’s yours.”
My mouth drew into a wicked grin as I took the offered weapon. “Deal.”
Shade straightened and smoothed his black clothes. “I have a lot to take care of before this day is over. I’m leaving, maybe forever, I need to get my guild ready to leave as well.”
“You’re taking your guild with you?”
“I’ll leave a few loyal ones so they can start a new Assassins’ Guild for Edward but yeah, I’m taking my guild with me.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “They won’t be mad that you’re forcing them to move to another country?”
Shade let out a short chuckle. “No. The only upset people will be the ones I order to stay behind. Loyalty is everything in our guild.” He turned around and made for the mouth of the street.
“Hey!” I called. “Aren’t you gonna apologize for almost slitting my throat?”
The Assassins’ Guild Master twisted around. “You put a knife to my throat as well. Are you going to apologize for that?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “No. You were being an idiot.”
Shade’s rippling laugh drifted through the air as he strode away. “See you tonight, Storm.”
While muttering curses at his retreating form I returned the hunting knife to the small of my back. Pulling up my hood, I trotted away in the other direction. It was still only morning so I had a full day to fill before we were leaving again.
Whatever else the future might bring, I was going to return to Pernula with Shade because I needed to go back for Liam. What I’d do after that was a problem for another day. Today, I had plans. I wanted to visit Apothecary Haber and buy some more blackout powder, talk to my Guild Masters, grab a drink with Bones at the Mad Archer, and stock up on some more gear. Oh, and plan an assassination. Fun times ahead.