The Crimson Dragon

Chapter Five

"What the-" Ada started, but her words caught in her throat as she spotted the dagger in the dancer's back.

"Hold still," Ada heard a feminine voice behind her say.

Ada turned to the voice before her mind actually processed the words she had said.

An older woman stood in Hunter garb, though her armour was made more of leather than metal, and her boots didn't make the same, loud noise as the others.

"Are you after me for the Hunters?" Ada asked, even though she was sure of the answer.

The woman smiled. "Of course. My orders are to take you back to have your powers bound. If you refuse, your life is forfeit."

Ada frowned. "They made it sound like having my powers bound was the same as forfeiting my life."

The Hunter shrugged. "Many do not survive, it is true. And those who do... Well, I'm sure that they wished they were dead." She sighed. "You truly do not have a choice. Just look at your friend there, and ask yourself: why did I kill her? She was no threat to me."

Ada shook her head. "I don't know. I don't know why anyone is cruel, they just are and it doesn't make sense."

The Hunter smiled. "Oh, you're so naive. That's what made hunting mages so easy, you know. You were all so gullible. So quick to believe that the world is fair and just because you can't fathom chaos. But if you want, little girl, I can tell you exactly why I killed her, and make it all make a little more sense."

Ada didn't reply, sensing a trap, though she couldn't figure out the specifics.

"I did it to prove that I won't hesitate to kill you if you don't come with me."

Ada stared at her in horror. "You... You didn't need to do that. She didn't need to die."

"Maybe not. But if she wasn't dead, you would try to argue or escape. This way is so much simpler. Now, are you going to come with me, or am I going to kill you?"

Ada was half-tempted to ask her what the point of asking was, when either option would likely end with her dead anyway.

But she didn't.

If she argued, the Hunter would kill her now.

But if she waited...

They would probably kill her later, but maybe she would have a chance to escape, just as she did last time.

A chance that she knew she didn't have now, with nowhere to run or hide from the Hunter.

Not before another of her daggers were loosed.

Still, Ada couldn't help but glance to the exits.

They were too far away for her to get to, but maybe Mrs Drake hadn't gone back home.

Ada knew that Mrs Drake following her would be a violation of trust between them, but in that moment, she found herself hoping that Mrs Drake wasn't above such things.

The Hunter shook her head with a cold smirk. "You know, if you keep trying to entertain escape, I really will kill you. Do you truly think you can make it to the Palace before I catch you?"

Ada did her best to hide her confusion at the Hunter's words, glad that she wasn't naturally emotive. The Palace?

Why would the Hunter assume she would head there?

Even if she had known that that's where the dancer had been taking her, did she really think Ada would be so naive as to head to the same destination when a Hunter was after her?