Skin Walker: The Shadow Assassin

Savior? Or Not...

I know I know, I've been MIA for the past few months... And I'm soooo sorry. With a cherry on top. But I have a nice long chapter for you lovelies so enjoy!

 Sitting across from me was my worst nightmare, everything I had ever fought against only feet from me. I kept my face impassive, not wanting to give any indication of my feelings. Rage lit a fire inside of me. Why did this have to happen?

After I had woken up from my "sleep," Thane was given a scolding, I was given food, all the while Draven struggled to get the blush off his cheeks after seeing me, uh, unclothed...  

Aww. The sensitive type.

My stomach was finally fully satisfied for the first time in, well, years. Feeding a tiger isn't exactly easy, mind you. Thankfully, I didn't get chained to that goddamn tree again, for as soon as I finished my well-deserved meal we started walking. Instead of all of the heavy chains from before, all I adorned was that same stupid collar with a chain attached. The tugging and pulling became my new companion. We walked and walked. It seemed I was going to be paying King a visit after all.

You may be wondering why I refer to him as "King." You see, no one actually knows what his real name is. After he overthrew our last leader and began his rule, he insisted that no one ever address him by anything other than "King." Not "Your Majesty" or "Highness," apparently the last poor fellow that made that mistake had his tongue cut out.

Just peachy.

There are four other surrounding kingdoms. Benreih (ben-raye), Oeriah (oh-aye-rah), Alarak (all-ah-rock), Damarin, and my messed up kingdom, Shanti. Which just so happens to be the name of an "angel of peace." Oh the irony.

There are two nice kingdoms, and two not so nice kingdoms. As you may have guessed, my kingdom doesn't exactly fit into the former category. Big shocker, I know. Revolutions have been spiraling around here for years, the last rebellion ending in a massacre. Most of the Skin Walkers had stayed out of it but a few had been stupid enough to believe in the "his tyranny can end" bullcrap. That pretty much angered both sides of the spectrum. The King for going against him, and the revolutionaries who seemed to think that we hadn't made a big enough "effort." Life is just great.

I focused back to the present, immediately wishing I hadn't. The one thing I had been desperately hoping wouldn't transpire was now chained opposite me. Yay.

It all started when we were trekking through the jungle, me trying to walk while simultaneously ignore my wailing bloody feet leaving a trail of crimson behind me.

I had recently found out that Bucket Man's name was Kerr and struggled to keep up with his back-breaking pace so my head wouldn't get yanked off. Apparently Thane thought it would be funny to assign him "leash duty."

I wasn't laughing.

Draven led the group while Thane took up the rear. The excuse was that Draven was better at 'spotting trouble.' Yeah right. Probably so he couldn't see his men roughing me up more like.

We had been walking for what felt like hours when I involuntarily froze, my senses picking up on the last thing I ever expected. I instantly pretended that nothing had happened, trying to plaster a neutral expression onto my panicked face.