The Blades

Chapter Thirteen

September 17th

Thälor trained fast and I mean fast. It took her two and a half months to be ready for the trials. Mages usually take a lot longer to be ready since they have to learn new spells. I just had to swing my sword and not get killed by Bayah and it still took me longer. Thälor's feats of skill were amazing and watching her fight was like watching a dancer. So much elegance, it was hypnotic.

My own missions have become a lot more frequent and a lot were outside of the city and a few outside of Skystead itself. So, my training with Thälor was put on hold but acrobatics wasn't as necessary for her.

Alekai, the evil Butt-Head is now the King's right hand. According to Sygnet and her inside man in their military, he's been in charge of the young crown prince's studies. We resolved to keep an eye on their progress.

The High King upped the patrols in Dolonde and the Nyx mercenaries he had hired now roamed the streets like rats but crime was at an all-time low. Flax almost died back in July while escaping capture from them again. They're a lot faster than he is and he had to collapse a tunnel to get away. That was a scary day and Gossamer stopped allowing us to go on a mission in the main city.

Today is the beginning of Thälor's trials. She's going to do amazing and join us as the fifteenth assassin. I hope she's not nervous. Well, I know she's not nervous. She doesn't get nervous.

September 25th

It was three days since Thälor's trial had ended and she had successfully passed by a landslide. Bayah's 22nd birthday was two days ago, and yesterday was the anniversary of Gossamer's ascension to Leader. I think it was the thirteenth or something like that.

As Thälor's trainer, I would accompany her on her first mission. It was in Farkeep, a smallish city on the western side of Skystead. Evidently, she had to steal a book from their library for an anonymous client. As a mage, she didn't get the contracts for assassinations or murders but those that focused on lore or thievery. Kodi offered to contact Bray'yla for some wolves to make the journey shorter.

The three of us met the shape-shifter in the same clearing as last time. She was stony-faced as she had been the last time we had met. When Thälor stepped out from behind me, Bray'yla's black wolf bristled and began to growl at Thälor.

"Hey, take it easy. She's one of us," I said to the beast and he seemed to calm at my words.

Kodi turned to Thälor, opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it again and then he left without another word, heading back towards the city.

Thälor looked at me with an eyebrow raised and I shrugged. Bray'yla ignored this interaction and then looked at us, "Don't kill my wolves and don't do anything stupid. I'd hate to have to pick the bones out of their teeth." and with that, she turned on her wolf and bounded away through the trees, leaving two saddled ones behind, both a tawny brown.

Thälor approached one, eyeing it up and down. She'd never seen a wolf so big before. The beast sniffed her face and then allowed her to touch him. Thälor mounted with the agility of a gazelle whereas I clambered my disgruntled mount and sat up straight. I never liked horses and wolves weren't much better. At least these creatures seemed smarter than the wide-eyed, easily-scared beasts of nature.

We rode in silence, padding along through the trees, avoiding the roads and as many people as we could. Wolf mounts, while not unheard of, were rarer still and would draw attention on the busy pathways.

"Atla?" Thälor broke the silence.

"Hmm?" I responded, looking at her.

"Do all humans struggle with talking?" she asked, looking at me. She seemed to be genuinely concerned.