Lovely Dark Things

ELEVEN (ISELEN POV)

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ruby asks worried and I nod, rolling my eyes hard.

"Yes, I've already told you, calm down. I had a nervous breakdown because, well, I killed someone and it's normal for a human to feel awkward under such circumstances... Unless they're psychopaths, but that is not the case. After sleeping for a few hours, having breakfast and thinking about it, I've concluded that I had no choice. That guy was going to attack you, you could've ended up hurt, his screams could've drawn the guards' attention, the mission would've been ruined and we'd be in in serious danger in hostile territory."

"It's true, my love, you had no choice." The assassin nods taking a look at the lively street and the market stalls with her back leaned against a stone wall, her eyes shine under the hem of her blue hoodie while watching the golden gate.

"I know, right? There's every chance that I'll have nightmares for a while and feel bad when remembering it, but that's normal and, honestly, I'm used to have terrible nightmares because of the bloody shows your mom and her friends performed for me in order to scare me for decades. Now we have to focus on fighting the chaos hordes, I'll have enough time to deal with the post-traumatic stress disorder later. Tell me about this Khaladris guy..."

"He's a wizard and is very old..." I stare at my girl raising an eyebrow and she shrugs. "I' sorry, I don't have much information...He was a disciple of Caledor, the wizard and dragon tamer, who was a friend and right-hand man of the Great King... and one of the worst enemies of our queen. They didn't trust each other... Khaladris was very young back then. The war against chaos was terrible and lot of wizards and warriors died, there were many peaceful years later till war broke again when the light elves took away our king's birth right. Khaladris was one of the wizards that manipulated the God's fire to make sure their candidate was chosen. After those events, I don't know..."

"I guess he lived here, minding his own business and becoming old and forgetful... Okay, now our main problem is how to cross that gate to reach his palace. Non-residents aren't supposed to get permission to walk into that neighbourhood, you told me that."

"It doesn't mean we can't try to sneak in, babe, dark elves love breaking the laws other people want to impose on us."

"Even your own monarchs' laws?" I ask amused despite knowing the answer.

"Yes, of course, although the punishment is painful if they catch you so we make sure we can get away with it before even trying. But this time, it'll be easier: we only need a diversion, the queen's charms around our necks to fight back the magical barrier and the skill of an assassin to move in the shadows."

"I'm not as good as you at that," I admit concerned and Ruby smiles.

"You were a good student these past years while living in our little cabin, don't worry, do what I tell you and be careful."

The assassin starts moving slowly and I follow her trying to copy her feline movements being discreet. We hide behind big flower pots sometimes, under the shade of building eaves or behind one of the market stalls; sometimes we walk among the crowd that's grocery shopping hiding behind the taller elves' backs, getting closer to the gate little by little without catching the guards' attention. They look bored and one of them even yawns discreetly, Ruby smirks mischievously while we wait hidden behind a lion made of marble that guards the entrance of the park where last night... I shake my head and try to focus on our task because this isn't the right time to freak out again.

"Are you ready?" I nod, leaning my hand on her shoulder, and the assassin throws an energy pulse towards the closer market stall. The wooden legs shake and break, the structure collapses and fruit rolls over the cobblestone, the vendor cries and clients and other vendors rush to help her, the entire street is a mess all of a sudden and guards bend down to pick up melons that are rolling at their feet. "Now!" Ruby whispers and we both run towards the gate quietly, sneaking in carefully; I feel some kind of strange force around me for a second and it tries to pull my body back, I think I can't move one step further till the Queen's charms get hot on my chest while fighting the protective spell. "Come one, squat down to hide here till we manage to catch our breaths."