A Most Dangerous Weapon

Chapter 18: Faceless Men

My feet begin to stomp forward without my permission. He spots me instantly. Sensing something in my stride and demeanour, he grabs a sword from a fallen soldier and holds it at the ready.

I stop a few feet away from him. The words come tumbling out... "This isn't how it was supposed to end."

His voice is commanding, despite his shaking hands. "Revenge is a tricky thing, Candra. You should know that better than anyone."

"Tell me you didn't do it."

"I'm surprised you would even ask me that."

"That's not an answer."

"We're all just monsters hunting other monsters. I am no exception, and neither are you. It's hard to decide who is meant to win."

"I refuse to accept that."

"I tried to warn you, Candra. As much as we both wanted this, you knew that there would be a heavy price to pay."

"I was prepared for losses, but not like this..."

He frowns at me with tired eyes, "You really think I did it, don't you?"

"You were supposed to let me go. You promised me that you wouldn't hold on! I thought we moved past this?!" I'm enraged by how unaffected he seems to be.

"After a lifetime of revenge and justice, blurring the lines to kill when you think it's right, you don't get over it... you get used to it."

"That's what I was afraid of."

He clutches the crown tighter in his left hand as he raises the sword a little higher in his shaking right hand.

I raise my own sword in preparation for the upcoming slaughter. "Tell me you didn't do it..." I repeat venomously.

"Do what you have to, Candra. We both knew this day was coming."

"I'll kill you..."

He sighs, "Shall we begin?"

~*~*~*~

I bolt upright in my usual panic, breathing heavily and sweating. I look around the campsite for my father to relate my lack of progress in the nightmare, but he's nowhere to be found. I suppose he already knew.

We were all closely huddled around the fire for warmth on such a cold night. Arlo was taking full advantage of the watch rotation having fallen fast asleep the moment his shift was up. Kilgorian was supposed to be on watch with Rowan for the next few hours, but I looked to my right to find him out cold in another drunken stupor, clutching a half empty bottle of rum. I should have known he would fill his satchel with booze instead of real essentials.

Rowan and Loxley were leaning against a rock across from me. By the firelight I could see Loxley's eyes fluttering as she struggled to stay asleep. She rests her head on Rowan's shoulder, turning in to his body with one hand in his and the other naturally resting on the hilt of a dagger. Rowan holds her hand tenderly, but he does not lean into her in return. His gaze remains fixed on me as he takes in my distressed state from the nightmare. The red reflection of the flames dances with the watery blue of his eyes; it's almost hypnotic.

He looks away briefly to dislodge himself from Loxley's grasp, carefully readjusting her into a comfortable position against the rock without him. His efforts are smooth enough that she doesn't wake. He then ambles around the campfire to situate himself next to me.

We speak in hushed tones as to not disturb the others.

"How long have you been on watch alone?"

Rowan takes in Kilgorian's drunken state before responding, "He's been out for almost an hour."