A Most Dangerous Weapon

Chapter 21: The Real Deal

Kilgorian and I snuck down the corridors that led to Shailene's private bedchamber. I was grateful to find no Galacian soldiers along the way, quickly growing tired of all the bloodshed throughout the day. I didn't regret it, knowing that it was the safest way to free the gladiators while avoiding a great battle, but that didn't mean I enjoyed it.

There was only one soldier standing guard by Shailene's door. It was the man who escorted Theo to her room. He looked bored by the whole ordeal, waiting around in case Shailene called for assistance. I told myself that killing him was the right thing to do simply to put him out of his misery.

Kilgorian did the honours, letting his blade fly through the air at great speed before landing abruptly in his neck. The soldiers fell to his knees clutching at the wound as he tried to scream, but the blade was lodged so deep that it sliced right through his throat and rendered him silent. By the time we reached the door, the man had fully collapsed into a pool of his own blood.

I kicked open the door forcefully. It made a loud thud as the handle smacked against the wall, but I didn't care. Silence was no longer necessary; by now, the others should have Sextus in hand. The Galacian soldier lying dead at my feet was probably the last man standing.

I stomp into the room and take in the embarrassing sight before me. Theo was sitting on the bed fully naked but still shackled around the wrists for Shailene's safety. He doesn't bother to cover himself when he sees us, unashamed by his current state despite our potential discomfort. Shailene was standing in front of him in the midst of disrobing. She quickly covers herself before turning to chastise the intruder. She stops short once she realizes that it isn't a Galacian soldier, but two strangers. She spots the dead man in the hallway, but she doesn't scream.

"Who are you? What's this about? Are you here to rob the place? Take whatever you want. Or did my husband send you?!" Her questions rail on without giving us an opportunity to answer.

Annoyed by her incessant chatter, I pull out my sword and close the gap between us. In one swift motion, I use the hilt to smack her in the forehead to knock her out. She falls backwards onto the bed beside Theo, arms sprawled out and legs dangling over the edge.

Theo remains seated, strangely unaffected by the whole ordeal. He looks from the unconscious woman at his side to the hooded, masked figured before him. When I don't immediately sheath my blade, he lets out a heavy sigh before sarcastically saying, "I always imagined I would be so lucky to die naked in bed with a lover, though this isn't exactly how it was supposed to go..." He lifts his shacked hands and gestures for me to step forward, "Come on, then!"

I sheath my sword and reach down for his discarded pants. I throw them in his face as I mumble through my sash, "Get dressed. This isn't over yet."

He sets his pants aside mindlessly. "What is this? You save me from being her prisoner just to become yours? I don't see the appeal..."

"You're not a prisoner."

"Then unshackle me." He holds his wrists out to me, daring me to prove him wrong.

"I don't have the key." I respond, annoyed by his lack of cooperation. "Just put on your pants and-"

"You killed the Galacian soldier." He points out, "So I suppose you're a Romallian?"

"I'm neither."

"Then what do you want with me?"

"You'll find out soon enough-"

"Did you kill all of the soldiers?"

"Yes-"

"What about Sextus?"