The Villain Wants to Quit

A New Mission (5)

This chapter contains depictions/implications of suicidal ideation. Please reach out if you or someone you know needs help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 or http://www.crisistextline.org

It seemed a little strange to Theo, that he was sitting on the sofa of someone he should be an enemy to and being stuffed with food by other people that were also supposed to be his enemy, but it didn't seem like a bad way to spend his last two weeks of life.

Even at that moment he was eating a piece of toast slathered in jam and butter that Giselle had given him.

Still, it bothered Theo more that he hadn't seen Marc procure any reselden root.

Maybe Marc was planning on breaking Theo's oath instead of killing him.

After all, Marc and his friends were running around suspiciously, but it didn't seem wise for Marc to let go of a perfectly good backup plan.

It seemed like Theo would need to run the errand himself. He may not be able to eat the reselden root by himself, but there was no reason he couldn't buy it.

Theo did not make it out the front door before Marc grabbed him by the back of his collar.

"Where are you going?"

"Shopping."

"Are you going to buy reselden root?"

Marc glared at Theo.

"...no." Theo said with a tilt of his head.

"You're a terrible liar." Marc pinched his nose. "I'm making Carrot watch you."

"You need reselden root." Theo protested as Marc drug him to the backyard where Carrot was staying. "It's a good herb to have around. Just in case. Very useful."

"Carrot, don't let Theo leave," Marc instructed. "He wants to buy reselden root."

"Consider it done," Carrot said with narrowed eyes. "I'll knock him out if I have to."

"Can I at least have a blanket if you're throwing me out here?" Theo complained.

Marc rolled his eyes but still went to fetch Theo a blanket and pillow.

"Now I have some errands of my own to go do." Marc stopped at the door. "I'm going on a trip tonight. I'll be gone for nine or ten days. Owen will stay behind and keep an eye on you."

"You'll be back in time to help me with my mission?"

"Absolutely."

Marc had to spend the rest of the day gathering supplies his group would need for their mission. He had already used his position to bully or pressure the King's Guard to let them all off duty for this mission.

Eloise had given Marc a long list of items she would need. It was expensive, and he was starting to question whether everything on the list was necessary for this mission, but there was no way he would find a researcher as skilled as her willing to go along with his crazy schemes.

After all the shopping, Marc had to buy portal tickets to Riesenberg, the town where Dullahan's new base was located.

He had meant to make Henley help him run some of the errands, but the guy had disappeared on him.

Seriously, there was so much to do.

***

"Welcome to your accommodations, my fellow knights."

Marc set his bags down in the middle of a dilapidated room in a dilapidated building.

At some point, it had been a hotel, but its sense of purpose was long gone, replaced by the scent of mold and a vaguely haunted aura.

"This is where we're staying?" Henley grumbled. "It's a dump."

"I think it's fit for a prince." Marc wiped just enough grime from the windowpane before him to make a peephole.

Marie and Giselle chuckled.

"It does have a perfect view of the factory." Giselle peeped through the spot Marc had cleaned. "We'll be able to keep an eye on if Dullahan leaves it."

"Do you have the bullets?" Marc asked Marie. Marie nodded and held up a special bullet Eloise had crafted. It was spelled to absorb liquids into an inner chamber and preserve them.

"I even added a few enchantments of my own." Marie counted them off on her finger. "I spelled it for speed, and it should be able to disarm most protective barriers."

"I think it's insane that we are going through this for that human trash," Henley complained. "We're risking our lives for him."

"I mean, this is really just an assassination attempt." Marie shrugged. "We were lucky to get this information. If I get this shot right, Dullahan's dead. If I miss, we still have a chance to remove his right-hand man."

"Win, win." Giselle hummed.

Giselle was assigned to a more uncomfortable and potentially dangerous position than Marie.

She would pose as a homeless woman and stay on the streets in case the bullet failed. If things went wrong, she would attempt to stab Dullahan with the divine dagger.

"Remember, your position is only a last resort." Eloise reminded Giselle. "Not only is that a far riskier method, but the oath removal will also go smoother if the dagger is introduced to the blood right before the procedure."

"And I chose you to be on the ground because you're the most level-headed of us." Marc reminded her.

"Yeah, but it's not every day we get a chance to take down Dullahan." Giselle beamed. "Let me get changed, and I'll head out there."

Giselle left the room to change into garments they had bought from a homeless woman.

Soon after, Henley and James went to join her.

They were to stay on the ground level of the abandoned building to be nearer if Giselle needed help.

Marc was assigned as Marie's backup. Eloise was there to fiddle with any artifacts that might need last minute adjustment and to collect the blood sample.

"Who wants first shift on watching the window?" Marc asked.

"I can do it," Marie said.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I can do it." Eloise offered.