The Witch's Relay

Chapter 53: An Agreement

"Do you know why she's here?" I ask Linda. The tension in the room rises to the point that we both hold our hands on our weapons just in case.

"I spoke to her a little when she first came to Northerton, and it seems her being here has nothing to do with Kade. She has integrated into Prince Cedric's party as a non-combatant."

"Are you my enemy?" For she isn't making any moves, and she just protected Kade, but this is still the same person who tried to kill us just a month prior.

Linda laughs at my question and raises her hands to show that she isn't reaching for any knife. "No. Not for now at least."

"For now?"

"Yes. For now. You two are much too interesting to dispose of yet."

Aha. So she's one of those types. "Then I am right to assume the dreamwalker is you? You have elf blood do you not?"

"Dreamwalker?" Linda tilts her head questioningly.

Oh? She isn't? No, she has to be, but is she actually unaware? She didn't deny it, her face just shows confusion. "Your mage affinity. You enter people's dreams don't you?"

"Oh that?" Her confusion switches to understanding. "That's right. I can do that. I never learned the proper term for it though. Good to know."

So I'm right. I let out a laugh to show that I am in control, but keep my guard up. "Your master didn't have much to teach you did they?"

"Perhaps not, but what I learned is still enough." Linda crosses her arms. Now that she has let down her facade, she is almost like an entirely different person.

Suddenly, before I can react or even see, Linda shifts her weight forward, but with the same motion something leaves her hand with a flick of her wrist.

Without moving, I widen my eyes as I realize too late.

A few of my hairs slowly fall to the ground and I feel a sharp, but shallow pain on the side of my neck. I feel my neck with my left hand just to be totally sure of what had just happened. When I look at my fingers, sure enough. Red.

Linda just threw a knife that passed just next to a vital area. And I barely even saw.

"I want you to know that I can kill you anytime I feel like it." Linda leans forward even closer and looks me square in the eyes.

And as far as I can tell, this woman means business. What she says is true. Somehow. But it doesn't matter. I'm alive. And as long as I live there is still fight left in me. You want to play this game Linda? It's on.

I wipe any fear or doubt from my face and put on a grin. "And yet I still live. Tell me. What is your angle? What do you want?"

She mirrors my grin. "I want Kade."

"And I am sure that you know that I can't let you have him."

"I know. Or at least, you mean you won't. But I also know that you could pick literally anyone else to pass on the torch to. If you just give him to me, you won't get any trouble from me."

If this is about intimidation, I won't lose. I laugh again and look down for a moment before regaining eye contact. "And yet, I won't stand for anyone else. If you take me out, you know you won't get him."

"Unless it's an accident."

"True. But you need him to choose you." I soften up a bit as a thought strikes me. Linda is after the same thing as I. She wants to pass her knowledge on to the next link in the relay as well. But in that case, wouldn't anyone else do just as well? Why steal mine?

"But he will. And then you'll just have to move on. If you try to stop me I can easily drag you down under."

"Why not make Vanessa your successor? She seems like she would be worthy enough."

Linda glares at me. "If you think I would force this burden on those I care about, then you're more heartless than I thought."

"I don't deny it. It's what lets me do what I do. Being an assassin will make you go mad unless you have the right heart."

"So that's the story is it? You meant to kill Kade when you met him but changed your mind? Aw, so sweet!"

I ignore her. "If you kill me, Kade won't ever choose you, not that he will anyway, and if you hurt Kade, Vanessa will bite the dust." I will play along with her game, but with my own rules.

"You wouldn't dare." Linda puts her hand on the knife by her side.

"Try me."

A drumming sound cuts our discussion short.

Coming from the mountain, a faint and rhythmic beating can be heard, and with every beat, a slight uneasiness grows inside of us both.

But after just a bit it stops.

"It is the dungeon. It's time." We both turn towards each other, realizing that we had just both said the exact same thing.

"So I suppose we both want Kade for the same reason." I say as we stand up, getting ready to head to the entrance. "And since neither of us want anyone to get hurt, an agreement should be in order."

"What sort of agreement are you thinking of?" Linda has completely dropped any hostility, and is reapplying her "mask".

"Kade will choose for himself. Any non-physical approaches are acceptable, but violence will not be tolerated by any of us."

She stops to think about it, but I know her mind is already made. This is exactly what she had in mind from the start.

"I don't see why not." She smiles and offers her hand which I take.

"Mage's honor." I state.

"Mage's honor."

And then we both exit the tent and with quick steps, we make our way towards the action.

Linda isn't a threat, for now. But I will keep my eye on her.