Love of the Lost Ones

Part 1

I am warning you now, this is a not-so-happy story, with a not-so-happy ending. This book is not for the faint of heart, so go back now, while you still can. But for those who wish to stay, don't say I didn't warn you.

In a dark, dirty town, in a dark, dirty kingdom, there is a dark and dirty alleyway, with a dark and dirty house. That is where our story begins. A letter carrier trots between the rotting houses, covering his nose from the stench of garbage and mold. He had delivered letters to this house many times before if you can call it a house. He always hated delivering there because it always smelt like something had died, for all he knew something had. He dropped the anonymous letter on the doorstep, lightly knocked on the door, scared that if he hit too hard it might fall off its hinges, and left before he could see whoever—or whatever—was living there. A girl with brown hair and hazel eyes opens the door and grabs the letter. Once she sees who it's addressed to, she immediately goes inside and closes the door. She sits down by the dying fireplace and rips open the letter.

Dear Ms. Verena Cliffwood,

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I have someone that needs to be taken care of, and as the king, I cannot take care of them myself as they are beloved by the public, for risk to my high status. His name is Lucian Bryonhill. If you take care of him, I can make it worth your while, with pounds of gold and jewels to your liking. I do hope you will accept, but I'm afraid that you can't say no, because it would be incredibly easy for such an important person like me to get rid of someone like you, an assassin.

I wish you luck, and I do believe that you will need it for this job because the person you will be hunting down is not someone you will be killing, it is someone you will be fighting. Don't let your guard down around him, he is not like the kind of people you have assassinated before, because I guarantee he will put up a fight. Do not underestimate him. However, remember I hired you for a reason. You are the best assassin there is, and I am trusting you to complete the job.

Your majesty and ruler,

King Alexios

Verena closed up the letter and leaned back till she hit the wet carpet from the leaking roof. She had gotten many jobs before, some easy, some more challenging. But she had never gotten one from a king, let alone the king. She wouldn't let the client's identity get in the way of her payment. That was her favorite part, the money. That was all anybody liked, right? Money. She shuddered as a drop of water hit her forehead, rolling down to her hair. She waited longer, waited for another to drop and startle her again. She loved that little drop in her heart, the kind she felt when chasing her targets. When she cornered them away from everyone else and smiled as she ran her dagger along their throat. Crimson falling, staining their clothes. She sat up and quickly grabbed her coat from its spot on the old, stained couch that sat in the middle of the room. She patted her boot, and belt, checking the daggers that she always kept on her. Better to be safe than sorry. Not that she would have to worry about her safety.