A Spark Against the Shadows (Book Two) Fully Released

Chapter X - The Strings that Coincide

Kota and Tara continued to walk arm in arm as they followed the cloaked man into the open area in front of the Emporium. Tara stayed silent as they walked through the crowds of people before they reached the front steps of the Emporium leading to the red door. She moved away from his arm as she walked up the stairs before she grabbed his bandaged hand. "You are really alright with bloodshed?"

"Not that I am fine with it, but I will do what needs to be done to keep those safe around me," explained Kota as he let go of her hand and met her gaze.

Tara moved her fist to her side and grumbled before nodding. She gestured to the left and stared into the crowd behind the two of them, standing stoically. He shifted to see her gaze before facing her. "Between Echo and I, we will figure out a plan that will lure out Akar without putting me or anyone else in a lot of danger. I just will not put -"

He stopped mid-sentence while he moved his head past hers. Seeing the door to the Emporium splintered as the frame laid cracked. Grabbing her hand, he walked past her before pushing on the door as it began to slowly creaked open. Kota looked back at the fellow they traveled with as he nodded while he placed his hand on his swords handle. "What happened?" said Tara, before Kota raised his finger to her lips.

Kota reached down and grabbed the dagger from his boot before flipping the knife away from his body. He then pushed on the door slowly as it slowly opened before seeing a small crystal orb with blood covering some of its cracks. The group heard a small scream before the sound of a blade ripping flesh. The cloaked figure moved in first, with Tara following. Kota looked around the Emporium quickly, observing bodies sprawled about and grey powder scattered across the floor.

The three of them moved their attention to the middle of the room, where a man with messy black hair stood with their back to them. He stood still as his body laid covered with a black cloak before he threw his arm to his right, tossing a body to the side. Kota examined all the bodies again, not recognizing any of the faces before he saw the blade the man appeared to hold move back into his arm. "You again..."

"Who are you? Where is my father?" asked Tara, before Kota stepped in front of her, keeping him between the two of them.

Kota stood in a defensive position as he watched the blade enter the man's hand before disappearing. The man shifted his fingers as he left his arm down to his side. "He is a puppet or its master," explained Kota, holding the dagger tighter. "He killed my father on the night of the party."

"I am not a mere puppet Prince, but do not worry about your own father, young lady," said the figure still facing the other direction as he looked around the room. "He left with the two women and that tall man. They are safe for now. If I did not intervene, then they would probably still be hunted even now."

Kota took a step forward and looked down at a man on the floor. "Why would you help them? You and that woman are nothing but confusing."

The man laughed as he fixed his cloak over his right shoulder before he turned his head slightly towards Kota. Under his stringy black hair, Kota could not clearly see his face as the man spoke. "I have been tracking you for over a week now. I am surprised Sonya did not travel with you, though. She feels connected to you..."

Kota took a step forward with the cloaked man to his left. "I remember you mentioning that you knew she was a fire caller. How do you know her?"

The man seemed surprised at his question as he turned his head a little further. Kota could see the corner of his tanned mouth lifted in a smile. He fully turned around as Kota observed his deep brown eyes and his smile between the stubble on his face. He raised his hands, revealing simple black cloth on his body behind the cloak. "You mean she has not told you about me? Very interesting since I ruined her life about two years back."