Veridia

Chapter 4

Aerithia, present

Aleksander had just finished his performance when the screaming started. He did nothing fancy, mostly making it up as he went. He had just stepped off the stage when the people at the back of the hall started panicking. They were stampeding, desperate to get away from something.

Aleksander quickly motioned for the palace guards. They had the ability to control energy and force fields, perfect for restraining threats.

Sending a plume of flame over the heads of the people, Aleksander could just make out a dark blur. But wherever it went, blood spurted and people collapsed.

"All orders to me!"

Amidst the chaos, Alexander's booming command cut through the panic like a thunderclap. Instantly, the palace guards sprang into action, armor clinking as they hurried to create impromptu shields at the end of the halls.

The nobility, once strutting with grandeur, now dashed for their lives, abandoning their postures of privilege and making a beeline for the designated safe spots. Kirigan, always more interested in his own skin than his subjects, was the first to bolt.

Aleksander was breathing hard, eyes wild and panicked. He was shaking, feeling as if he were shocked by a wave of electricity.

Multiple guards started firing at once, and the air filled with blazing energy. The attacker dodged and rolled, but it was one against thirty. Eventually, one of the guards had pinned down the figure, knocking the assailant out and tying its hands with glowing blue cuffs.

The uproar slowly died down, and the silence felt like a palpable substance. It was drowning Aleksander, stealing the breath out of his lungs and robbing his ability to speak.

After a long moment of silence, he finally cleared his throat.

"Take the assassin to the prisons, and make sure he or she is chained and unconscious until I say so." Aleksander hated how tremulous and reedy his voice sounded, and took a shuddering breath. "Make sure the king is safe, as well as the crown prince. Keep the palace on lockdown. All visiting nobility will be offered rooms on the fourth floor. All healers, please stay behind. Dismissed."

The guards dispersed, taking the black-clothed figure with them. Aleksander forced his feet to move. The palace staff were ushering the nobility were walking out of the hall, chattering in hushed whispers. He stepped down from the stage and looked down at the people at his feet, trying not to throw up.

Being physically unable to stand being in the room anymore, Aleksander called a few guards to round up some healers to assess the damage. He walked out of the hall as fast as he could without letting people think he was running.

Running his hands furiously through his hair, Aleksander strode around the castle halls, trying to calm his breathing.

Get a grip on yourself. Stop acting like a frightened wimp and get something done.

A familiar face popped up around the corner, and Aleksander started.

"Andrei?"

"Is everyone okay?" Andrei's eyes were bleak and glassy, as if he was lost in his own thoughts.

Aleksander nodded, brow furrowed.

"Look." Andrei was panicking, words tumbling out of his mouth.

"That assassin, she's a girl. And you know how my family died in a fire? I had a sister. The girl looked liked her but listen I swear I didn't know anything about it. She might not even be my sister bust I just wanted to tell you just in ca-"

Aleksander put a hand to his mouth, muffling the rest of Andrei's words.

Aleksander's mind struggled to process the tide of information that Andrei had had just spewed.

"So you're saying," he said slowly, "You're saying that the assassin who tried to kill nearly every single aristocrat in Aerithia is your sister?"

Andrei nodded, caught himself, and started rambling again.

"I-I mean that she could be? But like, I wouldn't know, because I haven't seen her in ten years."

Aleksander sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. If he kept up this habit he would go bald by the time he was thirty.

"Look, Andrei, I'm not mad. But we have to go look, yeah?" Aleksander put a hand on his friend's shoulder, and Andrei smiled gratefully.

As they made their way down the halls, they met nobles in varying states of shock and anger. Katerina was sobbing by the garden fountain, while a ruffled looking Kirigan tried to soothe her. It was not going well, by the looks of her tear-streaked face.

Guards stood, blocking the prison entrance. But as soon as they saw Aleksander, they bowed and stepped aside. One of the guards stepped forward. He was the Head of Security, by the name of Oriel. Given from the fact that his hands were glowing and arms were tense underneath his coat, he had personally taken charge of the assailant's bonds.

"This way, Your Highness." Oriel led them deeper and deeper into the dungeons, until they finally reached a dark cell at the very end. The attacker had been chained to the wall with glowing orange energy which crackled with heat, hands and legs bound together.

Aleksander approached cautiously, as if he was sticking his hand into a shark's maw.

Kneeling down, Alexander flipped up the assassin's hood with a quick snap of his hand. Beside him, Andrei let out a choked gasp.

The first thought that Aleksander had was that it wasn't fair the assassin had to be beautiful on top of everything.

Long, raven-black hair framed her face, her pale skin luminous under the dim light. A light scatter of freckles dusted her cheeks, and she breathed softly, chest rising and falling in a serene pulse.

A strangled sound emerged from Andrei's throat, jerking Aleksander back to the present.

I need someone to slap me. This whole situation is addling my brain.

Taking a closer look, Aleksander saw how similar the assassin was to Andrei. They had the same dark hair, the same pale skin, and Aleksander would have bet his own weight in gold that the assassin's eyes were emerald green.

"Is it her?" Aleksander looked over his shoulder, and saw Andrei clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles were white.

He looked like he was going to be sick any moment. Stumbling a little, he crouched down beside the sleeping figure.

Andrei ran his eyes over the figure, taking in the finely set cheekbones and arching eyebrows.

"I... I don't believe it." Andrei's voice sounded much softer than usual, a far cry from his usual teasing self.

"She couldn't possibly survived the fire, but here she is. How did she get here? I've got so many questions."

Aleksander had questions too. Who was she working for? What mission had she set out to do? This was Andrei's sister. An assassin that had tried to kill him. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

Heaving a sigh, Aleksander signaled for Oriel to wake her up. It was time to get some answers.

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A/N

Halloooo. This chapters shorter than usual, sry. Btw I just read
Arc-en-ciel by CoffeeGirl_10 and it is soooo good. Check it out if u have time. She writes some really good stuff.
Anyways, see ya in the next chapter!