Unspeakable Secrets The Alchemist Series (A Dark Medieval Progression Fantasy)

Chapter 5 Refuge

He walked down the cobblestone road to his secret abode. Its previous owner had died before he could sell, and with no heirs, the ownership fell to the city.

Not that the city knew this.

He'd found the paperwork filed away in the palace while he was digging through records to uncover a series of corrupt officials.

Immediately after finding it, he'd decided to requisition it for his own use.

He was empathetic though, and rather than bother anyone with all that paperwork, he'd done it all himself.

While one of the archivists took a nap with an empty bottle in his hand, Connor used the man's seal, copied his signature and handwriting, and transferred the house into his own name.

Anything to help out his fellow man.

His house was a simple construction of brick and timber with three floors, not counting the basement, and a small garden out front.

He had a smug grin on his face as he stepped into his little refuge that no one knew about.

Not even his uncle, the great spymaster.

He lit some candles and reveled in the silence for a moment before he stripped off his clothes and applied the gel from the jar he'd taken to his lean muscled body.

It felt cool. Like ice against his skin, yet soothing. His skin tingled wherever he applied it, and it soon leached away the pain.

When he was done, he let out a relieved sigh.

Victor always kept some around the sparring area, it helped to numb pain, and speed up recovery though Connor had no idea what it was.

Sometimes he swore that Victor kept secrets just for the fun of it.

He looked down at his bruised and battered body, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He'd trained almost every day since losing his parents and ending up in Victor's care. Yet, despite all his skill and the lean muscle he had spent years developing, Adelia thrashed him even when she was taking it easy.

Admittedly, he'd been unfocused. Usually it wasn't so bad, but even so... he didn't stand a chance against her.

The gel reduced the pain to a dull ache, and he felt more relaxed already. Although, the smell of the stuff made his nostrils itch and he fought the urge to sneeze.

Wearing nothing after covering his body in the gel, Connor sat down and closed his eyes with a content sigh.

"Nice place. Bit dirty though," said a gruff voice behind him.

Connor leaped out of his chair and kicked it back at the intruder without looking. He vaulted over the table, grabbing a candlestick on the way, and spun around, ready for a fight.

Adelia stood with one foot on the toppled chair, and slow-clapped.

"Dammit, Adelia! You scared the crap out of me," Connor said.

"Really?" she said in her normal voice, "I hadn't noticed."

He let out an exasperated sigh and lowered the candlestick.

"So... are you going to put on some clothes? Or do you enjoy showing your full glory to all the ladies?" Adelia said.

He looked down at his naked body and wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

"You could at least look away," he said as he threw on his clothes.

"And miss the view?" she said.

"How in the twelve hells did you find me anyway?" he asked, desperate to change the subject.