Secrets of the Crown Assassins

63

TRYSHA DAYHOLT

Trysha still couldn't believe she nearly killed the Raven Ruler on accident.

She was in the Willis Tower when the Crowns infiltrated their base. The Ravens had called her in, baiting her with information they claimed she needed. They said they would deliver her someone she wanted very dearly. They even told her that they knew the Crowns were coming, that this would be her chance to finally kill them all.

Her task was simple—defend the captured Eveleen Fluor. She wasn't sure why they would order her to help keep Eveleen Fluor in the base. It took every ounce of willpower in her body to not kill the woman herself. Thankfully, she didn't have to stay with her for long.

Shortly after the alarms rang—signifying that the Crowns had infiltrated the base—a woman told her that she had been ordered to lead a different group of Ravens through the base to hunt the Crowns. In her thirst for revenge, she hadn't stopped to question the woman, to realize that she had never seen her before in her life. The woman turned out to be a high-ranking member of a group called the Rebels. They said her name was Nisa. Said that she had distracted Trysha since she was the biggest risk, killed the other two guards, and stole Eveleen Fluor back from right under their noses.

Nisa had used the Crowns as the perfect distraction. Perhaps they had underestimated the Rebels. They could be a much bigger threat to everyone, if not for their numbers then simply because of their schemes. The Ravens would need to keep a closer eye on them.

Personally, Nisa hadn't cared who won as long as the Crowns were destroyed. She only worked with the Ravens because they were the best contenders, the strongest possible allies. She didn't give two shits about the Raven Ruler or the cultish culture of the Ravens. Of course, she wanted to know who the Raven Ruler was, to know who she was dealing with. Maybe she was even curious about the person who had managed to amass such a large following and so many resources right under the Crowns' noses. But she never thought the Raven Ruler was anyone special. The only difference between the Ruler and other washed-up cult leaders was that this one had a bit of extra luck.

And then Trysha had actually met the Raven Ruler.

After Nisa told her to go downstairs, she found a group of about twenty Ravens led by what seemed to be a group leader. Trysha told him that she was taking over and that he should go upstairs to report to a higher-up. And when he argued one flick of her mace had him backing away to the stairs in silence.

Trysha started to prowl the floor, the group of Ravens on her heels. She perked her ears at every sound, hoping to find one of the Crowns. They would've already been worn down by everything that they faced downstairs and they would be thrown off guard when they saw her. Not to mention she was an Alpha and she had watched as the Crowns trained and perfected their art during their early years at Evandor. She could take them on. Trysha might not survive the ordeal, but she was certain she could take the Crowns down with her. And that was enough.

And then she had heard it. Footsteps. Just one person. Someone was coming.

Trysha grinned in anticipation. Her fingers itched to feel blood soaking her fingers.

She signalled for her group to stop just as the lone voyager turned the corner. Trysha's grin fell. It wasn't one of the Crowns. No. It was a girl with flaming red hair. A Streeter thief she had heard of—Phoenix Night—who rumors said was seen with Crowns. A Crown sympathizer.

Phoenix wasn't a Crown. But Trysha would make do.

Trysha let her mace slide down into her arm, the long metal chain uncoiling from her arm. Phoenix's eyes followed the movement with a strange gleam of curiosity. Of amusement. Trysha flicked her wrist and needle-like spikes snapped out all along the chain. She raised her hand, ready to aim for the thief's head.