Assassin [#ProjectWomanUp]

Chapter Eight: Spying

Eliza and Analise met May and Lynn at the above-ground entrance just before dawn the next morning.

"Which way is Evergreen Wood?" Lynn immediately asked.

"North," Eliza answered, pointing in that direction.

May turned toward the Apprentices. "Assassins don't use horses. It often compromises with stealth, and walking and running builds strength."

Analise and Lynn nodded. "Then I suppose we have a long day of walking," Analise remarked.

"Several long days," Eliza corrected. "Evergreen is three days away on foot."

May smiled apologetically at the Apprentices. "Liz can be a bit blunt."

"Softening the blow often makes it worse," Eliza replied. "Let's go."

May looked back at the Apprentices before exchanging a glance with Eliza. "It's times like these that make me wish we did have horses."

Eliza grimaced as she too looked back at the Apprentices. "I have a feeling we're going to be wishing for something else before we're even halfway there."

~~~

Analise and Lynn passed the time getting to know one another better. May and Eliza made them nervous, and in one another, they found a kindred soul.

They found several things in common with one another. They had grown up in the same general area, neither of their families had much money, and they had worked similar jobs.

"How have we not met before?" Lynn asked.

Analise didn't reply. The horrors of her past were not something she wanted to discuss.

And, as a matter of fact, they had seen each other before. Analise remembered now. They just hadn't been properly introduced.

It was at a banquet. All the villagers of the area had been invited to the local baron's castle for a celebration.

"Lisa?" Lynn inquired.

Analise realized she had been quiet for too long. She put a smile on her face. "I guess our separate duties kept us apart."

~~~

"How much farther?"

"What's Evergreen like?"

"What can the Sorcerers do?"

"Do you know any of the Sorcerers?"

"How are we going to fight them?"

"Are we stopping for the night?"

Eliza had already pulled several chunks of her hair out and twice considered throwing her knives at them just to shut them up — hilt first, don't worry.

May glanced over at Eliza, taking in the missing chunks of hair and the way her hand kept twitching toward her knives. "Is this what you meant?"

"You have no idea."

They had just started walking after taking a break for lunch. It was almost as if they knew how frustrated Eliza got.

"I can't stand Apprentices," Eliza muttered.

May smiled. "At least they aren't acting like my sister. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'"