Dark Again

Chapter 7~ Jael

Damien's chest rose and fell steadily as he slept. He had eaten most of the rabbit by himself, after he got over his disgust. With me. 

No, he was probably disgusted with the rabbit's sudden end, and the way I was so prepared to skin the thing and roast it over their fire. But once his stomach was full of small woodland creature, he fell asleep seconds after his head hit the ground. He looked so peaceful asleep, like a little kid. Hardly knowing what I was doing, I pulled out my blanket and draped it over his sleeping body. 

I knew better than to let myself fall asleep without someone on guard. Not that I would trust this soft, smooth-talking, handsome politician stand guard over me. He would probably run anyway. He might talk big, but if he had the chance, he would have chosen never to have crossed my path. What I stand for, what I brought into his life, how much I probably cost him. Come to think of it, he probably curses the day he met me. But that's just too bad. I snorted aloud at the irony. Damien's plan was to change the world, and here I come along and change his world. For the worse. But that was the deal, I told myself. So get over it.  Do the work, kill your targets, and eliminate any and all problems and  threats to the Master. I just never thought it would be this hard.

I stayed awake the entire night, up in a tree, looking at the stars and singing almost forgotten lullabies from my childhood. Memories I had buried deep, along with all the feelings I could and my curiosity.  

Erenthia heloh reth, oren bes ao nem wins. The melody came back slowly, rising from the ashes and fog in the back of my mind. 

Sleep little one, it will be all right. 

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From my perch in the tree, I saw him toss in his sleep and I could feel him waking. I leaped from the tree, landing on silent feet and crouched by his head. Damien's pretty blue eyes popped open and he groaned. 

"I was hoping that was all some weird dream that was the byproduct of a drug somebody slipped into my coffee pot or something. No such luck," he said with obvious dismay. I wanted to laugh, but I couldn't encourage him, so I just gave him a look and swiped back my blanket before he noticed it. He sighed. "So what are we doing?" 

I met his intelligent blue eyes with my green gaze. "First off, there is no we. There is you, and there is me. But there is no we. Second, I am taking you to see a friend of mine." His jaw dropped sarcastically.

"Wait... You have friends?" I scowled at him, and he shrugged. "You just don't seem like the chummy type. I mean, you're an assassin. A great conversation starter, but a crummy way to keep friends." My head snapped back to look at him.

"Who says I'm an assassin?"

"You were sent to kill me. Your Master is no idiot, so they sent a pro. Meaning you're an assassin. I'm not stupid."

"Could've fooled me."

"Ha ha. You're a riot."

"Get up. We have to get moving before the sun sets again." I pull the boy to feet. 

"Without breakfast?" he whined.

A single glare silenced his complaints. "You slept through the time for that." 

With a little prod of my dagger, he was hiking through the woods at a pretty brisk pace, toward the Black Jaw Mountains, and the home of the last Half Dragon, Leigh.