Assassin [#ProjectWomanUp]

Chapter Twenty-Three: Ready Aim Fire

"Madison Nazareth, you are under arrest for treason."

"Treason? What?" 

"Your mentor, Marilyn Zavran, has been working with the sorceress Asterodea."

"Marilyn? I had no idea! I swear!"

"Your execution is scheduled for tomorrow at sunrise."

"Execution? No, you've got this wrong. Marilyn didn't tell me anything."

"You will be escorted to a prison cell, where you are to stay." 

Madison gaped incredulously at Grace and November standing in her doorway. "I didn't- I don't-"

"I'm sorry, Madison," November whispered. 

"I didn't do anything," Madison protested. 

"I know." 

Eliza stood outside Madison's door and watched the two leave. "Is this really necessary?" she said to Grace, who was standing beside her.

"We can't take any chances."

"She's just a kid. And Marilyn didn't tell her anything."

"How can you tell?"

"She was clearly surprised at this. And she wasn't faking it."

"Zavran was working with Asterodea. Nazareth is her pupil. The chances were high that Nazareth was working with them."

"On the contrary-"

"Save it, Mendel."

~~~

"We need to find Asterodea. Fast."

"We figured that out for ourselves."

"You do realize that if we don't find her soon we never will?"

"And why's that?"

"She'll escape. Without a trace."

"Alright. We'll send spies. We'll find her. We'll get her, and she'll never hurt anyone again."

~~~

Eliza and Analise camped just outside Evergreen Wood. Not that they thought Asterodea would be there, but it didn't hurt to make sure. 

"What will we do when we find her?" Analise asked. "All of our past encounters have been unsuccessful." 

"We'll corner her. Show no mercy. Just as she does."

~~~

"We combed the forest for two days. There's nothing there."

"Not that we thought she would be there-"

"But it never hurts to double check, as you've always told me." 

November had been appointed the unofficial leader in the operation against Asterodea; thus, everyone reported directly to her. 

"We've received an anonymous tip-"

"How anonymous?"

"Irrelevant. We received a tip that she's set up camp in a cave down south."

"Let's check it out."

"With everyone. I have a feeling this may be it."

Hello. One chapter left till the end. This is the first project I've actually finished.
I started this last October, which I remember because Eliza got her name from Edgar Allan Poe's mother. 
Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will be up relatively soon.
~Patchesmimi