Coldhearted Assassin (Revising/Highly Unedited)

Chapter: 23 The Return

Chapter: 23

Kalila's POV: 

We had left Maysaf behind us as we trudge on horseback together, riding side-by-side. The sun making it hot as the box that held the contents of what I was looking for. It was tuck away in the satchel. Altair didn't say a word to me as it was an odd thing for him to not say anything to me this morning. He seems mildly distracted today for whatever reason, but he seems to be focusing on something else. What was going through that mind of his? Everything was tilting upside in my world, but it wasn't like I was strong enough to stand on my own.

It wasn't long before we had returned to acre city where Malik waited for us eagerly back at the bureau. After retrieving the box from the satchel, Altair leads me through the front door once more and shut it behind us. Malik came out of the backroom and gave us a fond smile as we enter the main room of the bureau. It looks clean for once as I walk over to the counter and sat the box down on the smooth wooden surface. "I see you guys are back in one piece and not a single scratch on you at all. Impressive."

Altair grumbled quietly, "Shut up, Malik."

Malik chuckled as he walks over to where I am and peered at the box, "I see you found something interesting. Did it help enlighten you on your path, my dear or should I say did you find closure with what's in the box?"

"Yes, Kalila. Tell us that." Altair gesture to me as well and I gave him a narrow look while looking at Malik who seems genuinely concerned. He glances at Altair with a warning glance, but as always. Altair ignores him while focusing his attention back on me.

I hesitate while looking down at the box once more and running the tips of my fingers over the lid. Contemplating telling them, but they weren't going to let me go now. I have decided to do this and be on this path even if it may lead me to my own death as well, but I need the training to become an assassin like Altair. Walk a mile in his shoes and see if I could make a future out of this, but something was already telling me that I can do this. If I look at my parents and the things that they have managed to accomplish. Maybe, a simple life after this wouldn't be so bad, but the first thing was first. "My Uncle needs to be taken out, so new dawn of peace can be settle between Assassins and Templars. Once and for all."

"It isn't going to be that easy, but you are becoming wise." Malik encourages me as we both look over at Altair to see that his jaw slackened. He was surprised and staring at me as I could see those dark eyes underneath that hood of his. 

"Did something catch your tongue, Altair?" Malik asked with a wicked smirk spreading across his lips.

That seemed to snap Altair out of his stunned state and saw that we were both looking at him. He huffed and turn away, "Great. The woman is going to be an assassin." He stalks away from us while throwing his hands up in the air before slinking into the shadows and disappearing down a hallway. 

I was confused by Altair and look over at Malik, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, Altair is just being Altair. Stubborn ass." He rolled his eyes while gesturing to the box, "Will you tell me more about what you found out?" He asked eagerly.

The feeling of my lips curling up into an odd shape as I nodded my head while speaking, "Why don't I show you?"

*(*

Altair's POV:

Everything was quiet for now as I stood there on top of the roof looking out across the city of Acre. Night had fallen and a shimmering half-moon was visible in the sky as well as clear skies. Monsoons were the only time of year that water seems to come, but other than those rainy seasons it's drier than the Sahara Desert here. Maybe, that's why nothing grows here and there's oasis's here and there. My arms were folded across my chest as I thought back to the afternoon and the woman that had surprised once me again.