An Assassin In Time

Chapter 11.2: Hidden Things

Part Two

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"Deric, you clever bastard."

Standing on the bed, Castian reached up and touched the spot. It clicked, a soft sound barely more than a whisper, and swung downward against his fingers. A book slid out as he opened it, then another, landing on the bed beside him. Castian sat down again, picking the nearest up. It lay open to a page full of writing. Only a brief glance told him he couldn't read it. The symbols curled serpentine around each other, flowing over the page in red ink. Castian could read and write well in four languages, and recognize a dozen others, but this... what the hell was this? He turned a page and found more of the same.

Something landed on the bed with a solid thunk. Castian shot to his feet, leaping back. A small, nondescript black bag lay on its side atop the mattress. A green crystal poked out the mouth. Little fingers of cold trickled up his spine as he stared at it. The color seemed to shift in on itself every time he blinked. His feet drug him a step forward, and another. Castian reached for the bag, fingers trembling. What the hell was wrong with him? With him? No, something was wrong with that thing. He could feel it against his fingertips, a burning. Grabbing the bag, he tipped it back in. Or, tried. It would have been nice if something worked the way he wanted, for once. Instead, it stuck before all of it slid back inside, a green tip poking free. Okay, this was stupid. With his freehand he grabbed the books and tucked them under his arm, then shook the bag. Something else inside must have caught it.

He shifted his hold on the books, then used his thumb to push the crystal back into the bag. It slid in reluctantly. A green flash came out of the mouth of the bag as he shut it. Light on the crystal. Feeling foolish, Castian stuck the bag into his pocket. Imagining danger now. What was a crystal going to do? Stab him? Hardly.

Castian hopped back onto the bed long enough to click the secret panel shut, then he grabbed Deric's pillow and slid the books inside the case. The movement sent up the smell of incense and sage. His throat tightened. Gone. Gone was gone. Mourning was stupid and a waste of time.

He moved to the door, pillow tucked under his arm protectively. Maybe, just maybe, inside those books was the secret to who he was, and where he'd belonged. Or maybe he needed to stop trying to be hopeful. Probably that. Where had hope ever gotten him? When had he really ever hoped for something beyond being chosen first for something...?

Cracking the door open, he looked out. The common room was blissfully empty. Castian slipped out and locked the deadbolt to the door behind him with a few twitches of his picks. Then he straightened and turned away from the door.

Vellis all but lounged against the couch. "Well, well. And here I thought you might have just went back to bed."

He stood frozen for a moment. How. He had not been there. He hadn't. Vellis grinned his emotionless smile, teeth flashing white. Holy... They were sharp. This time he was sure.

They almost looked like fangs.

"What do you what?"

"I want to talk to you, but I'm supposed to bring you up for practice. Unless you're sick." Another smile, this time too brief for Castian to catch a look at the fangs. He needed to stop jumping at everything. Vellis did not have fangs. "I'm personally starting to feel a bug coming on. Aren't you?"

Castian stared at him for a long moment. "Sure..." he muttered, moving to his door and opening it. Time to deal with whatever this was. His hand itched as he released the knob, fingertips burning dully. I swear if one of you morons put something on my door to be funny... Vellis brushed past him inside, and Castian followed, shutting the door behind him.

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So, Vellis is baaaack, who's surprised though? Yeah, me neither.