Cassandra (Book Two)

Chapter 1

Women feigned laughter in front of the men fooled by their seductive acts. Those not buying their performance were wasted in pools of liquor. Carter sat in admiration, watching as his bar grew with customers. He enjoyed this every night: Women, drinks, money, and security. He'd hired plenty of mercenaries for control in the town he now called home. 

Grabbing his drink, his eyes fixed on an attractive, smiling blonde, Carter swallowed the liquid with one gulp, stopping only when one of his messengers came to his table. ''Sir, there is a problem.''

''No, there isn't.'' Carter chuckled. ''That's what I hired you for.''

''Sir,'' the lad hesitated. ''It's a woman- I think.''

Carter swiveled in the wooden chair, brow furrowed, facing the lad who seemed to be in doubt of what had just said. ''Where?''

''Your office, Sir.''

''Show me,'' Carter ordered, rising up from his table. The sandy-haired boy led Carter to his office, where a handful of his hired men were standing or leaning against the walls, clinging to their sides, or icing purple bruises scattered on their faces. Carter looked to the body slumped on the ground in between them, a dingy bag sitting over the intruder's face.

Hesitantly, Carter stalked towards the individual, each step a demonstration of fear, one they all understood. Reaching a shaky hand towards the bag, he pinched the flimsy fabric before pulling it off and stepping back. The creature before him was indeed a woman, and deserving of their respect.

She lifted her head, a demanding gaze plastered on her face, and a masked pain was evident in her emerald eyes. Carter's eyes didn't wander from his guest. ''Leave us,'' He ordered in a tone that screamed fear.

The wary men exited the room in a questioning hush, and Carter was left nearly trembling in front of the woman bound on the floor. ''What are you doing here?'' He asked, his tone strained from trying to relax.

''Over a drink,'' Cassandra answered coolly, as if oblivious to the marbled, marred complexion, and the blood from her split lip.

Cutting the rope that bound her, Carter offered her a hand, which she didn't accept, and followed him into the dining room he'd just come from. Offering her a chair, he slipped into the seat across from her and summoned one of his waiters. ''My special.''

With a nod, the lad looked expectantly to Cassandra but was unable to mask the uncertainty in his eyes when he spied her cut face. ''Water,'' she mumbled. ''Easier to detect a drug,'' She explained when Carter raised a brow.

With a low chuckle, he beckoned the lad to draw near and whispered in his ear. ''Get her what I'm having as well.'' Dismissed, he left to retrieve their beverages. ''So, what brings you not just out of the capital, but the kingdom? Did you lose the princess again?'' He chuckled, taking the drink when the boy arrived with them.

''No,'' She hissed angrily. ''This note is to explain everything.'' She pulled out a piece of parchment, sealed with the King's own stamp.

Growing serious, Carter took the letter and opened it. Unsatisfied curiosity plagued her when he scanned the letter, crumpled it up, and fed it to the fire. ''Did you read that?''

''No,'' She answered. ''I was instructed not to.''

Changing the subject, he took notice of her attire, which was drastically different from her typical silver armor. ''I like the new look.''

''Made it easier to find you,'' She smirked, ''That, along with your last name, Sir Brailstorm.''

His smile fell. ''Don't say it so loud. I don't need others finding me.'' He paused. ''So, you're here to capture me.''

She nodded. ''I'm to bring you to justice.''

"Come on," He ran his hand through the brunette locks. ''I kept my end of the bargain and left so we wouldn't need to see each other again.''

"Nothing in our deal included my obligations to the crown." She reminded him, but her argument wasn't debated with vigor.

"Do you always obey the King?" He spat.

"I wouldn't be here otherwise," Came her sincere response as she looked into her glass of water.

Carter was set, he wasn't going back to a cell, not after escaping so many times, but he didn't feel like fighting, at least not her anyway. "Cassandra, you shouldn't have come-'' Carter froze mid-sentence, his eyes wandering to the brutes who had just walked through the door.

Cassandra caught his movement, and her hand strayed to her sword. "If you run, I will make a scene." She threatened with a betraying soft gaze. "Please," Her tone pleaded. "Come quietly."

''No, Cassandra, I mean you really shouldn't be here,'' He suddenly began to back up, and it was then that she turned around in time to watch the lead man raise up a crossbow and fire it. 

Thinking fast, she lunged from her chair and shoved Carter out of the way, but a sharp pain shot through her right shoulder and she stifled a grunt before landing on the ground. Suddenly, bolts went flying everywhere. Women screamed, men began to fight their way out, but many fell to the army entering the room.

Carter found Cassandra, who was grasping her shoulder in pain, her hand painted in a brilliant scarlet. He clasped her shoulder. ''We need to run. Hurry!'' Together, running haphazardously, he led her to a back door, but just as they reached it, a group of five men strode through. Their eyes narrowed as they identified Carter, and a sickening smile crept onto their faces as the raised their crossbows.

''Hang on!'' Carter shouted, wrapping his hands around her waist before plunging through the glass window and into the blue depths below. They crashed into the slow moving water, cold stinging their limbs and awakening their bodies.

Carter surfaced and began to swim farther from his bar, but not before he saw Cassandra doing likewise, though she seemed to be struggling thanks to her wound. When they both reached land, Cassandra coughed up some water before sitting up. ''Who were those men?'' She demanded, catching her breath.

''I don't know,'' Carter answered, looking back at his business. The men wouldn't follow them, and even if they did, it was a maze of allies and rooftops. ''Let's move,''

''Carter,'' Cassandra interrupted, giving him a pained look. ''My right side,'' she paused. ''I can't feel or move it.''

Carter swore and examined the arrow protruding from her arm. Raising it to his nose, he quickly sniffed it and recognized the raunchy oder. ''Tired Limbs.'' He mumbled to himself before glancing back at her. ''Can you stand?''

Cassandra wobbled to her feet, but when she attempted to walk, the appearance of a drunk man was all he saw. Suddenly, she stumbled and went down, but Carter caught her in his arms. ''Come on, I have an antidote at home. It's a small ride from here. Can you make it?''

"Do I have a choice?''


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