Black Ice ✓ | Deathsworn #1

Chapter 29 ∞ Assault

Mistress Veronika's physical training was paying off. Although I had the smallest frame in the group, I was consistent with my pace and led everyone away. I could not say the same for Maun and Erenol though, so I decided to take the rear slot to herd them along just in case they were lagging. I shot a glance at the map, memorized the turns to take and stuffed it back into my pocket.

I hastily dictated the directions towards where the public terminal was, and they obeyed without putting up much of a fight. The men behind us were closing in. They were much faster than anticipated, probably built for a chase like this.

I recalled the routes we could take and decided we would cut corners, urging them to take an alley that would take us right into the main street. Our pursuers had halted when they saw us spear straight into the passage and, for a moment, I thought we had lost them.

What I didn't expect was to see that they had beat us to it. One of the men who were on our tail appeared right up ahead like an unwanted mushroom, blocking our escape and caging us in. Startled, we halted, and I realized then how big of a mistake it was to take this passage at all.

They moved with aggression and their eyes weren't the kindest either, clearly bearing bad intentions. In an instant, I knew we were in that very unfavorable, cornered position once more. It seemed we kept finding ourselves in situations with limited choices.

One. Two...three. Four. I decided to label them A, B, C, and D in my head.

There were four of them. Two on either side.

My eyes caught a small glint under the light—the shine of a blade being pulled to sight. A subtle threat. I looked around, keeping a hand on the necklace under my clothes. Should the need come to it, I would be summoning over Captain Leiran to come and save us by crushing it with my hand.

And I knew this was the time. So, I did.

The glass wasn't easily broken, nevertheless. The shards cut through my clothes and punctured the skin of my hands a little before skidding down my chest. I didn't want to make a commotion, so I did it as silently as possible. If these men knew that I did something, they might do the unthinkable.

"Evy, we aren't so lucky today," I heard Erenol whisper beside me.

"I know."

We pressed our backs together. Maun was just as panicked as the two of us.

"You did us favor by coming here. Should you have stayed in the center, you at least would've been a little safer." The language I heard wasn't Veneryali. I didn't know where it came from because this was the first time I was hearing it. Nevertheless, my ability to decipher languages immediately came through. There were times I really thanked Amber for doing what he did. Then again, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be in such a difficult position.

All my life's—this life's—misfortunes started when I met him.

Though that kind of thinking was only to make me feel better. I needed someone to blame and he was the only person I could really throw all of this at. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, although sometimes I really wanted to crush him into a pulp.

"Did you understand that?" Erenol elbowed me in panic.

"No...unfortunately. I've been taught a lot of languages by the mistresses, but definitely not this."

I didn't remove my gaze from the men as I shook my head. If I acknowledged that I could, they might not be as loose with their lips.

"Remember, you get the one with the green eyes."