Betrayal (Shadow Hunters Trilogy #1) *COMPLETE*

Midsummer Eve

The sun was beginning to set when the woman finally dismissed me from baking. Hands burnt, my hair a mess and covered in flour, I leave the cottage utterly exhausted. I attempt to dust myself off when I hear a chuckle off to the side and look over. Robin grins at me and raises an eyebrow.

“How’d it go?” He asks.

I let out a sigh and lean back against the doorframe. “A lot more exhausting than I thought it would be…”

He chuckles and picks some dough out of my hair. “It’s a good look for you.”

I give him an annoyed look. “You assigned me here.” I point out.

“I did but…” He frowns and peeks into the cottage. “Where’s Isaac? I sent him to help you?”

“The woman’s husband took him to deal with the actual cooking…. hopefully he’ll be done soon.”

Just as I say this Alan walks over to us. He sees my messy appearance and smirks. “I’m not being funny but you look terrible.” He chuckles. His smile fades as I scowl at him.

“Reporting in?” Robin asks. Alan turns his attention to him and he tells Robin about the rest of the gang’s progress. Before he leaves us he turns his attention back to me. “Also Djaq asked me to tell you meet up with her after you were finished with Robin’s task.”

“Did she say why?” I ask, giving him a questing look.

He shakes his head. “Nope.”

“Okay…” I leave the Robin and Alan and begin weaving through the people swarming home to get ready for the celebration. I arrive at Djaq’s cottage just as Will opens the wooden door. He motions inside with a grin. “Djaq’s inside. She’s waiting for you.”

He leaves and shuts the door behind him and I make my way through the cottage to the back which looks like a bedroom. “You wanted to see me?” I say as I entered small room.

She looks me over. “What did Robin have you do?” She chuckled. “You’re a mess!” I catch a glance at myself in a mirror off to the side and feel the heat rise to my cheeks. I knew I was covered in flour but I didn’t know how truly terrible I looked.

“I’ll get you some water to clean up.” Djaq says brushing past me. “Afterwards you can change into the outfit I put on the bed.” She leaves the room and I look down on the bed where she had laid out a green linen peasant dress that fastened in the back.  After a moment, she returns with a small basin and sets it on a table nearby and smiles at me. “If you need anything, just call.”

I thank her and wait until she leaves the area before stripping off my flour covered clothes and clean up. I once clean, I slip on the dress and attempt to tie the back before finally giving in. “Djaq?” I call. I hear her soft footsteps until she enters the room and I point to my back. “Please?” I say with a smile.

She quietly walks over and pulls the laces and pauses. “Oh…” She says. I look over my shoulder at her and raise an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?”

“You have so many scars….”

I quickly turn my face away, cursing under my breath. How could I forget that my back is home to many scars due to the accidents I had when I was still a new assassin. I try to quickly think of an excuse.

“Yeah, I…um… my village was raided where Isaac and I are from and I was…attacked.” I say quickly. Not the best excuse but she seemed to buy it.

“That’s terrible…I’m so sorry.”

I look over my shoulder at her and flash a small smile. “The past is the past. No need to dwell, you know?”