Secrets Intertwined

XV

"Did he say what he wanted?" asked Jackson.

He and Aislyn were making their way over to the cliffs, ducking low and being as quiet as possible.

"No," she whispered back.

For close to three years she had managed to keep her private life just that; private.

What she told her brother was the truth. She was drunk when she got into that fight. She was drunk when she pushed the Grian Leader off the roof of an Offshoot bar.

She had meant to do it, wanted to do it.

The Leader, Brienne, had been making jokes about the kidnappings. Laughing at how the Bane Community was so poor, they couldn't even afford protection for the Leader's sister.

So, she pushed her. And jumped down after her. It wasn't a fall far enough to kill the Leader. What killed her was when Aislyn snapped her neck.

But not before she had a chance to pull off her mask and whisper, "I don't need protection."

Aislyn had sat next to Brienne's body, creating an illusion of flowers. Flowers that grew out of her throat, ears, eyes, nose.

She had sat there till Brienne's body was long cold and her bottle was empty.

Sat there until the Council turned up and dragged her away, kicking and screaming. Screaming names she shouldn't have been screaming.

Turns out more than just the Councilmen and low-life Offshoots had heard her.

Aislyn and Galen could make out faint noises from the ongoing celebrations. Luckily, they were far enough into the trees that the light from the bonfire was just out of reach. With any luck, no one would dare venture too far out that night.

With her enhanced eyesight. Aislyn could clearly see all the obstacles ahead of her. Galen, on the other hand, had to travel by the moonlight. Already at a disadvantage to her, his huge frame didn't bode well in the maze of twigs and branches.

Aislyn's hand reached for her dagger that she had tucked into the waistband of her trousers. She withdrew it and stretched her arm out to Galen.

"Take it," she whispered to him.

Galen's hand sought out hers and he recoiled at the small cut as his fingers grazed over the blade. Still, he took it and slipped it up his sleeve.

"Do you really think its going to come down to that?"

"I hope not. I wouldn't appreciate having to have another bath so soon after the last one."

The trees began to thin out and even Galen could make out Tele's figure standing at the edge of the cliff, the full moon looming behind him.

They stopped just after the last tree.

"Tele," called Aislyn, in a way of greeting.

"Azure, Raven," he replied, nodding his head.

With a quick, shared glance, Aislyn and Galen began to walk forward. Aislyn didn't miss the way Galen straightened his cuffs nor the way Tele shuffled from foot to foot.

"What can we do for you?"

As they got within a few feet from him, Aislyn almost stumbled at the shock of seeing his face.

One eye was completely missing. Aislyn could see nothing but emptiness in the hollow socket, the skin surrounding it, hanging in shreds.

The other eye wasn't in a much better state. Swollen to the point that Aislyn could only see a sliver of Tele's eye, darting between herself and Galen.