Betrayal (Shadow Hunters Trilogy #1) *COMPLETE*

Heroes and Suspicion

The sun is just barely peeking over the trees of the nearby woods when Isaac rises from the stack of hay he had fallen asleep in while hiding from a very drunk Much. Rising to his feet, he dusts himself off and makes his way out of the stables, stepping over sleeping bodies. Strolling over to a nearby well, he drops a bucket in and brings it up before dipping his hands into the cool water to clean his hands and face.

                The early morning silence is broken when commotion coming from a nearby cottage. Isaac looks over in the direction of the noise just as the door flung open and a man is thrown out face first to the ground. A bulky man stands in the doorway and threatens the man, whom is now scrambling to his feet.

“You better stay away from my daughter!” The bulky man yells.

Quickly scurrying to his feet, the man holds his hands up in a surrendering gesture. “I was unaware that she was engaged!” The man, who sounded familiar, tried to explain. “Besides, she never said anything when she was all over –“

The father punched him straight in the face, sending the man back down to the ground, holding his face. Satisfied, the father smirks and says something else before disappearing into the cottage and slamming the door behind him. Isaac glances at the door to see if the man will come out again. Moments pass and the door remains shut so he makes his way over to the man on the ground. He had just pulled himself to a sitting position when Isaac approached him.

“Are you alright?” Isaac asks. As he gets closer he recognizes the man’s clothes. “Alan?”

His hand holding his nose, Alan turns and looks up at Isaac. “Isaac! Did Robin send you to fetch me?”

Isaac shakes his head. “No, I just woke up a few minutes ago and saw the little altercation you just had.”

“Oh…” Alan says looking away. “Can we keep this just between us? Don’t even tell Eva.”

Isaac raises an eyebrow. “Why can’t I tell my sister?”

Alan shrugs. “Her and Robin are becoming really close and I don’t want her to tell him.”

Isaac gives him a knowing smile. “I don’t think she’s one to tell secrets.”

“She’s a woman, Isaac.” Alan says matter-of-factly. “Woman love to gossip. They can’t resist.” After he says this he abruptly adds, “Don’t tell her I said that. I can’t handle having my ass kicked twice today.”

Isaac chuckles and shakes his head. “I won’t tell her or anybody, I promise.” He looks down at Alan’s scarf around his neck and frowns at the crimson dripping into it. “However, if you don’t want Robin to question you, we should get you cleaned up. You’re bleeding all over the place.” Stepping behind him, Isaac grabbed under Alan’s arms and hoisted him up onto his feet before leading him over to the nearby well.

“I’m not being funny but I think he broke it!” Alan says as Isaac looks around for something nearby to use as a rag. Finding nothing useful, he takes out his dagger and is about to cut a piece of cloth out of his tunic when Alan stops him.

“Use my scarf.” He says. “We’ll just try to clean it out afterwards.”

Isaac nods. “Good idea.” He puts his dagger away and eases Alan’s scarf off and submerges it in the bucket of well water. “Alan, I’m going to need you to hold your nose shut to stop the bleeding.”

Alan struggles for a moment until Isaac shows him where to pinch. “Okay, now tilt your head back a little and stay that way until the blood starts to slow.”

Alan does as he’s told and leans against the well as he waits. “So how do you know all this?”

“My mum taught me.” Isaac lies as he tries to scrub the blood stains from the scarf. I had a lot of nosebleeds as a child.” Alan raises an eyebrow at him and he smirks. “I got into a lot of fights.”