TELVIN

Hark came back from the final meeting with our client. He divided the bags of coins among us and promised twice as much when the job was done. I was almost able to forget my moral dilemma with the promise of so much money. The tasks were repeated one more time before we had to go. Two husks would be dropped off through a sewer access door on the eastern side of the city. Two more would be dropped down a wall on the southern side. Charlotte and I, and two other underlings of hers, pulled our two carts down a rocky path next to the ocean.

I had never traveled from my small village before. Seeing the ocean for the first time was breathtaking. The sun lifted from behind the dark blue horizon, catching light on the glittering surface. I would have even enjoyed it if Charlotte wasn’t barking at me to hurry. I committed the beautiful scene to memory before I got serious. I sighed and quickened my pace. I could only pull the cart so fast. I didn’t want to make too much noise and it was rather heavy. My hands ached already.

When we got to the tunnel entrance, Charlotte pulled out the rusted old key she got from Hark. The client had made copies of all the tunel accesses. It made me wonder how long ago they made the key copies. Judging by how worn the metal was it had to be a few decades, or left out in the rain too long.

Charlotte pulled out her map and hissed directions at me. The men behind me had it easy. They didn’t have to deal with the fiery dwarf snapping at you every time you took too long to make a turn. It was smelly and slippery down here and I was trying not to fall on my ass. The thought of the sludge on the ground touching my skin made me shiver. Eventually we made it to a steep set of stairs that ended with another iron door. Charlotte made her way quickly up the stairs, her feet not making a single sound. She peaked through the bars on the door, standing with the tips of her toes. When she was sure the coast was clear, I heard the lock click open. She rushed back down and went behind the first cart.

“Open it,” she ordered me.

I produced my own set of keys and opened the cart door. The lock was heavy and it resisted opening. I didn’t know if the metal was being difficult or if I was just scared. Once it finally clicked and released, I quickly hid behind the cart with Charlotte. The dwarf slammed her fist on the back of the metal cart. I watched in silent disgust as the monster lurched out of the cart. It took notice of the light up the stairs and started to meander up. We took the same steps with the next husk once the first was out of sight.

“Take the carts back. We’re going to stay to see how long it takes for them to be detained,” Charlotte said to the others. They nodded and started pulling one cart each. Charlotte turned to me and gestured for me to follow her.

We trudged back up the stairs and she clicked the iron door shut again, making sure to lock it back in place. She stood back on her tiptoes to see out of the bars on the door. It almost made me laugh. I peered out as well to watch the beasts roam around. I almost called out in shock when one of them grabbed and took a bite out of a little girl though. I gasped in shock when it did, the girl screaming in agony. It took another bite, her cries loudening.

“Shh,” Charlotte scolded. “If you’re too loud people will see you.”

“It’s a little girl,” I hissed. “We just released a monster and it attacked a little girl.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “A vampire girl,” she corrected.

I looked back at the child. When she wailed, I saw no fangs. She didn’t even have pointed ears that I could see. Her eyes welled with tears just like a human’s would. She cried out for her mother. “How do you know?”

“This is a vampire city isn’t it?” Charlotte crossed her arms over her small chest.

“She doesn’t have any vampire features.” I pointed, squinting my eyes. The child’s mother screamed for help. It disgusted me when no one came to aid them. I was disgusted that I didn’t move to help. I had helped do this without even questioning. I had just been following orders like I always had. My stomach knotted and I was sure I was going to be sick.

“What?” she snapped. She peaked back through the bars and frowned. The frown deepened when she saw what I pointed out. Doubt passed through her face, but was gone as soon as it appeared. “Now that man is definitely a vampire.”

I looked back and saw a tall man in an ornate jacket. His hair was long, tied back so you could see his long pointed ears clearly. His pupils were sharp slits in the rising sun. It made him look reptilian in nature. He was the only one who stepped up and saved the little girl. And he was rewarded by another monster biting into him just like the first one had. I didn’t expect to feel such guilt at watching the scene play out. The man fell to his knees, the curse already spreading out from his wound. He was rewarded with this for being the only one brave enough to save a little girl.

Then the husk in front of him was turned to stone. “That witch must be powerful,” Charlotte said. She glared with hatred at whoever had done it. The figure was just out of view. I craned my head, trying to see who had done such a thing. My skin pressed to the bars, my fingers clenching into fists.

When she stepped forward to the bitten man, I almost didn’t recognize her. She wore a brightly colored dress, just as ornate as the man’s coat. Her usually loose flowing hair was pinned back in a braid decorated with gems. She had gained weight since the last time I saw her. Her hips were fuller, her face rounder. I gripped my chest. “Iara,” I breathed.

Charlotte looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. “You know her?”

I didn’t reply. I recalled the time Iara had called upon the same goddess while with me. She had asked for a great tree to be grown next to Demarus’ grave. She had to make offerings to Kethia for days after. The memory was soured now as I watched her dote on the vampire. My face twisted and I now found joy in the fact he would die soon. The bitter feelings made another pang of guilt grow in my stomach. Jealousy was ugly.

Charlotte sighed as Iara ran off. The man was carried away by two guards and then the knights came and took away the petrified husks. “Well, let’s go.”

I followed her all the way back in silence. Our camp was about a half hour walk back into the woods just north of the city. Once we got there, Charlotte gave her report to Hark. He would be meeting with the client later that afternoon. While we waited for the other four to get back from the south point, I went back to my tent. I didn’t really want a part of any of that right now. People droning on and congratulating us didn’t feel as satisfying as I thought it would. I saw what we really did. It wasn’t something to be praised for.

The vision of that child getting bitten made me sick to my stomach. That little girl would never recover from that. She would be dead by this time tomorrow. I didn’t know if I could do something like that again. I had run away from one horrible place to another. I only wanted to forget my mistakes, but somehow they kept piling up. I thought about running again, but where would I go? I didn’t know how to survive on my own. I had enough money in my pocket to last me a few weeks, but what would I do after that? My mind raced for the rest of the day.

Later that night, Yula joined me again at the fire I had made myself. “I can make light,” she said as a greeting.

I looked over at her in confusion. “What?”

She fiddled with her head wrapping as I looked at her. “My blessing,” she mumbled. She lifted her other hand and a soft glow emanated from her palm. “It isn’t very impressive so I don’t tell many people. The guild would have no use for such a thing.”

I knew a lot of people measured others by the strength of their blessing alone. Not every blessing was powerful or awe inspiring. Some were just mundane. Viewed as useless. I shook my head at the young girl. “I think it’s really useful,” I insisted. “I used to be scared of the dark, but I couldn’t leave a candle overnight for fear of fire. I would’ve loved to have that blessing.”

She laughed. “Over the one you have now?”

I nodded. “Absolutely.”

Her face grew sad. The smile on her lips never left, but her eyes changed. They held all the sorrow they could. “Thank you. You’re a very kind person.”

I looked away from her. Would she have felt the same if she knew what kind of things I’ve done? Would she still be able to sit next to me if she had seen the little girl being attacked as well?

Yula stood then. “I really must rest up though. Another long day tomorrow,” she said. The young girl rushed off without another word.

She must have known Charlotte was heading this way. As she left, the dwarf came. The short woman placed her fists akimbo as she came up to my fire. “Are you close with her now?”

“As close as one can be with a child,” I frowned. “What’s so wrong if she comes to talk with me anyway?”

“Nothing, she’s annoying is all,” Charlotte snapped. Her brows knitted together and she set a harsh glare on me. “Hark just told me of another task the client hired us for. Biggest job we have yet.”

“And I’m guessing you want me to be your right hand man?” I reached into the fire to rearrange the logs. A plume of embers flew up.

“Of course I do. I trust you.” The statement made my heart flutter. Trust. Charlotte’s gaze softened when I met her eyes. She almost looked vulnerable at that moment. All the sharpness was gone from her frame. She cleared her throat though and the moment was gone. She frowned and crossed her arms. “Our client gave us detailed directions to a rendezvous point. Hark and I are only choosing three men to come with us. You’re my first pick.”

“What’s the job?” I asked. If only a few members of the guild were going, it couldn’t have been anything big. Hark and Charlotte were rather hands on with every mission, but this would be the first one we all didn’t move as a group.

“We’re going to assassinate the vampire queen.”