Red

A metallic tang filled my mouth as my cheek stung from the impact.

Despite the pain my whole body currently shook with, I grinned at my torturer. Though it was dark I could see his look of distaste as he scowled down at me.

The room I was kneeling in was dark and dank. The walls were concrete and echoed every sound. What a cute place. I thought sarcastically as my male companion stood before me.

He raised his hand and hit me again, this time harder. My head whipped to the side and the chains around my wrists groaned while my body protested my every move.

"You better start talking or crying... I'm fine with whatever," My torturer leaned down and breathed in my face. His breath was revolting and hot.

My blue eyes met his disgusting brown eyes and I just grinned brighter. Judging by the taste in my mouth, I knew my teeth were covered in my blood so I probably looked crazy.

He sneered at me and turned away. Leaving his back exposed as he looked over his torture tools.

I took the opportunity to quickly slide my wrists out of their chains, simply by just dislocating my thumbs. With his back still to me, he failed to see me slowly rise from my previous position.

I reached into my left boot and grabbed my favorite dagger.

And with the training and precision of an assassin, I ended my torturer's miserable life. With a slice across his throat and a quick crank of his neck, I flawlessly killed him.

He barely had time to choke on his own blood before his eyes glazed over.

I grinned as I opened the door to my holding room. The door opened without any protest, my torturer obviously underestimated my ability.

I swiftly slide through the door and into the dark warehouse. I found a shadowed corner and ducked into it while I collected myself.

A few of my ribs were definitely bruised if not fractured. My jaw felt sore and bruised. My thumbs stung from me dislocating them earlier. Besides those, I was in pretty good shape. Although exhaustion tugged at thoughts, I took to scanning my surroundings.

Three main exits. Twenty-two windows, thirteen of them boarded shut. And only seven guards were visible, though three of them carried themselves as if inexperienced. Perfect.

A guard slowly patrolled near my corner. In one swift move, I swept from my corner, and put him into a headlock, ensuring to apply just the right pressure to his main arteries running through his neck. Once the blood and oxygen stopped connecting to his brain, he went limp in my arms. I dragged him into my dark corner. From experience, I knew I had seconds before he awoke again, due to the blood flow returning to his brain. So I made quick work of breaking his neck.

I repeated this five times until the final two guards noticed that the others were missing.

Before they could search for the others, I snuck behind them and stabbed them each separately through the ribs and in the heart.

The warehouse fell completely silent as the one black-haired guard exhaled his last breath.

Pulling my sleeves up, I cleaned my dagger on them, before returning it to my boot.

Looking around the warehouse, I located the main office on the second floor and made my way up to it. Once inside, I searched the bookcase and desk for the whole point of this mission.

Of course, I have no idea what I'm looking for, but there's a reason Ezekiel poisoned me. There must be something he wants me to find.

I grinned to myself as my fingers brushed over a different textured paper. The rest of the papers in the file were rough and sandpaper-like but this one was smooth and bordering on soft. I pulled the paper out of the lineup and smirked to myself as I read over a private letter that must've been waiting to be delivered by the Royal guards.

At a quick glance, I read the letter that revealed our dear kingdom sweetheart, The King's daughter, was to be married.

Satisfied with my find, I memorized the whole contents of the letter before folding it and sliding it into my top.

I wasted no time in leaving the warehouse, climbing the nearest building, and hopping roofs through the capital city.

I paused only once to check the positioning of the moon, figuring it around three past the middle of the night.

It took me around thirty minutes before I spotted the rich part of the capital city. The roofs of the shops all conveniently led to my destination. The Shadowed Manor. Or as most gossips call it, the Assassins Rest Area.

Whatever it's called, it has been my home since I was six.

I made the leap to the roof of the huge manor. I found my usual entrance, the window to Zeke's office, and swung from the roof through the window. I stuck the landing and straightened, taking in my surroundings. His office was lit by a single candle that had danced when I swung in.

"It's a good thing I enjoy the fresh air." A deep voice chuckled. I took in his demeanor. He sat at his desk, feet propped on it, and an easy-going smirk rested on his perfect face. It was a lie.

Sometimes it amazes me what you can hide with a well-placed smile. Zeke was the best at faking people out. How many times has he smiled that dazzling and perfect smile at someone, giving them a false sense of hope, before he violently ended them? Too many times.

Nonchalantly, I strolled to his desk, pulled the letter from my bust, and threw it on his desk.

He glanced at the letter briefly, before his green eyes shot back up to me. "It would seem you have once again succeeded."

I shrugged as I not-so-gracefully sat in a chair opposite of him.

In the candlelight, his green eyes took in my injuries. His way too observant eyes zeroed in on my jaw and the mud prints that coated my old tunic right above my ribs.

"Broken?" He asked.

I shook my head. Though he didn't believe me. I proved to him that my injuries were minor by stretching my body in ways that would be nearly impossible with broken ribs. Satisfied, his eyes settled on my bruised jaw.

"You should ice that." He pointed out.

I nodded and made to leave.

"Red." Zeke's deep voice made me pause.

I turned and locked eyes with him.

"Thank you for intercepting the letter. I had no choice but to poison you as there's no way those guards would've fell for the Trojan Horse." He almost seemed regretful. Almost.

If he hadn't used the only potion that was nearly impossible to identify, I would've thought he was regretful.

The worst part is, I knew he was going to poison me. I may not have smelled or seen the poison but I picked up on his usual tick. So subtle, and impossible for anyone else to identify, but I knew Zeke better than anyone. I made a choice when I consumed that poison. Just like he made a choice.

I nodded respectfully at him, then excused myself. Just another day at The Shadowed Manor.

Be an Assassin they said. It would be fun they said. At least I got to kill some Royal guards. I found myself in my room, stripping out of my tunic that I had worn to dinner, and nearly groaned as the hot water from my bath soaked my wounds and bruises.

I shut my eyes and let the water work its magic. After all, I need to be fresh and ready for whatever tomorrow brings.

~~~~~~

Thank you for reading Chapter 1. I'm so excited about starting a new story, but just like the other story I've started, I will be periodically updating this story until I finish my main two stories. I hope you liked this peek into my new story. Make sure to let me know what you thought, feedback makes me happy!