FOREVER KNIGHTS: #2 Rise of the King of Assassins
Splashes of Color

She nodded. Going inside and taking the stairs up to her chamber at a run. Taking for granted he was agreeing.

I suppose I was.

Sighing, he summoned fog as he crossed the garden to a tree a bit away from the window. His back to the corner of the house. She won’t be able to see me if she does peek.

He drew his knees up and rested his elbows on them. Tossing the gleaming apple from one hand to the other.

“I won’t talk about who I am.” His apple stopped. As he heard the floorboards creak near her window.

“Can you hear me?” She whispered. “I can. Even without you calling so loud.” He inspected the apple. Realizing he was hardly hungry. Merely fascinated with it. “You wish to tell me of those you talk to?” “How’d you know that?”“Hard to explain.” At his prolonged silence she changed the subject. “Can you keep a secret?” “I’m an expert.” He bit into the apple and settled in.

“I haven’t told Miss Margaret and Miss Agatha much about my sisters.” She said.

“Sisters? Why haven’t you told the women?”

“You know them?”

Dammit.

He drew a quick breath. “I-I’ve seen them.”

“Firsthand?”

Shit.

He hissed an indrawn breath. Damn. She’s quick-witted.

“Of course not.” He winced. Holding his breath on the lie.

Her yawn saved him.

“You’re tired. Rest.”

So, I can leave. Before anything else falls out my giant mouth.

“Why is the House suddenly so warm?”

“Because I’m leaning on it.” He said absentmindedly. Knowing his body would heat the wood, stone and mud to a red glow without ever catching fire. Warming everything along that side of the house.

He sensed her nod as she mulled that over.

“It’s time I must go.”

“Thank you for talking with me…”

“Don’t tell anyone we’ve spoken…Please.” He said as an afterthought.

They’d worry I put you in danger. He listened to the far-off sound of crickets and the whistle of night birds seeking prey. Took in the moist smell of a mist clinging to everything green.

Green. He savored the color.

Even when he’d been mortal, he’d only seen black and white. Not understanding what he missed until other knights mentioned the red cross on their cloaks. A cross I’d only known as black.

Color meant very little to me when I was hungry on ships. Captaining starving men to raid others to feed our young. Rising he dusted off his pants.

“Goodnight.” He strode the fog. Horrified to replace as he distanced from Meredith House, the green of trees darkened to black. Silver moonlight turned white.

Shoulders slumping, he eyed the gaping mouth of the cave he called home.

He entered gloomy darkness. It’s never seemed so bleak...He sighed.

For a flash of time, there’d been a lovely splash of color in his world.

The next afternoon, Acharius lay in his bed, staring at the stone ceiling, turning his face to avoid drops of water.

Alrady, he craved seeing colors again.

He sighed and sat up, giving up on sleep for the day, he went to work tying pieces of wood and twisting metal into coils for traps.

I don’t have nearly enough…He dimly registered he worried more about protecting the odd child than he did the artifacts.

When he took the traps out to set them, he looked up to see Karina going through the gate. Groaning inwardly and rolling his eyes in annoyance, he waited until Karina emerged with a basket brimming with plush fruit. Ducking behind a tree to evade her gaze.

Blowing a relieved breath, he found the trail back to his caves. Intrigued by the tantalizing aroma of succulent rabbit, he veered in that direction, licking his lips. Lowering as his back twisted and blue eyes turned yellow. Glowing in falling darkness.

“Are-are you out here?”

Acharius stopped in his tracks. Chastain? Her voice came from the garden. Out alone after dark again?

I warned her!

Turning stiffly, he crept closer to the gates. Hearing her call a few more times. She’s going to summon every Cimmerii for miles! He snarled. I’ll be stuck guarding the house all night because of this. Annoyance flashed through him as he saw his meal disappearing further into the brush.

I was hungry too.

“Who are you trying to summon in the middle of the night?” He growled through the fence.

She ran to the gate and it creaked as her hands pressed to the other side of the wood. “You!” She huffed. “Why didn’t you come back?”

He balanced it enough it couldn’t swing open for her to slip through the crack.

He heard a rustle deeper in Merwood. Something small scurrying.

“For what? I’ve no need to sit and chat.” He glared at the wood before him. Sensing her ear pressed just beyond.

Go inside. Before you become something’s dinner.

“Come talk in the garden. As you did.” She urged.

“Go in.” He grated out.

Stop this foolishness.

“Come talk with me.”

“Will it send you in and out of this darkness?” His tone was sharp as he heard leaves brushing again.

Could be a Noni.

“Yes.”

“Go!”

He heard her heading back to the house.

Something tried to rush past his leg, pushing through the unlocked fence, but he caught its movement in his peripheral and was fast enough to stomp on its tail. It spun and sunk teeth into his boot. Giving him time to pull an arrow, load his bow, and let it fly in a smooth motion. Pointed tip imbedding in its torso.

It slumped instantly. Heart ruptured.

Hissing in pain, Acharius’ lip curled. A canine growl rumbling from his throat. It bit through my boot and well into my foot. His shoulders slumped. He tread carefully through the gate. Favoring the foot. Glancing over his shoulder, he assured he wasn’t followed.

Damn the stubborn girl!

As he entered the garden, he noticed the flourish of flowers already opening tender petals where she’d walked. No wonder this garden now looks a meadow of wildflowers.

Everywhere she goes…His irritation abated a bit at understanding she didn’t know what hunted her.