Hey! I finally saw comments! Cool ones too. I'm glad you are enjoying it. I love having Maglynar with Aiden. It keeps me interested too, of course Aiden is far less than pleased. I'm sure Maglynar will grow on him..... eventually. Anyway, someone asked about Zoe's story in relation to mine. Yes, they are taking place in the same country. After that, well, you'll just have to read to see how connected they are! Right, Em? Britt, you really forgot there would be a heroine in Aiden's story? That is hilarious!! Guess, Aiden's not doing too bad yet, if you can wait for Kristylan to show up! But I really can't, and if I take too much longer Em and Jamie might just kill me. As for it not being Tancred, who in the world is that? Aiden knows about the Hunter and he's about to meet him, but a Tancred? (Hmmm. (LOL, someone's been reading too stories at once! Isn't that fun! But what it gets better!!) So, you have predictions for the next chapter? Well, hopefully I live up to expectations, but I'm not overly concerned with predictions. :-) I guess it's time to see if you all are correct or not! Enjoy Chapter 12! You will more than Aiden ;-)

CHAPTER 12 ~ THE HUNTER…

I waited another two. Slowly, I left the shadows and snuck up to the side of the house. Keeping myself low, I followed the wall around to the tree on the southeast corner. I took my time creeping around it, careful not to make a sound. I didn’t need to give the Hunter an early warning if it could be helped.

There was no lock on the front door, an amateur move. It was possible he had set up a detection system inside, I had only encounter one once in my career. I drew a dagger and lifted the latch slowly. Once I had a crack in the door, I took the dagger and slid it into the opening. I ran it up the ledge of the door and felt a slight tug about two thirds of the way up. He had put in a detection system. If the door was opened without removing the string, it would cause something extremely noisy to fall, waking up the occupant. Carefully, I pressed the string against the door frame and holding I steady gave a small tug. One side of the string fell silently to the floor. Gently, I ran the dagger up the rest of the door frame and across the top, but felt no more resistance. Obviously, the Hunter was confident his trap would work.

I pushed the door open slowly, causing as little noise as possible and being wary for anything else that might be set to catch intruders. Once the door was open just enough, I slipped inside, and closed it silently behind me. I didn’t want any extra moonlight in the room. Two windows already gave off adequate light and anymore might wake a light sleeper. The hump on the bed confirmed the Hunter’s location. I stepped to the far side of the room, avoiding the moonlight beams directed at the floor. Swiftly and silently I moved towards the bed.

The Hunter’s head was almost totally covered with his blanket. I stretched one hand down and gently picked up a corner. In one swift move I would have to remove the blanket and bring the knife down for the killing blow. One quick cut and it would all be over. I would win my freedom at the cost of Aerilya’s.

I couldn’t let the thought pause my actions. I jerked the cover back and brought my knife down with a precision force. It halted millimeters from the Hunter’s neck, though whether I had stopped it or the second dagger I did not know. In the space of that second I found myself looking fully into wide sparking green eyes. A second dagger blocked my own. A low growl from behind me tore my gaze from the green eyes to find a large black panther staring me down. When the Hunter pushed back with his dagger, I was too shocked to stop myself from taking a step backwards. Using his free hand, he tore off the blanket and stood to face me.

“Some assassin,” his voce was low, but it sounded young.

The panther leapt to stand between us. I adjusted the grip on my dagger and watched them both. Suddenly, the panther went to the left at the same time the Hunter dogged to the right. I moved quickly up the middle and turned mid-move to block the Hunter’s attack. Using my momentum, I yanked his thin arm to put him between myself and the angry cat. It didn’t stop the beast though, who landed, turned, and quickly launched again. The Hunter twisted out of my grip like a wrath and I dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding the panther’s font claws. Against them both I was going to lose. I let out a loud whistle and turned to face the Hunter again, who was racing in for a low attack. I blocked it, but not before he managed to knick my arm above the wrist. He was fast.

I tightened my grip, so the blood wouldn’t cost me my hold and went in for my own attack. I aimed for his retreating back, but he twisted in mid air to allow himself to block my move with his own dagger. The Hunter was fast, but not strong, and I pushed my advantage. The cat screamed and raced in to help, but before he could make it to us, Maglynar blocked his way.

The griffin didn’t bother with the door, but burst through the roof shattering debris on all of us. The actions scared the panther, who left on the bed and glared at the intruder. He had taken his sweet time in getting here.

The distraction was enough for the Hunter to back away from my attack, but not before I landed a swift cut of my own. I watched his movements as he backed up toward his panther and then glanced at Maglynar. I had called the griffin with the whistle, knowing as soon as he had finished his food he would follow me, being to stubborn to stay where I put him. For once, it was a good trait.

I felt the pain in my ankle, but never saw the attack. The dagger lay embedded in the wood behind me. The Hunter’s arm still raised from throwing it, when I looked back at him. I nodded my head once. Good move, but it would be his last. No one could survive a griffin attack.

“So, you’re the assassin? Was this the best Elangsia could do? Have your griffin step aside and I will finish you off quickly.”

I tightened my grip on my dagger, the blood was causing it to become slippery. Something was wrong. He had the speed, but he seemed to lack strength, and he seemed to be too young and small. Granted, not all of the stories could be true, but each time this Hunter spoke, I got the feeling I was missing something. I needed to see better. I moved my hand so the dagger was in one of the moonbeams and casually moved so that I could bounce the light onto the Hunter’s form.

“A girl?” I felt the words form on my mouth, even as I tried to process what was taking place. The figure before me was no man. He... er… she had used the shadows to her advantage, but without the belief I was fighting a man, the fact she was a woman could not be hid. “You are not the Hunter.” I managed to say.

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Oh? And how to you know that?”

“You’re a girl.”

She sneered. “A girl, huh? And why could the Hunter not be a girl?”

From the stories I had heard, there was no way. “You couldn’t handle the missions I’ve heard that the Hunter has done.”

She laughed shortly. “I could and I have. Every day. Now, are you done mocking me? It would a real shame to kill someone who is standing defenseless. But I will if I have too.”

She had spirit. But I had a bigger problem. Despite protests, she wasn’t the Hunter and even if she was, I couldn’t kill a girl. In all my time, there were only two types I had yet to kill: women and kids. I didn’t want to start that now.

“Are you just going to stand there?” Her definitely female voice mocked.

“You are only a girl and despite protests, not the Hunter. I can’t kill you, even if I would like too.” I mocked back.

Her first tightened and her cat crouched lower, preparing to leap. “Why did you come after the Hunter now?”

I shrugged, “It’s my job. And I’m going to have to complete it. So, would you be a nice little girl and tell me where the real one is?”

“Right here,” she responded, flinging a second dagger at my head.

I dropped low to avoid it and Maglynar screeched his anger loudly. I stood slowly.

“Not interested in straight answers, are you?”

“You’re not so forthcoming yourself,” she shot back.

She was right. We could do this dance all night long. She was more stubborn than my sisters and that didn’t bode well for me. I needed answers and I was rather inclined to get them quickly. If she had set this trap, the rumors of the Hunter being in the area were completely untrue. That meant he was probable far from here. The question was where? And how was this girl involved?

I straightened and put my dagger away as she watched curiously. We weren’t going to get answers standing across from each other like hard driven warriors, when I had no intention of fighting the girl again. I had to try a different tactic.

“How about a trade?”

“I’m listening,” she answered, motioning for her cat to sit.

Maglynar cocked his head at the creature and then followed his actions. The griffin didn’t have a mind of his own, except when it came to food or being stubborn. I decided to ignore the animals and let them have their own staring contest.

“Information for information,” I proposed.

Her eyes narrowed. “No good. You’ll take whatever I tell you and go after the Hutner.”

So, now she was at least admitting she wasn’t really the Hutner. It was a start. A slim one, but I’d take what I could get.

“And you’ll try to stop me, but at least we’ll both have the information we want,” I reasoned, which meant I was going to have to restrain her somehow.

“You won’t be able to restrain me,” she commented, seeming amused.

What? Could the girl read minds? “Oh?” I asked, stalling for time now.

“No matter what information you give me I cannot allow you to leave here with the intention of continuing your search and destroy mission. That will have to end here.” There was no hesitation in her voice.

“So what are you planning on doing?” I asked.

“Whatever I have too,” she responded, calm and cool. She was not easily shaken either.

“So we fight till we are both dead?”

“If that what it takes. But I will not be the one dying here. And before you go, I’ll need to know who sent you and why now.”

“Well, if your so smart you should already know who sent me.” I reasoned. I was doing far too much of this reasoning stuff lately. It was far better just to take the opponent out, dealing with information was not a game I enjoyed. Killing them flat off was so much easier.

“Elangsia, obviously. But did the order come from the top or from somewhere else?”

I shrugged. “That is for me to know.”

“Your commander ordered you too. Okay, but who ordered him?” She mused about loud.

How had she figured out I was in the army? I was in my older traveling clothes.

She laughed. It wasn’t an unpleasant sound. “Don’t look so surprised. You have the bearing of military, though that can’t be said for all in Elangsia’s army. They fight with little but their very small brains to guide them.”

I had to agree, but I wasn’t going to do so out loud. It was better to keep her talking. “Yet they are the ones who will win.”

“Not while I’m around they won’t. We may be small, but we are strong where it counts.”

I laughed at that one. “Your hearts will do you little good in a fierce battle.”

She frowned at me. “Heart is something I wouldn’t expect a mercenary to understand.”

“Do not assume you know me, kid,” I responded sternly.

“Oh? Does this mercenary have a heart?” She mocked.

“No, I gave it up long ago. But I know what trouble they cause and I wouldn’t recommend it.” I spoke coldly, as the pictures of each of my siblings flashed through my mind.

“You speak from pain,” she commented. “Perhaps I should give us light so I can see your expressions if we are to continue this conversation.”

The change in topic was unsettling. I had yet to really see her face and expressions did tell more than words, however something about the way she said it made me leery. I watched as she moved to the table and put a match to a candle. Within seconds a soft glow filled the room. Quickly she light two more candles and then stroked the fire back into a bright light. Now, I could see more clearly. The firelight lit her blond hair a glow. Her bangs were brushed to the left side of her face, while the rest of her long hair was pulled into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. I knew from before that her eyes were an unusual green, though I still couldn’t see them all that well in the lighting. She was about the same height as Zoe. She had on a forest green tunic that reached just past her hips, tied up with a brown rope with long ends, darker green tight pants, and brown leather boots that covered her calves. Her build was one not to miss.

I waited while she too examined me. Finally, her eyes came back to meet mine. “You’re not from around here.”

I shook my head no.

“Then why become involved? It’s hard to imagine the slavers got to you.”

“No.”

“Then why fight for Elangsia?”

“I didn’t see a reason not too.” I said causally.

“What?” She exclaimed. “They are hard people with no thoughts for anything but their own wealth and land. They take free men, women, and children and force them to become slaves without hope. They don’t even treat their own people right, let alone those they capture. They are without mercy and without heart.”

“You seem to feel pretty strongly about that,” I commented.

She frowned and crossed her arms, “I have reason too.”

“Elangsia must have done something to you personally to cause that kind of emotion. Is that why you are working for the Hunter or is it something more basic? Is he your lover perhaps?”

“My… what?” She almost shouted.

Both animals looked up from their staring contest to gaze at us humans. The cat leapt down from the bed and crossed to her side, glaring at me. Maglynar just looked at me confused. The griffin was hopeless.

“No, he certainly is not,” she finally managed to get out.

I laughed silently. Okay, if it was that funny and repulsive, they must be related. Siblings, perhaps? It would explain her deep desire to protect him. But it still didn’t give me his whereabouts. I needed to somehow extract that information. “But you do know where he is.” Direct approach, maybe?

“I’ve said before I won’t tell you that. Why did your superior send you after the Hunter now? There was ample time to make a move before. Something must be going on.”

I stayed silent and watched her. She seemed to like figuring things out out loud. If so, who was I to stop her?

“Something big that they want the Hunter out of the way for. A battle perhaps?” She cocked her head, much like the griffin, as she asked.

It was the way she said it. It could have been the next logical step, but somehow it seemed like she knew or at least suspected there might be a big battle coming. It was said innocently, but at the same time as if she was confirming information. What was going on here? What had Ricald sent me into?

“A battle?” I questioned back and the shrugged. “That seems logical.”

“So then there is one?”

“You did say that.” Suddenly it hit me, though why I managed to figure it out, I have no clue. “If you think there might be a battle, practically a large one, I’ll bet your Hunter thinks so too. And that means, he’s on a gathering mission of his own.”

This time, it was she who stayed silently. I was on the right track.

“Now, where would you go to gather information about an upcoming battle?” I was enjoying watching her face as I spoke out loud. Emotions, I couldn’t quite gather, and stillness too turns passing over it. “The major army camps would be too obvious, and you would have to be pretty deeply involved for a while to get good information. Your Hunter doesn’t have that kind of time.” Travon’s face appeared in my mind and I wondered briefly how he was doing. It didn’t look like I would be making it back after one month as I had promised. My thoughts turned to the map on Ricald’s tent wall. There was only one other place on that map that made any sense to me. “Ruma. He’s gone to the capital.”

Her brief expression of dismay was all I needed to see to confirm my words. The legendary Hunter was spying in Elangsia’s capital, Ruma. He was either smart or crazy, I wasn’t sure which, but now I had a direction.

I made a mocking bow. “Thank you, my lady. I will be going now. My work here is finished. Come on, Maglynar.”

I turned, without waiting for the griffin, and headed out the door.

“Hold it right there!” Her strong voice came from behind me.

I looked behind me to see her standing in the doorway, an arrow pointed at my chest. Where she had hidden the bow and arrow to retrieve them so quickly I had no idea. But I was decidedly less than amused.

“You wouldn’t do that,” I stated calmly.

“Then you don’t know me very well. You will not go after Hunter. Period. You can either choose to stay here under guard or I can kill you, but if I were you I’d choose option one. It’s not as messy.”

Where had that griffin gone? I glanced up to see his rather large form sitting on top of the roof. He didn’t look like he planned to move anytime soon.

“Look, I have a contract I have to get out of, either I kill your Hunter or I’m stuck. If I don’t kill him I’ll have a very angry captain to deal with, and that’s not something I’m willing to do. Sorry, but one arrow isn’t going to kill me.” I turned and started walking again, calling for Maglynar to move it as I did.

The white hot pain was so intense, I lost my breath and for a moment my ability to think. When I looked down I saw an arrow running through my shoulder. I put a hand on the extremely painful area and turned to look at the girl standing in the doorway with an empty bow. She really had shot me.

***