CPOV (Cammie)

I crept into the dimly lit hallway. Lifting the ornate tapestry that covered it, I ducked into the hidden passageway. A heap of black cloth lay on the stone floor right where I left it. I hastily pulled off my plain dress before pulling on the functional yet comfortable black garments. The loose pants were much easier to run in and hid my form well. I tucked two daggers into my belt as well as one in my boot.

I darted down the dank passage. Soon, I arrived outside with the cool night air brushing my face and swirling the tendrils of hair that escaped from my tight bun. I was entirely alone, only my thoughts to keep me company. This was better alone, though. Otherwise someone would get hurt. Anyways, this was my job. The Queen ordered me on this particular mission. And no one goes against the Queen.

I started off into the night. Everything had to be timed perfectly or this would all fail. I couldn't let them down. Everyone was counting on me.

I traveled swiftly through the heavy growth of the forest. Before I knew it, I was crossing the river into their territory. Now I had to be careful. The last one that tried never came back.

That was NOT going to happen to me. I was too good for that. Then again, he was better thane me. After all, he trained me.

But everyone makes mistakes.

As stealthily as possible, I snuck around the outskirts of the camp. Tents were everywhere you looked. Near the middle of the make-shift village, lights still blazed despite the late hour. That was my destination.

The meeting.

I had to retrieve the information and kill the leader in the process.

While trying to get through about twenty trained warriors.

With no back-up of my own.

Only three daggers.

And a whole lot of revenge.

Piece of cake, right?

I crept past the tent where my target was. First, I had to get their plans. That would be in the tent next to them. I scouted it out and it looked like there was only two guards.

They're making this too easy on my.

I quickly took them out from behind with the curved edge of my dagger. They didn't even see it coming. I noticed blood gleaming on the silver of the blade so I carefully wiped the treasured weapon on my shirt. I was always careful with this; it was my father's.

I stepped into the small space to see that they had left the plans sitting in full view. How idiotic were they?

Maybe it's a trap, a small voice whispered in my head. I shook off the thought. I had work to be done.

This time I approached the main tent. Voices spoke in angry tones. There were too many people talking for me to hear what they were saying, but I have a good idea. They were planning their attack . . . against us.

When I peeked inside, all the men's backs were turned to me.

Perfect.

With deadly accuracy, I flung my second dagger at a man's back.

He crumpled to the ground in a heap.

Sam Winters was finally dead.

When he fell, the room erupted in chaos. The guards and warriors dispersed looking for the perpetrator while the important men were ushered into safer places.

I was already fleeing the camp.

Just as I hit the edge of the tents, footsteps sounded behind me. I stepped into the shadows so they wouldn't discover me.

Good thing I was practically born to hide. They didn't even see me. The man ran off in another direction shouting something undecipherable.

I scurried to the river, careful to stay in the shadows. I was nearly home free when I heard the branch snap.

I spun around to see a frozen man of about six-foot three looking at me. Suddenly, I jumped into action. I took out my third dagger and threw it towards his chest. He managed to mostly dodge it, but he got the edge of it. The blade thunked into a tree nearby.

The man swung out a fist but I ducked under it. While I was down, I swept his legs out with my foot. He fell to the ground with and oomph but recovered quickly. He foot lashed out with a kick of his own to my side. I ignored to pain and continued on.

I pummeled his arms and chest with punches but he blocked most of them. Swiftly, he grabbed the blade from the tree behind him and brandished it my way.

I rolled to the side as the dagger swung towards me. I landed a kick on his stomach that doubled him over long enough for me to kick out his knees. As he went down, he dragged the knife down my leg, making me have to stifle my cry of pain. The wound distracted me enough for him to grab my other leg and pull me down next to him.

I kicked and punched as much as I could, but when he called for help, I knew it was over. More men rushed over and dragged me to my feet. Soon a knife was pushed against my windpipe from an unknown man.

They used a rope to bind my hands behind me before dragging me back to the camp.

But not before I covertly dropped the information by the tree . . . the meeting place for if something went wrong . . .

The men man-handled me to a different tent. As we approached, I managed to jab my bound hands up into my captor's jaw. I immediately dropped down as his fist streaked towards me. I rolled away, but a voice yelled, "He's getting away! Stop him!" My attempts proved futile. Another pair of hands grabbed me and a punch landed on my cheek. More fists hit me, but I still tried to stand.

The hands yanked me up by the hood covering my face. "Didn't think we'd let you get away that easily, huh?" I just glared at him, not that he could see it. They dragged my battered body to a secluded tent and threw me inside. Tied to a thick chair, I couldn't move. It wouldn't have mattered anyway; they posted ten guards outside and five inside.

I was trapped.

An hour went by. I spent that time thinking of my friends back at the castle. They were probably worried sick, but they knew their training. They couldn't risk coming. I was pulled out of my daydreaming by a new man coming in.

He was the one I fought by the river.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Not the big man you thought you were, huh? You failed! We caught you. Now you're going to pay. But first, let's find out exactly who you are." The man laughed malevolently as he stalked towards me. With one quick jerk, my hood was yanked off.

His eyes widened in surprise and glee. "A girl! You're just a girl? They sent a girl thinking they could get it? How stupid are you people?" His laughter was now a full on bellow.

I glared at him and retorted, "Well, a girl managed to kill your precious Sam Winters. How does that make you - " I was cut off with a punch to my jaw.

"What is the Gallagher Council planning?!" he yelled.

I smirked at him, "Wouldn't you like to know." This earned me another punch to the face.

"Tell me, you idiot girl!" he demanded again.

"If I'm such an idiot then why do you need me?" The man punched me hard this time. My head snapped to the side. I glared at him and spit blood mixed saliva at him.

It landed on his cheek and drizzled down his neck.

He was furious.

Fists pummeled my lean body, driven by an anger only inferiority can cause.

Suddenly, another man stepped into the tent. I couldn't make out his features because the blood dripping into my eyes deterred my sight.

"Has he talked yet, Josh?" the man asked. He obviously hadn't gotten the memo about me being a girl. It didn't that I was hunched over and it was dark in the tent.

My torturer, who I know knew was Josh, growled, "She hasn't said a word."

The mysterious man stepped closer and asked, "What do you mean by 'she'?"

Josh yanked me by my hair to expose my face. "Look for yourself. They sent a girl to try to stop us."

Now the man looked slightly uneasy as he saw my bloody and battered body. "Hey, maybe you should take it easy. She is just a girl." I grew angry that he kept referring to me as a girl. I was seventeen, thank you very much!

I decided to speak up. "Thanks for the support, but I can take whatever you dish out. And I'm not just a stupid little girl. I managed to sneak in here and steal that informa-" Another punch shut me up.

As I straightened up, I looked at the man. His face was expressionless, and I noticed that he had emerald eyes that could be beautiful if only they didn't look as hard as an emerald too.

Josh pulled me out of my reverie by saying, "Zach, what should we do with her?"

The man who I presumed to be Zach asked me, "What's your name?"

I sneered at him. "What's it to ya?" Josh's fist flew at me, and I had to bite my lip to stop from groaning in pain.

"I guess I'll just have to call you Gallagher Girl until then." I glared at Zach, but I knew it held little fire. I was in too much pain to really put something into it.

"See ya later, Gallagher Girl," Zach called over his shoulder as he walked away, smirking.

I faced Josh as he wound up to hit me again.

I thought grimly, Zach is going to be the death of me . . . possibly literally.

So was it bad? Goode? REVIEW PLEASE!

Will she escape? What is going on between Zach's group (guess what they are called) and the Gallagher Council of Gallagher Castle? Who is the Queen? What about the information?

All of your questions will be answered in future chapters . . . if you review!