The gloom and doom of Camelot still reeks, and no matter how many people we take out of Morgana's realm, it never gets any better.
Only worse.
Today, the rebels are going to hit one of the bigger council members: Vexacion.
Not much is known about Vexacion.
He grew up in Ealdor, a small village near the edge of Cenrid's kingdom. Some information leads us to believe that he and Cwealm used to know each other before they began their work for Morgana.
There is just one problem with the plan that the rebels have set up.
Vexacion never leaves the palace. He's the paranoid one, unlike Tremaine, who believed nothing could touch her. So, the rebels' big scheme is to sneak me inside the palace, along with Adkin, so we can personally attack Vexacion in his room.
Great plan, right?
So, the current plan, as I understand it, is that I will be impersonating a maid named Sulen, who Vexacion has a thing for. The real Sulen is already under our custody, and surprisingly enough, I do look really similar to her. Enough that we could be twins.
Men are idiots, really.
Once inside his room, I will stab him with my mistletoe arrow and then I will race out.
I just pray that I will make it out alive.
I put down my quill and gulped, feeling suddenly tense and nervous. I never got nervous for a job. Getting nervous usually happens to David or Percy, who never went outside of the cave unless it was absolutely necessary.
"Wynn, you alright?" Adkin asked, breaking through my silence. I jumped slightly, then nodded, grinning sheepishly. He shifted his hands on the reins of the horses, getting a better grip. "Nervous?"
"Definitely," I replied, licking my dry lips as we entered Camelot's lower town on our wagon. Adkin maneuvered the horses to the edge of the courtyard and got off, beginning to unbuckle them. We needed them to not be attached to the wagon when we raced out. The darkness held strong around the city and I slipped off of the cart. "I just don't like the idea of what I have to do..."
"If all goes well, Vexacion won't even touch you," Adkin promised me. He gave me a reassuring smile and gave a warm kiss to my forehead. "Knock 'em dead, Wynn."
I nodded and took a deep breath, focusing my mind on the map David had me memorize before we left the cave. I slipped passed guards and down corridors, even accidentally bumping into a Shadow-Guard (that scared me half-to-death), but none of them recognized me. One of the perks of Morgana's law that all women were required to wear black was that everyone started to look the same after a while.
I shook myself out of my stupor as I entered Vexacion's hall. If our intel from Sulen was correct, Vexacion had requested 'entertainment' for the night, and I was right on time.
An uncanny breeze passed through the hall, and I shivered, mostly in fear rather than cold.
Show time.
Vexacion opened the door and I gave a meek smile whilst praying that my acting skills could keep up.
Vexacion must have looked better in his youth. He must have. When Morgana first took over, he was slim, with shaggy brown hair and adorable dimples. Now, his belly hung over his trousers and his hair was gone, leaving a ginormous bald spot. His clothes seemed a size too small and squeezed him in all the wrong places.
Why in the world did Morgana have him as a council memeber?
"Ah! Sulen," Vexacion chuckled, giving me a once-over. "You look beautiful, as ever."
I blushed, unintentionally, and gave a small courtesy. "Thank you, my Lord. You are too kind."
"Nonsense!" he bellowed, and I shook slightly. "Now, give us some entertainment." He tried to flash a seductive smile at me, but it looked more like a grimace on his pouchy face.
Us?
There wasn't supposed to be an us.
"Of course, my Lord," I found myself saying and internally cursed myself. Here's hoping it was another council member. He opened the door and I strode in, halting unexpectedly as I saw who was lounging around in a chair by the fireplace.
It was him.
Cwealm.
"This is the girl you spoke so much about?" Cwealm asked lazily, and I was overwhelmed by the thickness in his accent. It wasn't like the ones Vexacion and I had. It was...deep, baritone, and beautiful. His sharp, blue eyes gave me a once-over before he sniffed, nodding in approval. "Honestly, I feel like you're taste has gone down as your age has gone up."
I snorted and quickly slapped a hand over my mouth. I looked in shock between Vexacion and Cwealm, but Vexacion was oblivious, and Cwealm seemed to ignore me.
"She is much more delectable than you would think," Vexacion purred, his fingers dancing over my shoulders. I shuddered and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I couldn't stab Vexacion if Cwealm was in the room. I'd be killed before I even got my arrow out. "Why don't you and Cwealm get acquainted while I go order a maid to get us some wine?" I was about to protest when Cwealm stood up, striding over to me. I instantly quieted down and licked my lips as I took in his height. He was almost a full foot above me.
"What a brilliant idea, Vexacion," Cwealm murmured, and I shivered at the tone of his voice. "We'll be waiting." Vexacion clapped his hands happily and walked out, but I couldn't bring myself to tear my eyes away from Cwealm.
As soon as Vexacion was gone, however, Cwealm flipped around and stalked off to his chair. "Marvelous disguise, I'll give you that."
What?
"W-What do you mean, my L-Lord?" I stuttered, cursing myself for feeling jittery. Cwealm sat down and looked at me with his brilliant, blue eyes.
"You are not Sulen," he stated simply, and my blood ran cold. "You are Lifwynn, my mortal enemy. The embodiment of life itself."
How?
"Don't try to deny it," Cwealm said, waving his hand dismissively. He didn't seem bothered by my presence at all. "My magic can discern a truth from a lie."
"Then you know what I'm here to do," I stated, bringing myself up to my full height. "So, go ahead then. Kill me."
Cwealm snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Don't be so dramatic," he chuckled, turning to face the fire. "I'm not going to kill you."
"How would Morgana feel if her lead assassin couldn't kill the rebellion's leader, hmm?" I hissed at him, slowly pulling up my dress. My arrow, which I tied around my calf, stayed tight to my leg and I bent down, ready to grab it.
"Just because I kill people for her does not mean I work for her," Cwealm snorted, running his hands through his jet black hair. He glanced back towards the door and murmured, "Vexacion has a blind spot. A little itch on the back of his neck. It leaves him defenseless, but only for a little bit. That will be your only chance to attack him."
Just as he finished, the door flung open and Vexacion stepped back inside. His eyes darted between Cwealm and me. His hair was ruffled and my dress was up to my knee. Vexacion raised his eyes in surprise.
"I didn't think you would actually take me seriously, Cwealm," bellowed Vexacion, walking over to slap Cwealm on the back. The smaller man winced as Vexacion hit his shoulder (I'm guessing a weak spot). "It's good for you, to have a woman in your life."
"Not very many women want to be courted by the Assassin of Camelot," Cwealm sniffed, his hand adjusting the mask that hid his lower face. Vexacion chuckled before turning to me. I then noticed he reached up to scratch the itch...
It happened so fast, I didn't catch any of it until it was done.
The next thing I knew, I was standing over Vexacion's limp body, and Cwealm was rubbing a dark spot on his face.
"W-What exactly just happened?" I gulped, my memories slowly coming back to me. Me rushing forward with the arrow. Cwealm grabbing Vexacion from behind to prevent him moving. Vexacion elbowing Cwealm in the face just as I stabbed him in the heart with the mistletoe arrow. "W-Why did you help me?"
"The maid will be here in a few minutes," Cwealm stated, standing up. He grabbed Vexacion with difficulty and laid the man on his bed, draping the covers over him. "You have to be gone by then."
"Why are you helping me?" I asked again, but once more, Cwealm ignored me. He strode past me and opened the door, peering out of it. "Cwealm!"
"Not all people enjoy what Morgana has done to this kingdom," Cwealm shot back quietly, turning to glare at me. His gaze rocked my soul and I had trouble breathing. "Go, otherwise I will be forced to kill you."
I found myself nodding and I slipped past Cwealm, rushing down the hallways. I didn't even get a chance to thank him.
Cwealm watched as Lifwynn darted down the hall and turned the corner, disappearing from sight. He shook his head softly before walking back into the room, locking the door. He reached up and unclipped his lower mask, removing it from his face. He sighed as fresh air reached his lips and he gulped it hungrily. Cwealm took one look at the bed and walked over, staring down at the man he once considered his best friend.
"Vexacion, you have gone down so far in your life," Cwealm whispered sadly, shaking his head. "First, you were just a noble, young man who lived in a small village by Cenrid's kingdom. Now, you are a drunk, a man who flirts with any and all women. Morgana has poisoned your life. I will not let her poison that girl's."
Someone knocked on the door, and Cwealm ran a hand over his mouth and chin before he clipped the mask back on. He shook his head, making his hair fall into his face. It worked better with intimidation anyways.
He flung the door open after unlocking it, only to have it reveal a small maiden holding a jug of wine.
"The wine sent for by Lord Vexacion, my Lord," said the maiden, shivering with fear. Cwealm resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but took the jug from the girl.
"Tell the servants that no one shall disturb us," Cwealm ordered. "Vexacion and I have business from the Queen herself that we must discuss."
"Of course, my Lord!" she said with a hint of a stutter, before she rushed off. Cwealm sniffed and shut the door, walking over to set the wine on the table. He looked back at the limp body of his friend just as the door creaked open, revealing Nadir. Cwealm's confidant looked at Vexacion and visibly sagged.
"They got to him too, huh?"
"Yes," Cwealm muttered, licking his lips. "But I have discovered the leader of the rebellion."
"Who is it?"
"A girl. Not that old," Cwealm recounted. "Her name is Lifwynn."
"Wait," Nadir said, striding up to Cwealm's side. "The leader of the Lifwynn's name is Lifwynn?" Cwealm shot Nadir a look and he quieted down. "How are you handling Will?"
"That isn't his name anymore," Cwealm glowered. "He lost that name the minute he signed up with Morgana." Quietly, he added, "As have I."