As you all can tell I'm moving my posting day to Saturday because I have started collage and my schedule will not allow weekday posting. Sorry for the wait, next time when I have free time I'll write instead of playing Skyrim. Hopefuly my schoolwork wont keep me too busy to write but I will apolizize in advance if you have to wait a month for the next chapter which I'll try not to. Thank you for your support and reveiws, keep 'em coming!
Enjoy!


Chapter 6

I was deserving of the name "parentless". My father died in a hunting accident and mother followed him shortly after. But it was strange, I…I didn't miss them. I guess it's because I don't really remember what they even looked like. Back then I guess you could say I was pretty ignorant; but it's as they say, ignorance is bliss. I didn't really understand what I was.

Growing up in the cabin I was born in life was good. The nearby villagers brought food to me each day; to this day I can't decide if they were like that because they were scared I'd use some hidden power on them if they angered me (as if I really had any) or simply because my appearance was that of a child so they couldn't bring themselves to be cruel to a child. I'd spend my days in the woods or carve wood with papa's knife, or at least I thought the knife was his.

The only thing I lacked was social interactions with people. My only friends were the forest animals. I'd have long conversations with them. But my life would change drastically, for the better, when someone I was bond to by blood came.

It was early one morning when a knock came from the door, which was strange because no one ever did. Once I opened the door I saw a hooded man in a cloak standing in front of me. "Your name's Satu, right?" The man asked me.

Satu…Satu…I though, it sounded vaguely familiar. Yeah…I think that was what mama called me. "Yes," I answered.

The man pushed me aside and walked in. I watched the man as he scanned the room like he looking for something. "Excuse me," I said being slightly annoyed at his rudeness, after all this was my home. "But who are you?"

A sigh escaped the man as he took a seat at the table, "I suppose your mother wouldn't tell you anything about me. We did end things badly last time we spoke, so it doesn't surprise me that she would try to forget about me. I'm Natsu." He pulled his hood back to reveal long white hair and white cat ears.

The ears brought back memories from my early age. Yes…mama had ears like that. I remember when she held me up I could see ears on top of her blond hair. "So…you knew mama?" I asked taking a set next to him. I was a little interested to know more about her now the opportunity was here. What was she like before she became depressed?

"I knew her. The two of us had a falling out when she married your father and was pregnant with you. I was so angry at her that she would marry a beorc after my father die and throw away her pride as a laguz. The last thing I said to her was "You disgust me"," he told me and then was silent for a long while. Obviously he knew that mama was dead and was regretting never making amends with her. Then he said, "She was my mother too." I didn't quite understand what he was saying until he said, "We're brothers, or really…half-brothers."

The word "brother" was alien to me. What did it mean exactly? In years to come I would understand it as I began my life with my brother.

/~/~/

Rays of light escaped though the tree's canopy into Satu's closed eyes. He began to stir and greeted the morning air. The silver haired youth stretched out his limbs as he took in his surroundings. Up in the tree Satu saw the thin forest around him.

He rather like woods for some odd reason; they made him feel safe and at home. That's not to say he didn't like living with Natsu in the mountains. Satu just enjoyed trees more.

Thinking of Natsu he figured he had better get back to the others. It had been several days since he left to get supplies, they must be getting worried by now. So he untied the sash he used to keep himself from falling out of the tree and then climbed a little higher to retrieve the pack of food. With one leap he was on the ground and began running toward the meeting place. Natsu had ordered him to buy food shortly after they dumped Leila with those mercenaries. All of them felt bad about leaving her with strangers, especially Natsu. But really they had no choice. In Satu's opinion she was better off with them had they been forced to carry out with their mission. For the first time in weeks Satu had hope that they would survive this whole ordeal. Though…they would most likely become traitors of Lynn. But Satu told himself that everything would be alright with Natsu around. His older brother always knew what to do.

By the time he stopped to eat lunch he found his group's trail. He liked people he worked with. Like him they didn't really fit in with society. Talitha was a spirit charmer so that made her off the norm, Izzu brain didn't work properly, and Borka was orphaned shortly after the Medallion Massacre. So a branded child and a laguz with Lehran Madness would just add to it.

Satu frowned as he remembered how Natsu sickness came. He didn't witness his transformation but he was there to watch five guards wrestle a lion off a dead man he was mauling. It was gruesome to say the less the events of that day over twenty years ago. There wasn't a soul that lived though that day that didn't carry some kind of scar. Things only became worse when the soon to be king of Deain marched on their doorsteps practically the next day.

Regardless of what happened, Satu wasn't afraid of Natsu. He knew his brother had the power to kill him at any moment regardless if he ever touched the medallion. So there was really no point in worrying over it.

About two hours later Satu came upon the rest of the group minus Natsu. But Satu stopped in his tracks once he breathed in the atmosphere. It was sullen and full of grief. They instantly noticed the branded's arrival and caused them more heartache once they set eyes on him.

Talitha was sitting on a rock with swollen red eyes, Borka was leaning against a tree being unusually quiet, and Izzu was sitting on the ground, looking slightly confused but none the less sad. "Did something happen?" Satu asked.

Tears began to run down Talitha's cheek. Borka stepped forward and said, "We ran into that mercenary group again."

"And so you all were compelled to capture her," Satu finished. That must be where Natsu was, delivering Leila to the man that cursed them. That would explain why they were all sad, what they had done is inexcusable.

"Yes but…Leila's still safe…thankfully," Borka said.

"Then what's wrong? And where's Natsu?" Satu was really beginning to worry.

"Oh Satu!" Talitha suddenly wailed causing an echo in the forest. "Natsu's gone!" She sobbed harder, burying her face in her hands.

"W-what do you mean? Did he leave?" Part of him wanted to know yet the other, deep down, knew what they meant, he just wasn't sure if he wanted to hear it.

"He's dead, Satu," Borka told him.

He felt himself falling; it wasn't until he hit the ground that he realized that his legs had given out. He heard these words but they didn't process right. "You're lying," he murmured. He began shaking his head. "Why…why would all of you lie to me about something so horrible? Natsu…he has to come back!" He screamed at them.

"I thought you said the boss wasn't coming back?" Izzu asked sounding even more confused.

"He isn't big guy," Borka told him.

Satu wasn't paying attention as he sat numbly on the ground. Natsu can't be…dead. There's no way, he's so strong. No one can beat me. Suddenly a hand came and struck Satu in the cheek. He looked up and stared as Talitha stood over him with a tear streaked face looking furious and her red hair made her look more menacing. "How dare you even think we'd jest about his death!" The spirit charmer yelled at him.

The young branded looked away in shame. Of course they wouldn't speak such. Especially Talitha, she loved him dearly. His brother was gone. He would never see him again. Natsu would never pat his head as he praised him for learning something or briefly laugh if he messed up a skill. He was the person who taught him how to read and write. "He's…he's dead," Satu forced himself to say. He felt a few tears run down from his eyes and Talitha quickly fell to her knees and embraced the youth as she continued to wail. Even though her cries and his own, Satu could still hear Borka fight back a whimper or two.

Why, why does this hurt so much? He kept asking himself. His chest was tight and it ached. It didn't hurt when his parents died, so why now?

He pulled himself away from her and forced himself to his feet regardless if his legs protested to it. "How did he die?" He had to know what happened.

Talitha exchanged a glance at Borka but it was Izzu who answered. "The boss got mad again."

"He had the madness before he died. Don't tell me one of you…" Satu started, fearing that one of his dear friends took his only living relative away from him.

"Of course not!" Borka shouted angrily. "You know none of us would do that no matter how many times he begged!"

That's right. The few years after the incident had been the worst. Natsu had gone to the Grandmaster and begged him to take his life for fear he would kill many others. He of course said no but that didn't stop Natsu, he just went to others. To his victim's families, to his friends, he had even asked Satu to kill him. When no one would agree to do it he tried to do it himself like some many others who touched that damned medallion. But with the Grandmaster's help he managed to have a somewhat control over the demon that was inside him. He was much more cautions but he was like his old self. He put every fiber of his being into rebuilding and protecting Lynn so he could find some atonement, until they were all cursed.

"This blue haired knight in blue armor came dashing toward the boss and cut him in the neck. You of all people know what happens when the boss gets a whiff of blood," Borka explained.

Satu nodded. Somehow Natsu managed to block out distant smells making him smell like a beorc, but there was no way to block the smell of blood if it was right on him.

Borka continued, "Anyway, he was beat into submission. When he came to his senses he decided he wasn't going to be…you know whose slave anymore." Borka was clutching his chest, it would seem he was about to say the name of the man who cursed them when the pain it brought stopped him. That was one of the many things those that were cursed weren't allowed to do. "The boss was stubborn to the very end."

There was so much pain in Satu and it wasn't from curse, which was in fact active as he was thinking murderous thoughts about that man, it was pure anger. His brother had just been murdered in the most brutal way and there was no way he could avenge him. But he slowly began to realize something he could do. Take the life of the man who made Natsu smell blood, who made him go crazy just before he died. That blue haired knight.

"This knight, could you tell me anymore about him?" Satu asked sounding a little desperate.

"Well by his armor he looked like a royal guard and then he ordered his men around like he was a captain," Borka said then paused. "Wait you're not thinking about chasing after that guy, are you?"

"I am."

"Boss said we can't meet him in hell," Izzu said.

"Satu please," Talitha pleaded. "We've lost Natsu, we can't lose you too!"

"I'm sorry Tal, but this feeling…it hungers for that man's blood for what he did do my brother. You can't expect me to do nothing! I can't kill that man for the curse he placed on him, so don't deny me the knight; he made Natsu remember the sins he has done and he will pay dearly for that." He took off running away from them before any of them could stop him.

/~/~/

Back at the hideout everyone waited in anticipation for Nyoka and Kyle's return. Reinrag may have been dead but that still meant the kid failed and thus he may have allowed Lalat to escape. Surly with both Nyoka and Kyle on his trail they will return with news of his death. If not, then they were truly in danger of failing this mission.

The child was fully aware of what his failure has caused everyone and he was taking it hard. He almost refused when the female laguz offered to clean the wound on his wrist as he had done a poor job bandaging it with a torn part of his tunic. She hadn't realized she was coddling the child yet again until Ralik made a comment about it. She couldn't believe she was acting this way. But she guessed after she had been taking care of children for so many years now it had become natural for her.

Colin was obviously embarrassed by what Ralik said since he moved to the other side of room and refused to look her in the eye. She really should have refused the Grandmaster's request when asked her to take up the blade again. Why did he ask her and why did she accept?

As she contemplated her reason why she said yes her sensitive hearing picked up the sound of boots walking toward them; two pairs of them. Ralik heard it too as his attention turned to the door. Not long after the door opened revealing a silent yet frustrated Nyoka and a tired Kyle.

"Any luck?" Ghost asked.

Nyoka narrowed his eyes at the laguz meaning don't ask. Kyle plopped down onto a box with an exhausted sigh. "Who knew a coward could run so fast," he said. "We tracked him all the way out of the city and then he just disappeared."

Colin dropped his head, blaming himself for Lalat's escape. Nyoka's scolding eyes glanced at the kid for a second then turned his attention to everyone else. "There is cause for hope," he said as he pulled an arrow with a piece of green fabric out of his pouch. "At least Kyle managed to catch his scent. This seems to be your area of focus Ralik." He tossed the arrow to the wolf.

"Do I look like a bloodhound to you?" Ralik asked grimly as he caught it.

"Who else would track him by scent? Certainly not her," Nyoka pointed to the female laguz. "Even if she didn't have a target she still wouldn't be able to sniff him. Honestly, I've no idea why the Grandmaster chose you for this."

"That was a little cold, don't you think Nyoka?" Rhona questioned him.

"It's alright Rhona. It is the truth so I take no offence," she told her, although it did sting a little to hear it out loud. "Besides, I know all of are wondering the same thing."

"Anna, you know we would never think that," Ghost argued. "All of us know what you're capable of."

"I know," the laguz told him. "But that was years ago. Things have changed." She walked past them to the door but before she opened it she said, "Fear not, my target will die no matter what." And then she left leaving only the sound of a creaking door in her wake.

She was half way down the hall when the when a pair of feet began running up from behind her. "Hold up!" The voice of Ralik yelled after her. Anna stopped and turned to face him. "I just have to ask, why would you come back being an assassin? You were forced to quite years ago because of your health. I know for a fact that it hasn't improved any."

"I honestly don't know myself," she told him. "But Ralik, if something does happen to me…you'll take care of Tala, won't you?"

Ralik closed his eyes. "You don't have to worry about Tala; I'd give my life to protect her."

Turning her back to him she said, "Thank you."

She hadn't even taken two steps before the wolf spoke to her again. "Anna, if you don't make it back to Lynn you're going to cause Tala unimaginable pain, pain I won't be able to do anything about. Screw Nyoka; don't worry about killing the target if it puts your life at risk! Just back off and either I, or Kyle, or even that woman will take care of it."

Anna was taken aback by Ralik's concern for her. She knew that deep down that he cared for everyone but he was the type not to let that side show unless he was with Tala. Looking back at him she saw him looking just as surprised as she did after what he said. But she smiled one of her rare smiles at her old friend. It slightly saddened her that this could possibly be last she ever saw of him but at the same time blissful to finally see the Ralik Tala always saw. Now she knew for certain that her dear sister would be taken care of once she was gone. "Then if I'm to do what you say, Nyoka will surely be angry with me. But I'm sure he will be less angry if you do as he says and don't piss him off like you normally do."

A groan escaped the black wolf. "I hate the smell of beorc," he grumbled.

With that she continued to walk away, determined she wouldn't stop if some else called after her. It would just be harder to look at the faces of those she held dear and not know if she will see them again. This was no suicide mission; it was only a matter of her health. She would do all she could to survive but one can only cheat death so many times.

But there was one thing Ralik was wrong about. Yes, Tala would be sad about her death but she had been prepared since the two of them were both cubs that she would die so it wouldn't be a surprise for her or anyone else for that matter. However, there was one person who she hadn't prepared for this.

As she was near the exit she realized why she accepted the Grandmaster's proposal; Leila. The child knew she had health problems but Anna never informed her that they were life threatening. If Anna were to die on a mission then Leila would never know and she would never have to tell her.

Walking through the opening to the sunlight Anna slightly laughed to herself. She was such a coward; she couldn't bring herself to tell a child the truth.

/~/~/

After so many setbacks the mercenaries and the royal knights finally made it to Melior with a day before the ceremony. But hardy any of them were fit enough to defend her highness or anyone else for that matter. Thankfully Ike wasn't limping any more. The last thing he needed was Titania or even her Highness worrying over him.

When the guards saw them approach the castle they quickly lead them into the throne room. Ike had hoped to just meet with Elincia first to explain what had happened to them all and then inform the rest of his company about Natsu. But life doesn't work out like you plan. Instead when they walk into the throne room they are interrupting the rehearsal ceremony.

A few noblemen stood around Queen Elincia, several guards as well as some of Ike's own mercenaries were stationed all around the room, and then there were several laguz from Gallia, some Ike recognized. All eyes were on them and their poor state. Damn it, Ike thought. Now that all these people have seen them they were going to demand an explanation and he hadn't planned on sharing all the details with a whole lot of people. Plus these nobles wanted any reason in the world to put an end to the laguz friendship Elincia had been working on restoring and telling them they were attacked by one would be music to their ears.

"Ike! Geoffrey! What in the name of the goddess happen to you?" Elincia exclaimed form her spot.

The two men exchanged a glance at one another. Just what were they going to say?

"It's incredibly embarrassing to say the least," Soren said causing all eyes to turn to him. Ike should have expected that his tactician would have an explanation. "But if you must know, we got ambushed by a bunch of stupid bandits."

Shinon and Boyd turned their heads away which was perfect since it made it look like they were ashamed of the truth. Ike stole a glance to Titania who gave a slight nod at him. She knew exactly what Soren was saying. Her attention quickly changed to Leila who was being uncharacteristically quiet.

"You mean to tell me that our very own trained knights and the group of sellswords that ended the war were best by common thieves?" Some nobleman who was standing next to Elincia spoke. He was possibly in his forties with short dark brown hair. This man was dressed much similar to the other nobles in white robes but he had a sword strapped to his belt.

"Did you miss the part where we said we were ambushed?" Ike asked in a hostile tone. Who were these higher ups to judge them when they themselves have never set foot in their shoes? Although the man that had spoken may know a little bit as he looked to be a man that was familiar with combat.

Before Ike could say anything more, Geoffrey elbowed him in the ribs to keep him quite as he said, "Forgive us, Lord Mailliw. But we're here and ready to do our duty to protect the capital and her Highness from any more attacks."

"You better be. There was another murder last night, captain," Mailliw said.

"Another one?"

"Yes, so I expect security to be so tight that not even a rodent will be able get in!" Mailliw exclaimed as he led the rest of the nobility out of the throne room, obviously the rehearsal was over.

"Who's that guy supposed to be?" Ike asked in a low tone to Geoffrey.

"He's Mailliw, a lord form Tarreftnom. Recently he'd been appointed to be Queen Elincia's advisor."

Others were making their way out as well leaving only those who fought together in the war. With fewer distractions around Ike looked at Elincia for the first time since her coronation. She was wearing a puffy orange dress and her green hair was done up in an elaborate bun. Though recent events seem to be wearing her out she seemed to be adjusting to her role as queen well. He'd been a little worried that she wasn't.

"I for one am overjoyed to see all of you well," Elincia expressed them.

"Yeah, same here," he said which caused the two to stare at one another for some time.

Until Bastian cleared his throat making the two of them aware of the people around them. "I hate to interrupt but we have pressing matters we need to discuss."

"Same here Bastian," Geoffrey told him. "We ah… ran into something that was a concern during the war."

"I definitely want to hear more about how mere thugs got the best of you," a certain cat laguz smirked as he walked past Ike.

"Let's discus this more privately," Lucia suggested making her way to a room on the side. Ike motioned Leila to follow him and that was the first time everyone else began to notice the small girl that was behind him. "Who's this child?"

Leila didn't introduce herself instead just stared blankly at the floor like she was shy which he knew that wasn't the case. "Her name's Leila," Ike answered for her. "She's been traveling with us for some time now."

Bastian looked her over. "Sorry, but do you mind if she sets out? I'd rather people I know for certain we can trust to hear this."

"Right." Ike looked down at the girl and ruffled her black hair. There was a certain fondness Ike had for her; she was like another little sister to him. "We won't be too long." But then he thought about all the things that had happened to her when nobody was around to watch her. There was no telling what she could get into…and in a castle in high alert.

Thankfully Mist was thinking the same thing as she grabbed her arm and began pulling her away. "Come on Leila, I'll show you around. Mordecai, you come to," she said once she passed the large tiger laguz. He looked unsure whether to follow or not but did anyway.

Ike relaxed knowing Mordecai was with them. He wasn't sure if Natsu's group was coming back after them or if others were. The way Natsu spoke before he died it sounded like there were more conspiring to do…whatever was going on that they would want a little girl for.

Once everyone was inside Ike began telling very briefly about their first encounter with Natsu and then the events of yesterday; the encounter with them, Lehran's Madness, even Natsu's violent death. Everyone's face when he told them about Natsu going crazy looked the same as theirs when it happened.

"Lehran Madness…don't tell me it's the same as the Medallion?" Elincia asked once they were done with their tale.

"We don't know for certain," Ike admitted, "but it can't be a coincidence either." To think there was another object out there that could turn the most caring individual into a blood thirsty killer just added to Ike's already rising stress level.

"And you're saying that little girl knows about it?" Bastian inquired. "What all did she say about it?"

"Not much," Soren answered. "All she informed us of was his condition. But…she spoke as if there were more people like him."

"That's horrible," Titania gasped. Ike knew she was thinking about his father.

"You all do realize the little brat probably knows more than she's telling, right?" Shinon chimed in.

That actually had crossed Ike's mind; after all she was the type that wouldn't tell you anything unless you asked about it specifically. But after the whole ordeal with Natsu, there never seemed to be a good time to bring back what Ike would imagine to painful memories. "I'll agree that she probably does. But it can't be too much. If it was Lehran's Medallion that was in her town she couldn't have been alive since it had been in my family's care since before I was born."

"I believe it has become apparent to question her for all she knows," Soren declared.

"Before you do that you all should know that there were two more murders. A merchant named Rimat and the healer from Begnion, Reinrag of Esuolpan," Lucia informed them.

"Two more?" Geoffrey repeated in disbelief. "Was it the same person who killed Djam?"

"That we're not sure of," Bastian explained. "For whatever reason the assassin decided he had stage fright and so his performance was not seen by anyone. We questioned every guard on duty during the murders but they saw nothing. It's like this guy is a ghost, coming and going as he pleases and vanishing without a single trace. Now there are four dead."

Geoffrey looked as if he realized something. "Ike, when Leila disappeared last night, or this morning or whatever, Mist had said "again". Just how many times has she gone off on her own?"

"Do you have enough time to hear about them all?" Shinon responded.

"Only a few times," Ike admitted as he shot a glare at the archer. "But what has that got to do with anything?"

"Come on, how is a small child able to sneak past highly trained soldiers without us noticing?" Geoffrey questioned. "I'll admit I didn't want to believe she could take out five grown men but after what she did to that lion I'm willing to believe it."

"Just what are suggesting Geoffrey?" Titania asked.

"I'm not suggesting anything," he defended. "I'm simply wondering how a girl her age is capable of doing this. The archer is right, she knows more than she's telling and we need to find out what."

"If you're going to question her, I'm going too," Ike declared.

"You're too close to her Ike. You can't think rationally. What if it turns out she's in league with these assassins? What will you do then?"

"All the more reason for me to be there. She trusts me, so it'll be easier for her to talk with someone she knows whether than some random knight. No matter what she may be involved in she's still a scared little girl," Ike lied; he just needed to have a good reason to accompany the questioning.

"Fine, let's go ask her now," Geoffrey announced as he began heading out the door after he gave his leave to Elincia.

Ike followed after the knight which caused both Titania and Soren to follow after him. "I'm coming to make sure you two hotheads don't overstep the boundaries," she said when he gave her a questioning look.

Geoffrey led them down the hall Mist had gone. After a few turns and asking some of the guards they finally found Mist, Mordecai, and Leila outside in the garden.

Leila was crouched on the ground with an O shape mouth as she stared at the flowers with interest. Mordecai was next to her pointing to them, probably telling her the names of them. She seemed like she did when they first met her, it sickened Ike knowing they were going to make her remember something unpleasant. It almost seemed cruel.

Mist noticed them first as did Mordecai, Leila was a little slow to catch on. "Sorry to interrupt," Geoffrey said. Not sorry at all, Ike couldn't help but think. "We need to ask Leila a few things. So if you don't mind," he motioned for her to follow them.

She looked unsure at the knight but soon spotted Ike who gave her a weak smile. Seeing this she got up and followed them to the other side of the garden. Out of earshot of everyone else Leila sat down on a bench and looked up at them with a grin. "So what did you need to ask me?"

Before Geoffrey had a chance to talk Ike said, "We just wanted to ask you about Lynn."

"Oh, are you interested in coming to Lynn? It's a really pretty place up in the mountains and you have a nice view of everything when you on the edge but you have to be careful or you'll fall off the edge, and that's no fun at all. "

"Not really. We were just wondering if Lynn has some kind of special soldiers or something?" Geoffrey started by asking.

Leila looked a little confused by the question. "I don't really know much about it. But I do know Lynn has to be well protected because we don't belong to any kingdom. Captain Natsu always-" But she stopped herself as she remembered what happened yesterday and her face fell to the ground looking as it had been for the last twenty-four hours.

Geoffrey got eye level with her and grabbed her hand. "I know this will be tough but I have to ask this because this could concern us all," he said gently to her which surprised Ike. "Can you tell us more about this madness? Like how it started or how many have it?"

"I don't know much because daddy would never tell me how it happened, part of me thinks he doesn't fully understand how it happened either," she said simply. "Nor do I know exactly how many have it because some died shortly after; they killed themselves when they realized what they had done. All I know is that one day a medallion ended up in the market and people started to touch it and start killing one another." Everyone was silent as they exchanged glances at one another. There was no how many hands could have touched it if it was in a market place. Dozens of people could be going crazy by the time people realize it was the medallions doing. "Are we done?" She asked.

"Just one more question," Geoffrey told her, "how is you know how to fight?"

Her eyes were wide and she stayed quiet for a long while. Then they fell and in a shaky voice she said, "Daddy wanted me to know how to fight in case someone tried to kill me again."

"Again? Someone tried to kill you before?" Ike asked. Hesitantly she nodded and then began pulling her shirt up causing the guys to turn red and stuttering to protest this. But to their relief she was only showing her stomach which had a wide scar that probably ran all the way to her shoulder by the way it was angled. "Did…did Natsu do that?"

"No," she said softly as her shirt fell back down.

"Then who did?"

There was another pause until she said, "A monster."

/~/~/

"Who am I to judge who can or can't. Me, who has lost all right to call myself laguz still fights. With a blade I will slay anyone who will harm Lynn and with my body I will shield it from any attack."

She held out a small, dark sphere in her hand that had a wick at the end of it. "Before you say anything there's not enough time to think of a safer plan, not if we want the queen to survive."

"Let us see your murderess face!"