Hey All! Here is a long overdue update...It's short but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

"Thorne had betrayed me."

Excerpt From: Joseph, Delaney "I Am Alice." Chapter 6: Predators and Prey

The room is left in silence, quiet enough for me to hear my own heartbeat. It pulses through my ribcage and I can feel it almost pounding against my bones. It left me reeling, and the smell of wine and blood seemed to be permanently burned into my nostrils. I took no time to survey the damage, external wounds heal but the ones that cannot be seen remain open and seeping. I put them from my mind and focused on pulling myself down from the table. A faint groan escaped my lips, my shoulders and entire back were numb from being pounded into the hard surface. As I rooted around for my clothes I found that only my shift remained intact, the rest were reduced to scraps scattered along the dingy floor.

I'd have to ask Kernodle for clothes.

I slammed my fist on the table hard enough to splinter the woodwork, and the tears that had been threatening to spill over for so long, had finally come forth like the busting of a dam. I let her do this to me! I buried my face in the crook of my elbow and screamed as loud as I could, as my other hand hit my own thigh hard, as if to punish myself for my actions, my traitorous body. The feeling of guilt suffocated me, almost like her hands around my throat. It began to be replaced by a deep burning rage slowly began to fill me. Maybe Kernodle was right, maybe we weren't so different after all.

A Witch Assassin always has a plan, and this time there will be nothing to get in my way.

... ... ... ... ... ...

" I need something to wear." I announced coming into the main room. Betsy Gammon still sat on her rocking chair, her piggy little eyes watching my every move. My eyes began to adjust to the dim light, taking in my dismal surroundings. I saw that Kernodle sat at a small table in the corner, her eyes fixed on her bottle. It suddenly occurred to me that if all food here tastes like nothing, why was Kernodle still drinking? Can someone be so set in there ways that even in death they repeat the same patterns as they did while they were alive?

My questions were interrupted by her response, " You have to ask me nicely." She said with a sneer, looking me up and down, attempting to gauge my response. I glared back at her, not saying a word.

" Aren't you afraid?" She chuckled darkly.

"Shouldn't you be?" I retorted, walking past her and opening one of the trunks that sat in the far corner of the room. The contents were shocking, and despite myself reached out to touch the velvet lining of a dress. I heard her come behind me, and saw her immense shadow loom over me, blocking the light. Quickly, I rummaged further and found trousers and a shirt, closing the lid quickly. I had gotten the feeling I had seen something that I shouldn't have. I stood still, only the sounds of our breathing and the creaking of Old Betsy's chair could be heard in the room. After a while, Kernodle returned to her chair, letting her hand brush against the trunk thoughtfully. It was another question, for another time.

I pulled on her clothes without thought or ceremony, both were ungodly big and it was necessary for me to tie a robe around my waist a few times in order to get a good fit. My hand closed on the door, I took a deep breath, and set out to find Alice Deane

Alice wasn't hard to find. When the living enter the dark they are easy to locate, their life force emanates off them like an aura of sorts. She trusted me within an instant, and the guilt began to settle in. She hadn't realized my plan for her before it was too late.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

I dashed up the stairs, ignoring her scream and the searing pain of guilt that grew in my chest. I was blinded by emotion, self hatred, and it seemed as if nothing would make the pain go away. Kernodle's table was empty, so I sat down and buried my face in my hands. Threading my fingers through my hair, I began to cry. I never understood why Spooks were always consoling the dead, until now. I cry more in death than I did in life.

It was then that I felt her hand, it started at the center of my back and crept lower until it cupped my right hip. I melted into the touch, closing my eyes and pretending it was somebody else, Grimalkin. My sobs came on harder as I slammed one of my fists on to the table.

" You have to make tough decisions in our line of work." She said, her voice had an odd gentleness to it, almost like the way Grimalkin used to speak to me when I had done something wrong and she intended to lecture me for it. " Sometimes you hurt people who are close to you, because you are used to hurting others."

" Leave me. Please"

Her heel met the leg of the chair, it gave in and I stumbled and fell backward, landing heavily on the floor. I closed my eyes, blood pounding behind my eyes and with in a second Kernodle was on top of me. She planted her hands on either side of my hips, pinning me down. I couldn't bring myself to fight it as she looked into my eyes and licked her lips again, grinning wickedly. "Just relax... enjoy it." She purred, slipping her fingertips into the waistband of my trousers and slowly working them down.

" Was she always complacent?" I whispered.

Kernodle stopped and quickly dismounted herself from me, meeting my eyes with a look that was unreadable.

"How'd you?"

"Grimalkin, she never told me...but she has your book. All witch assassins keep one, it's a diary of sorts. They're usually kept with the elders who protect our history, but Grimalkin nicked yours shortly after I came under her care. I read some of it." She stopped and sat down next to me, I sat up and put some distance between us.

" Then I have nothing to explain, and you have no other reason to live!" She lunged at me in a passionate anger, and it was clear she did not intend to kill me. I stayed still, denying her the reaction she wanted.

" You're lonely..." I whispered, walking over on my knees to her, cupping her jaw and kissing her deeply.

Our lips moved slowly, languidly. Her hand traveled down my arm and back up, moving lower and cupping my backside. We kissed for a long time. Our tongues moved together, swirling and probing, and she pulled me closer as we explored each other's mouths. Inside I wanted to vomit, but I needed to keep a clear head as I produced a thin dagger from the back of my trousers and hid it up my sleeve.

" Kit-" my aim was true, I drove it into her heart with as much force as I could muster. I grunted as I struggled to twist the blade, attempting to inflict as much pain as possible while keeping her alive.

" How does it feel to pay for your sins?" I growl, forcing another blade into her side. " You were never strong, although you had strength in muscle..your mind was soft, defenceless. I may not be the next Witch Assassin for the world above, but I am Throne...and the world below has a new force to recon with."

Her eyes were wide, shocked by her own demise. I didn't cease impaling her, listening to the symphony of knife against flesh, and the squelch of blood...until she was a pile of ash in my hands.

It was time to make things right again.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm quite saddened to say that the next chapter will wrap up this story...but there is something else in the works, I assure you!

Special thanks to GoldenWhiteRose for all the support and everyone who has read and reviewed this story so far, I thank you for your continued support and hope to keep providing you with enjoyable content :).

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