Ashelin paced her cell. It was actually a pretty nice bedroom, but the guards outside insinuated that she was still very much a prisoner.
Pagan hadn't reacted at all to her words, and she was worried. Was he loyal to Hoyt? Would he have her killed? And if so, why drag it out? The waiting was driving her crazy.
The door creaked open and she whipped around to face a Chinese woman with black hair and bright pink bangs. She had a hard face, and though she was loathe to admit it, Ashelin was immediately intimidated.
"He sure knows how to fucking pick 'em." The woman eyed her up, and dragged a chair from the wall to sit in front of the door. "Sit. We have a lot to cover."
"Do we now?" Ashelin didn't sit. She felt like she had an advantage somehow being at a higher physical level.
"Cut the sass." Came the direct reply. "Pagan is a bleeding heart, but I'm not. I don't give a shit about your tragic story. I'm only concerned with him living through the upcoming battle. I want to make a deal."
Ashelin blinked. "A deal."
"We have about a month before Pagan's retarded love child storms the gates." She said bitterly. "We're not going to win. It took the deaths of two high ranking members of our circle for me to realize that Pagan wants Ajay to come here and take the palace. He wants to give him Kyrat.
"The royal army is dwindling as that little fuck takes outposts and fortresses, and when they get here, I'd be willing to bet that half of our men just high tail it. They think he's lost it, and they don't want to die for a cause that doesn't exist.
"We have an escape plan for when Ajay inevitably gets here, but there's a good chance that Pagan won't make it out alive."
"What does all of this have to do with me?" Ashelin finally sat, to quell her need to pace.
"Pagan wants to take you with us when we leave, and drop you off on Rook island."
Ashelin blinked. "Why?" Was all she could blurt out.
"Who fucking knows?" The woman threw her hands up. "Like I said, he's a bleeding heart. But I need something from you in return for the lift."
The redhead nodded for her to continue.
"You need to help me keep Pagan alive." She said. "The Royal army is dying, and were forced into being loyal in the first place. I can't trust any of them to protect him, and I can't protect him by myself."
"You want me to be the King's bodyguard?" Ashelin couldn't help but laugh.
"I know, it's hilarious." The woman sounded anything but amused. "I'm going to spend the next month getting you into fighting shape, and you're going to help me get him safely out of Kyrat once shit hits the fan. In return, we'll drop you at Rook Island with the experience and supplies to do some damage to Hoyt."
"You're serious." The redhead stared at her blankly.
"Very." Her eyes darkened. "But I want to make something perfectly clear. If Pagan dies, you won't make it out of Kyrat alive. I'll kill you myself."