Sorry for taking so long to update! With A Torch Against The Night now out do you guys want me to continue the story? I've been thinking of continuing it until I read A Torch Against The Night, but that won't be for a while as I already have too many books to read as it is. What do you guys want? Let me know if I guys like the story and want me to continue.

XI: Helene

I never liked the word steal, it implied something vicious. That's why when I snuck back into Marcus's office the night before my departure I didn't 'steal' that book, I simply borrowed it with a lacking intention of returning it. Besides it wasn't like he was going to miss it. Marcus was never one to fill his time with reading, mostly he choose to spend it at the docks.

With the book buried deep within my bag, arranged around some questionable undergarments to distract anyone from looking further, I headed out with my platoon before the sun had barely crested over the mountain tops.

"Well don't you seem cheerful today."

Faris was riding behind me so I had to strain my neck to glare at him, but the effort was worth it. "I'm sorry would you like me to flirtatiously laugh and smile at your every word."

Faris smirked. "That would be desired, yes."

I scoffed and Dex chuckled beside Faris. They we ridding side by side on matching black steeds while I rode in front on a grey horse decorated with shining armor. "That's also very unlikely."

"I didn't hear a no!" Faris raised a hand to his ear, the other holding tight to his reins. "Did you hear a no, Dex? I sure as hell didn't!"

"Approaching Platoon." I turned back around and watched as the guards and Masks on duty scrambled to lift the metal Gate door enclosing the city. As I approached the metal door a member of the guard bravely stepped out of line, bowed once, deep enough so his head nearly grazed the ground, then straightened and addressed me. "Blood Shrike, Letter of Declaration?"

My grip loosened on the rein and the horse stilled for me to jump down. The guard looked older then me, at least by five years, but I towered over him. With an exasperated look downwards at him I pulled the letter out of my armor pocket and handed the sealed note to him. Him seemed pleased and quickly returned it with a nod. Just to make sure I got my message across I glared and straightened my shoulders so I stood even taller.

Faris whispered behind me, "A Letter of Declaration?"

"A Marcus feature," Dex explained.

They both silenced as the Gate door lifted all the way up and reveled the world beyond the cities walls, which mostly consisted of trees. Despite the lacking breath taking view I still felt a pit in my stomach. He was out there somewhere, somewhere in that midst of land and sky he was running for his life. And I was about to hunt him down.

"Ride out," I command throwing up the reins and charging out of the city.

I keep a tight grip on my knife.

It's one thing to be a Mask in the city, its complete different when you're outside the cities walls. The Masks had power in the city. We are feared and we fear nothing. Outside those gates it all goes out the window. Masks still held power but not in the same way. Suddenly we weren't so "untouchable."

My grip tightened, knuckles white, thinking about the creatures I now knew lurked in the dark.

"Lord knows what's out here," Faris muttered, his gaze ridged on the tree line. He was just behind me flanking my right. Dex was to my left.

"What do you mean by that?"

He grinned. "All the stories. The Myths. The Legends," He said. "Some of them must be true."

I didn't have to turn my head to know Dex was rolling his eyes.

"Hey, you doubt me now but just you wait."

Dex passed a knowing glance to Faris. "The only stories you're reading are the ones about naked merladies."

"Not naked," Faris countered.

I countered back. "Right their long, lushes' hair covers their breasts"

When I turned back to cast a glance at my Second and Third I find Faris has turned a slight shade of pink and Dex is smirking.

I hummed to myself, the tree line much less interesting to stare at then Faris's apple red face.

"I'd better you make a fine merlady."

My eyebrows shot up quicker than I ever thought they could.

Dex scoffed behind me and mumbled to Faris, "For your sake I hope you were talking to me."

I didn't need to even look at Faris to reinstate Dex's point. For Faris's sake I hope he was talking to a tree.

Faris took a breath, ready to speak, but was cut off by the rustle in the trees. My horse reared as I yanked her to stop and turned so I faced the tree line. Dex and Faris fell in line beside me and the rest of my patrol held still, waiting to move on my command. The foot soldiers drew a line long down the road, each armed with a gleaming sword. Whatever was in the trees wouldn't get past us.

Another branch snapped, its crunch echoing in the silent forest. Everything had grown quiet. So quiet I could hear my rapid heartbeat and wondered if everyone else could hear it too.

Slowly up surely a figure emerged from the trees. "Hold your stance," I roared staring down at the kid shaped figure. No, an actual child.

The girl stepped forward, gently titling her head so her blond, tangled pigtails bounced around her shoulders. Despite her wide eyes and baby face there was something off putting about the kid. She smiled sinfully up at us.

"Should we take her with us," Dex asked quietly.

"No," I countered back immediately. For some reason I couldn't place there was something off about the girl. I didn't feel the need to get any closer to her. It was as if a dark cloud surrounded her.

"Are you sure," Dex countered back. "She is only a girl."

I whipped my head and glared. How dare he have the nerve to go against my orders? "I said no!" Dex retreated back and cast his gaze to the gravel road, specifically avoiding my stare. I turned to Faris with a questioning gaze, wondering if he too would try and go back on my orders. Faris challenged my stare, but didn't say anything. "Let's keep moving."

Dex rode away first, obviously eager to get away. Faris directed his horse around mine own and the walking soldiers followed, despite the fact I knew he wanted to say something. Maybe she had just wondered away from a village. Maybe she was harmless. Either way I had seen and experienced too much to know to trust when I felt something was off, and something was definitely off about her. I stayed stationary, staring that the girl until she retreated back into the dense brush with no more than a wicked little giggle.

"The soldiers are ready."

I didn't spare a glance up at the voice. "Then send them out. I want everyone in the town questioned." The door to the conference room shut with a gentle click, but not before I looked up to catch a glimpse of retreating blond hair. Looks like Dex was still avoiding me.

I turned back to the book, hidden beneath an assortment of documents. The long cursive writing danced across the pages, interrupted every few lines by and expertly drawn picture of reference. The page I was staring at, selected at random from the middle of the book, featured sketches of large ominous creatures found only in men's nightmares.

A loud knock echoed on the door. I moved the documents back in place and called, "Enter." Dex stepped into the room, head held high, authoritatively. Maybe I was wrong. My arms rested on top of the papers in an effort to look more like the Commandant I was. The fact they also served as a second barrier to the book hidden beneath was an added bonus.

"Dex," I purred, addressing him in a casual manner. His head dropped a bit as to stare at me. Usually manners between authorities would be held while standing, but I remained sitting, forcing him to drop his chin to look me in the eye. Truthfully it wasn't a huge issue that he had questioned my order in that scenario, but in any other it would be. I needed to reinforce the punishment of that behavior now before it continued. I was a Blood Shrike, no matter how much I didn't want to be. It was time to start acting like one.

"Blood Shrike Aquilla." Interesting, he addressed me very professionally where as I had addressed him by his first name only. I move one arm and started pretending to read over documents while looking bored.

"What have you come for?"

Dim light shone through the dusty Inn window at my back, casting a grey glow on his dark skin as he stepped out of the shadow of the door. It closed with a click. I raised an eyebrow. "I have come to offer my sincerest apologizes."

My other eyebrow shot up. How very interesting. "Do you now?"

"Yes," Dex swallowed cutting off the end of the s. "I would like to apologize for my earlier behavior. I was out of line."

"You were." My head titled to the side in amusement watching him squirm. "You were way out of line."

"And I apologize for those -." I held up by hand. I wasn't finished.

"You were way out of line to question my authority, and you knew it. There's a difference between when we're on duty and when we're not. Do you understand that?" He nodded briskly. "Good. With that being said," A smile crept up my lips, "feel free to continue sassing me at the bar, I like the challenge."

Dex's face dissolved in relief. His shoulders slumped down slightly as he sighed. "I'll remember that," he promised.

"You better," I warned. My voice was dripping with wickedness. Dex gulped again but nodded. I eyed the door, his indicated that he was dismissed. He left without another word.

"I swear it, I know nothing."

I wanted to believe the lady, believe that she knew nothing of Elias's whereabouts. If Elias was smart at all she'd be telling the truth as he wouldn't have shown his face, but I knew what she was saying was false.

"Liar," a solider spat. I sent him a warning glance then advanced on the lady. She was backed up against a stand packed with vegetables, two swords, each wielded by a different solider, marked targets on her throat. She couldn't get away if she tried.

"We know you're lying," I purred. I watched as a bead of sweat dripped down her forehead.

"I-I'm not," her voice quivered. I wanted to believe her, I so desperately did. I couldn't risk looking like I had given a led away. I would have to force the information from her, no matter how much I didn't want to know. Light hair streaked with strands of grey stuck her forehead as my mask twisted into a smirk.

"Get the whip." In an instant the thick strands of rope was curled between my fingers. I knew I couldn't do though, I couldn't whip this lady for information I didn't want to hear. I would have to eventually, but not now. The solider to my right stepped forward with a wave of my hand. I dropped the whip in his hands and gestured to the lady. "Prove yourself, solider."

Whipping wasn't an uncommon sight at Blackcliff. In fact, we we're lucky if we went a day without seeing a whipping. So it wasn't the whipping that made me momentarily clench my fists, it was the thought of what this was all for. We were doing Marcus's blood work for him.

The lady cried out at the first lash, skin roughly peeling away when the whip dropped. I held out my hand and approached her again. They had stripped her from the waist up, but I had the decency to let stay facing the wall so no one could she her front.

"Still lying?" She whimpered in response. I swallowed a cringe. "More whips!"

She was six whips deep before she finally screamed, "Stop, please." The solider stopped after a confirmative look to me. She was laying on the stone street, blond hair tangled with blood, back exposed to the air, and her arms wrapped around her front.

"Care in enlighten us now," I asked looming tall above her.

"H-He was w-with a girl," she sputtered out.

Fuck.

"The slave," a solider spoke up behind me. I should have punished the solider for speaking out of line, but I didn't have the energy to deal with it now.

"T-they just came f-for food." Idiot, Elias. "That's all I know, please!"

I stared down at the broken women. I was merciless. "Chain her up with horses overnight. I want a constant guard on her at all times. Maybe she'll decide to talk in the morning."

The soldiers watched as I retreated back down the cobblestone stone street, heading back to the Inn without a glance back.