It took a while for Ruby and me to leave the training area. The waves of emotion left me mentally shot. My murder of Gilbert and the psychological torture that Eva put us through made me want to find a corner and shut my eyes. On top of that, my face hurt, and my bruised body wanted to collapse.
I glanced over at Ruby and assumed she must carry the same exhaustion. After all, she dealt with more than I handled after her kidnapping. The weight of the dagger in my hand finally caught my attention. It carried the emblem of 6 bent legs making up a circle on the pommel. Automatically, I stuffed the sheathed weapon into my belt as we pushed through the doors into an open area.
“Go over there!” Hansel called out as he pointed at a counter on the other side of the room.
Like zombies, Ruby and I looked over and made our way to the old man sitting behind the counter. His dark eyes looked up when we arrived. I barely paid attention to his scarred face, partially hidden by his thin, white beard, as the man pulled out two pieces of parchment. He laid them on the counter in front of us.
“Take your guild daggers to prick your thumb and make your mark on the page,” he ordered.
We did as he told us, and the drops of blood immediately flowed across the parchment, turning them into binding agreements with the guild. I barely remember the words of the contract. Only a warmth filling the dagger caught my attention.
“Your dagger is the marker for entering and leaving the guild. The wards control the entrances, which will know of your status. It’s also a way for us to find you. More likely, it’ll be the way we find your killer and return the favor.”
His chuckle at the last part didn’t amuse me as I stared at him. Apparently, I looked terrible shape enough for him out the cots across the room.
“Sleep there and you can start training tomorrow. No one will bother you or the girl.”
The rest of the time was a blur.
~~~
Ruby watched Covan fall face first on the first cot they came to. When she asked him if he was alright, she grew concerned at his nonresponse. She kneeled by the side of the cot and realized Covan was asleep. A patient smile came to her face as she got comfortable next to him. She stared at his dirty, bruised face, then a frown came to her lips.
“I thanketh thee for coming for me,” the lady whispered. “You’re a foolish sir who deserves so much more than mine own life but I’ll doth whatever it takes to repay thee. I promise this upon mine own dying breath.”
Ruby laid her head next to the sleeping man. The weariness fell over her and her tattered, stolen clothing barely kept her warm, but she couldn’t find sleep. The questions in her mind kept rolling around. She wanted to wake him for answers. However, Ruby knew she couldn’t even ask about several things on her mind. She remembered the rage in his eyes when he attacked Gilbert. Her heart skipped a beat now that she could reflect on the scene. Her feelings of gratitude mixed with a heartfelt reassessment flooding inside.
The guild master was correct. She carried a weak body with no fighting experience. Ruby followed where people like her grandmother ordered, even at the expense of her self-worth. Only when she tried to escape the huntsman did her world suddenly change. Still, she knew only too well if Covan hadn’t intervened twice, she would have no chance to change. He risked his life for her, and she needed to give him more than her body. The woman took a deep breath and glanced at the man again.
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“I’ll work hard and becometh thy tool for a better future,” Ruby promised as she closed her eyes.
~~~
Hansel and Gretel entered Eva’s office behind the registration desk. The familiar room always looked the same. The woman sat behind a large oak desk covered with open parchments and maps. On one wall was a map of the kingdom, which held small black dots that drifted on the outline of streets. A closer inspection would find each dot showed a member of her guild as they traveled on a mission or to their favorite tavern.
On another wall, bookshelves containing magical scrolls, many covered with dust. They knew Eva remembered every scroll and path in the capital because of her eidetic memory. The guild master was a walking encyclopedia. Her magic ability didn’t carry the strength of the sorcerer Myrddin Wyllt, or his disciple, Morgan le Fay. However, neither wizard held Eva’s breadth of knowledge. Her skills came from using her magic to put her guild into the best position to weather the storms of kingdom politics and intrigue. Her golems mixed among the nobles as servants for those inside the royal court.
After working for the guild master for so long, the twins knew Eva cared only for her guild and its members. She had no ambition to grow the guild into other lands or to involve herself in the affairs of the nobles. For her, it was better to reap the rewards while watching nobility cut their own throats in their pursuit of power.
“Tomorrow, you’ll train the new people you brought,” Eva told them while reading Covan’s contract.
She smirked without looking up, since she knew neither of the twins wanted the work. Training was boring and cost them money by missing lucrative contracts.
“Is this girl worth it?” Gretel asked, as Eva expected. “She’s a follower.”
“She killed the two golems after a brief hesitation. Her hatred for nobles is clear. Gilbert kidnapped her to sleep with them.” The guild master looked at Hansel. “You’ll use that knowledge to train her. Also, I want you to seduce Ruby.”
The woman paused in thought for a moment.
“You’re a pretty lad,” she reminded him. “Get her nice clothing. That will make her feel special.”
“Well, I’m happy to sleep with her,” he gladly agreed, then paused. “But what’s the reason?”
“First, your sister is correct. Ruby is a follower and attached to Covan. I want them separated. That’s all you need to know,” Eva stated.
Hansel nodded while thinking about what the guild master hid from them. His glance at Gretel confirmed her suspicion as well. Then the man grinned when an idea came to him.
“Say, he’s a noble. Why don’t you just let me kill him?” Hansel held a grin. “I can force him into a duel over her and we make bets. It’s a tradition of the guild. Then I’ll soothe the poor Ruby when he’s dead.”
“No, you’ll stay away from him,” Eva scowled.
Gretel felt the atmosphere grow tense and asked why. The guild master shook her head when she got up from her chair. She looked at the map on her wall.
I want to know more about this land called America and what secrets he carries.
“My instinct tells me Covan’s tougher than you give him credit for. Even you should realize he’s a walking contradiction,” the woman’s indifferent tone came through. “He’s inexperienced with swords. Yet he knows anatomy enough to execute a golem by striking the vulnerable spots. He created a grappling hook, then a weapon from a child’s toy. He’s hiding knowledge. It’s useful to me.”
“Then why not use magic to get those secrets from him?” Gretel interceded for her twin. “A potion in his glass will get what you want.”
Eva pondered the thought momentarily, then shook her head.
“No, I won’t betray the trust of a new guild member. Those inside the guild must believe in my fairness. Hurting the guild is not my goal.”
Plus, I can’t risk having the Pied Piper or the Queen of Hearts know I did something like that.
Gretel glanced at Hansel. While his expression remained unconvinced, they nodded in agreement.
“Should I seduce Covan as well?”
“That’s up to you,” Eva shrugged. “We can discuss a special bonus if you can get me more information about him.”
“Of course, guild master,” Gretel smiled while an electric shiver went down her back as she noticed Eva lick her lips.
Hansel frowned at the talk. Their lust showed up at times like this. While he didn’t care that his sister liked to bed men and women, he resented being treated as a third wheel.
“If that’s all you need, we will leave,” he offered.
“There’s one more item for Gretel. Show Covan to our armory, then have him meet the smith. Tell him he can make a personal weapon.”
“A personal weapon for a new member?” The twin looked confused.
The guild master leaned back in her chair with a smug expression.
“His use of a children’s toy and poison darts makes me believe he’ll come up with an interesting personal weapon.”
Besides, the guild can profit from him.