Sasha laid limp with her dead weight hanging, feet dragging across the cold stone, as two grunts escorted her from her cell. “Where are we going?” She asked with a pained grumbled.

I’m starving. Would kill for a hot shower too.

One of her transporters ignored her. The other spoke up. “Al Yara and The Circle of High Owls has called for you. It’s your judgement day.”

“I see.” There, the gravity of it all finally hit her. She felt as if she was about to be tossed into The Eversea tied to an anchor. Tears built up. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“You should’ve thought about the consequences before you became a hawk. Rath Ghul shows your kind no mercy.”

That title struck her bitter. “All of you keep talking about hawks this, hawks that. What does that even mean?”

“In the wilds of The Golden Wield outside this city, hawks are known to be one of the only owl’s predators. It’s a suitable name.”

“Could I have some water?”

The silent grunt spit at her. His saliva landed on her brow, causing her to gag in disgust. She couldn’t even wipe it off with her arms subdued. “Shut up, bitch. Know your place. I would have strangled you myself if it weren’t for our codes.”

The more docile one barely reacted. “Try to bear with his fury. You killed his friend Ryan. Ever since they were owlets, they were inseparable.

Sasha tried to ignore his words but, somehow, they ate at her. “Guess we’re the same in a way, aren’t we? You fuckers killed someone dear to me first.”

The angry grunt’s vice grip on her tightened. Her face twisted in anguish as he spoke low. “If anybody would have changed this guild for the better, it would have been him. He was taken from us too soon. Rath Ghul, this damn hellhole, will only get worse. We’re doomed.”

His partner hushed him as they turned a corner. A black iron masked owl with a cold, unhinged demeanor passed them. Once the watcher was long gone, he shook his head and whispered. “Don’t speak of such revolution in public. That’s a broken code. If you were lucky for Al Yara to be in a pleasant mood, you’d get beaten down black and blue to nothing. Then they’d rebuild you piece by piece in their image like some undead. Properly twisted.”

They approached the end of the cavernous torchlit hallway to meet large, ancient double doors. After a heavy knock, they swung open. The two mercilessly tossed Sasha forward before leaving in a rush, keen to avoid the presence of Rath Ghul’s upper echelon. A new pair of guards armored to the teeth in silver feather-adorned plate and bird-shaped closed helms snatched her up from the floor. They dragged her up to an iron chair with built in ankle and wrist shackles. This prisoner’s throne sat in the center of a spacious chamber.

Buckled and chained in, she faced multiple cloaked figures standing at their own podiums across the room. The faint orangish light from a sole wall-mounted torch made visibility difficult. Each of these high owls wore their own special masks gilded in gold, silver, or gemstones. The frontmost of the parliament, Al Yara, gazed impatiently at two vacant spots. “Where are high owls Ricard and Thorin?”

His right-hand man inched forth then bowed his head. “Master Al Yara, Thorin still hasn’t returned from his contract for King Andre. He should be on his way though. Ricard along with the owl in training under him, Ignazio, have been missing for a week along with seven others. We are certain another hawk is hunting our agents in the streets. It may even be a group of two.”

Sasha’s mouth fell agape. Rath Ghul worked for the king? There were more hawks?

Rattled with stress to the point of nigh delirium, she exhaled then let her head hang low. I’ve got no idea what’s going on anymore. I wanna fall asleep and never wake up. If they’re gonna kill me, then get it over with.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Al Yara grabbed a handful of the right-hand man’s collar and pulled his face in close. Their masks clashed together. “You imbecile, why am I only learning of this right now?”

“Master, every time I’ve tried to give you my report, you’ve sent me away.”

“I want the enemy dead. Dispatch our best, the avians, to hunt them down. Right now.”

“Yes, sir. Of course.” The right-hand man bowed again, backing toward the door, and got out of there.

Al Yara addressed the rest of the room. “We shall continue without the full group then.”

The others chanted in sync. “Yes, Master Owl.”

Jericho stood among them near the end of the line with his arms crossed. He was the only high owl with a normal mask. Just black iron. Nothing special at all. It looked rusted. Al Yara spoke up. “So, this is it? This little woman killed two of our owls? She even killed Vance, that lunatic?”

The Doctor stepped forth from the crowd with his crow’s mask. Meeting face to face with him again made Sasha nauseous. “Don’t overestimate her, Master. She possessed a powerful machina. One with the might to kill with one touch. Give the credit to the sword. When you take it away, you’re left with a weak girl who doesn’t understand her place in the world.”

Al Yara nodded. The pieces came together in his head. “I see.”

Jericho watched without uttering a word. Sasha wondered why he didn’t speak up. She wondered why he didn’t reveal her connection to Ley and their debt to Rath Ghul; the past that would surely dig her a deeper grave. As Al Yara contemplated his next words, The Doctor took the room’s attention again. “I suggest an execution. She should be killed immediately. If you give me your word, I’ll carry it out this moment. We can get this business out of the way. There are more dire things to focus on.”

Their Master Owl considered it. “Hmm. Very well then.”

Sasha’s eyes widened immensely, but she couldn’t speak. She stared at the only one she knew, Jericho. His shoulders slumped, and then he cleared his throat. “I object, Master Yara. We’ve lost more than twelve this week. There are strong hawks hunting us. They’ve set us back a decade. We better send a message. Instead of hanging Sasha, let’s make proper use of her. A public execution in Low Monestate’s town square. It’ll be good deterrent.”

The Doctor stepped toward Al Yara annoyed. “What a ludicrous idea. Rath Ghul operates in the shadows. Nothing good will come from making ourselves known.”

Their leader waved Lloyd away. “No. Perhaps it’s time for us to show our strength. Our vigilance. Our enemies keep poking the hornet’s nest because we let them push us. Sticking to the shadows is essential for criminals, but our deal with King Andre pardons us.” He looked over at Jericho who leant up against a wall nonchalant. “Good idea, Jericho. You’re not the type to ever speak up. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts in the future.”

Jericho didn’t care enough to bow or respond. Relief washed over Sasha so much so that she could have cried. Al Yara looked down on Sasha as if she were a rat. “Get this lass out of my sight.” Then he spoke to Doctor Lloyd. “I know you seek vengeance for that youngling Ryan but be patient. Her fate is sealed. Wait for the day you see her hung.”

With the snap of his fingers, his voice boomed throughout the room, out into the hallway. “Circle dismissed.”

Jericho worked to unbuckle Sasha as everyone else left. The Doctor watched him with a stiff posture and hands in his pockets before departing too. Sasha whispered to her savior. “Why did you help me?”

“What are you talking about?”

She sighed, looking down at her feet. Guess it’s better for me to not ask questions.

The man looked around for watchers before lowly mumbling back. “I could care less about you. Just did Thorin a favor. He’ll make it back before your hanging now, so celebrate.”

“What does he want with me?”

“When we slaughtered your brother, he picked up Ley’s machina. The dagger was powerful, but it still sleeps as we speak. It will not choose its next host. Thorin wants to test you next. Maybe your blood will budge it.” He met unblinking eye contact with Sasha. He looked pensive up so closely. “Will you truly be worthy? Machina may be priceless. Their value transcends most things. This will be your only chance.”

After Sasha’s wrists freed from the shackles, she clenched her fists and gazed at them. “There’s a chance that I can live?”

Jericho knelt as he undid her ankle bindings. “You’ll never escape Rath Ghul but a contract with a machina may be what saves you. I’ll ask you this question though. This guild would wring out your heart. Every ounce of value. Is that what you call living? Owls here live drowning in debt.”

After being escorted back to her dark cell, Sasha laid on her back, head against the hard rock. She stared at the ceiling restlessly, imagining stars. Anxiety and depressive chills overwhelmed her. She bit her thumb.

I hate this feeling. This anticipation. This unsureness. This unknowing. Before learning everything from Jericho, I’d accepted that I’d die. It hurt, but I knew it was coming. Now there’s a chance that I could someday return to normal. I can’t stop myself from imagining everyone waiting for me at home. Randle, Primus, Abdul, Xavier. I think it’s hope. That’s good, right? Then why does my heart hurt so much more than before?