She tensed up. Waiting.

The air in her lungs was running out, and everything seemed to turn upside down.

Despite trying to get up, ignoring the blood streaming down her face, her legs were weak and sore. The broken rib felt like it was about to puncture her heart, with the sharp pain she felt in her chest.

She had never been in such a deplorable state, where her defenses fell in tune with mere swift and trivial blows.

— How easy you are to manipulate. — he said. With a voice so sweet that Gwenda confused it with affection, she almost threw herself into his arms to be able to cuddle and cry. To beg for mercy.

She wanted to speak, but the blood rising in her throat and dripping onto the soaked ground prevented her from making any sound. At least she hadn't lost any part of her body, like her fellow prisoner, now dead beneath her feet.

Gwenda was handcuffed, her hands above her head and hanging by her wrists. She could no longer bear her own weight when he grabbed her face roughly, squeezing her jaw tightly, and pulled it towards his own face.

The man's eyes widened with hunger and anticipation as he scanned Gwenda's face. A small smile forming on those red and soft lips that he made her taste so much.

— You're lucky to be smart. — he whispered. — Very lucky. Ever thought what would become of you if I ripped out your guts in cold blood?

Gwenda's eyes were burning from the tears she shed without a shred of feeling. And he noticed, so much so that he let out a laugh and continued to babble — something he rarely did:

— I have no reason to have captured you. Much less to keep you in captivity. Your inheritance doesn't interest me, much less your legacy. But you have become a threat, you have attracted a lot of attention. Especially from my enemies, and I don't want a legion at my feet, blocking my path. — He licked his lips and narrowed his eyes. His hand with burns tightened Gwenda's jaw even harder. — And, after all, keeping you here attracts who I need. At first, I had no plans to even touch you, but seeing you injured stirs their nerves. — The fey winked. — As well as mine.

----------------------------------------

The waves of the sea sang in her ears, a melody she liked to hear every night with her partner by her side. Sitting on the sand and relishing the coastal breeze, with each other's presence. It was all very beautiful and calm, a feeling of comfort so strong that Gwenda closed her eyes and felt free.

But she had no freedom, and there was no one by her side at that moment.

Because, in reality, her partner was dead. Or wandering the seas and shores of neighboring kingdoms.

The truth is, she would have forgotten him, stopped loving him, if it weren't for the anger she had for him. For the lie he had told.

And she was there now, at the edge of the sea, standing as she watched and felt the waves shake her inside. The water called to her, and the darkness of the sky and the horizon encouraged her. But when she walked towards the sea, she shied away from the coldness of the water.

The next day she would have to work, she would be up to it finally. After her rescue, the agent spent a few days recovering. She counted the scars on her body while she was home alone, without going out or letting anyone in to see how she was. She didn't want to look at anyone, let alone have them look at her.

So Gwenda stayed away from that gloomy sea right in front of her, the wind hitting her exposed skin and causing shivers. She was staring at the dark horizon and hoped that some hope would emerge from there before she could go back home.

----------------------------------------

Was all or nothing.

Gwenda was willing to go out home that day, willing to see herself walking to the bar her friend was working. Showed up there in the mornings, twice a week, every Wednesday and Friday. The rest of the days was spent in the arena, earning mountains of money with the aim she learned and evolved over the years by her father’s teachings.

The hands was shacking beside her body and Gwenda closed the fists, touching the gun in her hip. The ground shuddered under her feet, the drop seemed to run down the back of her neck.

So she went out home with a heavy fabric pants and huge pockets on each side on the calves and thighs. A rope was attached to the waist on the opposite side of the gun and the black tank top highlighted tanned skin from the sun she was exposed every day, just like the rain that when it came was accurate and sharp.

Gwenda pierced his own hand with her nails that never has time to do it right and didn’t take her hand off the gun, didn’t dare do such a thing when everything she could feel was nervousness and anger. She wasn’t having the best of days.

She found herself counting the steps. One, two, three. Gwenda knew how many steps there was between your house and the bar where her friend was. Four, five, six. But it wouldn’t hurt to have fun a bit.

Almost seven years ago by now. Seven years, since Killian and Gwenda were together.

Like a feather floating on the wind, Gwenda dodged from a body. Jovial like a newly made sword, Gwenda cut the air through the people with ease, dodging out of pure instinct, feeling the breeze of that bodies around her was making.

The gate in her mind was slowly opening, but she didn’t want, couldn’t let that terror take her over. Had to keep it closed.

Gwenda sighed and controlled herself.

Men and women passed by, dressed formally, with perfect ties. Carriages were displayed on the street with the serious and impertinent coachman.

Heavens, she could pass by as many times she want in thee street, win thousands of gold fraccion — the coin of the kingdom — and even so she would pass unnoticed on the streets. However, the hateful king from Carsany still was there, always watching her, always calling for her to a dirty job, trying to negotiate.

It’s not long ago. Started this year. The letters, the rewards that increased impetuously, the respective agreements that she refused all. Gwenda didn’t want to do nothing that was revaccinated with the king, nothing. Chose to sell herself instead accept something like this. May the king find someone else to do his damnable work.

Until the last year she was unrecognizable to the other’s eyes. No one never cared about the biggest shooter from the capital, not even the king. Although, the rumors started, and Gwenda would do everything she could to make everyone know the truth and not think otherwise.

It had been three years since she returned to the capital. She didn’t had a choice seven years ago besides running away from the problem she had been involved in. For gods, she was destined for the gallows seven damn years ago.

One, two, three... calm down. She started to count the steps again, fingers shaking on the gun barrel, ready to grab tightly and remove from the waist.

It was a relief to walk into that bar, see Kimer’s face that smiles when she realizes Gwenda at the door, standing like a statue and preventing a man to enter.

The place was stuffy.

— Hey, get out of my way girl.

Girl. She was no longer 18 anymore. And the mark... nothing, she ran away from that day and returned to the capital clean, without the ownership mark, without a tag, to remember that she belong to anyone but herself. Just like escaped the past two years when no one knew her.

Entering the arena was the end of your disguise.

Gwenda went to the counter and before the man could continue mumbling something disgusting, she took the gun from her waist and put it firmly next to her on the counter, ignoring the brief wave of silence that followed.

The young woman crossed her arms on the counter, looking away from her friend.

­— I need something strong, please.

Kimer looked at her understandingly and went in search to some kind of drink that could end the stormy war in her mind. The watery light made Kimer’s dark skin glow as she reached for whatever she could give to the Shooter.

Gwenda rested her forehead on her arms, aware of the gun unlocked a her side, pointing at anyone in specific. Kimer put the small bottle in her front, a little cup setted up next to her, wich was of no use when she took it by the bottleneck. Gwenda pulled the air between the teeth and said:

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

— Darcy wants the documents of... the chains that held the fairies. Do you have it?

They could be from different sectors, but your boss always give the documents of the traps to Kimer’s sector.

Kimer denied with her head.

— I can’t believe Darcy still wants that you work on this case.

— Either Darcy — Gwenda gave a brief eye roll — Or Rubben. — she continues softly and took the bottle to her mouth again — Darcy saved me from this stupid man.

— Louise can helps you with the fairies — Kimer said.

— Oh, yeah? And you will be busy doing what if it’s not working?

Kimer lost her smile.

In Gwenda’s mind, things only got better when the cases were discovered, she only had time for another things if were about her case. Otherwise, waste of time. Her restlessness was agonizing, and even she condemned herself by discovering things that she definitely couldn’t or didn’t want to. At those times it was better to remain ignorant.

— I can’t get involved, Gwenda. I have something to maintain.

— Reputation it’s not — Gwenda mocked.

She knew that Kimer has her own duties and, even if she worked in an allied sector, she would hardly get involved with this type of case, which involved mysticism. At least Kimer was sincere. Gwenda kept her reputation, but not the one she wanted, because when talk about town detective, Gwenda have a lot of angry and disgusting eyes at her direction. But inside that arena, neither her ou anyone could deny that her skills were incomparable.

— You should worry about yours. Only you to be so reckless.

Gwenda raised an eyebrow.

And there is: the sincerity.

Again took one more sip that warmed her from the fee to the head. She took her hand to the gun and could swear that the noise of the conversation behind her had diminished. Maybe they know her by her blind sight.

— See, Gwen. You know what you do, it’s not me to tell that you are doing everything wrong. — Kimer put a hand over your shoulder and opened a little smile — It’s Darcy.

Gwenda rolled her eyes and took off the friend’s hand.

— I didn’t come here to talk about this — The young woman said.

— Great, I didn’t think so either.

Gwenda grunted.

The straight hair and totally loose weighed on Gwenda’s back. She straightened it just yesterday when she came back from the arena all drenched in sweat. It would stay like this for a few months, thanks to the product she used. Could smell the lavender scent, strong and delicious.

Now straight, was easier to see the cuts that she did a few months ago, unregulated.

— Do you know what is funnier? — asked Gwenda — The mutter exploded with a A3 Bomb, which is fabricated just in Carsany. I can’t understand how I couldn’t discover what the fairies were doing with that exploded stuff. They say they flew day and night, only to arrive at the mutter and shatter it, taking along the perfectly armed soldiers who didn’t even know how to aim a damn bullet.

— Gwen, they were fairies. — Kimer remembered her friend.

— Whatever. — Gwenda raised her hand, hitting the air, and took the bottle with the another one, before drink she told: — A A3 Bomb, Kimer. A weak bomb, that were used to explode glass which actually is indestructible. This is getting crazy. — So she drank to forget something she couldn’t forget.

When it came to magic, they knew nothing was impossible.

— I suggest you have a rest. Ask for a break.

— Darcy chose me in that rumble line, I need to do what she asks me for. I was chosen to be bought for one reason, Kimer. I can’t disappoint her, not now when the fairies are mine. Mine until I discover what this damn fucking shit is about. And, if I don’t kill them, they will go to the prison and stay there until they rot.

And with mine Gwenda wanted to say that the case were yours, but the question fell due to technical problemas coming from the Shooter herself.

— Go relax a bit — Kimer ask with a wave of the hand.

— I always did this, I relax all day, K. Can’t you see my eye blinking? — Gwenda pointed to her left eye, which had recently started to blink on its own.

Kimer looked to her from the top to the bottom and rolled her eye in a sigh. The friend placed her soft hand on top of Gwenda’s, in a loving gesture. This made Gwenda remember that Kimer was obsessed with cream, and when she see in some tend or store, she always go to have some adventure with a new cream. The young woman couldn’t hold back herself to see how many cream Kimer got since the last visit from her.

Gwenda never ever had a collection. But her dad... had a collection of knives that she was anxious for it to be passed on to her. But it was not the case.

— Thanks, Kimer. — her throat wobbled and the friend smiled before gave her little slaps in your hand and went back to work.

Gwenda grabbed the bottle, but stopped in the way to her lips, looking to the counter. Kimer will be there, helping her always that she can. And Gwenda will do the same forever.

— What you tell me — Gwenda started and the friend turned back with her eyes wide opens — about Jurian?

Kimer blushed and gave a shy smile. That was enough to Gwenda take her hand out off the alcohol and raised a eyebrow.

— I believe the things are going well — Gwenda comment with a suspicious tone.

Kimer agreed.

— I was waiting your questioning — she said and take a drink to someone in the counter.

The man dropped the tip and disappeared with the bottle. Kimer thanked with a head affirmation and a friendly smile.

— He want do this slowly.

— Big shit — Gwenda said with a little smile. — I’m sure that you would love if he had attitude.

— And he hasn’t? Oh, yeah, only me can answear that.

Gwenda rolled her eyes.

— I don’t like this, you know.

— Gwen, — Kimer scolded her — you knew him the last month, it’s not so that hard to accept.

— He is hypocrite. — Kimer closes his face — And he work to sector 9. Sector 9 is problem. Darcy has her favorites like me, but god take him if go to the detestable list. Sector 9 is enemy.

— You and your rotten finger — Kimer commented — Don’t control yourself and think we are the same as you.

She was talking about Louise.

— I never could tough as such stupid think, c’mon.

Kimer shut up Gwenda with just a look and said:

— He isn’t a Darcy’s enemy, Gwen. He doesn’t want conflict.

— So it’s worst than I though.

Went to the bar that her friend work was like a tradition, but Gwenda started with the drink not to many days ago, and today was a destructive day that she couldn’t stare without a drink.

— And your thing with Trytan?

Gwenda stopped each muscle of her body. She doesn’t like to talk about this.

— What do you mean? — asked, already thinking a of an excuse to get out of the bar.

— It’s working the way that you hope? I discovered that he was flirting with another woman younger than you. Such a rich one.

The Shooter asked herself how a gossip could spread so quickly. Kimer and Gwenda always discover what they want, but each one has different interests to what are about these secrets.

The young woman took the hand behind her neck and scratched the tattoo, like could feel it buried in the skin.

— I can’t hope something about this kind of person. There’s nothing in our thing.

— You should stop with this, Gwen. It’s not good for you. — Kimer hummed.

— What? Care about man?

— Being the crazy of the job.

— Tell me who am I if is not an irrelevant detective?

— Say this to the king and his letters.

— He is interested about my money as an arena participant. Want to do a bargain; want protection; someone to clean your tracks... whatever goes from bad to worse.

— Again, you should stop being the crazy of the job. You are the Shooter, could retire if you wanted. — Kimer answer and turned to the other counter where the drinks were prepared. The Shooter teached some drinks of the lot of ones that she knows.

— I don’t participate in arena just for the money, K. Much less I’m a detective for this shit salary. I have my reasons.

— I know. — Kimer answer.

Gwenda inhaled deeply, letting the sulfur air enter her lungs. But then she grimaced at the other scent she had detected. She released the air slowly.

— The Labeling is tomorrow.

Kimer got tense. She know that Gwenda didn’t made, that she escaped in the last year and the another one, that she ran away with eighteen and ended up not being marked. Years passed by and she remained a fugitive walking around unnoticed, until the bribes started. Tomorrow she couldn’t have another choice but surrender.

Gwenda was both called a girl due to the lack of label and because her face still had the shape of a girl aged 20 and under. A great combination, she would say. The absence of the mark with her appearance, both showing something to the people, to he king. She was a fugitive, and until not labeled, would be hunted now. In the past, there was no need to worry about not attending the Labeling when no one knew her.

— Alright. — Gwenda stood up from the high stool and grabbed the gun, locking it and sliding it into her belt — I’m heading out. Darcy must already be pissed.

Kimer smile understandingly.

— Love you, Gwen. Take care.

Gwenda nodded, letting Kimer see the message in her eyes. Love you too. Thank you.

Her friend’s smile widened before Gwenda walked out the door.