A Court Of Night and Fire

Chapter TwentyTwo

"What do you mean we have a problem?" The Head Mistress demanded.

Master Reaper Nicolas looked behind him toward Celia. "Articus Lykos is out to kill you."

"And why would he go do something so foolish as that?" she asked with an amused smile.

"Because he thinks Darklings are Reapers," Nicolas replied stiffly.

Her smile faltered. "Did you know of this?"

A faint hope shivered through Articus when he realized the Head Mistress had asked Celia.

What the bloody hell is she doing here?

Celia held her head up high. "Of course not. The man hasn't spoken to me since he came back from his last assignment."

Nicolas shut the door behind Celia with a loud thud.

"Then why are you here?" the Head Mistress pressed.

When Celia glared at Nicolas, he said, "Because she just happened to be trying to leave."

"Leave?"

They both know. Shit.

"My father is very ill," Celia replied dangerously. "Are we done? I want to make sure he is well before I take on another assignment."

"Word of advice? Before you try to lie, make sure you can control all of the signs. Sit," the Head Mistress tone was as dangerous as Celia's had.

Celia looked from Nicolas to the very distracting Kalian woman. Damn all northern women. Focus Articus.

"I'd advise you to leave for a time until we can locate him," Nicolas said as Celia sat down stiffly onto one of the couches, between the two. "I have our people scouring the grounds as we speak."

"Advise me to leave? He is only one man Nicolas. Get the word out to everyone else that he is helping the Darklings and inform me when you have his head on a pike."

Nicolas started shaking his head the moment his master started speaking. "No, he is not just one man. You underestimate him, or have you forgotten already?"

"Silence!" she snapped.

The Ghourdian kept his silence long enough to calm himself. He was furious at her. "Fine. What do you want me to do with her?"

Articus eased out one of his darts and held his breath.

"Dispose of her however you wish. Now leave me, I have enough things on my mind right now."

Celia shot up, her hand going for her sa'dka. Just as Nicolas reached for his weapon, the Head Mistress lifted her hand and a thick cord of energy snaked around Celia's throat.

With a sharp jerk, he pulled the Head Mistress's head up and sliced her neck.

Blood sprayed onto the table in front of them like red wine. For one long heartbeat both Celia and Nicolas starred at Articus who had seemingly appeared out from no where.

Not wasting any breath, Articus leaped over the flailing Kalian and pulled out his sa'dka in time to catch Nicolas's extended one. Like a bolt, he struck the Master Reaper with his dart, punching through the Reaper's tunic and into his lung. Stunned, Nicolas backpedaled away from Articus, only to fall on his ass.

"Articus!" Celia gasped.

It took Articus a second to realize she wasn't yelling his name in shock but in warning. Unfortunately, he was a second too late.

The Head Mistress backhanded him in the jaw, sending him across the room as if he'd been hit by a sledge hammer. He inhaled sharply at the pain and then exhaled loudly as his head slammed into the wall--ten spans from where he'd been earlier.