The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

Force Of A God

It is always the least expected, the least measurable or conceivable that screws you.

John and I disabled the remaining sailors. Expected. We opened the crates and took a tri-arrowed crossbow, a super-light shield and an axe that looked ready to cut through air itself. Expected. What I did not expect... What I did not calculate in any of this was the shadow that moved from the corner of my vision at the last second.

I barely shifted in time. But the dagger glanced across my leg and left a shallow cut behind. I danced back a step as did John and we drew sword and dagger.

"Damn it all! Fucking traders." John growled as he glared into the shadows.

I glanced down at my leg and saw it as minor before returning my gaze to the trees beyond. Just one? How did they find—

"The guild master sends his regards!" A male voice calls out from the darkness. John and I tense in the direction of it and I draw the new bow off my back to nock three arrows. Guild master? Surely that cannot be...

"Which guild would that be?" I called back trying to pinpoint their location.

"The assassins, swine!" Another deep voice called from behind.

We spun sideways so we could anticipate multiple enemies. I felt my eyes burn a touch in the heat of the night and my skin was feeling slight tingles from the humidity.

"Did you truly think you could run away from us, Tayay Ashrive?" The first voice drawled as it stepped out into the small clearing. "Run away from the guild master himself?"

As he spoke these words my blood froze. Because another figure emerged from the darkness. But no ordinary man. No, the guild master himself drew back a black hood and smiled more sinisterly than the devil himself.

Gods.

"Good to see you, Miss Ahsrive. And your loyal dog, Johnathan."

John growled loudly but made no move. I looked cooly back at the guild master we had infuriated on more than a dozen occasions. I felt the heat and tingle in my skin again but sure it was for another reason entirely.

"Guild master, Kato." I nodded curtly. "A pleasent evening for you to venture so far to join us."

He chuckled lowly—it sounded more like a snarl.

"Feeling well, dearest?" He asked as he strolled closer leisurely. "We have been at work as of late on something... special indeed. Far greater potential than the devil's sneeze you can be assured. Something I knew would be perfect for an old friend." 

I frowned at him in irritation. "Spare us the small talk, Kato. I do love the half-baked drivel that slumbers from your mouth but not this night."

I saw John's smile in the corner of my eye. Kato's reaction was unexpected. He merely smiled at me more cruelly. It set me impossibly further on edge. But I suddenly felt it. More urgently than ever and not down to the climate.

My skin flashed hotter than before and I could feel my body trying to release sweat to counter it. I wobbled slightly as John shot me a worried look.

"Tayah?" He asked quietly.

"Oh, worry not Johnathan. She will be quite alright... in the Underworld." He growled with a smile.

My blood froze as I realised too late. My eyes flashed down to the shallow cut in my leg and of course. A small slither of blue-black liquid coated the outside of the shallow wound. 

A poisoned blade.

"You shut your mouth!" John roared back. He drew the new light and beautifully plated shield off his back and placed his sword over it. The sounds of many more assassins drawing blade sung in the night.