Whisper of Blade | ✓ (Crimson #1)

Chapter 13: Assassin's Vengeance

"You don't remember me, do you?" Kaolin observed.

Minerva shuffled distractedly around the room with Nola's rough wool blanket trailing behind her. Where had the blasted woman put her flaming swords? "No. No, not really," she said.

Kaolin let out a puff of breath that lifted her soft, cinnamon-brown bangs from her forehead. Her foot twisted under Nola's dresser and hooked on something underneath. Minerva's swords were swept out with a clatter. "Don't let her know I showed you where they were," Kaolin said.

Minerva cautiously picked them up only when Kaolin had stepped far enough away. At least the mysterious stranger had enough sense to treat her like the wounded animal she was. Unpredictable and dangerous.

"Tell me. How does a friend of Nola's know who the Pale Viper is?" Minerva unsheathed her sword and winced at the dried blood on it. Before she could fetch them herself, Kaolin had already found and brought a dampened rag and the thin metal cleaning rod from by the fireplace.

"I'll do it for you," she offered.

Minerva slowly handed her long sword over, but kept its companion by her side.

"I see you've already forgotten that you once trusted me." Kaolin sighed.

Minerva noted with approval that Kaolin's hands were quick and efficient, swabbing the inside of the sheath in the exact manner she would have used. "My apologies," Minerva answered sincerely. She studied Kaolin's face, but still came up empty.

"It's no matter. I live to be forgotten, it comes with the trade." Kaolin switched to the outside of the scabbard. She held it up in the sunlight to inspect for flecks of bright blood. "Perhaps the Inari-Nakiryu job sparks a memory?"

Minerva exhaled a small breath. The names did more than spark. They burned and illuminated neglected pathways through the catacombs of her mind. The sudden blaze brought buried impressions to light.

"The fool's errand, the dead man's gamble," Minerva whispered, "You only took that job when you had nothing left to lose ... and we almost succeeded." More than anything, she'd wished for the guts to take a second run at that commission—even knowing it'd most likely end in the death they'd cheated the first time around.

Kaolin nodded, her fingers sliding almost lovingly over the etched metal. "We kept our lives at least, and" —she said with a laugh— "several other teams tried to follow our two-person approach and failed beyond human comprehension."

"I'm sorry I forgot about you." Minerva ducked her head. "I do remember hearing you disappeared about a year back. The Twilight Enclave was frantic searching for their top spy." Last year had been around the time that ... that the Saboteurs started hunting down Twilight spies.

"I can see the dots starting to connect in your head." Kaolin smiled. "Give me a few minutes and I'll catch you up on everything that's happened since we last worked together."

Minerva curled up on the bed, though her hand still gripped her sword hilt under the mess of sheets. "Proceed."

Kaolin finished cleaning the long sword and offered it in trade. "Doing something with my hands helps me think of what I want to say," she explained as she took the cloth to Minerva's short sword.

"The Inari-Nakiryu job gave my reputation a boost," Kaolin said. "I never lacked clients after that—though I have you to thank for keeping our hides intact."

"It was a joint eff—" Minerva began before Kaolin hushed her.

"Don't interrupt, it throws me off." Kaolin sucked in her cheeks and tapped the flat of the blade with her fingers. "Ah yes, I went into hiding when I stumbled across info that betrayed Saboteur plans to wipe us out. Went to my guild heads, but despite their so-called faith in my skill, they didn't believe me. Took a year for them to regret it."